Original Blog Entry: Caution on collectibles

time*treat — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:41:31 GMT

A collectible is the kind of thing you thought was overpriced at 5 bucks, only to find out years later someone is willing to pay $500 for one in the original packaging, i.e. way more than the thing cost new.

There are too many things to collect that will never be more than conversation pieces: barbie dolls, old stamps, error coins, rare beanies, lionel trains, pez dispensers, antique cars, baseball cards, comic books. A few items in all of those categories have sold at amazing prices, but most items among them have not. It's just money spent.

I don't try to guess what the hot rare item is going to be 20 years hence; too subjective for me. Too many things that can suddenly lower the (so-called) value, like a scratch, a tear, water damage, or finding you paid big money for a counterfeit (ouch!). I don't want to have to be a specialist when I buy or find a specialist when I'm ready to sell.

These folks below feel they were ripped off. I'm not so sure...

I saw similar ads (see below) on tv and in print, and it seems to me they got exactly what was advertised in words and audio.

I'm not sure if they were cheated or not. I do know that if enough people complain about a thing, even if they failed to RTFM, then the state AG will take their side.

They could have saved themselves a bit of grief by asking one simple question -- How do you put multiple colors on a (piece of metal) coin? That's what I thought, when I saw the ad. There were two answers; neither of which had me picking up the phone.

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