Archive for April, 2009
by Mark Turgeon
It may be hard to tell the legitimacy and authenticity of an autograph if you are not a memorabilia specialist. There are many methods you can take to find out if the autographed item is genuine.
If you own an autographed guitar or other forms or autograph memorabilia and want to prove to possible buyers of your item that it is indeed genuine, there are third party autograph authenticators that you can send your item to and have them verify your item to professional exemplars and give you an opinion about the item. Besides authenticators, there are a select few music autograph dealers that are highly knowledgeable about autograph guitars and other music memorabilia items and sometime they will be able to give you advice on your item.
If you own autographed guitars and want to authenticate them, either for your own personal knowledge or to sell, there are many resources for you. You can contact a dealer or guitar memorabilia broker, and they will help you to validate the legitimacy of the signature(s) that you have. You can also provide proof including photos of the signing process or a document signed by a memorabilia professional or other professional that you’ve acquired on your own.
Other ways to authenticate an autograph or signature(s) is to have them analyzed by a professional handwriting expert. Guitar memorabilia is a highly specialized niche, because it is harder to obtain a signed guitar from an artist compared to an album or poster.
Artists will sign thousands of CD’s, LP’s and posters in their career. These signatures usually require little effort to obtain. Getting artists to sign a guitar, on the other hand, may prove to be much more difficult.
If you are not a record label or charitable event, many artists will deny signing your guitar. Every fan wants a guitar signed by their favorite band or artist, because that is the most elite memorabilia item to own. Since the demand is high for signed guitars, this creates a market of forgeries and scam artists prey on fans or the less educated for thousands of dollars for autograph memorabilia.
With all the fake autographs out there in the world it is necessary to take the right actions before buying anything and make sure that the item is legitimate. Always buy from a reputable autograph dealer or auction house if possible.
I think researching the dealer or seller is the most important key when purchasing autographs. Always look at what the dealer is selling and if it too good to be true it mostly is. An honest dealer has nothing to hide and have respect for their customers and the autograph industry.
About the Author:
Before you buy any autographed signature or other fine autographed collectible, make sure you check out Mark Turgeon’s site on
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autographed memorabilia
April 25 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by L K Reid
Just about everybody had a treasured stuffed toy when they were young. The feeling of hapiness and nostalgia of these toys is what makes some adults become collectors of them, namely stuffed animals from Steiff.
They are in high demand by collectors when available at fairs and auctions, namely stuffed bears.
The story begins in the German town of Giengen an der Brenz in 1880.
Margarete Steiff, a wheelchair bound seamstress, made toy animals from her own designs as a hobby.
She created mostly cats, pigs, elephants and dogs.
The company, as we know it today, began when Margarete’s nephew Richard Steiff invented the first bear with jointed limbs in 1902.
This bear rapidly became popular in the US and around the world, as it won first place at the World Exhibition in St. Louis in 1904.
It was later named after President Teddy Roosevelt and became known as the teddy bear.
Steiff is well known for its superior quality stuffed animals, and they are still produced today in the town of Giengen.
The town of Giengen is considered a mecca for lovers of stuffed animals, and visitors can experience an Adventure Museum as well as the Steiff factory.
The Adventure museum details the history of Steiff products, and has a gift shop that sells bears, replica bears, historic catalogues and porcelain creations.
The Steiff Classic range is the line that is most sought after by collectors, featuring a wide variety of animals that are all hand made.
Some designs date back to teddy bears from 1906, 1909 and 1920.
There is also a bear with a stitched on Valentine’s heart, which makes a romantic gift.
The range of Steiff creations includes characters from Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter stories and even Mrs. Tiggy Winkle hedgehog.
One of the most popular designs for kids is the Paddington Bear, wearing his trademark blue hat and red duffle coat.
Steiff Baby animals are designed with babies and toddlers in mind.
They are made from durable materials and include teddy bears, kittens and lambs.
The Cosy Animal collection features animals that are machine washable along with clothing, keyrings, bags and gift sets for children.
Another collection worth noting is the Limited edition Steiff selections that feature pink and grey replicas of the famous 1908 teddy bear.
This selection also includes a Pierrot Bear, a Moon Bear and a fantastic Grizzly Bear.
This collection also includes the Rupert Bear, which is another one of my personal favorites.
Although Steiff produces several categories of stuffed animals, the will always be known for creating the teddy bear.
April 20 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Christina Goldman
Members of the numismatic community and those devotees of the study or collection of currency will feel a warm glow in their hearts to know that the Silver Peace Dollar Coin issuance was inspired by their interesting and widespread hobby! The peace dollar was struck by the US Mint during a seven-year period, from 1921-1928, followed by a two-year mintage in 1934-1935.
Its inspiration originally came from a November 1918 article in The Numismatist, the official publication of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), which suggested the minting of a coin to mark the end of World War I and the triumph of democratic ideals.
This suggestion was further expounded at the ANA convention in Chicago in August 1920. It called for either a half-dollar or a dollar commemorative coin to provide ample space for a design showcasing liberty, prosperity, honor and democracy. US Treasury authorities, however, went a step further and issued the silver as a coin for general-public circulation.
The Silver Peace Dollar coin succeeded the Morgan dollar which was minted last in 1904. The Pittmann Act sponsored by Nevada Senator Key Pittmann enabled the minting of the Silver Peace Dollar, as this federal law authorized US sale of standard silver bullions the proceeds of which will used for minting new silver dollars.
The Peace Dollars designer was Anthony de Francisci who prominently rendered the word “PEACE” at the bottom of coins reverse side. The silver content of this coin is 0.77344, and it is the last silver dollar that was minted for US circulation.
There was brief minting of the Silver Peace Dollar coin in 1965 with the coins bearing the year 1964. For one reason or another, however, these coins were neither circulated to the public nor any of their examples released. The whole 1965 mintage was melted, perhaps along with the hopes of some avid numismatist and Peace coin collectors.
April 17 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Brian Case
As anime starts becoming more popular over time, it has seen a huge increase in demand. Not only are new series created and released at greater pace to meet this demand, but fans are also asking for more. This has brought its own set of problems despite the benefits of having more fans.
The Japanese anime production companies have been struggling to meet international demand for their products. This is because of the overriding need to translate the series into the English language or another popular language, so that non-Japanese fans can comprehend their content.
Translating to English is not the Japanese’s best attribute. They face problems in doing so at a rate fast enough for international customers. Their priority is also on the local market. An alternative is to give licensing rights to the translation to other production companies in the United States who then do their job in subtitling or dubbing.
There are anime series which are released for the international markets in either or all of three forms. One is to have subtitles in another language, the other is to have them only in voice over dubbing, while the third option is to provide a complete package of both.
Whatever the form the anime series comes in, there will be fans in favor of one or the other. There is a greater preference for one with subtitles though, and it has clearly shown in it having a greater demand from fans from other countries, leading to increased sales and following.
While international anime fans will not know the Japanese language unless they have learned it, the demand for their anime to be in original Japanese audio is strong. It allows them to feel the natural emotions conveyed by the original voice actors. If voice dubbing were to be used, they might find it come across as strange and unnatural.
Using subtitles as an accompanying language learning tool is also on the rise. As with students who watch Korean movies to learn Korean, those who desire to learn Japan have turned to anime with subtitles for the same purpose.
The preference for subtitles in Japanese anime therefore has its benefits in both a medium of cultural and language exchange. Fans and anime lovers alike have often voted in the majority for having their anime with subtitles, rather than the use of voice dubbing. It can both enhance the experience and provide other positive aspects compared to other methods of translating anime series.
April 14 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Christina Goldman
The Australian Silver Kookaburra should delight both the coin collector and numismatist alike. Collectors who number birds as their theme specialty will be pleased to learn that this silver coin conveys the image of the local Australian bird kookaburra etched in relief.
This bird is a land-based member of kingfisher family which is classified under the genus Dacelo. This large kingfisher is most peculiar for its loud bird call akin to good-natured human laughter. This pleasant disposition of the bird plus the fact that it is found only in Australia are perhaps the main reasons why the Perth Mint in Australia decided to honor the Kookaburra in a silver coin.
The Australian Silver Kookaburra first came out of the Perth Mint at Western Australia in 1990. An introduction which many numismatists must have already taken careful note of as this coin is already nearing its 20th year continuous mintage. The Kookaburra is minted in four sizes with its 32.5 oz. (1-kilo) version consider as one of the largest government-issued silver bullion coins in the world. This coin, which also comes in sizes of 10 oz., 2 oz. and 1 oz., is legal tender, with the 1-kilo size having a face value of 30 Australian dollars.
The Australian Silver Kookaburra has 32.151 troy ounces of silver of 99.99% purity, making it a prized addition to coin collections. Characteristic of Australian bullion coins, the image of Queen Elizabeth graces the head of the Silver Kookaburra. The design of the Kookaburra featured on the reverse side changes every year of minting, a subtle theme variation that should whet the interest of many coin collectors. The 2007 Silver Kookaburra, for instance, has already won the affection of many avid numismatists.
This one features the amiable kookaburra hovering over a twig half-sunken in water, one artistic rendering that should enhance the coins value year after year.
April 04 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Christina Goldman
The fabulous Australian Silver Kangaroo would be an enriching addition to any coin collection because of its potential intrinsic value. The Silver Kangaroo is an epitome of the high quality of RAM, (The Royal Mint of Australia), minted coins, world-renowned for their exquisite craftsmanship and design.
Investing in this coin could serve as a hedge against inflation owing to the popularity it has acquired, which was bolstered to a great extent 1-oz. silver makeup. This single-ounce concept has proven convenient and effective for trade and purchase purposes, the liquidity aspect characteristically sought by most astute investors.
So just how did the Australian Silver Kangaroo come into existence?
The Kangaroo, (scientifically classified under the genus Macro), is highly regarded as the official animal icon for Australia as, along with the bird emu, it appears in the countrys coat of arms. The kangaroo and the emu, so many Aussies say, are representative of Australia because these animals can only move forward thus epitomizing the nations drive to ever step ahead.
The Kangaroo, (scientifically classified under the genus Macro), is highly regarded as the official animal icon for Australia as, along with the bird emu, it appears in the countrys coat of arms. The kangaroo and the emu, so many Aussies say, are representative of Australia because these animals can only move forward thus epitomizing the nations drive to ever step ahead.
Early coin editions are highly sought, particularly those of the 1998 vintage. Limited minting by the RAM is what makes the Australian Silver Kangaroo a very attractive investment proposition. In 2007, for instance, RAM minted just 15,000 of this coin bullion.
The design of the coin, which varies each year, has also been elegantly rendered for that year. It proudly displays the highly recognizable kangaroo engraving back-dropped against the constellation of the Southern Cross.
Rounding out these distinctive features is the coins diameter of 40.6 mm and thickness of 4 mm. Face value of this coin is at 1 Australian dollar, just a mere fraction of the intrinsic value that this silver bullion coin enjoys among collectors and investors all over the world.
April 01 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »