Holt Howard Ceramic Colletibles

Top 10 Beginner Tips to Smart Collecting

from Barbara Crews at About.com

1. Find out what is collectible
   The word collectible means different things to different people. Ask a non-collector what a collectible is and they might mention little figurines that are specifically marketed as collectibles, Beanie Babies or perhaps stamps and coins, usually a specific thing.
2. What to Collect?
   No one can tell you what to collect, but it should always be something you're drawn to and love looking at. It's that first thing you pick up at the flea market or what catches your eye at the gift shops each time you see it.
3. Buy With Your Heart
   The best advice is to Buy With Your Heart. If you love it and can afford it, get it! Collections should be something to live with and enjoy, not always for future profit. That's called investing and should be left to the experts. Yes, many times collections can increase in value, but even the experts aren't always right and can guess wrong.
4. Limited Editions?
   Depending on what you collect, the term limited edition might come up. A limited edition can be anything the manufacturer wants it to be. The item might be limited to the year it was produced, with hundreds of thousands being produced or it could be limited to a specific number of pieces.
5. Condition, Condition, Condition
   Buy the very best example you can find. A piece of pottery with a hairline crack or a glass plate with a chip should be substantially less than "book value" and will not appreciate in value the way that perfect piece might. Even if you're not buying for investment, when it's time to sell your stuff, it's a lot harder if the collection is chipped and cracked.
6. Keep the Boxes
   I love to take stuff out of the boxes as soon as I get it and hate to keep the boxes, but that's foolish. If your collection is the newer stuff that comes in special boxes, it's always more valuable with those darn boxes. The same is true with vintage stuff, the item will always be worth more with the original box.
7. Take Care of Your Treasures
   Take great care of your stuff. This means keeping items that can fade out of direct sunlight, storing those fragile Christmas items in a closet, not the attic. It also means researching the best way to clean your items, such as not putting that gorgeous glass in the dishwasher!
8. Research is the Key
   If you're collecting vintage items, research is the key to being a smart collector. Buy a book, it will be a small investment when compared to the cost of a few mistakes.
9. Join a Club
   You may not be a joiner, but a club or association is an excellent source of information. If you collect new stuff, a company sponsored club will usually offer editions limited to club members, as well as keeping members informed of upcoming new releases.
10. Get Out and Shop
    Visit the local swap meets, shows, antique shops, wherever your stuff might show up. Even if you're not ready to purchase yet, learn more about the pieces by touching and feeling, by checking out marks, etc. It's the best way of becoming an informed collector and if the item shows up "cheap" on eBay, you'll be ready to pounce.