Let's Talk: How to ascertain the Value of Various Collectibles?

 

The bottom line is supply and demand. Based on supply and demand that will determine the value of anything. If you have a specific item, in basic terms; there are more of these items in supply than there are in demand than the price and overall value of these items will go down, due to a glut in the market. For example, during these times, if a farmer has an oversupply of milk or corn, it becomes debatable about what to do, however, typically most farmers will dump some of their milk or corn supply, to therefore lower the supply, and try to artificially keep the prices along with the demand at a high, while the market is “oversaturated”. This is the true determining factor, and if you have something that’s very rare, specifically in very high value, grade, or condition, it becomes scarcer as the demand inevitably will go up. Read through to the end to check out our featured item within this post. The 1952 Mickey Mantle Baseball Card! 

   

 

 

Let’s talk about coins as an example, the hobby itself is classified as Numismatics. Anyone who is a collector of coins is identified as a numismatist. Numismatists include collectors, specialist dealers and scholars who use coins in object-based research. Although the term numismatics was first coined in English in 1829, people had been collecting and studying coins long before this, all over the world. Coins are created by the government in mints which manufacture these coins. They are essentially produced like pieces of art. Someone within the mint will engrave the photograph, and reverse, on the back of the piece of metal. The deepest part of the plate will be the highest part of the coin on the surface. The highest point Is typically also associated to what many Numismatists will refer to as the part of the coin that is most subjected to “rubbing”, therefore depleting some of the detail of this section of the coin and can greatly affect the overall value. A coin may have a little wear, however, in nice condition it may be able to sell for $1,000 dollars, or in uncirculated conditions may able to be sold for a value of $10,000 dollars. A coin that is in fact, in, absolute perfect mint-condition, and virtually has never been touched, may be a coin that could have a value of $500,000 to $1million dollar. Ass stated before, this is essentially all based on the condition of the coin.

   

  

 

 

The official name of the hobby of stamp collecting, and a more sophisticated approach to this wonderful hobby is associated with the term Philately. Collectors of rare stamps are professionally known as philatelists.  One may collect a broad range, or one may have a particular and more sophisticated interest in a certain stamp, or possibly even one type of stamp. For example, Classic American stamps. Some of these classic stamps date back to the 1850s-1860s and were engraved from different plates from these stamp sheets. For example, let’s say you had a sheet of 400 different stamps, that were engraved by hand, meaning there were plates of a hundred each, so, when these stamps were printing, a lot of the stamps were different in variation, based on catalog number, variety, and postmark, the conditions of stamps are vital to evaluating the value. They are the most fragile and brittle item to collect in the world. Light, thin, fragile pieces of paper that were developed over 150 years ago, typically old stamps will have creases damages, tares, and stains. Some of the mint condition stamps are typically still with the glue residue on the back, which after much time, could also damage the stamp. In conclusion, one would want a stamp that is not creased, broken, torn, or include missing pieces. The paper should be in as close to perfect condition as to when it was issued. Another important thing to note is that the centering of the stamp, should be also properly proportioned to the image depicted on paper. Ultimately meaning, the stamp should be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, with all 4 borders intact, and the perforations of the stamp should also be intact with the center of the stamp. The centering of the stamp will also greatly determine the value of the stamp and thus could allow it to sell for over 100 times the original value of the stamp. 

 

 

Many baseball cards hold immense value. For example, the Mickey Mantle rookie card, which was issued in 1952, also more current cards such as 1984 LeBron James, and Mike Trout also hold deep value to collectors amongst admirers of sport memorabilia to name a few. Newer sports cards, have little condition requirements, as opposed to the older variants. When looking at these older cards you want to be sure they are in mint condition. Typically, a well-kept card should have the centering of the image, in perfect ordinance with the borders of the card. If the picture is 70% to the left of the diagram, it would be described as a 70/30 ratio, versus 50/50 which dictates it is perfectly printed, and centered card. Approximately, 99% of cards have been printed perfectly.  There are a few things you should consider in regard to the condition of the card itself.  The corners should remain sharp and should not be too severly rounded in any way, the card should not feel weary, as well as there should be no smudges, ink issues, dullness, pen marks etc. located on the card. If it is in fact, a rare card in premium mint condition, it will bring in a high value. The general rule to bring in the highest price, are rookie cards of super star players, hall of famers so to speak. These cards are highly valuable and important to collectors around the world when kept in mint condition. If you look out for those characteristics it should help you in amassing a collection that you can cherish and enjoy for many years to come, and hopefully turn into a great investment!