Collectibles?
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Collectable
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007) |
| Collecting |
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| Collectable • Antique • Antiquities |
| Terms |
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Ephemera • Memorabilia |
| Topics |
A collectable or collectible (aka collector’s item) is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector[1] (not necessarily monetarily valuable or antique).[2] There are numerous types of collectables and terms to denote those types. An antique is a collectable that is old. A curio is a small, usually fascinating or unusual item sought after by collectors.[3] A “manufactured” collectable is an item made specifically for people to collect.[4]
Although “collectable” is the spelling listed first for the adjective by the Oxford English Dictionary and is standard spelling in British English, the dictionary observes that the “-ible” form is also valid and this has come to be the common spelling in the United States.
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[edit] The business of collectables
[edit] Created to be collected
A “manufactured” collectable (often referred to as a contemporary collectable) is an item made specifically for people to collect. The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector’s edition and others, fall under the category of manufactured collectable and are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including cars, fine wine and other collectables. A limited edition is restricted in the number of copies produced, although in fact the number may be very low or very high.[5] A special edition implies there is extra material of some kind included. Some companies that produce manufactured collectables are members of The Gift and Collectibles Guild.[4]
[edit] Collectables in commerce
Manufacturers and retailers have used collectables in a number of ways to increase sales. One use is in the form of licensed collectables based on intellectual properties, such as images, characters and logos from literature, music, movies, radio, television, and video games. A large subsection of licensing includes advertising, brandname, and character collectibles. Another use of collectables in retail is in the form of prizes (items of nominal value packaged with or included in the price of a retail product at no additional cost) and premiums (items that can be “purchased” by redeeming coupons, boxtops, or proofs of purchase from the product along with a small fee to cover shipping and handling). Also, collectables have played an important role in tourism, in the form of souvenirs.[6] Another important field of collecting that is also big business is memorabilia, which includes collectables related to a person, organization, event or media, including t-shirts, posters, and numerous other collectables marketed to fans; but also includes ephemera from historical, media, or entertainment events, items that were meant to be thrown away but were saved by fans and accumulated by collectors.
[edit] Collectables as investments
Collectables are items of limited supply that are sought for a variety of reasons including a possible increase in value. In a financial sense, collectables can be viewed as a hedge against inflation. Over time, their value can also increase as they become more rare due to loss, damage or destruction. One drawback to investing in collectables is the potential lack of liquidity, particularly for very obscure items.[7]
[edit] History
The earliest collectables were included as incentives with other products, such as cigarette cards in packs of cigarettes. Popular items developed a secondary market and sometimes became the subject of “collectable crazes”. Eventually many collectable items came to be sold separately, instead of being used as marketing tools to increase the appeal of other products.
To encourage collecting, manufacturers often create an entire series of a given collectable, with each item differentiated in some fashion. Examples include sports cards depicting individual players, or different designs of Beanie Babies. Enthusiasts will often try to assemble a complete set of the available variations.
Early versions of a product, manufactured in smaller quantities before its popularity as a collectable developed, sometimes command exorbitant premiums on the secondary market. Dolls and other toys made during an adult collector’s childhood can command such premiums. Unless extremely rare or made as a one-of-a-kind, in a mature market, collectables rarely prove to be a spectacular investment.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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Look up collectable in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- ^ The Free Dictionary: Collectable
- ^ Synonym.com: Definition of Collectable
- ^ The Free Dictionary: Curio
- ^ a b Why people buy things they don’t need: understanding and predicting consumer behavior
- ^ The Free Dictionary: Limited Edition
- ^ Museum of the Personal: the souvenir and nostalgia, Chapter 4 — What is a souvenir?
- ^ The Free Dictionary: Financial Dictionary: Collectables
Another category of collectibles that are popular is the old advertising memorabilia put out to help develop the brands of some of the world’s most popular soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and others.
The most popular items typically include vintage signs (especially those made of porcelain), serving trays, clocks and other old, original promotional advertising items.
Equally collected are those items that were part and parcel to the actual product itself such as the bottles in which the sodas were distributed (among the most sought-after: the ultra-rare 1890s Hutchison type bottles and the hard to find straight-sided bottles circa 1905-1920 which were often amber in color). Other such examples include unusual and rare items such as pieces of the short-lived Coca-Cola gum or even simply the gum wrappers themselves. These remnants from days gone by evoke a longing for the simpler times that were the Victorian era at the beginning of 20th century.
I am writing to you because I have Obama,s father diaries(1968-1980) and in particular the 1971 one which has details of Obama and his father meeting in Hawaii in December.At the back of the diary(notes section) Obama’s father has written about six pages about his trip to Hawaii,how he spent his time there and what he thought about his son.The other diaries have details about his daily activities(both official and personal) and from them one can gather a lot about his personality .I am writting to you because i believe this diaries can make a great story for an American newspaper.
President Obama father used to be a tenant in our building in Kenya and when he died in 1982 there are some belongings that his relative’s left behind at our place.I think they found them valueless thus the reason for leaving them behind.The items have been in our old store since 1982 and among them is a box full of documents and recently I wanted to throw them away but decided to first peruse.That is where i found these old diaries.They are old but legible although some are faint.
Do you think they would qualify as collectors items and if so how do i market them coz i can’t trade via e-bay here in kenya.
THANKS.
JOSECK MWANGI
KENYA-EAST AFRICA