II.

What People Collect

Just about anything can be a collectible. Many dealers and collectors view collectibles as items that fall outside the traditional antiques categories of books, furniture, dolls, glass, and pottery or porcelain. They generally include more modern objects, such as post-World War II toys, magazines, sports memorabilia, comic books, or trading cards. The popular auction Web site eBay has around 50 different categories under the term “Collectibles,” including autographs, breweriana (beer-related objects), Disneyana (items associated with the Walt Disney Company), housewares and kitchenware, military items, pens and writing instruments, and science fiction-related items. Some examples of more unusual collectible categories are barbed wire, board games, cheese labels, swizzle sticks, empty cereal boxes, advertising pencils, airsickness bags, telephones, drugstore tins, baby rattles, bug sprayers, and swanky swigs (decorated jelly jar glasses).

Collectors tend to pursue items that have personal meaning to them, such as objects related to their childhood. For example, cast-iron vehicle toys were extremely popular in the early 20th century. Adults who grew up during that era will likely make up the majority of collectors of those items. Collectors who grew up in the 1960s often collect action figures, superhero comic books, space memorabilia, robots, Beatles paraphernalia, or other items that were popular when they were young.

Collectibles also include new items specifically manufactured for collection. Sometimes called limited editions or collector’s editions, these items are typically numbered or signed to add to their collectibility. The most familiar examples of these are limited-edition porcelain plates and figurines (such as those made by Danbury Mint and the Franklin Mint) and toys such as collector-edition Barbie dolls or Hot Wheels cars. These items are commonly manufactured in limited quantities, in essence creating “instant demand” to sell more collectibles. And while manufacturers of these items may tout the items’ potential investment value, few of these “manufactured collectibles” actually increase in value. Despite their supposed limited number, these items are often quite common and lose their value as the market becomes saturated and demand drops.

By definition, collectors must shape their collections in some way by deciding what to collect and what not to. Once a collecting genre is selected, a collector will either take a wide approach (collecting all soda pop memorabilia) or narrow the focus (collecting only Coca-Cola items, or only older Coca-Cola bottles). A person interested in collecting toys may collect thematically (collecting only Shirley Temple dolls and toys), by era (only 19th-century dolls), by manufacturer (only teddy bears made by Steiff), by region (only German tin toys), or by material (only cast-iron vehicles). This still affords the collector many alternatives while limiting the collection in scope and size—often necessary for those with limited space or money. Sometimes collectors will begin by collecting widely, and as they become more involved in the hobby they narrow their focus. Often they can sell the excess items in their collection or trade them with fellow collectors.