Civil War diary
Q: I recently discovered a diary that was written during the Civil War. It has fascinating information about the Battle of Vicksburg. Who can I contact to get it appraised? — Ardis, Zellwood, Fla.
A: To get an idea of how valuable Civil War collectibles have gotten, I suggest you flip through Warman’s Civil War Collectibles by John F. Graf (Krause Publications). Uniforms, images, revolvers, letters — in fact, virtually anything connected with the conflict — are all desirable and in great demand. And with demand comes stiff prices.
To find out the value of your diary, I recommend several experts. Jeff Albiniak has been a dealer for almost two decades and specializes in the Civil War. His addresses are P.O. Box 12611, Tucson, AZ 85732; and cwbuffster@aol.com. Courtney Wilson is an appraiser and military collectibles expert.
Write to her c/o American Military Antiques, 8398 Court Ave., Ellicott City, MD 21043. You might also want to contact the Civil War Collectors Society and American Militaria Exchange, 5970 Toylor Ridge Drive, West Chester, OH 45069.
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Q: Where can I find information about a Teddy Roosevelt copper penny? — H.D., Champaign, Ill.
A: One of the best reference books in the field is the 2006 Standard Catalogue of World Coins, edited by Colin R. Brice and published by Krause Publications. This hefty guide, now in its 33rd edition, has more than 1 million prices for virtually every coin issued from 1901 to the present.
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Q: I purchased a piece of Hull pottery at an estate sale and now consider myself hooked. I would like to collect more pieces but probably need to do some research before I start making uninformed purchases. Any suggestions? — Beth, Riverside, Calif.
A: One of the better groups is the Hull Pottery Association, 112 Park DeVille Drive, Columbia, MO 65203. Cathlyne McKay is an established dealer who is knowledgeable about Hull issues.
Her address is P.O. Box 2022, Imperial Beach, CA 91932. Joan Gray Hull is the author of Hull: The Heavenly Pottery, which is an alphabetized, numerical, pictorial, pocket-size price guide.