Collectors Corner

Jerry Thompson first played with the original Hot Wheels cars from 1968 when he was just six years old. In seventh grade, Jerry would take his paper route money and head to the local Sears store during his lunch time to see what new Hot Wheels cars were available. “Hot Wheels Flying Colors were the hot cars at the time!” he shares. “I could hardly wait to go to lunch and go see what was new.” He took great care of his Hot Wheels and still has this original collection in his 48-car collectors’ case from the mid-1970s, but it wasn’t until the next decade that he began to consider himself a collector.
As he got older, he started buying lots of Hot Wheels cars, typically purchasing two of each: one to open and one to keep in the package and hang on the wall. He wasn’t focused on anything in particular. “I may have walked into Kmart in the 80s and bought between 20 and 30 cars per visit. It became an obsession pretty quick!” He can also recall a family trip to Disneyland in the 90s – prior to the era of GPS maps – when he looked for every Walmart in every city between southeastern Arizona and Disneyland so that he could buy Hot Wheels. “I was actually looking for Aquafresh toothpaste with the different Hot Wheels cars included.”
Today, Jerry’s collection is comprised of 90-95% Hot Wheels cars, ranging from the original 1968 cars to thousands of cars through 2000, as well as lots of sets and variations from today. He also has around 500 Johnny Lightning cars from the mid 90s and a couple hundred vintage Matchbox cars, which were part of a Hot Wheels Collection he purchased about seven years ago. Johnny Lightning was a brand of model cars that was around for a few years in the early 70s and then returned in the mid-90s. “They are a bit expensive,” Jerry explains. “[They went for] $250 a car, and on a ten-car set, that turns into a lot of money – especially when purchasing the whole case.” For a comparison, Hot Wheels cars have always sold for about $1. Jerry also owns a full-size 1980 Datsun 280ZX 10^th Anniversary Edition, and when he found out that Johnny Lightning came out with an exact replica, he had to have it. He has four total, in both color variations.
Jerry has the original “Sweet Sixteen” Hot Wheels cars that came out in 1968, as well as dupes of many of them. This includes multiple Custom Volkswagens, Custom Corvettes, Custom Eldorados, Custom Mustangs, and Custom Camaros. The Custom Camaro is one of his favorite items from the collection. “I owned a ’68 Camaro convertible 20 years ago, so it’s always been one of my favorites.”
Another interesting item from the Sweet Sixteen is the Custom Corvette, which Jerry has more of than any of the other original cars. In the mid-1960s, a designer from GM went to work for Mattel and became one of the original designers of Hot Wheels. He had obtained the blueprints of the 1968 Corvette, and used them to design the Custom Corvette for the Sweet Sixteen. “This Custom Corvette was on the racks in stores before the actual car was on the showroom floor,” Jerry explains. “Although there was some controversy, GM discovered this little car actually helped their sales!”
The Sweet Sixteen set is a wow item for many collectors. “I have a complete first edition set of Hot Wheels in the package and a second complete set of loose ones with the medal badges on display,” Jerry shares. He also has a more recent limited-edition reproduction of this set, the 2018 RLC Sweet 16 Reproduction Display, which is one of only 1,500 sets produced.
Another stand-out item is his pink Lola GT 70 from 1969. “A few collectors have wanted to trade me for it! It’s extremely rare. I purchased it with other items for about $150. It was a deal – this car alone is worth close to $4,000 or 5,000.” His first edition Custom Mustang with an open hood is a rare item as well. Jerry also really likes the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow and the Custom Continental Mark III. He has several of these in the original package.
Hot Wheels collecting has changed a lot in the last 25 years. Today, Hot Wheels are very collector-oriented, and the collectible market is skyrocketing, with early edition Hot Wheels Redlines being the most sought-after cars. This term refers to cars that were manufactured in the first eight years of production, which can be identified by the red stripe on their tires. “To a collector, the Redline is the holy grail when you’re looking for cars.” The difference in value between two of the same cars in the package, one with Redline and one with black wall tires, could be hundreds of dollars. Another tidbit for collectors to keep in mind is that restored cars are generally worth less than original cars. Even if the car is a little less than perfect, it will hold its value more “as-is” than if it is restored.
About 60% of Jerry’s collection is on display in his Hot Wheels room. Everything is organized, flowing from the 60s, to the 70s, to the 80s, and into the 90s. “I need a bigger room!” says Jerry. “Before my now-wife moved in a couple years ago, my dining room wall was covered in Hot Wheels, [and so was my bedroom]. Now I have limited myself to the one room, as well as some shelves in my offices at home and at work.” He appreciates the “wow factor” that comes with being able to show off his collection. Many people don’t have room to put their collections on display, and they enjoy seeing what Jerry has done.
Jerry is also great at keeping a record of his collection. “For the last 25 years, I have kept a Quicken account of exactly how much I bought, when I bought it, and what it was. I have put a lot of money [into this collection].” This has been a worthwhile investment for him, and it’s special because it brings back a lot of memories. “I think of different cars I bought and when I bought them over the past 40 years. Other things have come and gone, but these Hot Wheels cars have been a huge part of my life.”

Like many collectors, Joe B. got his start at a young age, collecting baseball cards, coins, newspapers of special events, and the occasional comic book from the store racks. “My mom used to give me silver coins that she would find as change, and she also gave me coin books to put them in to organize and save.” These coins were among the first items that he intentionally collected.
Today, Joe’s collection is comprised mainly of two parts: his comic book collection and his collection of KISS memorabilia. His first purchase was X-Men #49, which he bought in 1968. He was just six years old at the time! “My oldest comic book is from 1942,” shares Joe. “It’s Camp Comics #1. It was a comic sent out to the men at war. Inside were cartoons like Bugs Bunny, but the cover had a picture of a pretty girl so it seemed like an adult magazine to others and not a cartoon book.”
Joe now has over 11,000 comics in his collection. The most valuable item is Amazing Spider-Man #1, the first solo comic of Spider-Man from 1962. “I bought this book over 15 years ago,” Joe shares. Besides this piece, the collection is full of other valuable and “quirky” comics, including an independent comic from 1971 called, Air Pirates Funnies #1, which has Mickey Mouse on the cover. “The problem is that Mickey is in an airplane with a package marked, ‘dope’ strapped to the plane. The publisher did not have the rights to print a book with Mickey Mouse, and Disney sued them and had the comic banned. There weren’t many printed, and it was printed on very cheap paper, so only a few now exist in ‘like new’ condition. I own one of only eleven graded as 9.8, NM+, which is the highest grade known for this book.”
As far as his KISS merchandise goes, Joe has been a fan since their 1975 album, “Alive,” was released. He did not consider himself a collector until he purchased his first KISS comic in the early 90s. He soon discovered an entire subculture of KISS fans who hosted annual fan-sponsored conventions. At the time, the only way to find vintage items to collect was at these conventions – or at flea markets. “My first major piece was a set of original 1977 Mego KISS dolls. I followed that up with a KISS transistor radio, a lunch box and thermos, bubble gum trading card sets, a jigsaw puzzle, a board game, a ViewMaster reel, Marvel Comics, and more. All of these items were from the 1970s.”
Joe has also collected newer KISS items such as action figures, magazines, and face paint kits. “KISS took marketing to a whole new level, and there are probably hundreds, if not thousands of items with the KISS logo on it!” Joe explains. In fact, KISS was so invested in their marketing that when their first comic book was printed, they pulled a very unusual marketing stunt: they had the book printed with some of their own blood. Each band member contributed, and they were photographed pouring their donated vials into the vat of red ink. Joe now owns a copy of this infamous comic book. In 1985-1986, he was able to meet the members of KISS while working for a music magazine. “I received guest passes at a few concerts, meet-and-greats, and their MTV unplugged reunion concert! I’ve seen them over 25 times in concert,” he shares.
Overall, Joe’s favorite item is probably his KISS pinball machine. While many collectibles are not meant to be handled, Joe loves that he can play with the pinball machine. “I can also share it with others without worry of it getting ruined and losing value.”
To catalog his comic book collection, he uses a computer program called ComicBase. This program stores a listing of the full collection and provides updated pricing on a weekly basis. The program is stored on Joe’s computer and in the cloud. “It’s a great tool that allows me at all times to know exactly what I own and the estimated value.”
For Joe, the best part of collecting is the ability to enjoy what he’s built. “All the learning, successes, and mistakes that went into amassing this group of items is very satisfying,” he shares. Joe believes that he’s always been a collector at heart. “Most ‘non-collectors’ think that collectors and hoarders are one in the same, but they are very different. I think a collector is by nature a nurturer; we get the most enjoyment and satisfaction from caring for and protecting the things we love.”

Jeff Cox got his start collecting baseball cards around 1987. He soon branched out and began collecting old programs and yearbooks. “The older I got, I started gravitating toward things I liked the most,” he shares. Being a Cincinnati Reds fan, he began to add game-used jerseys and batting gloves to his collection, as well as autographed memorabilia. One of the first signed memorabilia items he purchased was an Edd Roush autograph.
As his collection grew, Jeff discovered that he most enjoyed collecting “oddball” items – unique pieces that might not be worth as much, but can’t really be found anywhere else. Today, his complete collection includes items such as a 1947 Reds schedule, a 1986 Reds employee handbook, press pins, luggage tags, photo pins, and game tickets (including a record-breaking game ticket signed by Pete Rose and tickets to the 1940 World Series), and over 100 autographed baseballs. He has a menu, drinking glass, and napkins from Johnny Bench’s restaurant. “I’ve got a few correspondence letters from the Reds traveling secretary discussing hotel rates for the players,” shares Jeff. “I’ve got a 1976 World Series hospitality pass and a 1976 cameraman’s jacket from NBC sports. Those are the kind of things that are fun to find.”
While he’s slowed down with collecting baseball cards, Jeff has completed his team sets from 1953 to 2000. He has the complete run of scorecards and yearbooks dating back to 1953. More recently, he purchased a suitcase that was used by reliever Tom Hume. He also owns a pair of Adam Dunn’s cleats with his signature and the words, “First home run,” inscribed on the shoes.
Jeff finds it difficult to choose just one favorite item. “I’ve got a few!” He has a third base from St. Louis when Ken Griffey Jr. scored his 500^th home run. Another favorite is a more unique item: a 1954 scrapbook filled with every day’s newspaper clippings from the beginning to the end of the season. “It’s six inches thick!” The oldest item in the collection is an illustration and write-up from Harpers Weekly in 1869, showcasing the first pro baseball team. He also owns a few baseball cards that date back to 1909 and 1911.
To discover more items for his collection, Jeff likes to attend memorabilia shows for Cincinnati. There, he finds lot of memorabilia, such as Crosley field stadium seats. “It’s like Christmas!” he says. He also attends Reds Fantasy camp, where they have 24 former players coaching. “It gives you an opportunity to get personal and get autographs,” he explains. “It’s a cool experience if you’re a fan.” About 70% of the autographs in his collection are obtained in person through shows, signings at sports cards shops, and fantasy camps – making them extra special for the memories they carry.
One of the most valuable items in Jeff’s collection was obtained in a rather unusual way. Jeff and his wife were shopping at a flea market, and Jeff was browsing through a stack of scrapbooks. He found one that had some baseball cards taped to it and was shocked to realize that one of them was a Jackie Robinson 1949 Bowman rookie card. He paid $6 for the scrapbook, and he expects the card to be worth $1,000 or more once he has it graded.
Not including the baseball cards, Jeff’s collection has grown to include approximately 10,000 items. These are currently displayed in a tiny spare bedroom, but Jeff has big plans for the future. Jeff and his wife are building a house, and Jeff will have 700 square feet of space which he calls the, “Reds Hall of Fame North.” He plans to display his collection to look like a museum, but he doesn’t organize the items in any particular way. “I like things kind of mixed up – it makes you look a little bit more.” In the new home, everything Jeff has collected will be on display, and there will be room for more. The only item he doesn’t display are his programs and sports cards.
In addition to collecting, Jeff has one other baseball-related hobby: creating customized bobbleheads. In the past five years, he’s done at least 100 different ones. Jeff says, “It allows me to blend my artistic skills and love of baseball into one!” He sells the majority of the bobbleheads to other Reds fans, while keeping some personal favorites.
Ultimately, Jeff’s collection is a way for him to celebrate his passion for the sport. “As a baseball fan, every kids dream is to play major league baseball,” shares Jeff. “The large majority of fans don’t get to do that, so the next best thing is to collect things they love. I like to bring parts of the game into my collection. I can keep the game around me as much as possible!”

Sean Walsh has been collecting bobble heads, bats, and other trinkets from ballparks since he was 8 years old. As he grew older, he began to collect other baseball memorabilia, including catcher’s mitts from the 1900s to 1960s. His decision to start collecting stadium seats – which now comprises the majority of his collection – came upon him by accident.
“For the last 30 years, it’s been eat, live, and sleep stadium seats,” says Sean. In 1984, he got into construction and helped take down some old stadiums. He ended up purchasing some salvaged seats. In 1987, this hobby turned into a business that involved selling vintage stadium seats. Sean focused specifically on older seats, which meant that he passed on newer, plastic seats. He would find them at flea markets or purchase them when a stadium was being torn down. “My business took off while tearing down Cleveland Municipal Stadium. After the auction, everything was up for grabs. I took seats, lockers, and ticket boxes.” In 1991, he started to focus on stadium seat restoration, and today, restoration is the focus of the business.
Overall, Sean has 78 stadium seats in his personal collection. The crown jewel is his 1910 League Park seat from Cleveland, which is the rarest seat out there. He stumbled upon this seat in a barn 10 years ago – and the story of this find was featured in Sports Collectors Digest. “It’s my favorite seat.” Other stand-out items include a seat from Cincinnati from The Palace of the Fans in 1902; a pair of seats from Exhibition Park in Pittsburgh from 1905 where the Pirates played; and a seat from Sportsman’s Park in the 1920s. “I don’t do anything newer,” explains Sean. “It has to be vintage, 60s or earlier, and it has to be a wooden seat. I only have a few plastic seats in my collection.” He also notes that the most coveted seats are aisle seats – which are often decorated with some sort of logo or design on the side.
Stadium seats are a collectible that tends to increase in value – especially the older, wooden aisle seats. Sean’s Cleveland Stadium seats were purchased for $100 at the auction, but now they go for $400. Yankee Stadium seats can sell for $2,500. The Palace of the Fans seats go for $8,000 apiece if they have an ornate side. “I’m getting a pair of Ebbetts Field seats later in the summer,” shares Sean. “They will be the highest valued when I have them.”
Sean’s collection has been featured on many outlets, including Sports Collector’s Digest and on ESPN. “We used to do a radio show once a month at WKNR,” he shares. “My forte was memorabilia. People thought I was crazy when I had 300 seats in my backyard. Now people find me – I’m the only one I know that restores them. People bring me seats from all over the country. They want their seats redone, and I’m the guy to go to.” The past four years have been especially busy. Sean has restored 54 seats so far this year and expects the number to grow to at least 100 by the end of the year.
Sean stores and displays everything in his home. “My whole basement is nothing but seats!” He doesn’t organize them in any particular way, but he did build shelves on the back wall to display his bobbleheads and a few autographed baseballs. The collection also contains the aforementioned catcher’s mitts, stadium signage, and turnstiles.

It all started at the age of five years old. As a little girl, Cathy Campbell recalls coming home from a birthday party with an unused napkin. “My mother asked me why I didn’t use it, and I told her it was too pretty to use,” Cathy shares. So her mother placed the napkin in a shoebox under her bed. The shoebox filled up and turned into a blanket box. This collection grew, and today Cathy is a proud collector of over 40,000 napkins.
Paper napkins first started to appear in the United States in the early 1920s, and they were made from a very course paper. At the time, if you unfolded a napkin, you would find that the design was only printed on one of the squares. Today, the design is printed over the entire napkin, and among the most popular designs are birthday, holiday, and graduation napkins. Types of napkins include dinner napkins, luncheon napkins, cocktail napkins, and guest towel napkins that people use to wipe their hands. Cathy notes that the Japanese make beautiful napkins that are of a very thin rice paper. They were the first paper napkins known.
Cathy’s napkins are stored in computer boxes and organized by category. One big category is “holidays,” which includes Christmas, Hanukah, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, 4^th of July, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and even napkins from Groundhog Day! There are plenty of Halloween and Thanksgiving napkins. Another category is “transportation,” which includes napkins from airlines all over the world, railroads, buses, cruise lines, and more. Her “sports” category includes napkins from racing, golfing, country clubs, the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby, and the Indianapolis 500. She has boxes of napkins from different countries, including Spain, Portugal, England, and France. “You name it, I think I can find a napkin from it,” she declares.
One big category – which is stored separately in clear plastic sleeves – is her collection of autographed napkins, which are autographed by some incredibly high-profile individuals. Along with the autographed napkin is usually a story about the individual that Cathy has cut from a newspaper or magazine. This vast collection of autographs includes Taylor Swift (who Cathy and her husband met on Good Morning America), the members of Rascal Flatts, Wolfgang Puck, Mohammed Ali, Henry Winkler, Oprah, John Travolta, Gloria Steinem, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Barbara Bush, and the last seven governors of Michigan (including the present governor). “I’m so tickled to have them!” Cathy shares.
Each autograph typically has a story behind it, and one story that Cathy shares is of how she obtained a napkin autographed by Mickey Mantle. She and her husband were in New York eating at Mickey’s restaurant. While walking through the restaurant, none other than Mickey himself was sitting in a booth and asked Cathy, “Would you like to join me?” Of course, Cathy ended up asking for a napkin to be autographed. “Don’t you want me to sign a baseball card?” Mickey asked. Cathy explained her collection and the napkin was autographed. “He was very kind!” she recalls.
Another notable napkin is from the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana. Cathy’s mother and aunt were part of the large crowd that gathered for the wedding. “There were people cheering them on and congratulating them,” Cathy says. “My mother mentioned to some people around her that her daughter would like a napkin, [and someone actually gave her one].” It has the royal flag and the date printed on it.
Cathy’s favorite napkin is a Mickey Mouse napkin from 1928, which is when Mickey was first created. She has a large collection of Mickey Mouse, as these napkins are still very popular today. Another popular and timeless theme for napkins is Snoopy and the Peanuts characters, created by Charles Schultz. Cathy also has the original Barbie doll napkin from 1959, the year she was created by Mattel.
Cathy has given over 100 presentations to different groups about her collection, including rotary clubs, Lions Clubs, senior centers, classrooms, and assisted living. “I did one for Albion College in Albion, Michigan. They have a series of programs called, ‘Odd Topics’. They asked me to [speak about] my napkin collection.” Her collection has also been put on display. A portion of her collection is dedicated specifically to Kellogg’s napkins, which were displayed in the cereal museum, Kellogg’s Cereal City in Battle Creek, Michigan!
Cathy is so known for her collection that she receives napkins from people all over! This includes friends from church, the rotary club, and her own children. A portion of her collection actually came straight from Hallmark. They had a few stores in Michigan that carried a wide variety of napkins. When the store learned about her collection, they gave her one of every napkin that they had in stock!
“When people give them to me, they generally will give me two – one to file away and one to use for when I travel and show the collection.” People send napkins from their weddings and important moments of their lives, and it gives Cathy a lot of joy to preserve those memories. Even during COVID-19, she continues to receive napkins in the mail addressed simply to, “Napkin Lady, Marshall, MI.”

Like many collectors, Keith Glenn caught the bug when he was just a kid. “I collected comics,” he shares. Whenever he could, he would add to his small collection with the allowance his parents gave him. “I’ve always been a neat freak as far as organizing my stuff,” he explains. “My comic books were taken care of, and my room was immaculate and organized. When I went to college, my mom found my comics and she threw them away, which was a bummer because I know I had some high-value ones.” About 30 years ago, Keith started going to a nearby comic store, where he once again began purchasing comic books.
A few years after this, he started collecting Hallmark ornaments, including ones by Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers, Star Wars, and various animations, such as Frosty the Snowman. “I typically bought ornaments that were around a particular theme, and every year we would put them on the tree. My wife was supportive of my hobby and didn’t mind that our ornaments were not very Christmas-related. When the Keepsake Book comes out in April and announces the new ornaments, I’m in there circling the ones I want, and I buy the ones I think will sell out quick. I get them after Christmas [during] the 50% off sale.”
It was around the early 90s that he saw a statue in a comic store which really grabbed his attention, from a company called Bowen Designs. Sculptor Randy Bowen was making 12” tall Marvel comic statues, as well as 6” mini busts of Marvel characters. Keith started collecting these statues, and that’s when the collecting really took off. “I had almost every statue that this company made. I communicated with the sculptor and ended up being a moderator on his website forum. I got to be known throughout the statue-collecting world as, ‘the Hobbit.’ [This was because] my nickname [on the forum] was nbr3bagshotrow, the address of the Gamgee family in The Hobbit – which is my favorite book.”
At first he was buying statues of comic characters, but soon there were companies producing statues of television and movie characters that were between 18” and 24” tall. Other companies eventually branched out and started making DC characters. Another company, Gentle Giant, started making all kinds of highly-detailed Star Wars statues.
Keith’s expansive collection was once displayed in a spare bedroom, but eventually, at his wife’s suggestion, he started to create a “man cave” in his basement. “I enjoy sitting in my recliners in my man cave and watching movies and TV.” Still, his collection continued to grow. When he started running out of room, his wife suggested getting a cabinet and putting it up in the living room. “There are not many women that let this kind of stuff venture outside of the man cave,” Keith says. “These are not your normal decorating items that you put in a living room, but my wife said she was cool with that.” So now, besides the man cave, Keith has a display case in his living room and another in the family room.
Keith’s “pride and joy” is a Calvin and Hobbes statue that he commissioned an artist to make. Calvin and Hobbes is his favorite animation – he owns a book containing every piece that cartoonist Bill Watterson ever drew. “That’s the piece that I would grab in a fire, after saving my dog and my wife.” The reason he had to have this item commissioned – rather than purchasing one already made – is because Bill did not license his work, so you can’t purchase Calvin and Hobbes merchandise in a store.
Other notable items in the collection include a studio-scale replica of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars (a rare find) and the Starship Enterprise from Star Trek. He has 1/6 scale action figures from a company called Hot Toys. “The wrists, fingers, arms, shoulders, ankles can be placed into all different poses, and sculptors make the head. They look phenomenal.” He has statues and figures of characters from Breaking Bad, The Princess Bride, and Indiana Jones. He also has a John Wayne statue that he purchased years ago. “It reminds me of Sunday mornings when I got up with my dad and watched Westerns.” He also has a lot of statues from the 1966 Batman TV show. “If it grabs my memories, that’s the kind of stuff I tend to pick up.”
This collection also contains pictures and drawings by famous Marvel and DC comic book artists. These high-quality limited edition prints are called giclées. He has diecast cars, including the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters, the DeLorean from Back to the Future, Speed Racer’s Mach 5, a custom-painted replica of the Batmobile (a gift from his daughter, Teagan) and a few cars from The Munsters. He has a replica of the NSEA Protector from Galaxy Quest.
He also has many books – which includes a collection of the Peanuts cartoons. “This company got all of Charles Schultz’s work, and they put out a new collection every year for four years. It took 13 years to collect all 50 years of the complete Peanuts work. I go back and read them every once in a while.” He has a book called Compendium of Calvin and Hobbes and the complete works of Jerry Larson, creator of The Far Side. He also has the complete works of Don Martin from Mad Magazine. Older comics are often reprinted and put into a collection, and Keith finds that purchasing these collections is a great way to go back and read comics that he’s never read before.
Keith also has statues of Disney villains produced by a company called Sideshow. These include Captain Hook, the Evil Queen, and Maleficent. While it doesn’t take up much of his personal collection, Disney is something that his daughter Adrienne has taken an interest in, so he’s happy to share that experience with her. Adrienne also contributed to the overall collection in another way: she drew a custom art piece of all of the Peanuts characters as superheroes. This unique work is proudly displayed over the sofa in their living room.
Collecting has truly become a family affair for Keith – who still has the collection of coins amassed by his father. Overall, he has around 500 statues, 6,000 or 7,000 comics, and several hundred Hallmark ornaments. He’s quite proud of the unique assortment of items on display in his home, and he loves to share this collection with others. “I always ask people if they want to see my collection when they come by!”

When Paul Braswell first started purchasing art, he was buying posters and having them framed at a local Baltimore frame shop called Expressions. He was buying art for the fun of it, without much knowledge of the art world and without really thinking of his purchases as investments.
All of that changed with a piece he picked up at a festival in Baltimore’s Wyman Park. For about $25, he purchased a work of art titled, “Natural Rhythm” by artist Larry “Poncho” Brown. “I was just buying it because I liked it,” Paul shares. But a coworker – who happened to be an art collector – stopped by his house and noticed the artwork. She pointed out that it could be worth much more than what he paid for it. Paul took the piece to Expressions to have it framed, and the owner of the shop let him know that this artwork was in mint condition and worth about $500. From here, an interest in art collecting was sparked.
Expressions was a family business, operated by a father and son team. Paul went on to develop a friendship with the son, who began to educate him about art. He advised Paul to stop buying posters – which didn’t hold much value – and instead to invest in limited edition art. This would help him create a collection that would grow in value.
In the art world, there are some key terms that are well known. “Open edition” artwork has been reproduced many times and is not signed by the artist. “Limited edition” artwork has a set number of pieces available, and it will not be reproduced again. This makes the art more valuable because it creates a sense of rarity or exclusivity. Each piece in a limited edition set has an authentication number. For example, if the piece is numbered 2/10, that means you have the second print from a run of ten prints. An “artist proof” is a trial print of a limited edition piece. These are used by the artist to approve the image and begin production. Artists used to trash these proofs, but they have become quite valuable and are often sold to collectors. An “original” means that the piece of art is one-off piece or something from the artist’s own hand – making it quite valuable.
Artist Leroy Campbell was the first person that Paul purchased an original from. Paul had a photo album full of pictures of his Leroy Campbell posters and limited editions – which Leroy graciously signed. But Leroy advised that instead of spending money on framing his limited editions, Paul could simply buy an original painting – so he did. This painting was called, “Solid as a Rock,” and Paul paid $500 for it.
Paul was also introduced to the concept of a “Remarque.” If you have been supporting an artist for a period of time, they may add something called a Remarque to your limited edition piece. A Remarque is a small piece of art that appears in the corner or margin of the artwork. It can cause the piece to increase in value, because it is now the only piece from that limited edition run that has that mark on it. For Paul, Leroy Campbell added a Remarque to a work called, “Brush Bone.”
After being educated by Leroy and by “Expressions”, Paul began to buy more originals. Today, he has five originals from an artist named Ricky Steele. At an event at the Baltimore Convention Center, Ricky had a limited edition print of a piece called, “Is the Food Ready?” Paul was taken with this piece and asked if he had the original, which he then purchased for $800. The replacement value of this piece today is $10,500. He would also occasionally would buy artist proofs. His first artist proofs were by artist James Denmark and were purchased two for $90 at a gay pride event at the Convention Center in Washington DC. These pieces, entitled, “Silent Love Story,” and, “Last Week Gossip,” were in mint condition, and were appraised at $3,500 apiece. In total, Paul’s collection is comprised of about 285 pieces that are valued at $214,000.
Paul loves to further his art education, so he attended the African American Art Collectors workshop hosted by the University of Maryland. He received a certificate for completing this program. But it was a workshop hosted by Myrtis Bedolla – who referred to her workshops as “tea parties” – that inspired Paul to document his collection. He began to create a database in Excel, which contained all of the data required in order for the resale value to be determined by a certified appraiser – including detailed descriptions of each piece, as well as the location of that piece in his home.
This thorough documentation served him well when he had to file a claim with Collectibles Insurance Services. In the middle of the night, a vase by pottery artist Carren Clarke – McAdoo hit the floor, which devastated Paul. He filed the claim – and based on his previous experience with insurance companies, he was expecting the process to be a nightmare. After filing his claim, he received just one phone call from Collectibles Insurance, and a few weeks later, a check arrived in the mail. Paul is now a passionate advocate for both documenting and insuring one’s collection – and he loves to provide education on these concepts for his friends in the art world.
Paul is also passionate about the healing power of art. As a registered nurse with 30 years of experience and the recipient of a kidney transplant in 2017, Paul experienced first-hand the ability of art to facilitate healing. In addition to a host of physical and psychological benefits, viewing art releases dopamine in the brain, which has been proven to alleviate depression, lower anxiety, and potentially stimulate physical healing. Paul is the founder of Art, Health, and Healing, a non-profit that aims to start art therapy workshops throughout Maryland, display traveling gallery showcases at local centers, and reach individuals with chronic health conditions.

Nicole Randall’s doll collection started as a relaxing hobby to help take her mind off the stress of medical school. She had always loved Barbie as a young girl, and she had been looking at collector’s dolls on websites and wondering if she should purchase one. $100 seemed like a lot to spend on a doll. “Do I want to spend that on an item that’s just for enjoyment and not useful?” she wondered. At last, she bit the bullet and purchased her first collector doll – a Reem Acra bride doll. When the doll arrived, she was in awe of how beautiful it was. At that moment, she decided to become a doll collector. Today, her collection has grown to over 1,000 dolls.
Nicole caught the collecting bug from her father, who collected Lionel trains and would often take her to train shows. Though she didn’t collect as a child, she always loved Barbie and can still recall her first Barbie doll. Her grandmother was babysitting and asked her what she wanted to do that day. Having recently seen a commercial for the 1986 Ballerina Barbie, Nicole asked if they could go to the toy store and purchase that doll. Though the original doll has long since been sold at a garage sale, Nicole has purchased that same doll to keep in her collection as a reminder of this special memory.
Focused mainly on modern fashion dolls, Nicole’s collection is special for its diversity. She started with Barbie and eventually branched out into other dolls. She discovered a love for dolls made by Robert Tonner – in particular, his collection of Ellowyne dolls, of which she has the complete collection. She also has dolls by a brand called Integrity. They started out as a toy company, but now they focus on collectible dolls. The newest dolls in her collection are called Smart Dolls – they are ball-jointed dolls from Japan, created by Danny Choo. She also has American Girl dolls. “Felicity was always the doll I wanted as a kid,” she shares. While she didn’t get to realize her dream of owning an American Girl doll until adulthood, she did enjoy reading all of the books as a child.
Choosing a favorite doll is difficult, but Nicole’s collector Barbie “Medusa” doll really stands out. “She’s unique and different,” shares Nicole. “Her curly hair is styled like snakes!” This doll is also special because the box is signed by artist Linda Kyaw, who created the doll for Mattel.
The most valuable doll in Nicole’s collection is an Integrity doll called, “Style Mantra Eden.” This doll was purchased on eBay as a treat when she started her first job as a physician. This doll is hard to find, but Nicole was able to purchase her for $2,000 from an Australian seller on eBay. Another valuable doll is the Medusa doll, which originally cost $100 and is now worth around $1,000.
All of Nicole’s collectible dolls are on display in one of the three display rooms in her home. When Nicole moved into her forever home a few years ago, she was thrilled to have a doll area of her own. The displays were custom-made by a carpenter friend. She also owns some play line Barbie dolls, which she opts to store in Rubbermaid containers rather than display.
“Dolls speak to me,” Nicole shares. “I enjoy how beautiful they are and their fashions.” And while many collectors would prefer to leave everything in the packaging, Nicole – who is collecting for her own enjoyment – typically opts to take the dolls out of the boxes and, “set them free!”
For a closer look at Nicole’s collection, you can find her on Instagram.

Baseball has long been considered America’s favorite pastime. This month, excitement and expectations are high as fans return to stadiums across the country for the first time since October 2019. After COVID-19 forced big changes to the 2020 season, the site of spectators filling the stadiums is a welcome one. Stadiums are once again at the forefront of player-fan interaction, as sports fans will have the opportunity to cheer on their teams in person.
America’s pastime is filled with iconic stadiums, some of which we are still fortunate to have today, while others have become little more than a fond memory. Still, others are rising up as part of the changing face of the sport, offering more to do than just watch the game. Let’s take a look at the past, present, and future of America’s baseball stadiums.
The Past – Icons We’ve Lost
For the Golden Age of baseball fans, names like Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, and Yankee Stadium bring back a flood of memories. These hallowed grounds were home to some of the greatest moments in baseball history, and they are where many of the legends of the game performed.
The Polo Grounds was the most unique baseball stadium in the history of the game. It was built in 1890 as a polo ground, but it eventually hosted the New York Giants. Notably, the upper deck in right field hung out over the field, making the already-short 279-foot fence of the lower deck easy to overcome by a home run hit 250 feet into the overhanging upper deck. In fact, Bobby Thompson slapped his epic “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” home run into that same lower deck.
Ebbets Field, home to the Brooklyn Dodgers before the team moved to sunny California, was famously built atop a former garbage dump in Brooklyn, and its iconic outer façade is still fondly remembered by fans of the modern game. Ebbets offered fans one of the first truly cozy environments for live viewing, with seating for just 25,000 fans.
Finally, it’s almost impossible to talk hallowed grounds and not mention the original Yankee Stadium. The new Yankee Stadium retained the exterior look, but the original was where countless Yankee greats and MLB Hall of Famers entertained adoring fans. As newer stadiums grow larger, it is unlikely that an intimate stadium with small dimensions, allowing fans to get as close to the game as possible, will ever be built again.
The Present – Baseball’s Living History
Although the Polo Grounds, Ebbets Field, and the original Yankee Stadium have all since been demolished, baseball is not without living history. The oldest stadiums in the game today are home to some of the most rabid fans and oldest franchises in the game.
Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, opened in 1914 and is still in use today. The stadium was actually built for the Chicago Whales of the Federal League, but the league folded just one year later, and it became the home of the Cubs instead. Wrigley fans admire the charm of its ivy-covered outfield walls, the manually-operated scoreboard, and the famous neighborhood rooftop seating located just over the outfield stadium walls.
Boston fans consider Fenway Park the queen of all MLB stadiums. Fenway opened in 1912 and remains one of the most unique in the game. Everyone knows about the 36-foot, 2-inch Green Monster looming in the outfield and the incredibly short fence in right field, but others note an odd section of wall in right-center that forms a triangle and is actually 420 feet from home plate.
The Future – What You Can Expect in the Stadium of Tomorrow
What these living legends lack is that modern touch that baseball has increasingly seen in its newest parks. These days, fans expect a little something more than just baseball on the field. For example, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Miami Marlins both have pools with hot tubs in the outfield sections that can be rented for parties.
The future of MLB stadium design is still evolving. Clubs like Arizona and Miami are adding entertainment value beyond the game itself and trying to avoid cancellations and delays. Arizona’s stadium had one of the first retractable roofs in baseball, allowing fans to watch the games in air-conditioned comfort. Miami also boasts a retractable roof, helping fans dodge the damp weather and the club avoid washouts when it rains.
The Texas Rangers debuted Globe Life Field in 2020. The original March opening was rescheduled due to the pandemic, but the first regular-season game was hosted this past July. This stadium features a clear-panel retractable roof and artificial turf instead of natural grass. In a sign of the true future, Globe Life Field does not stand alone in Arlington. Rather, it is part of the Texas Live! Complex, an entertainment destination with a hotel, convention center, outdoor courtyard, retail stores, restaurants, and clubs. Fans can enter directly into the left-field stadium entrance through this entertainment complex.
Of course, stadiums are just one piece of the collective memories that fans hang on to from the national pastime. From collectible baseball cards to bats, balls, and jerseys, baseball has proven to be close to the heart of fans and sports memorabilia collectors across the country. To learn why collectibles insurance is so important to protect these cherished items click here.

Al Sorenson’s collection started about 20 years ago. He and his wife – an antique collector – moved into a home with a finished basement, and he was looking for items to decorate the space with. The first piece he purchased was a baseball autographed by Fergie Jenkins. It wasn’t a super valuable piece, but Al is a Cubs fan, and he displayed this item in its own case. Pretty soon, that one baseball grew into a much larger collection. He then turned to Hall of Fame baseball items, and eventually, he took on new categories and the collection grew into what it is today: a variety of mostly autographed sports, movies, and television memorabilia – plus a few pinball machines.
Al’s favorite aspect of collecting is the thrill of the hunt. For him, it’s not just about the moment when the item gets added to his collection – it’s about the process of finding it. So many of his pieces bring back memories of favorite toys or other items that he had during his childhood. “I just added 25 metal lunch boxes to the collection,” Al shares. He finds himself thinking of things that he and his friends had in school – or toys that his friends had. “Collecting is a way to get some of those things you never had as a kid – or [things that you] did have and would just like to have again.”
It’s hard for Al to choose just one favorite item from the collection. A good friend told him to think about what he would grab first in a fire, and he concluded that it would be his autographed Italian Stallion robe. “I’m a huge Rocky fan!” If he had the time for a second item, he would take a piece of his own artwork that is autographed by Michael Jordan – it’s an item that can’t be replaced.
In total, the collection has around 400 individual items – 95% of which are autographed. “In terms of autographs, I have well over 1,000,” Al shares. This is possible because many of his items carry multiple autographs. “I have some golf items with 20 or 30 signatures.” The value of everything is well over $100,000. The most valuable item is the aforementioned Michael Jordan artwork, which would sell for at least $10,000.
Many of Al’s collectible items are sports-related. He has an autographed pair of gamed-used shoes worn by Bryan Urlacher, the Hall of Fame linebacker from the Chicago Bears. The shoes are from the last playoff game he won as a Bear. He has a 1980 Olympic Hockey Jersey signed by all the players from the gold medal-winning team. He also has a signed Walter Payton jersey, which is another treasured item. “I’ve got a whole case of Hall of Fame autographed baseballs,” Al shares. “People come over and look at that [collection].” He has signatures from the likes of Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and Sandy Koufax.
As the collection has grown, Al has branched out into other categories – a big one being movies and television memorabilia. “I used to grow up watching the TV show The Six Million Dollar Man,” Al shares. “Those toys are some of the most popular toys on the planet.” He purchased a 10-inch high action figure in the original box and eventually had it autographed by Lee Majors – the star of the show. “I paid $350, and it’s now worth at least $1,000,” says Al. “I didn’t do it for value, it was just one of my favorite toys as a kid.”
Another prized item in the collection is a replica of the bat phone from the popular show starring Adam West and Burt Ward. The phone is autographed by the stars. “I loved the old Batman TV show growing up,” Al explains. “I knew Adam was cancelling shows, and there was one left called The Hollywood Show. I sent it to the promoter [to have it signed], and it cost me a few hundred bucks. I’m glad I did, because a few weeks later Adam had passed away.”
He has a replica golden ticket signed by the cast of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – both the kids and Gene Wilder. He also has a cast photo signed by the kids. “The golden ticket alone goes for roughly $1,000 to $2,000. It wasn’t listed properly on eBay, so I got both items for $250. If I sold them now I would get $2,000 for each of them.”
Al’s eclectic collection has something for everyone’s interest, and he likes it that way! “Some people focus on one thing, but I like to have a little bit of everything.” Still, there are a few items remaining on his wish list. “I’d like to get my hands on a Babe Ruth autograph. I may have to sell something to pay for it, but I don’t have the patience to save up,” Al shares. “You’re never finished [collecting], but getting that autograph would be something.” He also wants a Robert Redford autograph from the movie The Natural. “He’s in his upper 80s, and his autograph is expensive, so there’s a premium on that now.” He’d also like to acquire a Mr. T autograph and the autograph of the boxer from Rocky 5, Tommy Gunn. This would complete his collection of gloves signed by each person that Rocky fought.
This incredible collection has seen the limelight before: Al’s been featured on a TV show called Collector’s Call, hosted by Lisa Whelchel (who played Blair on The Facts of Life). The show is headquartered in Chicago, where Al lives, and they stopped by for the day to film and feature his collection.
The collection is on display throughout Al’s home, roughly organized into sections. “My wife has been in retail forever,” Al explains, “and she’s big on having everything organized a certain way. I try to keep the football stuff, the baseball stuff, the racecar stuff, and the television memorabilia together. It’s not perfect, but for the most part each section is its own theme. Everything is in display cases. I try to display it really well so people can enjoy it. I am not one to put things away!”
The biggest issue with the collection now is finding the space for it all. Al doesn’t have room to add any more large items. “I would have to sell something,” he says. But though he does occasionally sell duplicates, he doesn’t like to sell items from his collection. Al doesn’t collect for money or investment, but rather for the enjoyment of it. “I’m a caretaker of history. Collecting is a way to hold on to things from the past and share history with people. It’s a way to educate them about the past. Sometimes I look back and think, ‘Did I actually buy all of these? Did I actually collect all of this stuff? It’s crazy!’”