Hobbies And Interests
Ephemera
The word "ephemera" refers to items, specifically those with print or writing on them, that people used for a temporary purpose. These are commonly associated with a specific brand, store or other business. As the historically-minded Brand Name Cooking culinary website notes, common types of collectible ephemera include receipts, customer account books, ledgers, stationery, postcards and other correspondence, and billheads from suppliers, which are business transaction receipts that usually have logos or other illustrations as their headings. Collectors often focus on ephemera from specific time periods, such as the Civil War-era, or they collect items from specific old companies or brands, such as Jim Beam or Smith and Wesson.
Advertisements
Old business advertisements are another type of paper good that people collect. As Brand Name Cooking points out, these advertisements come in a number of different formats, such as trade cards, calendars, signs and posters. As with ephemera, collectors commonly choose a specific time period or brand name to collect around. Collecting old soda pop advertisements, such as those that the Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola companies produced, is one popular option.
Baseball Cards
According to Diamond Fans, baseball cards date back to as early as 1869, when candy, chewing gum and tobacco companies began including them as bonus items in their products. The cards display the names and photographs of famous baseball players, and in some instances, they display biological and statistical information as well, such as height and batting average. Collecting old baseball cards is a serious hobby for some collectors, and the high auction prices that certain cards can draw is likely part of the reason. One of the most valuable cards, as Baseball Cards 101 points out, is a 1909 card featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates player Honus Wagner. In 2005, the Sports Market Report valued the card at one and a half million dollars.
Postage Stamps
Postage stamps are another popular paper collectible that can have significant worth. Collecting historic stamps from around the world can be one of the most worthwhile options. You can focus on collecting from a specific country or from a specific time period. One of the most valuable stamps in existence is an 1856 1-cent stamp from the former British colony of Guiana. According to the Vintage Louis Vuitton Dealer, in 1980 it sold at auction for $935,000.