"Collector's Corner: Tips & Insights".

Toy Story dolls have remained popular for several years.   New versions of old characters, new characters and new accessories have been added frequently. Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody have held their place in the hearts of Toy Story fans. The Toy Story 3 movie made it to the Academy Awards! Appealing to young and old, Buzz Lightyear soars into infinity. This continued appeal and popularity have grabbed the attention of wise collectors. Toy Story dolls are definitely more than toys.                                   Could a...

Shipwreck treasure stories are among the most popular collateral literature that circulates through the hobby of coin collecting.   Awash in drama, these blue water tales of loss and recovery can keep you up at night with visions of sea-salvaged gold and silver snatched from the sunken hulks of a by gone era. Or, you may coolly jot yourself a note to drop by the table of the treasure coin and artefacts dealer at the next coin show. But be careful. Should you then be impelled to purchase a shipwreck coin, you will risk sinking into the debris field of...

According to recent data released by the National Endowment for the arts, general participation in art-related events has been severely reduced.   During 2008, most art forms saw a decline in the number of patrons supporting performances or exhibits. The general population that actually took part in such events also appeared to be ageing, a trend that has shown an apparent streak of apathy about the arts in younger generations. Most surprisingly, well-educated Americans are shying away from the art scene these days and collectors, both young and old, have also shown restraint in their purchasing habits. Evidently, the survey...

Personalized Buttons Make a Statement, Whether it is About One's Business, Personal History, or One's Beliefs and Interests. They are a Way Of Stating "This Is Who I Am, This is What I Care About."   Though the modern use of buttons typically advertises business or group affiliations, historically they have been used for many purposes, and collecting these items has developed into a subculture and big business.   A Brief History Buttons first came into use during the late 1700s, and for a century were used mainly during political campaigns to show party affiliation and candidate preference. Each candidate...

Collecting Model Cars is a Hobby with Most Children and Quite a Few Adults as Well.   Serious collectors even buy and sell model cars. Collecting model cars started off as a male-centric hobby but today women are just as attracted to this unique pastime.   Before you Seriously get Down to the Business of Collecting these Model of Cars, you Need to Decide on the Scale that you are Going to Specialize In. Model cars come in varying scales such as 1:8; 1:18; 1:24; 1:43 and 1:87. The most popular scale among collectors is the 1:43. This is also...