Intro to Collecting Antiques

Baseball cards and Hotwheels share a fantasy element for young children. Kids can imagine that they will be star baseball players as they gaze at their favorite player's cards. Or they can dream that they will one day own a hot rod like the one that they love to roll across the driveway. Baseball cards and Hotwheels also share another aspect: they are two of the most collectible items in America, not just for kids, but for adults who obsess about getting a certain player's rookie card or a certain car from a specific year (still in the original packaging of course, if at all possible). Are these adults collecting all of the cards and cars they did not have in their youth, or are they just grabbing up all they can for bragging rights among their friends and family?

In this series of collecting videos from our professional antique store owner, you will learn what to look for when starting a card or car collection of your own. Jan Braunstein tells you how to grade the condition of cards and tells you a few to keep an eye our for. She also talks about oddities to look for and discusses collecting game balls. You will also learn about collecting Hot Wheels and other die-cast metal cars such as Matchbox cars. And if you ever see a 1968 Corvette Hotwheels car, buy it!