The collectibles market is cryptic, fickle and confounding. We sellers sometimes think we have cracked the collectibles code so we can target our buying. And we might be right for a hot minute. But then people’s fancy abandons what had been a favorite and affection is slathered on something else and we have to catch up and crack that code again.
A collectible is something that is valued and sought by collectors. This might be things like vintage radios, stamps, aprons, books or toys. Manufactured collectibles are things that made specifically to be collected. This includes things like sports cards, decorative plates, bells and figurines. Collectibles, for the most part, are not investments. They are not guaranteed to appreciate in value or popularity and are only worth what someone is willing to pay. The value of a collectible is determined by scarcity, condition and demand.
So what should you know about the collectibles market? These eight things:
1 A collectible is not valuable because it’s old
Being antique or vintage does not make something valuable. Many people wanting and willing to pay for it makes it valuable. During the bottle craze of the 1970s, Avon bottles were hot commodities. Now, not so much. There’s nothing different about them, they’re still beautifully made and interesting. But bottle collectors now have little interest in Avon bottles.
Another example, there are tons of old coins and stamps out there that have curiosity value, artistic value or value to a new collector but have no financial value. On the other hand, the Inverted Jenny stamp is an example of a truly valuable stamp. This 1918 US stamp was printed to commemorate the first air mail flight. During the printing process where the stamps took multiple passes through a press for different colors, some of the sheets were put into the printing press upside down. One sheets with the upside down plane went into circulation and was bought by a postal clerk, who paid face value. He sold it later for $15,000. The sheet has since been broken up. In 2023, a single Inverted Jenny sold for $2 million.
Why is one stamp worth that much money? Because it’s rare, and that’s what someone was willing to pay.
2 Maker can determine value on the collectibles market
The value of decorative items in particular can depend on who made it. There are companies that make fine quality decor, jewelry and furniture, for example, and then there are companies that make lower priced knock offs for the everyman. An early honest and true Tiffany lamp can be worth a lot. A decorator quality lamp from the same era made to provide the look without the price will be worth less. An antique secretary desk made by a known furniture artisan can be very valuable. An antique secretary desk mass produced by a furniture company at the turn of the century will not be valuable, but it will be attractive and useful.
3 Being signed and numbered does not make something valuable
Things like lithographs, prints and manufactured collectibles can be both signed and numbered. Artisan pottery and paintings are signed. Having a signature and being a “limited edition” does not always drive value. As I said above, scarcity, demand and condition drive value. Famous artists sometimes signed blank sheets of paper that would later be printed with their art because the cash was good for doing it. What being signed does is it tells you who made it, and knowing that is cool. Art, in particular, goes in and out of fashion. Antiquarian and photographer Wallace Nutting‘s photographs were pricey and highly collectible in the 1960s and 1970s. Now, not so much.
4 There are always outliers in the manufactured collectibles market
Precious Moments figurines are an example of a manufactured collectible. Started in 1978, the collectible figurines reached peak popularity in 1996-1997. The”Original 21″ figurines from 1979 were branded as Jonathan & David. These are scarcer and can be worth more. This entire collection, 19 of which had their boxes, recently sold on eBay for $550. The larger scale Masterpiece Disney Love Conquers All sold on eBay for almost $2400. On the other hand, figurines from the peak popularity period, when scads of figurines rolled off the production line, are available for small money at nearly every thrift store.
5 There are outliers in things that are collectible but weren’t made to be
Costume jewelry can be collectible even though it’s usually not manufactured with that intent. Particular brands, particular eras, particular materials all have devoted fans. But not every piece in every material or every piece from every brand is valuable. Trifari pieces designed by Alfred Phillipe from 1930-1968, like Jelly Bellies and Fruit Salad pieces, are in demand and priced high. Vintage Trifari from the 1990s, not so much. The Alfred Phillipe spider on the left sold recently on eBay for $325. The milk glass daisy on the right sold for $18.
6 Listed price does not determine value
Sellers can list items for whatever price they want. Something is not worth that price until someone pays it. Values in collectibles price guide books are snapshots in time.
If you are trying to gauge value, a fast way is to check eBay completed listings. To do that: Click on “advanced” at the top right of the home page. Type in what you are researching and click the box for “completed sales” which will show you how many listings sold recently for how much and how many were listed but did not sell. Prices for sold listings are in green.
7 No one can predict what collectibles will be valuable
Two words: Beanie Babies. I know there are some outliers among Beanie Babies. No matter what a manufactured collectible company says in it’s marketing materials or what the influencers say on social media or what a gallery owner in a vacation destination says or what an antiques expert says, take it with a grain of salt. Even expensive things are not guaranteed to appreciate in value. As a high end designer consignment shop owner once explained to me, “A $1500 sweater with a stain is just a sweater with a stain. You bought it to wear it. If you bought it as an investment, you put your money in the wrong place.” (Author’s note: it was not me with the $1500 sweater, I was querying for a client.)
8 Collect what you love
Trying to crack the collectibles market code is a game we sellers play, and if we do our job right, things we buy come into our hands and leave them quickly. We’re not buying because we love something or because we’re going to store it in a plastic bin and sell it in 20 years to fund our retirements.
If you’re not a seller, there are good places to put your investment money and for most of us, that place is not collectibles. But your fun money? That’s a whole different game. Collect things that make you happy. It might be makeup compacts, model cars, razors, Lego sets, paperweights…whatever makes your tail wag. Half the fun of collecting is the thrill of the hunt. Fair warning, once your friends and family know you collect something, it might be showered down upon you at holidays. But there are worse fates.
I studiously avoided mentioning Hummels. There is an entire cottage industry devoted to researching and valuing Hummels and far better resources than I could even pretend to provide. Try this site to start. And then move on to the hundreds of other sites and books. Researching Hummels is so involved, it might be considered a second career.
We have a couple other blog posts on collectibles and value: What is the Value of Collectibles and Art? and Researching Art, Vintage and Collectibles.
