Keepsakes are an important way to document history, and you’ll want to be a part of it. While photographs can fade away, there is something very special about the tactile experience of holding a sentimental or precious keepsake. Some collections are often started as family heirlooms, with great personal value. Oftentimes however, this begs the question: what else can I collect? Some collectable items can be sold for a fine resell value once the collection is complete, and it’s like a treasure hunt to find all the pieces. You may end up keeping it after you find all the pieces! Here are some ideas for starting your own collection:
Baseball Cards
Baseball cards are often worth a sizeable amount to collectors, especially ones that are signed or limited editions. Baseball cards give a nostalgic feeling of being young and playing outdoors, a visit back to boyhood. This is illustrated by the fact that a single Babe Ruth baseball card once sold for $270,000 at an auction. Historically, baseball cards were packaged with other items such as gum or tobacco as a bonus, a lot like how we still have “prizes” in children’s cereals today. Ways to obtain baseball cards today are either through retailers, or hobby shops and online stores for the real discoveries.
Newspapers
In 1791, freedom of the press was guaranteed in the United States. Since then, newspapers have documented current events in the country at a level never seen before in history. While history books give a great overview of what happened in our country long ago, it is always subject to the perspective of the authors. Collecting old newspapers is a way of seeing history through the eyes of the people who actually lived during that period. You will find the worldviews and values of journalists long ago are strange and foreign. Understanding different cultures in the world today can be facilitated by understanding how our own culture developed. We have not always had the same views and perspectives as we do now. Newspaper collecting is strikingly affordable compared to most collecting hobbies. It is not uncommon to find a unique newspaper copy in great condition for under $10.
Jewelry
Commonly, jewelry collections start with old heirlooms, which can easily develop into a hobby as sets are extended and completed. Jewelry collections can remain in a box on display or they can be worn. Antique jewelry must be over 100 years old, and vintage jewelry should be over 40-50 years old. Costume jewelry, jewelry with fake stones, is often thought of as vintage jewelry but this is not the case. Vintage Jewelry can have a flamboyant costume appeal, but to hold real value, it must have real precious stones and metals in its make-up.
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