Collectibles - Ready Reference Center at Middletown Thrall Library - Web Research, Websites, Internet Resources

Collectibles & Collectors

[ Ready Reference Menu ]

Web Resources

Jump to a subsection:

General & Comprehensive Resources
Books
Coins and Money (Numismatics)
Comic Books, Manga, and Graphic Novels
Dolls
Stamps (Philately, Philatelists)
Toys
Trading Cards

General & Comprehensive Resources

Library Catalog Topics

Browse related topics in the RCLS catalog:

Find in which library catalog?

Limit results to selected library? Yes No

Reserved items arrive at selected library.

Type of catalog:
library catalog eBooks

(Visit your library's catalog or website)

Caring for Your Treasures: "Includes information on Architecture; Books; Ceramic and Glass Objects; Furniture; Home Videotape; Metal Objects; Photographs; Paintings; Paper; Matting and Framing Works of Art and Artifacts on Paper; and Textiles. Each topic is a downloadable 2-page guide."
Collecting: "Whether you're interested in stamps, dolls, coins or something more personal, building a collection can be a fulfilling lifetime hobby. Learn about pricing, restoration, and the particulars of your niche in this collection." From ThoughtCo.com.
Country Living: Antiques and Collectibles: Articles, appraisals, and advice. Follow their "More Antiques and Collectibles Articles" link (down the center of the page) for more articles.
Kovels: Antiques and Collectibles: Includes a price guide for over 600,000 antiques and collectibles (dolls, toys, folk and ethnic art, furniture, clocks, lighting, jewelry, glass, music, pottery, porcelain, prints and paintings, silver / other metals, and more) in the United States (free registration required), an Antiques and Collectibles Directory (appraisals, publications, archives, museums, auctions, repairs, supplies, restoration, and more).
Preservation: Frequently Asked Questions: Topics include General Preservation; Audio-Visual Materials; Books; Collection Emergencies; Paper (manuscripts, drawings, newspapers, prints, posters, maps, etc.); Photographs and Film; and Reformatting/Digitizing. From the Library of Congress.
Saving Your Stuff: Topics include: Audiovisual /Film; Caring for Textiles; Caring for Your LP Records; Digital Photo Preservation; Digital Preservation; Preserving Photographs; Oral Histories; Artifacts: Metal, Wood, Glass; Caring for Books and Paper. From the American Library Association.
The Value of Art: A series of videos about art valuation/appraisals. From Sotheby's.

Books

Library Catalog Topics

AbeBooks: Rare Books Room: Scroll down their page for links to sections including: Ask a Rare Bookseller, Rare Bookseller Directory, The Avid Collector (articles), Book Appraisers, Book Care (tips), Book Fairs and Events, Rare Books FAQ, Book Collector Forum, Glossary of Terms.
Alibris: A Guide to Book Collecting in the 21st Century: Sections include: Creative Routes to Successful Collecting, The Dual Meanings of Value and Appreciation, The Three C's of Book Collecting, Baedekers to Book Collecting.
Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA): Includes: information for collectors, articles, news, FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), and a Glossary.
Antique and Rare Books: A Guiide for Estate Sale Shoppers: Topics covered include Antique vs. Vintage Books, Where to Find Antique Books, Starting an Antique Book Collection, and Determining the Market Value of an Antique or Rare Book.
Basic Guide to Book Collecting: Topics include: What Books to Collect; Understanding Rare Books; Buying, Valuing and Caring for Rare Books. From AbeBooks.com.
Dos and Don'ts for Taking Care of Your Personal Books at Home?: From the NY Public Library.
Glossary for Rare Books: "How to Describe Rare Books, Manuscripts, Autographs, Maps, Prints, Atlases, First Editions, Illustrated Books" From the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.
Rare Book Condition Standards: From Powells.com.
Reference Autographs & Signatures: "We are proud to offer the tabled author signatures, obtained in controlled environments*, to assist in the authentication process of signed books... Autographs obtained in controlled environments, i.e., in person or directly from the author's agents or publishers or from agents of Books Tell You Why at non-public signing events or issued by the publisher as signed (often limited) editions are the preferred sources of signed books." From an antiqarian bookseller, Bookstellyouwhy.com.

Coins and Money (Numismatics)

Library Catalog Topics

American Numismatic Association

"The American Numismatic Association is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to educating and encouraging people to study and collect money and related items." News, articles, and more. Follow their "Explore the World of Money" link for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Tips for Buying and Selling Gold, Money'Musements (trivia), Current U.S. Coins, and more. See also their Online Resources for an extensive list of resources including ebooks, their catalog, and the collection database.

Cleaning Collectible Coins

From the Coin Collecting Club.

Coin Collecting Tools & Resources

Topics include: Getting Started; Coin Collecting Basics; Research Tools from NGC; Numismatic Reference List; Consumer Protection topics; and Videos and Podcasts and much more. From the American Numismatic Association.

Coin Explorer

"The NGC Coin Explorer is the most comprehensive reference for United States coins. This complete catalog has images and specifications for every U.S. coin, including mintage figures and current melt values for all gold, silver, and platinum coins. " Search by coin, NGC Universl ID or by criteria. Free to all users. From Numismatic Guaranty Corp.

The Coin Page

Public use images of coins in small and large versions.

Gold Standard

Topics include: Coins of Ancient Empires; New World Coins; and Top-Drawer Gold Storage. From the American Museum of Natural History.

Investing in Collectible Coins

From the Federal Trade Commission.

Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS)

Includes price guides, coin facts and more.

Coin Collecting Glossary
Online Photograde: Click on the coin type to match your coin's condition to images showing conditions and grades. For a list of coin grading standards, click on the the Help button.

United States Mint

The official site of the United States Mint.

Collector's Club: Sections include: The Art of Collecting (Why Collect Coins?, Getting Started, Ways to Collect, Collecting United States Mint Coins, What to Look for, Buy or Find?, Caring For Coins, Storing and Displaying Coins, How to Share Your Hobby), Coin Information and Resources (Anatomy of a Coin, Coin Term Glossary, The ANA Coin Grading Scale, The Mint Marks of United States Mint Facilities, United States Mint Online Store, Coin Dealer Database, Children's Coin Library, Fun Facts), Consumer Alerts, and more.
History of the U.S. Mint: Includes a Historical Documents Search; Timeline of the Mint; 225th Anniversary Page [2017]; Former Mint Directors; and Historic Coin Production. Also included are brief videos in the Video Corner.

World Coin Price Guide

Comics, Comic Books, Manga, Graphic Novels

Library Catalog Topics

Comic Book Realm: Includes: comic values, a Comic Book Store Locator, comic book cover images, a search engine (by publisher or series), and a variety of information on each comic series and certain issues.
Comic Book Resources: Includes: News and reviews on upcoming comic, blogs, video, Comic Shop Locator, and more.
Comic Books: Includes: Collecting; Favorite Characters; Marvel Comics; and DC Comics. From ThoughtCo.com.
Comics Price Guide: Forums, classifieds, search or browse options. Free registration is required to access the basic price guide.
Cover Browser: "Cover Browser displays galleries of comic book (and book, pulp, games, DVD or magazine) covers for comic book fans." Contains 450,000+ images. Browse popular topics or search by keyword.
Glossary of Comic Book Collecting Terms: From CGC Comics.
Grand Comics Database (GCD): "The official Vision Statement is: "The Grand Comics Database Project intends to be the most comprehensive online comics database for comic readers, collectors, scholars and professionals." This fully searchable and sortable database includes information on creator credits, story details, and other information useful to the comic-book reader, fan, collector, and scholar."
Webcomics Web Archive: "This collection focuses on comics created specifically for the web and supplements the Library of Congress' extensive holdings in both comic books, graphic novels, and original comic art. Webcomics are an increasingly popular format utilized by contemporary creators in the field and often includes material by artists not available elsewhere. Webcomics selected for this collection include award-winning comics (Eisner Awards, Harvey Awards, Eagle Awards, and Shuster Awards) as well as webcomics that have significance in the field due to longevity, reputation, and subject matter. This collection includes work by artists and subjects not traditionally represented in mainstream comics, including women artists and characters, artists and characters of color, LGBTQ+ artists and characters, as well as subjects such as politics, health and human sexuality, and autobiography. The content of these websites is captured as it was originally produced and may include content that is not suitable for all ages." From the Library of Congress.
Wizard World: "Comic News, Conventions, Features, Previews, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Articles."

Dolls

Library Catalog Topics

Advice for Beginning Paper Doll Collectors: From the Original Paper Doll Artists Guild.
BarbieCollector.com: Official website from Mattel. Includes news, articles, and a gallery of vintage/collectible Barbie dolls.
Doll Collecting: Sections include: Doll Collecting 101, Getting Started, Buying / Selling, Types of Dolls, Dolls From A to Z, Barbie Dolls, Dolls Price Guide. From TheSpruce.com.
Doll Reference: Described as "a guide to doll collecting and identifying dolls from 1800 to the 1970's, Antique to Vintage dolls, over 10,000 photo's, descriptions and markings are included. Dolls are listed by the doll manufacturer on each page."
Dolls Magazine: Articles, news, blog, a directory of retailers and manufacturers, some doll identifications and prices (with the ability to submit your doll information/photo for an estimated appraisal).
History of Paper Dolls and Popluar Culture: From the National Women's History Museum.
The Preservation, Storage and Display of Precious Paper Dolls: From the Original Paper Doll Artists Guild.
United Federation of Doll Clubs: "The objectives of the non-profit organization are to create, stimulate and maintain a national and international interest in all matters pertaining to doll collecting."

Stamps (Philately, Philatelists)

Library Catalog Topics

American Philatelic Society

Includse: Information on dealers, shows and exhibitions, news, a "Just for Kids" section, and a (frequently asked) "Questions and Answers" section.

World Stamp Identifier: "The World Stamp Identifer is a free, interactive tool which helps you identify many of the harder to recognize stamps." Search by Continent, Country or Key Word Letter. From the American Philatelic Society.

National Postal Museum

Glossary of Philatelic & Postal History Terms
International Stamps & Mail: Search the National Postal Museum's collection of international stamps by Type; Date; Place; Media Usage; Metadata Usage; and On View.
U.S. Stamps: Search the National Postal Museum's collection of U. S.stamps by Type; Date; Place; Culture; Media Usage; Metadata Usage; and On View.

Professional Stamp Experts: A Guide to Grading and Expertizing United States Stamps: An Illustrated Guide

Downloadable guides in PDF format. Please note: these are huge files (~150MB, ~720+MB). View them with the Adobe Reader.

Stamp Collecting

Includes: Videos; Stamp Collecting Resources; A Stamp for Every Country; Complete Collection of U.S. Postage Stamps; Famous Stamp Collectors; Collecting Ancestral Homelands; and Preservation. From The Smithsonican National Postal Museum.

Stamp Collecting

Also includes a "Philatelic Glossary" on the left side. From the United States Postal Service (USPS). See also:

Publication 192: Topics include: How to Remove Used Stamps from an Envelope, Where to Get Stamps, What You Will Need, Acid-Free Paper, Stamp Hinges and Mounts, What You Will Need, How to Use a Hinge or Mount, Stamp-Collecting Tools, Determining a Stamp's Value, Album Ideas.

United States Postal Service (USPS)

News on prices on current and upcoming stamps and stamp collections / themes as well as and limited editions series. Includes information on local post offices, postal services, online purchases, and more.

Library Catalog Topics

Toys

General and Comprehensive

Inducted Toys in National Toy Hall Of Fame

Click on the toy for its history. From The Strong: the National Museum of Play.

National Museum of Play Online Collections

Includes Toys; Dolls; Games; Video Games; Other Collections. From the Strong, National Museum of Play.

National Toy Hall of Fame

"The National Toy Hall of Fame..., established in 1998, recognizes toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over a sustained period. Each year, the prestigious hall inducts new honorees and showcases both new and historic versions of classic toys beloved by generations."

PlaySafe.org

News, recall. toy safety information. From the Toy Industry Association.

Also available:

Age-by-Age Toy Buying Guide: "Based on child development research, this guide will help you pick out appropriate playthings for your kids at any age and stage of childhood! Some toys are recommended for more than one age category, since kids of different ages often enjoy the same toy, each playing with it at his or her own level." For ages birth to 12 years. Click/tap on "Safe Toy Buying Guide" From the Toy Industry Association.

Action Figures
Super Heroes, Star Wars, Star Trek, Sci-fi, Western, Military, etc.

ActionFigureCollectors YouTube Channel: Videos.
Collecting Action Figures: "Discover everything you need to know about buying, selling and collecting action figures." From TheSpruce.com.
Masters of the Universe - The Original Series: "Here you will find the best vintage Masters of the Universe guide on the Net! Main list includes US, European and Canadian releases and all the known variations." Click on the name of a figure and get its history and a close-up. From He-Man.org.

Vintage Toys

Art of the Tin Toy: Collecting Tips: Also see their Investment page.
Glossary of Antique Toy Terms: From AntiqueToys.com.
Model Trains: Get Started: Includes videos, a printable booklet, and articles on topics such as scenery basics, scales and gauges, tracks and more. From World's Greatest Hobby.
Train Collectors Association Gateway: Choose from several related websites. Includes information on collectible trains (Lionel, etc.), news, images, guides, and more for hobbyists and collectors.
Vintage Doll Collector: "Your reference guide to 20th century dolls."

Trading Cards
Sports - Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Football, Golf, Hockey, Racing, Tennis, etc.

Library Catalog Topics

Baseball Cards: "This collection presents a Library of Congress treasure - 2,100 early baseball cards dating from 1887 to 1914.The cards show such legendary figures as Ty Cobb stealing third base for Detroit, Tris Speaker batting for Boston, and pitcher Cy Young posing formally in his Cleveland uniform. Other notable players include Connie Mack, Walter Johnson, King Kelly, and Christy Mathewson." From the Library of Congress.
Baseball Cards, 1887-1914: From the Library of Congress.
A Beginner's Guide to Sports Card Collecting: From ThoughtCo.com.
A Brief History of Baseball Cards: Includes a timeline from early 1900s to 2009. From Newsday.com.
A Brief History Of O-Pee-Chee Baseball Cards: "O-Pee-Chee [a Canadian company] is most closely connected with Topps, as the two card companies shared similar designs for much of O-Pee-Chee's baseball history. However, there are some bookends where the two companies were not directly connected." Shows examples of each companies' cards side by side. From the Cardboard Connection.
Collector's Zone: Topics include: Trading Card History; Trading Card Values; Buying & Selling Trading Cards; and Trading Card Types Explained. From Upper Deck.
Identifying the Most Valuable Sports Cards: Seven things to do. From ThoughtCo.com.
75 Years As a Proud American Icon: A timeline of the history of the Topps Company.
Sports and Entertainment Collecting Guides: Guides to Autographs, Boxes/Cases, Buying, Collecting Tools, General, Grading, Organization, Pricing, Selling, and Storage. Beware: site also includes items for sale. From the Cardboard Connection.
Trading Card Central: News, articles, images/gallery, blogs, discussion forums, collecting tips, and more.
Trading Card Checklists: Downloadable copies of the complete checklists for sports cards as well as Star Wars, the Walking Dead and more. Includes current year and past years. From GTS Distribution.
Tuff Stuff Magazine: Sports trading cards and other memorabilia. Includes: news, articles, and free downloadable price guides (PDF format: view with Adobe Reader.