A found St. Christopher medal
Q: I found a St. Christopher medal in a Goodwill store that is unusual in that it has an image of Mary embossed on its back. It is made from a gray metal, perhaps pewter. Does this feature make this medal unique? — Cheryll, Saratoga, Fla.
A: St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. Millions of his medals have been distributed throughout the years. Although your medal has a less common design, it still has very little value to collectors unless it is made of silver, gold or a precious metal. I suspect your medal is, indeed, made of pewter.
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Q: I am sorting through a family estate of mostly paper collectibles. The collection includes old valentines, Christmas cards, catalogs, magazines, photo albums, advertising posters, WWII bond posters, ration books, road maps, books, scrapbooks and piles of various other items. Most of the collection appears to be pre-1950. What can I do to liquidate this collection? — Ken, Monroe, La.
A: You might begin by contacting the Ephemera Society of America, P.O. Box 95, Cazenovia, NY 13035; www.empherasociety.org; and info@ephermerasociety.org. This organization includes members who collect paper memorabilia, and this seems like the logical place to start. Check out the club’s Web site for detailed information about the group.
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Q: I have a wine opener that is at least 50 years old. Who can I contact to find out its value? — Peter, Albuquerque, N.M.
A: John Stanley is the contact person for Just For Openers, a club for bottle and corkscrew collectors. The addresses are P.O. Box 64, Chapel Hill, NC 27514; jfo@mindsprings.com; and www.just-for-openers.org. The club publishes a quarterly newsletter for its members.
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Q: Do you know of anyone who collects sugar packets? — Ruth, Bradenton, Fla.
A: I could not find a sugar packet collecting club in America, but did find one in Britain. Pam Miller is the membership secretary of The United Kingdom Sucrologist Club, 14 Marisfield Place, Seley, West Sussex, P020 0PD, UK; info@uksucrologistclub.org.uk; www.uksucrologistclub.org.uk.