THE COLLECTOR
Dear Collector,
This Mr. Peanut doll has been around our family a long time. Any information would be gratefully appreciated.
Although Planter’s had been founded a decade earlier, it wasn’t until 1916 that it introduced its legume legend, Mr. Peanut, named by a young boy, the winner of a national contest. Over the years Mr. Peanut has changed (haven’t we all?) but still retains his trademark top hat and monocle. Today your circa 1965 cloth doll is worth $20-$30.
Dear Collector,
I have a 1923 Sears Roebuck catalog that’s 5 ½ x 7 inches. Can you tell me what it is worth?
The size is a dead giveaway that you have a reproduction; original catalogs are much larger. Look closer at the copyright page, and you’ll see the publisher’s name (DBI Books) and a publication date of 1973.
Dear Collector,
How much is this “To Tell the Truth” game worth? I remember my parents and their friends playing it when I was a child.
This 1957 Lowell Toy Co. board game, based on the television program of the same name, is worth about $40.
Dear Collector,
What is a 1934 mint condition $50 bill worth?
Bearing the seal of one of twelve Federal Reserve Banks, your note has to be in nearly untouched condition to be considered mint by a collector. Even the slightest fold will downgrade the status of a bill, reducing its value. If we assume that your bill was circulated, then it would be worth about $80.
Dear Collector,
Enclosed are photos of an odd cup with saucer that came to me through my husband’s family. How old are they, and do they have any value?
According to my research this German-made porcelain mustache cup set dates from about 1890, and should be insured for $200.
Dear Collector,
Is the value of this old silver bowl greater than the $15 I paid for it?
Silver plated, not solid, your piece of Richard Dimes Company ‘holloware’ was made in their South Boston, Mass., factory sometime in the 1920s. Triple the price you paid, and that’s its current value.
Dear Collector,
I found this Portsmouth Sparkling Ale bottle in our attic last year, and have wondered how old it is?
This New Hampshire brewery operated from 1875 to 1917, making a variety of beers, ales and stout. One leading price guide lists your circa-1900 bottle with intact paper label at $25.
Dear Collector,
Does this “Sabre 620” camera have any value? How old is it?
The numbers refer to this 1950s plastic camera’s film size. Made in America by Shaw Harrison, the only control on this simple piece of equipment is a shutter release. Maximum value is about $35.
Dear Collector,
I was told by my mother that her mother bought this lion bank when she was a kid, which makes it about 80 years old. She paid about a dollar; what is it worth now?
Date sounds right for this cast iron penny bank made by A.C. Williams of Ravenna, Ohio. Retaining most of its original paint puts its value at almost $300.