9 Completely Worthless Collectibles

http://finance.yahoo.com ^ | October 29, 2011 | Jason Notte

[lowbridge]

If you stare at the Thomas Kinkade painting on your wall each day thinking "There's my retirement fund," prepare to pour skim lattes until you're 90.

Collecting as a hobby can be a fun, worthwhile and potentially lucrative way to pass time. Amassing collectibles as investments, however, can be a disappointing endeavor yielding nothing but piles of devalued tchotchkes for the next of kin to sort through.

The founder of comic book industry bible Wizard, Gareb Shamus, said a year ago that the best advice a collector could heed was to buy what they liked and do their homework. Then again, he's also a Spider-Man collector who paid $1,700 for an issue with a cover drawn by artist Todd MacFarlane featuring the villain Sandman. The book's value jumped to between $30,000 and $40,000 when the Sandman appeared in the latest Spider-Man film.

-snip

"Collectibles" investors, however, are beholden to a very subjective, eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY - News)-driven market in which their precious knick-knack can be worth $800 or less than $50. While sites such as Kovels.com offer some guidance, "collectibles" and the companies that make them are slaves to demand and market forces — and the realization that their mass-produced product is only worth as much as a buyer will pay for it.

"I tell people that keeping collectibles is like storing money under your mattress," says Lou Kahn, head of the Bakerstowne Collectibles appraisal and consignment service in West Hempstead, N.Y. "You're going to have the same amount of money next year, but it's going to be worth a lot less."

[EBH]

In the case of my Mom and Aunt, they had the historical value books for Bradex etc. They really thought they were worth something. Knickknacks don’t get written into Wills, items of value or perceived value do.

[martin_fierro]

Hummel Figurines
Beanie Babies
Franklin Mint Collectibles
Hess Trucks
Thomas Kinkade Paintings
Precious Moments Figurines
Norman Rockwell Plates
Lladro Statues
Cabbage Patch Kids

NOTABLY ABSENT:

BOB ROSS PAINTINGS

w00t! I'm RICH!

[gatorhead]

Anybody want to buy a “rare” black Furby?

[conservaterian]

I had a shoebox full of baseball cards when I was drafted, all from the 40s – early 60s. My mother gave them away with most of my other stuff when I was in Viet Nam.Yeah, always wanted to thank your mom for that, I made a LOT of money with those cards.

[DCBryan1]

These are the types of plates I collect, and trust me, WILL NEVER depreciate.

[central_va]

Is that what I think it is? And if so, where did you get them?

[muawiyah]

Not always. Several decades ago I did a review of a stamp collection that'd been gathered from castoff envelopes ~ from the 1800s.

The collector had been an ambassador from a South American country. He was posted to Washington DC.

MY GAWD~~~~~~!!!!!! You know that stuff in the first few pages of just about every catalog book ever published? This collection had ALL THE LISTED variations in every type.

Many of them have no mint condition copies ~ this didn't either, but they'd been gathered fresh off the dispatches and were still crisp and fresh.

They'd been kept in some fairly plain stamp collecting catalogs with low acid paper ~ great stuff. I had the lady who owned them (one of the descendants) lock them in a safety deposit box while getting insurance on them ~ and also advised her to put some of them up for sale so she could retire ~ which she did.

Otherwise you might sometimes encounter collections like that in museums.

[RoadTest]

I think you have the right take on collectibles.

[R. Scott]

She also gave away my trumpet, guitar and Lionel trains. Guess she didn’t expect me to return.

[BRL]

I wish I could say it was sentimental, but it is guilt.

My parents have drawers of beanie babies, and probably a lot of the other stuff mentioned in this article. If I am involved in cleaning up their house, it all goes into the trash. I have more than enough of my own stuff to lug through life, I am not going to lug anyone else's stuff too. And I am not interested in running ebay auctions at $3 a pop.

[RoadTest]

“People really collect that crap?”

It’s all kitsch.

[PubliusMM]

With 0bama they are called ‘restrictor plates’...

[momtothree]

“... I collect is dustballs under the couch. “tis a bachelor’s life for me)

If the dustbunnies are only under your couch and not everywhere... you are doing a great job! A home has to have a few dustbunnies... gives it that “lived in” look!

[bannie]

Back in the day...way back...a “slut” was a bad housekeeper.

Dustbunnies = “slut’s wool”

[ErnBatavia]

We have quite a few LLadros; fortunately - for the possible future - we’ve securely stored their packing cartons as well.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

2¢ on eBay, includes shipping and handling. BTW, I got a 6 foot HDMI cable on Amazon for 19¢, shipping and handling includled. Works just fine. I think the seller was trying to collect a buncha stars. Gets five from me.

[DJ MacWoW]

What Would You Do Without FR?

Click The Pic To Donate

Where Else Can You Discuss Conservative Issues And Laugh Too?

[momtothree]

Really?! I learn something new on FR every single day! Maybe I’ll completely shock the family today by going down in the basement (it is truly a disaster) and announce, “I FEEL LIKE SUCH A SLUT!” Should get a few gasps and weird looks!

[Fresh Wind]

I think HDMI cables are the biggest rip-off on the planet. Even more so if the word “monster” appears on the package.

[DCBryan1]

Is that what I think it is? And if so, where did you get them?

These are complete plates. You can buy <80% complete plates with "drill here" schematics for about $400.00. Sten gun "blank" tubes with drawings are <$100.00.

Try subguns.com forum or Karma metal Co.

Remember to obey all NFA and GCA laws until we can find some Republicans with balls to repeal them and 18 USC 922(o).