Materials needed for starting a stamp collection include a stamp album and special mounting tapes called hinges. Tools you will find useful are a pair of small tongs or tweezers for carefully lifting delicate old stamps and a magnifying glass for finding minute details. The beginning philatelist can start with the stamps on the mail that arrives this very day. To remove a stamp from an envelope, carefully tear away the envelope from around the stamp being careful not to tear the stamp itself. Now soak the stamp in warm water. The remaining piece of envelope will turn loose, allowing you to lift the stamp from the water with the tongs.

Lay the stamp on absorbent paper. When dry, place a heavy book on top of the stamp to flatten it. As a past time, stamp collecting requires precision and neatness. Place the dried and flattened stamp in the album by using one of the hinges, or store it in one of the tiny glassine envelopes unique to stamp collecting.

Many collectors specialize in collecting currently available commemoratives as a past time. Stamp designs are varied, beautiful and interesting. Commemoratives are those special stamps that are released by the post office for a limited time. They can commemorate special people or events. Most nations print commemorative stamps from time to time. Australian stamps have featured wild life, artists, antiques, and many other themes. In fact, there is an annual contest in which Australian school children compete to draw the best picture of a wild duck. The best duck art is featured on a stamp.

Rag dolls. These toys are beautifully simplistic. They were once the coolest toy to have and everywhere a child would go, her rag doll would go with her. Among their most appealing features was the ability to wash them simply by dunking them in warm water and not having to worry about bits breaking or falling off. Nowadays kids prefere babies with electrically moving parts and voices. These cannot be washed using the same method but I would encourage you to give it a go.

Wooden bikes. Bikes these days are pretty much all made out of metal or plastic as these are generally the cheapest options for production. You cannot beat however a hand-crafted bike made out of high quality hardwood. They were close to indestructible and looked great as the wood aged and picked up character.On top of this, having an old wooden bike a room added a lot of character to it and people even bought them just for their aesthetic value

Rocking horse. Similar to a bike made out of wood, a wooden rocking horse looked great in any house and also lasted generations due their quality and simple design. The best bit about a rocking horse however is that you can buy your daughter what she has always dreamed of, without having to hire stables and muck it out every day. The art of rocking horse making has been all but lost sadly, although you can find some makers if you look hard enough.

Production of gold coins in the United States began as early as 1795 -- not long after the Independence. But there wasn't much gold around back then, so only small amounts of the gold coins were produced. For example, before 1834 the highest yearly mintage of $2.50 gold pieces was 6,812 coins.

Before 1849 the highest gold coin minted was the ten dollar coin; it was known as an "Eagle". But as we all know, something happened in 1849: the Great Gold Rush!

Gold was found in California that year, and many thousands of people went there hoping to get rich. A safe way of getting rich then was to sell various implements and supplies to the miners rather than prospecting for gold.

In any case, enormous quantities of gold were recovered, and much of that gold was later used to strike coins. Since transporting the gold all the way to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia was both unsafe and inconvenient, a branch of the U.S. Mint was opened in San Francisco; and now the very first 20-dollar gold pieces were also struck. They appeared on the market in 1850.

Another new gold denomination was the $1 coin. This coin was minted from 1849 to 1889; it was impopular due to its small size. You don't like it when a valuable coin gets lost! Back in those days, a dollar could be more than a day's income for a worker.

For many years in the mid-to-late 1800s, a postage stamp cost three cents, or you could spend $3 for a sheet with 100 stamps. To make such transactions easier, a three dollar gold coin was minted, beginning in 1854 and coming to an end in 1889 (maybe the price of those stamps increased that year?).

Some of the most well-known U.S. gold coins are those designed by the famous artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt, he completely re-designed the looks of the $10 and $20 gold pieces.

These Saint-Gaudens gold coins, which are coin collecting favorites, were minted from 1907 to 1933; and especially the 20-dollar gold coin is famous. It is known as the "Saint-Gaudens $20 gold piece", and the series of this coin includes one of the most rare and expensive of all U.S. coins ever produced -- the 1933 $20 gold piece.

Millions of this gold coin were minted, but before they were ever distributed the President decided to withdraw all minted gold from the market. Therefore, the whole issue of 20-dollar gold coins from 1933 was destroyed. Only a few specimens survived, and one of these survivors was sold a couple of years ago in an auction to an anonymous coin collector for over seven million dollars!

There are a few more of those 1933 $20 coins around; consider yourself very lucky if you ever find one of them.

Collectors of antique guns usually search for the most interesting models available, and these people often look for the story behind the weapons they own. The antique guns are often available at gun shows that take place in different venues around the country. These shows provide customers a good chance to have a close up look at the antique guns. The people at the gun shows usually have a good story to tell about each of the guns that they put up for sale. The prices for the guns depend on the condition of the guns, and like all antiques, the guns in the best condition get the best prices. Older guns that remain in working condition will get higher prices than similar guns that do not work any more.

Antique Guns Come In Different Shapes And Sizes

The old guns that interest collectors most are those that have the most interesting stories behind them or the most fascinating technology. The guns that were used by both sides of the American Revolution are particularly interesting to gun collectors. The war was filled with brave people fighting for their beliefs. The battles took place over two hundred years ago. Some gun dealers specialize in the guns from this era. The guns can be purchased from their websites, but many collectors like to visit the dealer in person to check the gun out with the owner who often has many great stories about the gun.

There are societies devoted to the collection of antique guns. These groups have an incredible amount of information about the types of guns used in different eras. These societies have links and information on the guns available on the market. There are handguns, rifles, muskets and other types of firearms that people can add to their collections. Most collectors take great pride in their collections, and they get great joy from showing them to others.

With the growing popularity of antiquarian books and antique rare books on the web, there are several of choices for purchasing them. One can try to find antiquarian books on the usual auction sites online such as eBay, purchasing them. you could use an internet site with expertize in rare out of print books.

An good thing about purchasing antiquarian books from auction sites is that you may find it better to obtain a fair deal. However, there will also be a smaller choice of antique rare books to purchase, and you'll have to wait for the sale to finish before you can buy them. If you decide to buy online, then study the seller's reputation to ensure they are credible. Or you may discover you don't obtain exactly what you're seeking.

When you purchase rare out of print books from an antiquarian books website then you want to be ready to check the lists to make certain you are getting exactly what you're paying for. Initially make sure that you are obtaining the edition you want. Usually the 1st editions are the most sought after, however there might be other editions that could possibly have something special about them such as illustrations, or a special cover. There are other indicators to let you know the condition of the antique rare book. Here is a list of useful terms to help you:

aeg - All Edges Gilt. Often the edges of pages would be gilded to prevent browning.
Casebound - A book which has a hardcover.
Clothbound - A book which has a cloth cover.
Dust Jacket/Cover/Wrapper - The paper which covers the boards of a hardback book.
Embossing - These books have embossed illustrations or decorations.
Ex Library (ex-lib) - A book that has been in a library and has stickers or markings. Less valuable.
Facsimile - A book which exactly copies an original or earlier edition.
Foxed - Some discoloration of the pages of the book, very often in the form of brownish spots.
Frontispiece - illustration opposing the title page.
Gutter - The white space between 2 pages opposite each other.
IP - In print.
OOP - Out of print.
Shaken - The binding is loose.
Softcover - Paperback.
teg - Top Edge Gilt.

When hunting for antique rare books, you need to also keep an eye open for the condition indicators:
F/VG - Fine book, very good jacket.
F - Fine, Like New
VG - Very Good
G -Good
FR - Fair
P - Poor

Now with all this information concerning rare out of print books, you should be able to start collecting antiquarian books with confidence that you can obtain a good bargain.

However, there are exceptions such as the automobile. Sometimes items that have a fast evolution rate can be classified as antiques early.

A good antique with potential value may also have unique features and/or be in good condition. If you want to become a serious antique collector you'll need some shopping, bargaining and negotiating skills. 

Generally older items are more rare and are therfore more valuable.Never assume that an antique is worth a lot of money simply because it's an antique. An antique may carry some historical value but may not be worth much in terms of money.

You can get get most of your antiques from antique dealers who have shops. Cities often have certain sections in which antique dealers all set up shops.Online shopping is a great place to look for antiques as well. In fact buying antiques onlines is a very convenient way to shop.

Other places you can check are private auctions, garage sales or even museums. At these places you will also build connections with people.Often finding the right antique means knowing the right people.

Antique collecting is both a hobby and an investment.The types of antiques you can collect are practically endless but some items are more popular for collecting then others such as antique furniture tables. If you enjoy history and really enjoy something whether it be books, jewelry, or anything at all really then consider antique collecting as a hobby.

These pastel coloured ponies have a long and varied history but their fundamental characters remain in tact, whimsical and playful, just as Hasbro intended and promoted through their marketing.

Almost every little girl dreams of owning a pony and My Little Pony Toys help to make that dream come true. Especially for little girls born in the 1970’s, growing up in the 80’s, as My Little Pony toys inspired pretty much a whole generation. The same little girls that were around during the first generation of ponies are now grown ups who still love My Little Pony toys just as much and they have become very collectable.

Of course My Little Pony toys continued to be hugely popular after this first generation of children grew up but their shapes and designs changed, and copycat products came onto the market to compete with them. Before any such competition, when they were first introduced in 1983, My Little Pony toys became so popular that they outsold the infamous and massively successful Barbie doll at one point.

The inception of My Little Pony toys followed the closely related My Pretty Pony toys, their American predecessor, that had been introduced to the marketplace in 1981. My Pretty Pony was made by Romper Room, a division of Hasbro at the time. My Pretty Pony was bigger than My Little Pony and her colour was more earthy in tone than the pastel colours of My Little Pony that followed.

There were initially only only six little ponies and the first generation of ponies was between 1983 to 1995 (1992 in the US). These original six ponies were all Earth ponies, that is they had no wings or horns, unlike later little ponies. They had soft, silky manes and tails that you could brush, and each one had their own symbols on their behinds. Each pony came with a comb for grooming and a ribbon for decoration.

One of the first My Little Ponies released also came with the Grooming Parlour (Pretty Parlour in the US), launched in 1983. The Grooming Parlour was a blue rectangular case that opened out into a parlour, where you could groom a little pony. It came with accessories like a comb, ribbons, a saddle, a bridle and nametags that could be used to display a pony's name on the stage in the centre. It also came with a tabby cat and a pink basket that could be strapped to the pony’s back.

My Little Pony toys then changed in appearance over time, although they retained their pastel coloured bodies with a different colour mane and tail, and individual symbols on their flanks. Following the original Earth ponies came Unicorns and Pegasus ponies, and baby ponies became available in all three models – Earth, Unicorn and Pegasus forms. The earliest baby ponies were like their mothers in looks but smaller and in lighter, softer colours. Later baby ponies were created with more individual identities, different to their parents.

In 1997 the My Little Pony brand was re-launched by Hasbro (1999 in the US and globally in 2003) and made a massive come-back, although for some people it had never really gone away and remained an icon of their childhoods. The second generation of ponies were made in totally different poses. They were a different shape to the original first generation ponies, slimmer and smaller in height, with longer legs and turning heads. They were mostly Earth ponies, but some unicorns, and no Pegasus ponies and only two baby ponies.

The Generation 2 My Little Pony toys ceased to be manufactured in 2003 and the new generation, the current one, was released. The third generation of ponies includes the re-release of some of the original generation ponies, but standing in different poses and with shiny bodies instead of matte, and matte symbols on their flanks.

From 2003 to 2005 only Earth ponies were released, then in 2005 Pegasus ponies were released and in 2006 Unicorn ponies. In 2008 Hasbro narrowed its My Little Pony toys down to seven ponies and no new ponies will be released, although some older models will be re-released.

Whatever happens in the future of My Little Pony toys, they will always retain their charm and appeal to millions of little girls and adults worldwide and they are sure to have a long, magical life ahead. Their magical, whimsical nature will continue for future generations fo little girls and their near legendary status will hopefully remain in tact.

People all over the world buy and sell antiques. People have been buying and selling antiques for years but have gained popularity in recent years due to heavy advertisement.  People love to find ways to turn their own "trash" into "cash".

The Definition Of An Antique 

Knowing what defines an antique is important but can also be difficult to answer.

Antiques should not only be old but also should have some historical significance that make them valuable. 

Not everyone agrees on an exact age an item must be to be considered an antique. Generally any items under 100 years old are not consider antiques but instead called collectibles.

Qualities Of A Good Antique

In order to get a good deal on an antique you need to evaluate cost, condition, rarity, and desirability.

• Condition is a very important. It's normal to have a certain amount of wear and tear on an item but make sure the problems are not sever enought that they drastically reduce an item's aesthetic appeal. An antique must be in good condition if you want to turn a profit.
• Even if the condition is not great, a rare item can still be valuable.
• Many times an antique's value is subjective based on how much someone like it. Even if an item does not have any real value, that doens't mean you shouldn't get the item if it still reflects your taste, likes and style preference.
• You need to also consider the cost. Normally you do not negotiate an antiques price. | Antique prices are often non-negotiable. Therfore, you must have knowledge of the actual antique value so that you do not pay too much.  Also, Make sure sure you don't fall for a forgery, fake, or reproduction. If the price and condition of an item are too good to be true then you need to investigate further.

Common Antique Selling Venues

There are a number of places you can buy and sell antiques:

• Newspaper Ads
• Online Posts
• Antique Fairs
• Flea Markets
• Public Antique Dealers
• Online Auctions

Top Antiques

If you are interested in the antiques and collectible market, start with something you are familiar with. Here are some of the favorite antiques on the market today:

• Golf Clubs
• Cookie Jars
• Furniture Tables
• Postcards
• Folk Paintings
• Coins
• Books
• Baseball Equipment
• Tractors
• Snowmobiles

 Buying and selling antiques can be a great hobby with the potential of becoming a profitable business.

But how do you collect all the models that you want? Suppose you want a certain breed of hrse that is no longer manufactured and sold? Retired Breyer Horses may become more rare, but that doesn’t mean they are impossible to find. If you hunt the internet or scout out bins at garage sales, you are bound to find the Breyer Horse you are looking for. Regardless of the breed, because Breyer is such a well known manufacturer of fine horse figurines, they are bound to have created your favorite horse at some point.

It is no wonder that Breyer makes horses that are so fiercely searched for. Their horses, renown for having handcrafted detail and loyalty to features of breeds they are made after, are a treat to any horse lover. And in the eye of a collector, anything so well made and pleasing to the eye is welcome into a collection. So if you are looking to add to your horse collection or simply get a figurine of your favorite horse breed, Breyer is the company to look for.

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Antique Glassware - Libbey Cut Glass

Libbey cut glass is a popular line of antique glassware because virtually all antique Libbey glassware is marked at the factory with the Libbey mark; the presence and style of the signature makes pieces easy to authenticate, identify and date. The mark shows the word "Libbey" written in script. With the tail of the "y" connected to the tail of the "L," and a curved sword under the word.

Pressed glass can look similar to antique cut glassware, but the difference is in the touch. Cut glass has sharp edges - not sharp enough to cut through skin, but sharp enough to differentiate it from the smooth, rounded edges of pressed glass.

Antique Glassware – Fire King

Fire King mugs, made by Anchor Hocking, are some of the most popular antique glassware items on eBay. Collectors have made old advertising mugs a cottage industry of thief own, with a single 7-Eleven Fire King mug recently selling for $247.50 on eBay. Plain jadeite green mugs are also popular among collectors, with a set of four bringing $260.

If you ever owned Fire King, check your kitchen for a white and red salt and pepper shaker set and a jadeite green ball pitcher. The salt and pepper set brought $650 in a recent auction, and the pitcher $520. Fire King pieces are marked in embossed script, usually on the bottom of a piece. Beware of reproduction jadeite from the late 1990s.

Antique Glassware – Fostoria

The most popular antique Fostoria glassware is clear cut glass, and the blue cut glass also does quite well. An eBay seller recently got $516.99 for a five-inch-tall deep jelly compote that had a small chip on the edge (These chips are diminutively called "flea bites" in the antique glassware business.)

Other Fostoria items that bring top dollar are liquor decanter sets, etched with "bourbon" and "gin" labels, and an eight-inch shallow, flared nappy. (A "nappy" is what antique glassware dealers call a cut glass bowl.)

Antique Glassware – Depression Glass

No glass discussion complete until it mentions antique Depression glassware. Mass-produced in shades of pink, green, blue, and amber, Depression glassware was made during the Great Depression of the 1930s and later.

An aquamarine swirl pitcher made by Jeanette Glass recently brought $1,461 on eBay. The pitcher was described as "flawless" – no flea bites! A blue bowl in the Royal Lace pattern sold for $686.