Treasure Hunt from Creators Syndicate

Is it Trash or Treasure? And What's the Worth? for 11/05/2009

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

All over the news last week was one of those, "Wow, if only it were me" stories. It involved a woman in Louisiana who purchased a painting at a garage sale for $2. Admittedly, the painting isn't my cup of tea — sort of a cubist/abstract look. But who cares? After she bought it, the name "Picasso" was found to be painted onto it.

The FBI now has it and confirmed ...

Updated: Thu Nov 05, 2009

A Golden Opportunity for the Holidays for 11/12/2009

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Gold and Christmas aren't necessarily synonymous. That is unless you factor in the story of the three wise men. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh with them. I don't know much about the last two. I suppose back in the year "1," they were probably important staples and worth a pretty penny. Today, I don't think there's much call for them.

On the other hand, gold ...

Updated: Thu Nov 12, 2009

A Golden Opportunity for the Holidays for 11/19/2009

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The economy suggests this is a time to save. The holidays in general, however, have traditionally been a time to spend. I've received a curious array of mail asking about suggestions for affordable and, well, somewhat extravagant gifts. Not all of these requests have not been about presents designed solely for collectors but also people in general. Whatever your budget, let's take a look at bot ...

Updated: Thu Nov 19, 2009

A Coin 'Taylor-Made' for a Virtual Unknown for 11/26/2009

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Exactly 225 years ago this week, a curious figure of history was born. He was president of the U.S., but he is still a relative unknown for several good reasons. Zachary Taylor has virtually nothing to do with Christmas or the holidays, but for a budding history buff or coin collector you may know, the new Presidential Golden Dollar bearing his likeness could make an interesting stocking stuffe ...

Updated: Thu Nov 26, 2009

This Year Consider Heavy Metal for the Holidays for 12/03/2009

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Traditionally, holiday colors — specifically for Christmas — have been green and red. I suppose those play off of the Christmas tree and Santa's suit. When it comes to gifts, though, most people seem far more attracted to the silver and gold colors. One color that's often overlooked is platinum. Yes, it's technically a metal, but it's also a color as in "platinum blond."
Updated: Thu Dec 03, 2009

A Stocking Stuffer That's More Than a Two-Bit Gift for 12/10/2009

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Are you familiar with the Northern Mariana Islands? I certainly wasn't until 2002. That's understandable. It's a tiny strip of land — only 464 square miles, roughly 2.5 times the size of Washington D.C. — located in the South Pacific about halfway between Hawaii and the Philippines.

Even though it's in the tropics, reports suggest it's not quite a "paradise." It con ...

Updated: Thu Dec 10, 2009

Original 'Express Mail' Now Worth a Small Fortune for 12/17/2009

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Some contend that Christmas cards are a fading presence. I can't agree because we send out roughly 200 and get about that many each year. Understand, I don't mean e-cards. Of course, I consider e-mail an indispensable aspect of everyday life, but I refuse to recognize electronic Christmas cards. Cards during the holidays should be just that — cards. They should involve some element of eff ...

Updated: Thu Dec 17, 2009

An $18,000 Find 'Between The Pages' for 12/24/2009

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The economy is alleged to be turning around. Even so, people continue to search for treasure wherever they can. Time to answer a few letters.

Dear Peter: I really enjoy your column and was intrigued by your mention of old books with value. After my mom and dad died, I knew we would have to go through all the bookcases in the basement. When we were children, we were not allowed near them ...

Updated: Thu Dec 24, 2009

Wandering Eye of the Tiger on New Stamp for 12/31/2009

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Anyone who has been on the Internet in the past 10 years has surely gotten their share of e-mails promoting pornographic sites. I know I did. Happily, those have subsided. Now, they've been replaced with a curious barrage of solicitations for discount drugs from other countries. I'm not sure if there's any correlation, but it seems terribly awkward.

In lieu of either of those, in the pas ...

Updated: Thu Dec 31, 2009

Space Auction Gives Boomers the Chance to Own Memories for 01/07/2010

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Humans are a curious sort. As far as I know, we are the only creatures that possess sentimentality for objects. I try to explain this to my wife each time we visit the pet store. She always seems to find a new stuffed toy for our dog. She'll go on and on about how cute the toy is and why the dog will love it. In turn, I explain that if we just stuffed a tennis ball in a sock, the dog would be j ...

Updated: Thu Jan 07, 2010

What's in Store for Postage Stamps in 2010? for 01/14/2010

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

For the countless silent, many that continue to prefer the personal touch of tangible letters to e-mail, the lineup of stamps that will get those letters and packages delivered offers a little something for everyone. Whether you're a fan of sports, cowboys, comics or art, the Postal Service has made an effort to cover most of the bases.

And whether you pick stamps at random, think the de ...

Updated: Thu Jan 14, 2010

A Coin Worth Way More Than a Plugged Nickel for 01/21/2010

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

When I was younger (OK … a lot younger), most kids in my elementary-school class collected coins, even many of the girls. There was a reason.

Every comic book, Popular Mechanics (yes, I'm dating myself) and other magazines, contained ads from coin dealers offering thousands of dollars for a few particular coins. Depending on your age, you may remember the ads.

I was reminded of th ...

Updated: Thu Jan 21, 2010

2010 Medals: Let the Games Begin! for 01/28/2010

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Canada's not usually known for major events that get the attention of the world. That's what I like about it. It's like the United States, but falls far more "under the radar." Visit most Canadian towns, cities or provinces, and more often than not, you have to look at the money to realize you're not in the United States. OK, that doesn't include Quebec. They just can't seem to unders ...

Updated: Thu Jan 28, 2010

Rumors About Our Buck Don't Stop Here for 02/04/2010

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Most of us are fortunate to have a lowly dollar in our pocket. I actually have a hard time saying that because when I was much younger, if I had a dollar, I felt like I was rich. I could buy a staggering amount of candy or packs of baseball cards with gum inside. Yes, yet again I've dated myself.

Today, offer $5 to a kid to do something, and he'll probably just roll his eyes. Offer him o ...

Updated: Thu Feb 04, 2010

Native American 'Constitution' is Golden for 02/11/2010

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

It doesn't seem that long ago when every two to four years, print and broadcast news accentuated the amount of political rhetoric from candidates stumping to be elected to office. Not anymore. Today, we can't open the daily paper or turn on network news without much of the content circling around the presidency, Congress, Capitol Hill, the economy, pork barrel projects, the war(s) and every oth ...

Updated: Thu Feb 11, 2010

A Forgotten Hero Finally Gets his Postage Due for 02/18/2010

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

If anyone wanted the best example of the proverbial "melting pot," they need look no further than the U.S. military. Without question, it represents the most diverse cross section of people. Today's armed forces are comprised of men, women, whites, blacks, Asians, American Indians, Eskimos and most any religion you can conjure.

A quick glance at history suggests it didn't alway ...

Updated: Thu Feb 18, 2010

All That Glitters Could Be Gold, But … for 02/25/2010

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Maybe it's the snow in 49 states that's gotten people to look through their collectibles and wonder about value. Time to answer a few reader questions.

Dear Peter: I'm interested in owning some gold and have seen promotions for some new commemorative gold coins. One is a British coin with images of Snoopy and Woodstock. I grew up with the cartoon, but I wonder if this would be a good inv ...

Updated: Thu Feb 25, 2010

What's in a Name? It Really Doesn't Matter on New Coin for 03/04/2010

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

In the movie, "The Rat Pack," one scene recreates a conversation between presidential candidate John F. Kennedy and major supporter Frank Sinatra. Kennedy was lamenting his concern about running against Hubert Humphrey. Sinatra's response was frank and pure Frank. "Jack," said Sinatra, "the American people will never elect someone named Hubert as president."

Updated: Thu Mar 04, 2010

A Penny Saved is … Well … Brand-New for 03/11/2010

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Just over 100 years ago, thousands of people on both coasts lined up around their local banks. In many cities, the lines stretched around the block. Some of those in line were coin collectors. OK, considering that virtually every man, woman and child collected coins, almost everyone was a collector. But why they were willing to wait is the curiosity.

Today, we barely give the penny a sec ...

Updated: Thu Mar 11, 2010

How to Get Rich Reading Comics and Seeing Movies for 03/18/2010

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Occasionally, someone will refer to me as "the guy who writes about antiques." I've always politely corrected them, noting that I write about collectibles. Some ask what is the difference. Good question.

By definition, an antique is an object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has a high value because of its considerable age. Similarly, a collectible is defined as ...

Updated: Thu Mar 18, 2010