The Simplest Advice

My name is Brett McFall and I’ve been collecting old copy writing books for several years. I started my collection because copy writing is my craft and I wanted to learn the secrets of the copy editors from days past. Soon, I discovered I had quite a collection – one that I won’t part with to this day.

Even as a child I loved words. You may find this a bit on the weird side, but I loved reading advertising words and changing the words around to make silly phrases. It came as no surprise to my family and friends that I would eventually go into the field of copy writing. What did surprise them that I would fail English!

Who would have thought that as a failed English student from the western suburbs of Sydney, that I would one day be regarded by many as Australia’s best direct-response-advertising writer. And it all started with a love for words and collecting old ads and copywriting books.

Hence this site, the simplest advice on collectibles and antiques, was born. I want to share my love of collecting and, if possible, help you by offering the simplest advice on becoming a collectibles collector. I have researched and interviewed a lot of collectors of people who collect everything from frogs to antique automobiles and have shared that knowledge here, hopefully in a very simple and readable format that will spark the collector in you.

What do you love?

The words, collectibles, vintage and antiques have an appeal to many people – it doesn’t matter the age, gender, background or educational level. Old things, unusual things, items that define a culture or are from a popular niche such as a famous celebrity have become a huge market as more and more people become interested in collecting their favorite things.

One Man’s Trash

Remember the old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”? That defines collecting. You have to know what you have and it has to have value – at least to you. If it has value to others, so much the better.

Almost anything can be a “collectible”. I know one man who collects vintage Fender guitars. He does it everywhere and is always on the lookout for a rare find. One day he was fishing in a creek about 75 miles north of Atlanta, GA. He noticed a young man sitting on a rock under a bridge, feet dangling in the water. My collector friend was trout fishing so walked on up the stream through the water until he was close enough to talk to the boy.  They struck up a conversation and soon the the young man was telling him how he wished he had enough money to buy something special – said all he needed was $150.

The man started “fishing” then for his favorite catch. He asked him … “Well, do you have any old junk at home or up in the attic that you’d like to sell. I like old guitars and I just happen to have $150 I’d pay if I could find one I wanted.” It didn’t take him very long to end up at the teenager’s house where he was showing him an old Fender guitar that had belonged to his dad. He said his dad had died in the early 60′s and the guitar was just collecting dust because no one could play it.

The collector paid him $150 for the guitar (exactly what the boy asked for) and left with barely contained excitement. He sold the mint condition  “old Fender guitar” for $13,000 at an auction the following week.

Why Collect?

People have many reasons for collecting. One lady I know collects Elvis memorabilia because, said she, “I loved him. And this keeps him alive for me.” Her collection is probably not very valuable as a monetary asset, but it has sentimental value for her.

Another person may collect Barbie dolls or other such popular toys. A lady I know always buys two Barbie Dolls for her little girl: one to play with and another to put away in its original packaging. She says it will be valuable some day. And it most likely will be.

Where to Find Collectibles

The first step, of course,is to decide what you want to collect and your purpose for collecting. If you are collecting for sentimental reasons you will find collectible items almost anywhere products are sold. For example, the lady who collects Elvis memorabilia will buy an Elvis t-shirt or a cup with the King’s picture on it. The monetary value is irrelevant to her.

However, if you are like my friend, the Fender guitar collector, you are very much interested in the monetary value of items in your collection. To find these kinds of items requires a sleuth mentality and a constant alertness to possible finds.

Buying Collectibles Online

There are plenty of online sources, including eBay, Craigs List and Amazon. If you do search for your treasure online, use caution as there are many disreputable people who will take advantage of any area of uncertainty you have. Watch out for misspellings, odd labels, and peculiar source names – i.e., know your collectible. Don’t just take someones word for its value. Do your homework and you will not get ripped off.

Off-line Sources for Collectibles

The possibilities are endless off-line. Almost every community has garage sales and flea markets or swap-meets. Estate sales are also good sources for unusual treasures. Consider this local yard sale collectible treasure find:

Bike sold for $5 in Ky. once belonged to Landis
By JEFFREY McMURRAY (AP) – 4 days ago

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The bicycle had two flat tires, but Greg Estes figured the $5 asking price still made it a great bargain at a yard sale. Little did he know just how great.

Estes checked on the bike’s origin after buying it in Owenton this month. He was shocked to learn it may be worth as much as $8,000 and was custom built for cycling star Floyd Landis, who used it in the 2007 Leadville 100, a mountain bike race in Colorado. Read the rest of the API story here.

That is an awesome story that is probably the dream of every yard sale junkie. We all want to find the treasure trove.

Like the a woman who purchased a box of old comic books for a quarter and sold them on eBay for $1500.

But, some people are collectors – not for reselling and making a mint  – but for the sheer joy of owning old, vintage, collectible items. I know a man who loves radios and he collects all kinds. And, yes, he listens to them as well, taking turns so that no radio is left out. Silly? Senile? It is not our place to judge. It brings him pleasure.

And that is what collecting collectibles is all about.

Start Your Own Collectibles Journey

Whether you want to start your own collectibles tradition for fun or profit you must first, select a field that you find personally interesting. Do you have a natural passion for a certain item, time period, celebrity? If so, you can turn that passion into an interesting hobby or even a money-making adventure by starting your own collection of vintage, unique or antique items.

If the thought of buying and/or selling collectibles sound interesting and worth considering, then this is a good site to start with. We will explore many different venues and offer you the simplest advice possible. It begins with research. We’ve done some of that for you already. This site can be the beginning of a long and interesting journey as you explore the possibilities of collectibles and antiques.

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