THIS STUFF USED TO BE WORTH A LOT OF MONEY, WHAT HAPPENED??? Someone shared these examples with me regarding collectables. I found this info very interesting. I collect caps. I like to wear different caps from my cap collection. I also have a small coin collection. Collections can have value from a monetary and/or sentimental point of view. The reflection below is not an attempt to ridicule anyone from collections that are meaningful to them, rather it is an attempt to focus on what is most important in life. The first few examples of collections with declining value listed below are long, but if you scroll down, you’ll see toys, etc from more recent times. Still, I love history, hope you’ll enjoy those too. Matthew 6 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. THIS STUFF USED TO BE WORTH A LOT OF MONEY, WHAT HAPPENED??? GREYHOUND DOGS In the middle ages, greyhound dogs endeared themselves to royalty, and were featured in their courts and family portraits. Moreover, the nobles became so enamored of their phenomenal hunting dogs that it was a capital offense to kill a greyhound. Human life at times was valued less than the life of one such dog. Before long, commoners were forbidden from owning these dogs, and it was only the noble who had permission from the king to own and breed greyhounds. Today, the sad reality of the greyhound racing business dictates that unproductive dogs - those which are either not fast enough to win races consistently or which become hurt - are euthanized, if they’re not lucky enough to be adopted. If they fail to earn money for their kennel and owners, they have become a liability instead of an asset, and the racing business does not retain unprofitable dogs. THE BEAUTIFUL TULIP. The tulip, a member of the lily family, is native to Persia, modern day Iran. Its natural habitat is mountainous, where it rests beneath thick layers of snow in winter. The Turks were cultivating the flowers as early as 1000 A.D. Carolus Clusius, a sixteenth century Dutch botanist and pharmacist who had received a collection of tulip bulbs and seeds from the Austrian ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, introduced the flower to the Netherlands. Clusius planted tulips at the botanical gardens at the University of Leiden in 1593. The vibrant colors, scarcity, and novelty of the plant caused an immediate sensation, and tulips became a status symbol for wealthy aristocrats. If you thought the collapse of technology stocks was a nightmare, be glad you werent around for Tulipmania in 1637. Demand for tulip bulbs led to a speculative frenzy that saw people paying $1,500 for a dozen bulbs and selling futures on crops that did not even exist. The sheer beauty of the plant was to blame for the frenzy, as the tulip could neither be consumed nor used as medicine. Between 1634 and 1637, rare cultivars such as the mottled maroon and white Semper Augustus were being sold not per bulb but by weight, the same measurement used for gold. The craze permeated all classes of Dutch society as homes, estates, and industries were mortgaged to purchase bulbs that could then be sold for higher prices. Eventually, of course, values could climb no higher, and the market collapsed, leaving tulip traders and speculators bankrupt overnight. The crash did little to mar the tulips reputation, however, and it continues to be a vital part of the Dutch flower industry and the national flower of Holland. Fortunately for citizens of the USA, you dont have to fly to Europe to see an ocean of Tulipa. The tulip capital of North America is just a short drive across the Canadian border. In 1945, Princess Juliana of Holland presented the government of Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs in recognition of that countrys role in sheltering the Dutch Royal Family and liberating the Netherlands during World War II. The bulbs were planted in and around Ottawa, Ontario, the nations capital, which led to the establishment of the Canadian Tulip Festival. For ten days in May, visitors to Ottawa enjoy a spectacular display of millions of tulips throughout the National Capital region. An online search in January 2014, found that you can buy 25 tulip bulbs online for $19.99 + $6.99 shipping. THE USA HOUSING MARKET The United States housing bubble is an economic bubble affecting many parts of the United States housing market in over half of American states. Housing prices peaked in early 2006, started to decline in 2006 and 2007, and reached new lows in 2012. On December 30, 2008 the Case-Shiller home price index reported its largest price drop in its history. The credit crisis resulting from the bursting of the housing bubble is — according to general consensus — the primary cause of the 2007–2009 recession in the United States. Increased foreclosure rates in 2006–2007 among U.S. homeowners led to a crisis in August 2008 for the subprime, Alt-A, collateralized debt obligation (CDO), mortgage, credit, hedge fund, and foreign bank markets. In October 2007, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury called the bursting housing bubble the most significant risk to our economy. Any collapse of the U.S. Housing Bubble has a direct impact not only on home valuations, but the nations mortgage markets, home builders, real estate, home supply retail outlets, Wall Street hedge funds held by large institutional investors, and foreign banks, increasing the risk of a nationwide recession. Concerns about the impact of the collapsing housing and credit markets on the larger U.S. economy caused President George W. Bush and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke to announce a limited bailout of the U.S. housing market for homeowners who were unable to pay their mortgage debts. In 2008 alone, the United States government allocated over $900 billion to special loans and rescues related to the US housing bubble, with over half going to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (both of which are government-sponsored enterprises) as well as the Federal Housing Administration (which is a United States Government agency). On December 24, 2009, the Treasury Department made an unprecedented announcement that it would be providing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac unlimited financial support for the next three years despite acknowledging losses in excess of $400 billion so far. The Treasury has been criticized for encroaching on spending powers that are enumerated for Congress alone by the US constitution, and for violating limits imposed by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. CABBAGE PATCH KIDS The must-have toys of the 80s, parents bought their kids piles of these things. 1983-86 were the gravy years, when parents absolutely needed to give these things to their offspring, girls and boys alike. The varieties spewed forth, with premature kids represented (underdeveloped lungs assumed), talking versions too, and a chewing version that was pulled off the market when it happily chomped down on kids hair and wouldnt stop chewing. eBay has hundreds of the things, some even with huge prices. But is anyone buying? Not many. Deluded folks might think charging $500 for a Cabbage Patch kid is the path to financial gain, but not if no one opens their Paypal. BEANIE BABIES The simple fact that a video exists called How to Spot Counterfeit Beanie Babies shows how out-of-control this fad was. And actually, that video is a pretty good collectors item, for fans of bizarre VHS cassettes. People thought this trend was going to go on forever, but manufactured scarcity and a flooded market was no match for the laws of supply and demand. Whats sad is that the collectible trend ignored the best part of Beanie Babies: most of them were cute and really nice stuffed animals for kids. 90’S COMIC BOOKS Some are kind of worth some money. Really. I cant buy the first appearance of Deadpool without parting with a bit of money. And it was a fun little run while it lasted. Most of us remember those days when you walked into a store and a holofoil double-gatefold cover sparked the I can retire on this stuff thought. Stories abound about guys in suits buying a full case of X-Force #1 the day they came out, thinking they were sitting on a goldmine. Now those books are languishing in $1 bins, 50-cent bins, 25-cent bins, and getting used to pad out eBay lots. Baseball Cards Make no mistake, baseball cards could mean youre financially set for years. Honus Wagner? One of his bad boys is worth a yachts worth of moolah. I just saw a crappy condition one that sold for $227,500 (no joke, Heritage Auctions is awesome). And those dynamite old school dawgs from the 60s and 70s? Still valuable. But nothing lasts forever. With every major and minor team fielding cards for all players, the market is still flooded and will probably never pull itself out. Now the moneys all in old cards, team sets sold to fans, and entire seasons sold as a set. The days of casually opening a pack for fun are over, now you have to be in it to win it.
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 14:13:00 +0000
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