Wizard of OZ Autographs, Movie Posters & Memorabilia

We’re off to see the Wizard! 

How wonderful it would be to relax in your den or study and gaze up at an original vintage movie poster  from the Wizard of Oz! Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley and Terry. (Every real Oz fan will know that Terry played Toto. 🙂 

Even more fulfilling would be owning a piece of movie memorabilia  that was signed by one or more of the cast. What a find that would be!

 The Wizard of Oz is a great family film. Everyone would love to take a trip along the yellow brick road to the wonderful Land of Oz. Vintage movie posters are in high demand these days. Even copies of movie posters make great framed art, but that’s nothing like having an original. This movie has only become more beloved as the years have passed. 

It’s been seventy years since The Wizard of Oz was released, and it hasn’t lost a step. It’s such a classic movie that people are forever clamoring for any items related to the original film and filming, especially those that include autographs. 

This movie was written with children in mind, although more than a few little ones have covered their eyes during the twister scene. Now the children who first saw it are part of an age where they can truly appreciate the fine art that is represented by vintage movie posters and other items of memorabilia from its production. 

The wardrobe and special effects were way beyond their time, to be sure, and we can all dream of living in a land where everything is perfect – on the outside, anyway. Until such a place exists, we can fulfill those fantasies by acquiring movie memorabilia and original movie posters from this wondrous classic film.

To learn more about such priceless memorabilai visit www.cvtreasures.com

Dying with My Wristwatch

What’s your pursuing thing in your life? super-star, rare treasures or typical heirloom. Most people are striving for a better life, but I am a freak who likes wristwatch more than women.

One day morning, I say hello to my watches: “will you stay with me if this is my last day in the world?” what a pity! They stared at me silently that they would not die with me but keep moving to record the triviality in the coming days, happy or sorrow. And they also wish that my life pendulum would move continuously as the watch-hand to work hard and enjoy my life.

Staring at the selection of Panerai Ferrari watches, I need to meditate that how many people can play a classical and practical role in their simple life, and this Ferrari can make everyone stepping into society more energetic. I love him so much that i am eager to sleep with him every night. The minute when my doctor told me my deadline with only 6 months I was so quiet and thought about what I could do next. Only my wristwatches stay with me: The very luxurious PIAGET& ROLEX watches and the one symbolizing as a warrior OMEGA watches in the cabinet inform me that I should be strong-minded and live my life delightedly. Time is very precious, every heart beating and watch-hand moving is the proceeding of life. Although they have rotated for hundred years, they can still keep on working with his persistence. It’s my destiny that I will be buried with my wristwatches eternally.

This is my power to be alive and I would hurrah: my dear watches, I am living with you. Whatever dark and short my future will be, I will breathe deeply and fight forever. My dear friends, please remember to cherish the person staying with you right now.

I am dying. Let’s keep on forwarding. Ticktack, ticktack, ticktack…

Teddy Bears Called Cheeky

Since the birth of the teddy bear in 1902, his looks has changed, sometimes quite radically too, of course it depends on the company producing the teddy bear as, since he was born, every soft toy company has it’s own idea of how the teddy bear should look.  Even the teddy bears inventors, Steiff, have changed the look of the teddy bear over the years.

The wonderful English Teddy Bear Company called Merrythought, has probably produced some of the most diverse and at the same time loveable teddy bears we know of.  These teddy bears are cute, cuddly, infact they are seriously adorable, they are of course the very famous and wonderful ‘Cheeky’ Bears.

Cheeky Bear first made his appearance in 1956 at a trade fair.  A customer picked him up and said “what a cheeky little bear” – the rest, as they say, is history because from then on his name stuck, he has been called Cheeky ever since!

The Cheeky Bear was designed by Jean Barber.  The original bears were made from gold plush and shaggy gold mohair or art silk, they were kapok stuffed and had bells in both ears.  Since his birth the Cheeky Bear has been made in a vast array of fabics and in some magnificant colours.  Cheeky Bears are loved as much today (probably more so) than when they were first introduced to teddy bear lovers back in the 1950’s.

Cheeky Bears are now collected the whole world over and they are extremely desirable to many lovers of teddy bears.  I would say, however, that these teddy bears often fetch very high prices when they are sold at auction or at specialist teddy bear fairs, so it always pays to bring a Cheeky Bear home with you, especially if the Cheeky Bear you have chosen is from a very low edition size or if he is of an unusual colour, material or better still a combination of all these traits.  If you are looking to buy a teddy bear as a gift for a very special person, I can think of no better teddy bear than a Cheeky Bear.

Cheeky Bears are just so full of character that they do make really excellent mascots and as they come in so many sizes, colours, etc. it makes choice appealing.  The late singer Dusty Springfield owned a gorgeous little Cheeky Bear who she called Mr Einstein.

I love Cheeky Bears, there is one really special low edition bear that really is wonderful, it is a ‘girl’ Cheeky who I call Lavendar (because she is the colour of Lavendar and has beautiful curly mohair), she is a beautiful and desirable lady absolutely brimming full of life.

Grading Coins – Coin Collecting Values

Grading Coins – Coin Collecting Values

It is not always easy to grade coins on a consistent basis, often it takes a lot of expertise and experience. For neophytes, determining the grades can be done by studying and following a set of industry guidelines, like the American Numismatic Association’s 0-70 point numeric system, which is commonly utilized for assigning the grade of a coin.

The main objective of grading coins is to exactly determine what the coin’s market value is, and how well the coin was originally struck, or how effectively it was preserved since the original date of its minting. Determining a coin’s condition is vital, because after a coin’s rarity and demand, the grade is the next vital factor in assessing the coin’s value. Veteran coin collectors and numismatic experts note that the higher the coin’s grade, the greater would its value be. However, there may be some exceptions to this definition, so some coin collectors have devised different systems of determining a coin’s overall condition.

A coin’s condition is usually verified or summed up by its grade. Certain characteristics of a coin influence its grade. For instance, surface condition, strike, eye appeal and luster are factors that figure in a coin’s overall grade. If any of these qualities are lacking, the grade as well as the value of the coin is reduced. Often, the differences in quality among coins may be quite subtle, and it may also be tough to notice the quirks, which often will require a trained eye to analyze and grade the coin. Even expert graders assign slightly different grades to the same coin, and leave the final grade in the hands of the collector’s or trader’s opinion.

The 70-Point Grading Scale is a system used to exactly determine a coin’s state. The grades are usually assigned at key points in the scale, with P-1 or poor as the lowest and MS-70, or Mint State Perfect as the highest rank given for a very good-quality coin. Among the notable things to remember when using this system are the terms “Uncirculated”, which refers to the highest grade given to a coin deemed to be in its mint state. A grade of 60 is viewed as the lowest grade given to an uncirculated or proof coin, which offers no trace of wear but may show a few contact marks or spots and dullness in its surface. In the 70-Point Grading Scale, an uncirculated coin that has a grade of 70 is often viewed to be in perfect condition, showing no evidence of wear and tear, scratches, or contact with other coins.

Another terms such as “Choice About Uncirculated” or AU-55, refer to a coin that has less trace wear on only the highest points of the design, does not show any significant defects and retains most of its luster. “About Uncirculated” or AU-55, refers to coins that have at least half of the original mint luster but show trace wear on most of the highest areas of the design. “Extremely Fine” or EF-40 refers to coins that have noticeable wear but still contain most of its sharp features. In the 70-Point Grading Scale, a coin’s grades may vary, from “Very Fine”, “Fine”, “Very Good” and “Good” to “About Good”.

However, whenever a significant of difference is noted between a coin’s two sides, a split grade usually is assigned to it. Coin experts say that split grades are indicated by a “/” between the grade. For instance, “AU/EF” would mean that one side is AU and the reverse side is EF.

Herman Klein is a coin collecting expert. For more great information on grading coins be sure to visit http://www.coincollectingstartshere.com.

Old Star Wars Action Figures – What are They Worth?

Even if you were not a big fan of the Star Wars movies, you likely had your share of time to play with Star Wars vintage action figures.  After all — Star Wars dominated a portion of the science fiction genre starting in the late 1970’s, and the demand for these action figures continues today.
With the popularity of Star Wars vintage action figures in mind, oftentimes we wonder what certain toys, vehicles, or characters, might bring in if we wanted to sell them.  Before we begin, however, something that we should state is that, as with many vintage toys, the true value is in the eye of the beholder.  While an X-Wing Starfighter may realistically be worth $50 to $250 on the open market, a certain collector may actually be willing to pay much more than the going rate for these vintage star wars action figurines and vehicles.  
Here are two resources that may be able to help you identify the value of your Star Wars vintage action figures.
eBay.com
While the popularity of eBay has floundered a little bit as of late, it is still considered a massive worldwide marketplace.  If you’re looking to figure out an estimated market value for your star wars vintage action figure, or even if you are just looking for some quick cash — eBay may very well be the very first place to look.  Now, the prices on eBay are not necessarily reflective of the true value of some of these vintage Star Wars toys and in fact, the prices that you find on eBay are likely less than you would get from a private collector.  All of that said — eBay.com is a great place to try to assess the value of your vintage Star Wars action figure.
Amazon.com
There are small handful pricing guides for Star Wars vintage action figures that can be purchased, quite affordably, on Amazon.com. One of these guides is the “Warman’s Star Wars Field Guide: Values And Identification” paperback.  This particular priding guide is purported to be a short and concise pricing guide for vintage Star Wars toys, figurines, and vehicles.
So, if you’re in a pinch and you want a relative idea of what your Star Wars action figure may be worth, eBay.com is the place to go.  However, if you’re looking for a more in-depth, and likely accurate, pricing guide for your vintage Star Wars toys, check out the small handful of selections at Amazon.com to get your answers resolved regarding how much your action figures and vehicles are worth today.