Tags: doll house miniatures, dollhouse décor, dolls, miniature dollhouse collection

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Walking Liberty

Today, it is believed that the first coins were bronze and used in China around 800-1,000BC. Lydia in Asia Minor used coins about 600-700 BC. The Lydian’s coins were called “starters” which was a unit of weight. Starters were stamped with a lion’s head image and made with a gold and silver alloy. Today, as you might guess, the coins that are still remaining are very valuable.

The early Americans did not use coins for money. They made their “notes” from beaver skins, wampum and tobacco. They had their own money system without coins in use until foreign traders came to America and demanded payment for their goods. The foreign coins then started to circulate, but soon Americans started making their own coins from copper in the 18th century. Then after the new American government was born, it started to regulate coinage. The rights to produce their own coins were eventually given to the states. Later, national coinage was produced in America and the first U.S. Mint building started their coining operations in Philadelphia in 1793. The Mint building was actually an old brewery! The cent coin was the first one struck for circulation.

It’s amazing how these ingenious and enterprising early Americans operated their first Mints. They used a screw press that was powered by horses or many strong men! The planchets were squeezed between the obverse and reverse dies to strike the coins. At first, the dies were cut by hand. Sometimes a die cutter would add his own artistic flair to his dies.

Coin collecting has a long and colorful history and was mostly a hobby for the wealthy until more modern times. The Roman Emperor Augustus (63BC-14AD) was the earliest person known to collect coins. He collected them for his own collection and even gave out some as gifts. In the Middle Ages, the wealthy families and royalty amassed amazing collections. Even in the early history of America, only the wealthy could afford to collect coins. Everyone else had to spend the money for necessities such as food, shelter and clothing.

Then in 1858 the American Numismatic Society was formed and in 1891 the American Numismatic Association was founded. (A numismatist is a person who studies, collects or invests in paper money or coins). Because of these organizations, public awareness of coin collecting grew and in the 1930s the U.S. Commemorative coins were struck and became extremely popular with the public. More and more people were starting to collect and invest in coins. The numismatic hobby has been growing every since the 1930s and it is estimated that there are more that 15 million numismatists in the United States today!

Collecting coins is such a popular hobby because the idea of collecting money is exciting! And the money itself is fascinating and informative. Coins can open up your world to other cultures, history, art and economics by just studying them and the stories attached to the coins. There is a satisfaction when a person finds that particular date or mintmark to complete his collection! And since a completed collection is more valuable than individual coins, the excitement grows after each completed collection!

Start your collection today by visiting the many quality numismatic websites on the internet. Some companies even let you preview the coins before you buy them! It really is an exciting and fascinating hobby. Don’t be surprised that when you collect that first coin, you won’t want to stop!

Tags: American Numismatic Society, Augustus, coin collecting history, history, history of coin collecting, Lydia, Starters

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Specialty insurance covers everything from original artwork to engagement rings to rare book collections -- even a million-dollar wine collection.

(ARA) – If you’re remodeling or redecorating this season, you’re probably also buying some goodies to spruce up your home — like an antique dining set, original artwork or a high-end oriental rug.

Insurance experts warn that your homeowners or renters policy often won’t replace higher value items if they’re damaged or destroyed. Similarly, your policy might not cover your most unique or sentimental possessions.

Special items warrant special coverage
For unique and hard-to-value possessions, it’s best to go with an insurer that specializes in such items, says Jaclyn Krywar, who works for QBE Specialty Insurance. The insurer covers everything from engagement rings to rare book collections, your grandmother’s brooch or the Lladro collection in your living room hutch — even a million-dollar wine collection.

“A company that specializes in underwriting valuable articles can provide the most competitive pricing, broadest policies, and in the event of a claim, accurate estimates for replacing or restoring an item,” she says. “Specialty insurers can also provide more flexible, tailored coverage than a standard homeowners’ insurer and with no deductible.”

For example, if you have a decadent wine collection, QBE Specialty’s wine policy includes risks that aren’t often covered, like breakage, label restoration and spoilage due to mechanical breakdown of a cellar. And if you have historical memorabilia or a fine art collection, Krywar’s company would cover the risk of lending these to a museum as a loan or on exhibition.

Your homeowners or renters policy often won't replace higher value items if they're damaged or destroyed.

For off-beat and sentimental items, like your family heirloom Civil War rifle or that costume from Star Wars you bought on eBay, you’ll likely need a specialty insurer in order to find coverage. However, Krywar says most specialty policies protect more common valuables like a family’s wedding china or silverware, a few paintings and a small jewelry collection.

“Large or small, and even if you can’t put a value on it, be sure to insure it,” she says.

A floater could float you
Another option is inland marine coverage (often called a “floater” or “scheduled personal property”) that’s added to your homeowners or renters policy. This will boost your limit and broaden your “cause of loss” for specific items.

Why is that important? Take a wedding ring. The average cost of a diamond ring is almost $4,000. But if it’s stolen your standard homeowners policy would probably only cover about $1,000. And on a standard homeowners or renters policy, jewelry is covered for “named perils” like fire, theft or lightning. When scheduled separately, it’s covered on an “all-risk” basis, even if you drop your diamond into the running garbage disposal.

“Jewelry is valuable, and it’s easy to lose and easy to steal,” says Jonathan Farris, assistant vice president at QBE Regional Insurance. “When it’s scheduled, you can rest assured that it will be covered no matter how it’s lost.”

Farris adds that most consumers find the cost of scheduling to be very reasonable. For example, to cover a $3,000 ring costs about $30 a year on a policy from QBE Regional’s General Casualty or Unigard brands.

When deciding which items to schedule, the experts say to consider anything valued over $1,000 or any group collectively valued over $2,000 (think china set).

“Schedule items you couldn’t afford to replace on your own,” Farris says. “And consult with your independent insurance agent to make sure your most prized possessions are adequately protected.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: insurance, insuring collectibles, valuables

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A friend of mine recently started a new site that covers Mid Century Modern home decor and collectibles; she’s posted some really adorable finds on her blog and if you’ve ever wanted to start collecting something that’s useful and eye-catching at the same time, then you might want to take a look at some of the furnishings featured there.

Here’s an example of a mid century modern chair – “Diamond Chair” by Harry Bertoia:

Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s

“Mid-Century modern” is an architectural, interior, and product design form that generally describes mid-20th century developments from around 1933 to 1965. The term was coined in 1983 by Cara Greenberg after the title of her book, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s (Random House), celebrating the style which is now recognized by scholars and museums worldwide as a significant design movement.  Greenberg begins the book with “The early 1950s was not the first time modern furniture had been offered to the American public, but it was the first time they lined up around the block to buy it.”

Mid-century architecture was an evolution of Frank Lloyd Wright’s principles of organic architecture combined with many elements of the International and Bauhaus movements.

Tags: Cara Greenberg, furniture, Harry Bertoia, home decor, Mid Century Modern, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s

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Last year one collector had the fun idea to post a YouTube video which features some of his collectibles and invites others to post their collectibles via a video reply.  Here was his video:

and here are some highlights of the replies:

U.S. Air Mail Stamps
“Please visit http://www.USAirMailStamps.com/ for more rare and collectible United States Airmail Special Delivery postage stamps.”

Lovely Vintage Postcards
“Please visit http://www.VintagePostcardStore.net/ for more rare and collectible vintage postcards.”

One Large Toy Collection
“This is my first attempt at showing my action figure and toy collection, edited to accompany John Williams’ Superman theme. It’s mainly super-heroes, with a smattering of other stuff. Enjoy! ”

And there are many more than that. If you have a great collection, why not show it off on YouTube and meet other collectors there too!
 

Tags: collectible United States Airmail Special Delivery post, collectible vintage postcards, Collectibles, postcards, Stamps, Superman, toys, vintage, vintage postcards, YouTube

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Antiques have special qualities.  Shoppers cannot look at a great antique and then go to another shop for a better price.  These pieces are very unique.  There are great antiques in different categories including cars, boats, keys and flatware.  An antique price guide can be very helpful for people looking at any of these treasures.  These pieces are valuable not only because of their quality, but these antiques are valuable because of their age.  Antiques are also valuable because of their condition.  A good antique price guide will help you find out a general price range for certain pieces, but a good antique price guide will also provide some guidance about the importance of condition to the price.

A good antique price guide usually specializes in specific categories.  Many people love to find antique China, and they will look for specific pieces or sets that they want to add to their collection.  A good antique price guide should provide information on many of the antique China pieces that are available, and the price guide will also provide information on reasonable prices for specific pieces.  A good antique price guide for China will probably give shoppers information on distinguishing a real antique from a quality reproduction made recently.

Antique Price Guides Provide Comprehensive Information

Shoppers looking for a good antique price guide will find plenty of variety.  There are some publications that are monthly so the information is current and relevant.  Shoppers should remember that all of these are guides so the information is not perfect.  The sellers have the upper hand in some situations, and if they do not want to sell at the suggested price in a guide, they can hold on to their property.  A buyer may have to pay out more than a suggested price if they really want the piece.  Of course, this is something that the seller hopes for so they can get a great price for their merchandise.

Buyers and sellers both can subscribe to the guide that covers the type of antique that interests them most.  They can also join some of the forums to find advice or insight into appropriate prices for different types of antiques.  These forums often provide information on the latest price and other information for those who love antiques.  Some of these forums provide current information on the events that may be interesting to collectors.  The forums are often devoted to one type of merchandise such as books, cars or guns.  Antiques often become treasures that are eventually passed on to children and grandchildren, and there is plenty of information for those who want the best merchandise at the best prices.

Tags: Antique Price Guides

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Collecting antique maps can be a fun and time filling hobby.  In addition to being valuable, many maps from the fifteenth century and up are readily available and add a unique flavor to the décor of your home.   Many people choose to decorate with paintings, posters and pictures but you can separate yourself from the herd by displaying proudly your collection of antique maps.

What to Collect

There are plenty of different antique map styles and regions that you can collect and it is really up to you to decide what your reasons for collecting are.  If you are basing your map collection solely on value, look for older more rare maps that you think will appreciate in value.  Also, maps from historical periods can significantly increase in value if there is public interest in the event.

While this can be a really solid investment, it can also be fun to collect antique maps based on personal interest as well as there value.   One example is having a collection with a Caribbean theme.  Original and unique maps from this region can be found from the mid seventeenth century all the way up to late nineteenth and each offers a unique perspective on the islands of the Caribbean.  Maps from the West Indies can start as low as $45 for mass produced renditions from the late nineteenth century all the way up to over $2,000 for unique maps from the early sixteenth century.  As you can see it really is up to you how much you want to invest in your collection of antique maps.

Another idea is to collect maps from where your family lineage is from.  For example, my family originally came to North America in the mid 1800s and I have a map of where they landed about that time.  This map not only is a beautiful representation of the hand written maps of the day, but is also has some history for me personally.  It is a great conversation piece with guests and brings a lot more of my personal history into the conversation than any painting would.  So as you can see, collecting antique maps can be a fun and worthwhile hobby that can add to the flavor and history of your home.   My suggestion would be to start small and see how your collection grows over the years.   Who knows, someday that small collection may turn into a large valuable one.

Tags: Antique Maps

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When designing the interior of a home there are many design aspects that go into the job. First and foremost is the style that you are looking for. Sometimes your style may just go into the eclectic genre simply because you can’t design on one style of design and sometimes you already have so many different design elements in your home that picking one genre is almost impossible.

This happens mainly to people that have collected items from around the world or enjoy many styles of design and just cannot be put into a traditional, contemporary, French or Spanish genre. This is when you will have to take an antique lamp and integrate it with Peter Max paintings and oriental furniture.

Easy Accessory

One of the easiest accessories to integrate into any genre is antique lamps. These lamps have so much charm and personality that putting them into a contemporary setting can make a fabulous statement. Antique lamps can be made of almost anything, from metal and bamboo to wood and wicker. Most of the early antique lamps have glass shades.

Original antique Tiffany lamps are quite lovely with their stained glass shades. These lamps can be placed in almost any setting and become the focal point of any room. If you need a lamp that is subdued, an antique lamp will fit the bill. Putting antique pieces with contemporary pieces is tricky if you are not familiar with designing, but usually antiques and particularly antique lamps will work in any area arrangement.

Antique lamps are easy to find if you are specifically looking for one. There are many copies of these lamps in lamp stores and design shops but finding the real thing can be quite fun. Scouring antique shops is a fun experience if you have never done so before. Ask the owner of the shop about the history of the lamps in their store.

Check the internet for areas in your city where there are many antique shops and spend a day exploring. Sometimes you are able to find non-working antique lamps with a fun history that will take some wiring to get it working again. This will enable you to be a little creative with your lamp. One can even find an antique vase and then turn it into a beautiful lamp. Antique lamps are very beautiful when cleaned up and used in the right location. Make an area arrangement and make your lamp the focal point and you will find that your antique lamp makes quite the statement.

Tags: Antique Lamps

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Antique collecting is a fun and worthwhile hobby.  Many of the items that you collect will appreciate in value and add unique color and ambiance to your home.  One of the more neglected areas to collect in is antique hardware.  This can be a good thing and a bad thing.  The bad thing is that finding truly unique antique hardware can be difficult, but the good thing is that once you do you can be assured that it will increase in value.

Kinds of Antique Hardware

There are tons of different kinds of antique hardware out there, so you want to be a little particular when choosing what to buy.  For starters, look at getting an antique rain gauge.  These simple devices were used centuries ago by farmers to measure the amount of rainfall so they could adjust how much they watered their crops.  Today they make a perfect accompaniment to any garden.  These devices have a simple glass vial for collecting rain that is coupled with a metal measuring end to determine how much rain has fallen.  As rain collects in the glass vial, the arm moves letting you know exactly how much rain has fallen.

Another neat idea is to look at antique hardware for use in your home.  Door knobs, cabinet hinges, cabinet handles can all be replaced with authentic antique hardware to increase the value and appeal of your home.   Something that has become more and more popular in recent years is replacing the light fixtures in your home with something more antique looking, but why not go all out and replace them with genuine antique hardware?

Many antiques can be purchased for a little more than their new modern counterparts, but unlike modern materials the value of the genuine antiques will increase in value while adding a unique and authentic feel to your home.   If you really want to give your home that true country cottage turn of the century feel, antique hardware brackets and wall mounts for bookshelves are very inexpensive and can improve the overall look of your home.

Spend some time looking on the internet or going to antique stores and bargains are sure to be had.  Many times these places do not specialize in antique hardware so they may not even know the value of the items they are selling.  In addition antique hardware is not something that is commonly sought after and with a little determination and effort on you part you can incorporate these items into your home significantly increasing the value as well as your own personal enjoyment in your abode.

Tags: Antique Hardware

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The popular collections of antiques typically include fully functional furniture made from specific periods of time. Since most antique furniture was produced before the use of power tools and mass production, they are considered stronger and more valuable than many of the pieces made today. Collecting antique furniture usually requires some knowledge about age, how many pieces remain usable today, its condition and use, along with some of the unique features built into a piece of furniture.

It is not so much how old a piece of antique furniture is that makes it valuable, rather its condition and appearance. A 200-year-old table for example, may be beyond repair with water damage or missing a leg or two that cannot be restored, turning that old hunk of wood into firewood. However, there are some basic construction tips that can help people determine the quality of the piece as well as the period in which it was made.

Beyond age and functionality, the piece of antique furniture should still be serviceable, meaning if there is an antique chair, meeting the requirements in all aspects, a person should still be able to sit on it without fear of it breaking. Since nails and other metal fasteners were rarely used on most furniture, the means with which the different pieces are held together can be an indication of its age.

Antique Furniture Restoration Is An Art Form

With many pieces of antique furniture requiring some sort of repairs, it takes a qualified person to restore accurately the piece to near original condition. The amount of wood that has to be replaced will affect the quality and the values of the piece. Typically, collectors look at about 20 to 25-percent as a limit of replacement wood in a piece of antique furniture before they begin to lose interest in the piece.

Most antique furniture was made of mahogany, oak, pine, walnut and rosewood and the type of wood used will affect its value among collectors, and restoring antique furniture requires the same species of wood to be used as in the original construction. Persons with the ability to replicate a table leg with the same species of wood and have the same grain pattern show as in the other legs, can be hard to find.

Today, many factories pump out replicas of antique furniture using laminates to recreate the pattern and grain of some of the most popular woods used in antique furniture. However, with these pieces it is easy to spot the difference between the original construction and today’s mass-produced items.

Tags: antique furniture

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