I am back

              “Collecting With Jeff” is back.  And, by the grace of God, I am still around as well. At times, I might add, its been a long and arduous road. But the alternative is damn worse.

                “Collecting With Jeff” is a column about just that, collecting.  Yes, accumulating and owning items that interest you. It is not about paying your bills or else facing dire consequences. I am not a bill collector.

                What I am is a certified professional appraiser. There are not many of us in the country if you care to check it out.       

                This column is different than the previous one. That one had a heavy emphasis on sports, pop culture, and rare books. I will still cover those categories. However, I will also discuss other fields, such as art, furniture, documents, coins, and a load of others.

                You may be saying to yourself that you are not even a collector, so why read the column. I would beg to differ.  I bet you are.

                If you believe in definitions, and they keep on changing, a collection is a group of at least five related items. Whether you own a half dozen vinyl records, or three hundred refrigerator magnets, you are a collector. Of course, some collections are larger than others, and more valuable.

                I have to say that I have seen some massive collections throughout the country. But until recently I had never seen a collection that had 2,500,000 trading cards. I can now say I have. It is likely the second largest collection of its type in the world.

                It will be a privilege sharing with you my knowledge and experience of years in this field.

                Many of you may have collections that you are considering selling. Possibly you collected model trains for years. Now you are not sure what to do with them. Your grandchildren have no interest in them. It could be the right time to sell them.  However, you may need to make an emotional decision. But if your model trains are in demand, the revenue you receive will help soften the blow. Let me give you a personal experience. Every year after Comic Con has closed its doors for another 12 months, I get contacted by auction houses about my selling of my comic book collection. The auction houses are simply doing their due diligence. But I am not ready.  I am fortunate to have a son who is appreciative of what his father has collected. The acorn does not fall very far from the tree.

                Most collectors I know are very passionate about what they own. Chances are you would not have your collection unless you are passionate.  I still get a kick looking at some of the items in my museum. Often I am amazed to learn that an item which I purchased for a few dollars is now worth thousands. But that is not true of every item.

                Collecting reached its pinnacle in the early 2000s. Then the recession took its toll starting in 2007. The hobby has rebounded.

                However, keep in mind that the high end items will continue to appreciate. Often, the growth rate will exceed that of other types of investment. Common items that were manufactured by the hundreds and thousands have remained flat. In some instances common items have even dropped in value. So curtail your enthusiasm if you own a newspaper from October 1998 whose headline is that the San Diego Padres were going to play in the World Series. There are too many of those newspapers still around. Give it to a friend. You might be asking yourself what you should be collecting. Stay tuned.