News

MILITARIA Reward Offered for Medal Thieves

5/9/2008 - Lord Ashcroft, the British peer whose NZ$200,000 (approx. $155,000 U.S.) reward led to the successful return of many of New Zealand's priceless medals for bravery earlier this year, offered a further reward of up to NZ$200,000 for the apprehension and conviction of those who stole them. Full story

COINS Steel Cent Bill Caught in the Middle

5/9/2008 - A routine authorization of a bill calling for a copper-coated steel cent among other things was derailed May 6 in a political power struggle in the House of Representatives and a difference of opinion between the Mint and the Congress.  No fewer than four major coin bills were scheduled to be passed rapidly on the unanimous consent calendar of the House. Instead, nothing moved. Full story

COMICS Marvel Adds 500 More Issues to Online Digital Library

5/8/2008 - With the release of Iron Man and the June 13 release of Incredible Hulk, Marvel Comics has expanded its online digital library by adding more than 500 issues, bringing the library's total to more than 3,500 issues. More than two dozen issues are added weekly. Full story

COLLECTING Navajo Jewelry

5/8/2008 - Silver crafts first reached the New World with the Spanish conquistadors. In time, the Mexican people, like the conquistadors, began creating silver ornamented bridles, often trading them for Navajo cattle. According to legend, a Navajo blacksmith, intrigued by the lustrous, malleable material, studied the secrets of silver craft with a Mexican silversmith. Full story

CARS America On Wheels Museum Opens

5/6/2008 - Depending on how you’re counting, officials with the America On Wheels museum have either been waiting three years, or 18 years, for their dream of a shiny new transportation museum to actually materialize. Either way, the wait has been plenty long, and now it’s almost over. Full story

WORLD COINS South African Coin Doomed From the Start

5/6/2008 - South Africa's 2 1/2-cent coin was doomed even before it began circulating. Perceived commercial needs had prompted the decision to mint it, but these had been changing due to inflationary pressures and the impending adoption of a decimal monetary system of which it was planned to be a part. Full story

SPORTS GUU Sale Offers Gehrig Bat, Jordan Jersey and More

5/6/2008 - More than 200 lots of game-used jerseys, hats, helmets, bats and other items are featured in Game Used Universe’s (GUU) Spring 2008 auction. Specializing in game-used memorabilia, GUU developed its “Next Generation Auction” format, which elevates the authentication process to a new standard while virtually eliminating the possibility of a non-authentic item reaching the collector. Full story

MUSIC Goldmine Launches Online Business Directory

5/5/2008 - Goldmine, the world’s largest marketplace for collectible records, CDs and music memorabilia, has announced the launch of an online Business Directory. Available at http://directory.goldminemag.com, the directory is a valuable resource for anyone interested in collecting music. Full story

PAPER MONEY More Than Ever Before Seek Paper Money

5/5/2008 - The market for collectible paper money continues to forge ahead with no discernible problems at this writing.  The cross currents buffeting the economy at large have been greatly offset within the currency marketplace by the influx of large sums from bullion profits reinvested in paper money by cash-flush coin dealers seeking to ... Full story

MILITARIA MCOE Patch Represents Both Armor and Infantry

5/5/2008 - When Fort Benning becomes the Maneuver Center of Excellence, many Soldiers here will no longer wear the Follow Me patch. The Institute of Heraldry solicited design submissions for a new patch, and Chaplain (Col.) Glenn Davis, post chaplain, created the winning Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Full story

COINS CCAC Picks 2009 First Spouse Designs

5/2/2008 - Designs for 2009 First Spouse gold coins and bronze medals were considered at the Citizen Coin Advisory Committee meeting April 22.  Full story

ANTIQUES Risqué Bisque: Mermaids, Sea Nymphs, and Bathing Beauties

5/2/2008 - Sharon Hope Weintraub has made a splash in collecting with her books showcasing bisque and china figurines that portray the late Victorian and Edwardian periods shedding of priggish social and sexual mores. Full story

COMICS Comics Buyer’s Guide Launches Online Business Directory

5/2/2008 - Comics Buyer’s Guide, the world’s longest-running publication about comics, has announced the launch of an online Business Directory. Full story

CARS National Corvette Museum is Expanding

5/2/2008 - Ceremonial ground-breaking for the National Corvette Museum’s 47,000-sq.-ft. expansion wasn’t scheduled until April 24-26, but as of April 17, earthwork was already underway. Full story

Historic Properties: A Restored 1915 Craftsman and an 1880 Victorian Cottage in Need of TLC

4/30/2008 - For our first installment of Historic Properties – a monthly feature aimed at showing buyers and history buffs how and where they can get a piece of history – AT thought it would take a look at two houses in Indiana. Full story

KNIVES Be Wary When You Carry

4/29/2008 -

TOYS Robot and Space Toys at Smith House, Through May 9

4/29/2008 - In the world of 20th century antique toy collecting, robots are among the crown jewels. And in the world of robots, toy collector and author Robert Lesser is considered royalty. Full story

CARS Classic Beetle for Classic Rocker

4/28/2008 - Pop music entertainer Billy Joel came to Des Moines, Iowa, to play a concert and left as the owner of a vintage Volkswagen. Doug Klein, owner of American Dream Machines, said the star dropped into his dealership while looking around the city. Full story

BANK NOTES Fun to Find Darley's Work on Obsolete Notes

4/28/2008 - In the 1850s and 1860s the bank note-producing companies produced their finest and most artistic products. Color was added to the notes, along with back designs during this period. Some of the most spectacular vignettes depict daily life and historic events. Portraits, from military leaders and politicians to bank officials and their children, were also used as central features on notes of that period. Full story

Collecting Little Orphan Annie

4/25/2008 - Collectors enchanted by early comic characters struggle, oftentimes, to find items featuring their favorites. To find toys based on "Polly and Her Pals" or "Little Jimmy," however popular those strips were in their day, must take some dedicated digging, and more than a little patience. Full story