HowToDoThings.com Collecting

How To Clean a Penny

Cassandra — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:51:07 -0500

If pennies are forming communities under your sofa cushions or in the bottom of your kids' pockets, it may be time to do something about it. Any mom who has ever emptied a child’s sticky pockets has likely come across some clumps of gooey and oxidized pennies.

Instead of throwing the mess out (since pennies can’t buy much anyway), save them by cleaning them. With a few basic household items, you can have clean pennies in a few moments.

Materials:

Dirty pennies (sticky is optional)
Water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1-2 teaspoons of salt
Empty cup
Paper towels

How To Collect Autographs

Alex44k — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:33:14 -0500

There are many different ways to collect autographs -- through the mail, at card shows, or purchasing autographs online or at stores. The most enjoyable, however, is collecting autographs in person. Another dimension is added when you collect in person; not only do you get guaranteed authenticity, but memories are formed that could last a lifetime.

Getting an autograph in person:

How To Collect Comic Books

comicwriter07 — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:17:11 -0500

Comic books have come a long way since the days when they were simply seen as frivolous forms of childish entertainment. Today, legions of people of all ages and walks of life enjoy comics for their engaging characters, sophisticated and relevant stories, and realistic art. Let’s not forget that they also hold their own as highly valuable, sought-after collectibles. The combined value of the first appearances of Batman, Captain America, Spider-Man, and Superman could buy you a million-dollar home in the Hollywood Hills! If you are interested in collecting comic books, here are some things to consider:

How To Collect Hallmark Ornaments

Tonya249 — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 11:32:00 -0500

Hallmark Keepsake ornaments are one of the most collectible mementos of the holiday season. The Hallmark company first began producing Keepsake ornaments about thirty years ago. The first ornaments were simple glass balls. Since then, they have added several series and many individual ornaments.

How To Buy Police Equipment

Staff468 — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 15:02:00 -0500

Looking for badges, uniforms, firearms, holsters and other police accessories? Maybe you're in the market for a reliable handgun, or perhaps your hobby is to collect vintage police equipment and memorabilia like old police sticks, pea whistles and ceremonial garb. Who knows, you could even be a police chief looking for the best deals for top-notch police equipment to buy in bulk for your department. Only you know why you're seeking to buy police equipment, but we know how you can find and buy it.

If you're a civilian who's not affiliated with a police department, but you'd like to buy police equipment, the following steps will help.

How To Buy the Buffalo Gold Coin

Staff468 — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 13:58:00 -0500

American Buffalo gold coins are new to the gold coin scene - this is the first year they've been produced and made available to the public. Like their American Eagle gold coin brethren (bet you didn't know a buffalo could be related to an eagle), these Buffalo gold coins carry a U.S. Governmental guarantee as to the quality and quantity of gold in each coin. This ensures that the Buffalo gold bullion will be recognized in markets around the world and won't be hard to buy and sell from dealers.

But unlike the 22 karat American Eagle gold coin, about eight percent of which is other metal, the Buffalo gold coin is pure 24 karat gold. 99.99 percent of every coin is guaranteed gold! The price of these coins is based on the price of gold and a slight addition in price to account for the process of making the coin.

How To Buy a Gold American Eagle Coin

Staff468 — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:09:00 -0500

Here's an interesting fact taken from the U.S. Mint's website: all the gold mined in the world would only amount to a cube whose sides measure 20 yards! A one-ounce gold American Eagle coin is precious, indeed.

All gold American Eagle coins are 22 karat gold; a small amount of other metal is added to make the coin less malleable. You can be sure that the gold was mined in the United States.

You have 4 size options when buying gold American Eagle coins - 1/10 ounce, 1/4 ounce, 1/2 ounce and 1 ounce. The smaller sizes cost less, of course. But there are also two general kinds of gold American Eagle coin -- proof and bullion.

How To Sell Model Trains

Terry306 — Wed, 24 May 2006 14:22:00 -0500

The hobby of model railroading began in the late 1800s with clockwork mechanism trains made in Germany. These trains were large, made of metal, and brought years of enjoyment to children throughout Europe and, eventually, North America. However, it wasn't until the period just after World War II that the hobby we know today took to the tracks. In the late 1940s and early 1950s most people who bought toy trains purchased Lionel, American Flyer or other larger-scale models. These ran on AC current and typically had three-rail track. In addition, they were big. It wasn't long, however, before the hobbyists started looking for more realistic trains that would fit in smaller spaces. Beginning the 1950s and continuing into the 1980s, there was an explosion of scales in model railroading. Modelers could choose from diminutive Z-scale to gargantuan G.

How To Value Antiquarian Books

Robin103 — Thu, 11 May 2006 18:13:00 -0500

Antiquarian, or old books, can often be a difficult thing to value. There is no one book or association that has a list of old books and their exact worth. There is not even a consensus on how old a book has to be to be considered antiquarian.

If you have an old book and you are curious about its value, here are some ways you may be able to determine it.

Not all old books are valuable. What makes a book valuable is the fact that it is desirable to collectors. The first and quickest way to see what a book is selling for is to check out its selling price on websites like Alibris or BookFinder.

read more