Ever since he was just a boy, Jason Haupt has been collecting beer cans. Though he grew up in South Florida, his parents are originally from England. His father was an airline employee, which meant annual trips to the “homeland” to visit friends and family. Jason remembers an informal rule of drinking in England—if you stood taller than the bar, you could order a drink. He grew taller than that bar at age 12 and became mesmerized by the graphics on the different beer cans. His collection had begun.
Jason’s collection represents not only his childhood but a connection to his familial roots in England. He began transporting the cans home from England—one or two, then three or four, then 12 at a time – increasing his collection quickly over the years.
Jason quickly realized that he needed to preserve the top of the beer can. His dad and his friends would play soccer, and Jason would drain the beer from the cans for them using an old-fashioned can opener Jason would get to keep the cans.
Back in Florida, Jason and his dad would go to flea markets. Dad would look for tools, and Jason would look for beer cans. His collection began to balance more between foreign and domestic cans.
In 1992, after college, Jason had been living in North Carolina. A Category 5 hurricane, Hurricane Andrew, scored a direct hit on Jason’s parents’ home. His parents sought refuge from the storm in Jason’s bedroom, the center of the house. The storm destroyed half of the cinderblock home, but not Jason’s room, nor his collection. In fact, not one can rattled off the shelf. Jason had two immediate questions after the storm passed by: “Are you guys okay?” and “How’s my collection?” Soon after Hurricane Andrew, Jason discovered Collectibles Insurance Services. He has been a customer ever since.
Jason’s favorite can in his collection is a Playmate can from the Sunshine Brewing Company in Reading, Pennsylvania. Sunshine’s Playmate beer was quickly accused of trademark violation by Playboy, and the brewing company had to cease production. Jason acquired one of the two variants of the Playmate can, which offered a unique zip top-pull tab. It is in pristine condition and is valued at around $1,500.
His total collection numbers about 775 cans and is valued at $45,000. His renovated attic – his “man cave”—is where he displays the cans alphabetically.
Some of his most unique cans include: a Prince Charles and Lady Diana wedding beer can; James Bond 007 cans (worth between $700-$1,000 each); a Pikes Peak flat top can (his most valuable, worth $2,000); a Burger sparkling ale; and Old India pale ale cone tops.
Jason now looks for cans graded A1+ or better. Also, he acquires cans that maintain the top in place for better valuation. He refers to two main publications to determine his beer can’s value: Beer Cans Unlimited (formerly the Beer Can Collector’s Bible) and the United States Beer Can Books.
Jason took a brief hiatus from collecting after college but rediscovered his passion in the mid-to-late 2000s. He is selling many of his foreign cans to focus on his domestic collection.
When he was 14 or 15 years old his collection peaked at a whopping 10,000 cans. The Miami Herald even wrote an article about him, as he had the largest collection in South Florida.
One thing is for sure. Jason’s knack for finding new additions to his beer can collection is, well, uncanny.
Search Results
Scott Wiener didn’t plan on amassing the world’s largest collection of pizza boxes. But nine years ago, he came across a stack of boxes unlike any other. Used to seeing a generic phrase paired with a simple drawing, this explosively colorful design took him by surprise. The box top presented an image of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Even more intriguing was the side of the box, which boasted the odd claim “Limited Edition Tour of Italy Series.” Scott was intrigued.
With this new light shed on an otherwise disposable genre of art, Scott started his collection. With the launch of his company, Scott’s Pizza Tours, visits to pizzerias were a part of his daily life. Friends, family and tour guests took to his interest and helped grow the collection. Before he knew it, he had collected enough boxes to score a Guinness World Record. Scott also wrote a book called Viva La Pizza! The Art of the Pizza Box (Melville House, 2013). The book and collection were featured on the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, CBS Sunday Morning, and dozens of other outlets.
Soon after, emails started flowing in from companies wanting to display the collection at their media events.
Why the hype?
Pizza boxes were designed to be thrown in the garbage. Saving and presenting them in an artistic context suddenly made them visible in a way not yet seen before. It became clear that something as simple as a pizza box resonates with people even if they aren’t into art. Interested in celebrities, athletes or politicians? There’s a box for you. As Scott says, “Right now, they’re just funny pizza boxes. In a few years, they’ll be artifacts.”
As the Fall weather approaches, many Americans look forward to the beginning of hunting season. It’s an activity that can truly provide a challenge—a trek through nature, a test of skill against a known objective, and the prize of providing sustenance for you and your family.
The Internet is full of excellent hunting resources and stories, so we’ve compiled a few of our favorites to help get you excited and prepared.
State-by-State Hunting Seasons
Not all game is created equal, and neither are their legal hunting seasons. Luckily, Hunting Season HQ has a handy interactive map of America. Click your state to see the most relevant hunting dates, organized by game. All 50 states are included. By exploring the site, we learned that there’s avid hunting opportunity in Hawaii (feral pigs, goats, and sheep mostly)!
The site also has suggestions for the latest and greatest hunting gadgets and gear.
Game Bucket List
Outdoor Life created an informative article detailing its top ten game animals that every North American hunter should harvest. It’s long and filled with tons of high quality photos, so if you have the time, definitely check it out. It is very detailed in terms of legal requirements, tips, and firearm recommendations. In summary, and in no particular order, these were the picks:
Mountain Goat: Confined to western states or Canada, they present a big hiking challenge and often require a knowledgeable guide. The area will be remote, the undertaking intense.
Elk: Since elk are so big, many hunters prefer to take a horse team into the wilderness to assist with range and carrying capacity.
Plains Pronghorn: These guys are some of the fastest animals alive.
Quail: The article challenges the hunter to score the “quail trifecta”— harvesting three types of quail (Scaled, Harlequin, Montezuma).
Late Season Pheasant: Tricky targets and chilly winter conditions are the hallmark of this hunt. A challenge indeed!
Mountain Moose: You’ll have to trek to Alaska and absolutely hire a guide, but the moose meat is well worth it.
Dall Sheep: Another Alaskan adventure. More hiking and ranged hunting than the moose. Still thrilling and highly recommended.
Musk Ox: This one ranges outside of America, to the tundras of Northern Canada. Less about the hunting challenge, and more about the incredible wilderness vistas.
Bird Challenge: In a specific area in Idaho, stars (or birds) align to make it possible to nab up to six species in one trip (partridge, quail, grouse).
Osceola Turkey: a rare, subtropical hunt in Florida against some pretty tricky birds.
Finding the Best Hunting Towns
According to RealTree.com, prime hunting towns have a few advantages. Number one (obviously) is a wide variety of game. Two: Accessible public hunting land, preferably within an hour’s drive. Three: relevant accommodations and facilities, such as a meat processor and affordable hotels. Finally: tourist appeal. If you’re going to make the trip out, some sights to see for downtime is a big bonus.
Here are five towns that scored high on this list of criteria. Have a look at the full article to learn more about the game, surrounding area, and recreation opportunities in each.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico (map)
- Crosset, Arkansas (map)
- Baker City, Oregon (map)
- St. Joseph, Missouri (map)
- Pittsfield, Illinois (map)
Peace of Mind On and Off the Trails
Hunting safely and securely are the most important aspects of all, and many resources and topics can be found at The International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) – USA. Jeff Cooper, modern firearms training expert, established the Four Rules for Firearms Safety more than fifty years ago:
- All guns are always loaded.
- Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
- Identify your target, and what is behind it.
Protecting yourself and others on the trail is paramount, but your gear and firearms also need protection year-round. Homeowners insurance often does not cover items like guns or knives, so be sure to research and understand what options are out there for insuring your items. Contact Collectibles Insurance Services for a free quote.
Happy (and safe) hunting!
Kim Stellhorn was practically raised in a fire station. His grandfather was a volunteer fireman in Illinois. Much of Kim’s childhood was spent with his grandfather taking him on fire truck rides, going to the station, and attending events at the firehouse. His lifelong passion for collecting fire memorabilia started when he was a young man, and his collection has continued to flourish ever since.
In 1971, at the age of 15, Kim himself became a volunteer fireman after his family’s move to Texas. His collecting experience began there four years later, when he started collecting fire patches that were sewn onto uniforms. Many of these patches were acquired through the mail, years before the Internet. By the early 1980’s, Kim was a full-fledged collector, expanding beyond patches and collecting other items, such as helmets, vintage photographs, toy fire trucks, and much more.
Many of the fire-related items in Kim’s collection were given to him, either through his own firefighting connections, his grandfather and family, or friends. As he describes these items, he says, “I have such a wide range of items, each with their own story.” One such story involves his sister and brother-in-law, who were missionaries in Russia in the early-1990’s. Kim’s sister tried to take some photographs of a Russian fire department, to share with her brother, but she forgot to load the film. However, the Russian firemen became suspicious of an American taking pictures of their department because this was just after the end of the Soviet Union. To alleviate their concerns, Kim asked his sister what the department needed as he would try to donate some items. The department did not have money to buy anything and there was very little production of fire equipment, or anything else at that time. So, Kim sent some items from his collection: gloves, hood, magazines, and a patch. The mayor and the fire chief in this small town in Russia were so excited that someone in America would share something with them, they decided to have an elaborate celebration, replete with the entire fleet of local fire trucks and demonstrations of their indoor and outdoor equipment. They also reciprocated by giving Kim’s sister a Russian fire helmet, hood, gloves, a leather belt with a fire axe, a winning competition ribbon, and a cloth calendar, which all became part of Kim’s collection.
Kim’s collection includes three pieces from as far back as the 1920’s and 1930’s. These include a flood light from a truck in his grandfather’s fire department, an attic ladder, and a bell.
The value of his collection, according to Kim, is “priceless.” He describes nearly every piece he has as “one-of-a-kind,” with great sentimental value – much more than monetary. About three-fourths of his collection are unique pieces that family and friends have given him, as well as items he acquired himself as a firefighter. He has picked up some of his items, such as some of his toy fire trucks, at local garage sales.
Overall, Kim has around 1,000 pieces in his collection – about 400 patches, 30 helmets (some from Austria, Belgium, Russia, and France), as well as other items including badges, belt buckles, commemorative pocket knives, beer steins, and multiple photographs. He also has a significant number of toy fire trucks, including about a dozen Russian trucks that actually have the Soviet Union flag on the side – from before its dissolution in 1991. Other types of trucks he has are Franklin Mint collector fire trucks, Tonka trucks, and Matchbox special edition trucks.
Kim singles out a particularly interesting item in his collection: hand-drawn membership drive posters for his original volunteer fire department (Arcadia Volunteer Fire Department, in Texas). He was given these posters by the artist herself. They are 11” x 17”, and were placed in businesses in 1961 to encourage people to join the Arcadia Fire Department. Kim had them framed, and they now hang in his office.
In addition, Kim’s collection expands to other artwork and books. He has over a dozen numbered collectible Christian firefighter prints by artist, Jim Davis, and autographed books by firefighters and authors, “Red” Adair, Dennis Smith, and Dave Houseal.
His collection is stored in a devoted space, called his “Fire Room.” As Kim points out, there is not much wall space left in the Fire Room!
Kim’s fire collectibles, spanning almost 40 years, includes some truly remarkable pieces. His passion for collecting is not getting extinguished anytime soon!
In 1969, Sesame Street debuted with a bold mission. Unlike many children’s TV shows of the era, Sesame Street put education at its core [1]. While other programs often did have an educational component, Sesame Street was constructed around a learning curriculum designed by experts in the field.
And wouldn’t you know it, it worked. Key to the show’s success are Jim Henson’s loveable muppets. They appealed to young children and parents alike, and soon became nationally recognized and adored.
Fifty years later, the United States Postal Service has released a Forever 55¢ Sesame Street Stamp Collection [2] in honor of the show’s half-century anniversary. The set features sixteen muppets from the total cast, which numbers over 3,100 across various publications.
The Collectors Stamp Cast
1. Big Bird
Standing over eight feet tall with bright yellow feathers, Big Bird is one of the originals from ’69, and quite possibly the most iconic muppet there is. The mystery of Big Bird’s species remains a playful joke to this day.
2. Ernie
One-half of Sesame Street’s famous duo, Ernie’s the loveable goofball that balances out his roommate and best friend’s more straight-laced attitudes. Ernie also arrived in Episode 1 of Sesame Street.
3. Bert
A list like this might be the only time you experience Bert without Ernie. A serious-minded fellow with a penchant for collectables (he’s into paper clips and bottle caps), Bert is also president of the National Association of W Lovers [3].
4. Cookie Monster
Do not let Cookie Monster near your collectibles. He will eat them all. Known for his wacky appetite and stunted speech, Cookie Monster has been making kids giggle since 1969.
5. Rosita
A relatively new muppet, Rosita debuted in 1991. She speaks English and Spanish, plays guitar, and can (sort of) fly. Rosita often presents the Spanish Word of the Day on Sesame Street.
6. Count von Count
One, two, three, four, five, six! Six is Count’s number on this list, ah ah ah ah! Ahem. Count is a Sesame Street staple, appearing first in 1972. He’s been keeping track of things ever since.
7. Oscar the Grouch
Everybody’s favorite trash can-dwelling curmudgeon is also a cast original from 1969. According to lore online [4], he is named after a rude server from Oscar’s Tavern in New York.
8. Abby Cadabby
A 2006 addition, little Abby is a fairy, about three or four years old. Her parents are divorced and her mom remarried, introducing stepfather and stepbrother dynamics to the show.
9. Herry Monster
Perhaps of a similar species to Cookie Monster, Herry is also a furry blue beast. He’s an early arrival to the series, debuting in 1970. He runs the barber shop in Sesame Street.
10. Julia
Developed by a mother with an autistic child, Julia arrived on Sesame Street in 2017 after positive reception to 2015’s Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children [5].
11. Guy Smiley
He’s Sesame Street’s resident game show host, and boy is he ever excited about it. Even after 50 years of being on the cast, Guy brings nothing but energy to every interaction.
12. Mr. Snuffleupagus
Is he even real? From 1971 to 1985, the show maintained a running gag where it seemed only children and other muppets could see Mr. Snuffleupagus.
13. Elmo
Elmo’s high-pitched voice wasn’t always what it was. It was improvised by actor Kevin Clash after another actor, frustrated with the role, tossed him the puppet. In that moment, a star was born.
14. Telly
His full name is Television Monster, and he came onto the scene in 1979 with a disturbing obsession of watching TV like a zombie. Producers quickly backed off the idea, due to being a poor example for children.
15. Grover
A classic muppet. His likeness was seen on TV even before Sesame Street aired, on a 1967 Christmas Eve episode of The Ed Sullivan Show.
16. Zoe
Zoe is a ballet-loving, tutu-sporting three-year old who came on cast in 1993. At the time, the roster was predominantly male and showrunners wanted to create more opportunities for little girls to relate.
A Common History
As Sesame Street turns 50, so are we in our 50s! Collectibles Insurance Services has been around since 1966. The release of this Forever 55¢ collection has a special place in our hearts, as our founder was an avid stamp collector.
Collectible memorabilia are precious things, and it’s important to protect them beyond a vacuum seal! Homeowners insurance often does not cover items like stamps or collectibles, so be sure to research and understand what options are out there for insuring your items.
For more information about Stamp Collecting visit the American Philatelic Society at https://stamps.org.
References
[1] https://www.sesameworkshop.org/who-we-are/our-history
[2] https://www.sesameworkshop.org/who-we-are/our-history
[3] https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/The_National_Association_of_%22W%22_Lovers
[4] https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Oscar_the_Grouch
[5] https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Sesame_Street_and_Autism:_See_Amazing_in_All_Children
Dan Magers loves to fish and, like many fresh and salt water enthusiasts, he uses lures to catch his prey. A quarter century ago, Dan became as fascinated with the lures he used as with the sport of musky fishing. After inheriting a case of lures from his grandfather, he started a collection of his own. As an Idaho, then a Montana resident, he began with old freshwater musky lures. Later he advanced his collection to include saltwater lures used by tuna and marlin fishing fans.
After paying what he calls “stupid money” for an old musky lure ($6,000 for a new in-the-box handmade lure from 1908), Dan realized he was a “collector.” As such, he became an admirer of Joe Yee, the renowned Hawaiian lure crafter. Yee started making lures in the 1950s and crafted them his own way with the materials that were available in the Hawaiian Islands including surfboard resin, tire weights and shell. The fish heads that he hand carved, hand painted and then encased in resin are Dan’s favorites. So expert is Dan on the Hawaiian lure craftsman that he wrote a limited-edition book, “Joe Yee and His Lures,” which was published in 2015.
The most valuable items in his collection are the lures signed by Yee before being cast, then the fish heads, and then the real shell lures from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Hawaii. These are made by extracting the glassy part of the inside of oyster shells or pearls and then pouring the pieces of shell into the lures. Dan owns about 150 such lures.
His collection traces the advance in lure technology from those made in the 1930s and 1940s for rowboats to the high-tech lures now used on high speed motorboats for deep sea fishing. Dan says he paid $40 to $50 for most of his pieces. “They are now worth 10 times that. The total value of my collection is about $125,000,” he says.
He keeps his cataloged, labeled and numbered lure collection at home and organizes them by size for display purposes. Dan points out that making one-at-a time handcrafted lures takes a great deal of time. “It takes four to six hours to make a single lure, which is a tricky process. As a result, true lure craftsmen are becoming scarce,” Dan laments. “Handmade lures still fish better, but few people fish blue water enough to know that, or to pay the premium they cost over mass produced foreign imports,” Dan explains.
Dan also has a company, BFD Big Game Lures, which makes handmade lures. Profit is not Dan’s objective; he does it because he loves the hobby and the evolution of the lure making business.
Whether you’ve been collecting and playing Magic: The Gathering since the release of the very first edition, or if you’ll soon be picking up the new Core Set 2020, you know that there’s something special about these sets of cards. In addition to the unique and beautiful artwork featured on each card, and the countless hours of enjoyment you get from playing the game, there’s also a monetary value inherent in Magic: The Gathering.
You might already be active in the card collecting arena and have a pretty decent collection of rare cards – perhaps you took great delight in winning a bidding war on eBay for the Sol Ring card. Or maybe you were lucky enough to score Mishra’s Workshop way back when you first started purchasing Magic: The Gathering.
But no matter how much mana you’ve got in your most powerful deck, it’s not enough to protect your cards and other valuable collectibles in the event of a natural disaster. In real life, there’s no counterspell you can cast to reverse the damaging effects of a fire, flood, or other cruel act of nature with the devious mission to destroy your most prized possessions.
Homeowners Insurance is Like the Crazed Goblin Card
At first, homeowners insurance sounds like a suitable protector for your valuables—after all, it’s supposed to provide coverage for everything in your home, right?
Unfortunately, if an incident occurs, you’ll quickly discover that homeowners insurance, just like the Crazed Goblin, doesn’t fare so well when it comes to providing proper coverage for your valuable Magic: The Gathering cards and collectibles.
That’s because homeowners insurance typically only offers the base cash value for collectible items, and not the current market value. Additionally, there might even be a limit on coverage, and certain losses may not be covered at all. So, just like the game, if you want to win you must master the rules.
Collectible Insurance Services is Your Platinum Angel of Coverage
For proper insurance coverage for you most valuable collectibles, including Magic: The Gathering cards, you should check out Collectible Insurance Services. An insurance agency started by a collector, and founded specifically to provide coverage for toys, comics, stamps, sports cards, guns, knives, and many other types of collectible memorabilia. Collectible Insurance Services doesn’t offer a magic spell that will keep your valuables safe—but you can at least rest assured that you’ll be compensated for the loss of your rare treasures should the unfortunate ever occur.
After all, over the years, the value of many Magic: The Gathering cards has risen significantly, and you could be lucky enough to find some future rare and valuable cards in the Commander 2019 and Core Set 2020 editions.
Collectible Insurance Services can also help you with sources to appraise many of your collectibles and treasures, so you can determine the true value of your collection, or even just individual items. Maybe you’ve still got your old cards just sitting in a box somewhere, or some comics you aren’t sure are worth anything. But they could prove to be valuable, and if so, insuring them is vitally important.
To ensure that you’ll be covered for the true value of your Magic: The Gathering cards and other valuable sets of collectibles, get a quote from Collectible Insurance Services today. You’ll quickly realize that obtaining an insurance policy that you can count on for your rare treasures is something akin to, well, magic.
Source List:
https://hobbylark.com/card-games/best-defensive-cards-in-mtg
https://hobbylark.com/card-games/worst-magic-the-gathering-cards
https://gemr.com/blog/10-rarest-magic-the-gathering-cards
Vince Pupillo has always had an interest in electronic musical instruments, but it wasn’t until 2005 that his collection started to flourish. “I owned and played a Moog Minimoog Synthesizer back in the 1970s, but that instrument had to be sold at one point to pay for college,” Vince recalls. “I purchased another vintage Minimoog in 2005 though, and then began acquiring additional instruments after that.” Vince’s collection, some of which is now on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has items dating back to the early 1900s, with the 1929 RCA Theremin being his earliest item to date.
Yet Vince didn’t consider himself a collector until seven years later, when he purchased the vintage synthesizer Yamaha GX-1. Vince points out, “That was a big deal, and the collection had already begun to resemble a real collection by that point.”
Vince’s collection now includes an array of vintage electronic musical instruments, including electric pianos, synthesizers, vintage theremins, effect pedals and processors, organs, mixers, PA systems, guitars, guitar amplifier systems, electronic percussion instruments, CDs, record albums, laser discs, paraphernalia associated with electronic music, as well as other electromechanical instruments. The collection also includes the earliest prototypes of the Minimoog Synthesizer, which Vince considers “the granddaddy” of all portable synthesizers.
Many of the items have famous artist origins, with amplifier systems once used by The Who, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Yes, and many others. His synthesizers were also utilized by famous musicians including Queen, Jack Bruce, ELP, and Genesis.
Within Vince’s vast collection, you can find subcollections of many important instruments through time. Included in these subcollections are some of the earliest Fender Rhodes pianos that Harold Burroughs Rhodes manufactured to teach veterans how to play music during World War II. Vince’s collection spans to latter day versions of the Fender Rhodes, which include digital electronic (MIDI) capability and were built for Chick Corea.
When asked what Vince’s favorite piece in the collection was, he responded without hesitation — the Keith Emerson Modular Moog, which is presently on loan with two other Emerson keyboards to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “This is arguably the world’s most famous and iconic electronic music synthesizer because of its towering appearance, its incredibly compelling sound, and also due to the way Keith Emerson used it, both musically and as a stage prop,” Vince explains. “On top of that, the music of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and of Keith Emerson in general, is a deep favorite of ours. I have loved his music from the beginning so to have his synthesizer in the collection is beyond special for us. It’s an honor and dream come true.”
The Keith Emerson Modular Moog is also the most valuable piece in Vince’s collection, with several thousand items ranging from small pieces that can easily be held in the palm of your hand to large items that require a forklift.
Vince’s pieces vary in value, ranging from two to seven figures per item. The entire collection is worth several million. And yet, Vince still thought something was missing. Vince wanted to preserve the legacy of electronic music and share it with the world, ultimately hoping to make a difference in people’s lives.
That’s why in early 2018, Vince founded the Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project (EMEAPP), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides education about, access to, and research on electronic music. Vince continues to curate the collection at EMEAPP to this day.
To learn more about Vince’s collection or take a virtual tour, click here.
Around the nation—literally from San Francisco to Washington, D.C.—the summertime presents a prime opportunity for you to head out to your city’s most respected collections of art and view exhibits that represent the pinnacle of mankind’s ability for visual expression. This year is no exception, so we’ve rounded up a few of 2019’s hottest upcoming exhibitions below for you to check out.
Basquiat’s Defacement: The Untold Story at the Guggenheim in New York City
Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American-born painter of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent, whose mixed identity and passionate activism created the focal point for much of his art.
He died at the young age of 27 from a heroin overdose, but during his short-lived career, Basquiat was able to document the myriad social currents of the 1980s. The Guggenheim features these works through November 6.
The Life of Animals in Japanese Art at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
The National Gallery of Art is no stranger to showcasing fantastic works from other cultures. Their upcoming exhibit of both real and mythological Japanese creatures, taking place until August 18, will feature roughly 315 works across multiple media.
The selection spans from the sixth century to the present day, and includes seven works that have been deemed “Important Cultural Property” by the Japanese government. Among the artists featured are Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and Kusama Yayoi—whose Infinity Nets paintings have sold for upwards of $7 million.
“#WhatIsUtopia” at the Denver Art Museum
Denver-based painter Jonathan Saiz has taken a unique approach to his art, in the hopes of “democratizing” it. To this end, he’s created 10,000 tiny drawings for his Denver Art Museum exhibit, which will be taking place through November 17. In addition to creating a strong social media conversation about his art (another part of that democratization process), Saiz intends to give away each of the drawings to collectors once the exhibit is finished. It’s a unique approach that levels the playing field for newer collectors who may not have the capital to invest thousands of dollars for their first piece of art.
Fragments of a Crucifixion at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago
Using the crucifixion of Christ as a symbolic focal point, this MCA Chicago exhibit, which takes place until November 3, explores the idea of spirituality in art. It touches on weighty emotions like agony and loss, but also shows how art can inspire and encourage love through the works of artists like Kerry James, Jenny Holzer, and Ana Mendieta — whose “Siluetas” often touched on emotional subject matter and whose tragic death in 1985 is still a matter of great controversy.
The Frank Stella Collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Frank Stella has been a driving force in abstract expressionist art for decades, blending sculpture and painting to create an impressive array of modern art and helping mold movements like minimalism into their current, well-respected form. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has a great number of his works in its permanent collection (some of which haven’t been in public view for more than 30 years) and will be displaying these groundbreaking pieces through September 15.
20th Century New Mexican Sculpture at the New Mexico Museum in Santa Fe
Instead of viewing art merely on walls, here you will find art in three dimensions. The museum is showcasing carved and cast sculpture in a range of media, genres and styles through July 28. New Mexico is justifiably proud of its artists and you can discover why—and learn how they have influenced the wider world of art—by viewing this three-dimensional exhibit in beautiful downtown Santa Fe.
African American Museum in Philadelphia Features Exciting History and Fascinating Art
This unique institution is the first built by a major U.S. city to exhibit and interpret the life and work of African Americans. There are four impressive exhibition galleries filled with a variety of art. Through September 9, a mixture of new and previous work of Sonya Clark will be featured. Clark’s body of work is re-telling. While calling back redacted history, she uses music, light—and even hair—to view the past and present while providing clues to the future.
The Art of Protection
Hopefully, you’ll have a chance to visit one of these famed institutions to view one of these stunning summer exhibits. Displays such as these are what a collector dreams of, so before you head out, be sure to read up on how Collectibles Insurance Services helps provide protection for artwork and other valuable collections in case you’re in the mood to add to your own.
Sources
https://www.guggenheim.org/press-release/schedule-of-exhibitions-through-2020 https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2019/life-of-animals-in-japanese-art.html https://denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/eyes-jonathan-saiz https://www.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/2019/fragments-of-a-crucifixion
https://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/frank-stella-selections-permanent-collection http://sam.nmartmuseum.org/collections
https://www.aampmuseum.org
Early this year, Bryce Harper set a pair of baseball records—off the field.
Late in February, sources confirmed that he’d signed the largest guaranteed contract in North American sports history: $330 million for 13 years with the Philadelphia Phillies. After a successful seven seasons with the Washington Nationals, he hung up his #34 jersey and took up #3 for Philadelphia.
Fans were a little excited. This superstar addition certainly makes the team a strong playoff contender this year (and hopefully many years to come)! Harper could make the Phillies franchise as fan popular as the Boston Red Sox or Green Bay Packers. The Phillies sold over $4 million in tickets after the announcement, and sales for Bryce’s new #3 jersey set Harper’s second record. MLB.com reports that his jersey “is the top-selling jersey of all-time for any player in any sport within 24 hours of launch.”
Baseball, The Sport of Memorabilia
Of all the things people collect in regards to sports—cards, balls, autographs, gear—jerseys (and especially game worn jerseys) seem to be the king. And of all the sports, baseball seems to have the most sought after memorabilia.
Not only does a baseball jersey top this list of the 10 Most Expensive Sports Memorabilia Ever Sold (Babe Ruth’s 1920s Yankees Jersey), of all the items on there, baseball makes up 60% of the value!
How did this come to be? We figure there are two main reasons: deep American roots and the sheer quantity of games.
America’s Pastime: A Brief History of Baseball Collectibles
Of all the major leagues, baseball’s the oldest. Officially, 1903 is its birthday even though the National League technically started decades earlier in 1876. It had its origins before the Civil War, descending from the imported English sport of cricket.
Once there was a league and a nationwide organization supporting it, a regular fanbase could grow. Being the first of its kind with a 17-year head start on football meant that nearly a generation of Americans only knew baseball as the “big” sport. Babe Ruth was making history and sporting that million dollar jersey before the NFL was even up and running and no one had ever heard of the Super Bowl.
The other thing about baseball is that there’s a lot of games every year. Excluding the postseason, today there’s about 2,430 annually. Basketball has about half as many.
Now, when you consider that a lot of memorabilia comes from the games themselves, it starts to make sense that baseball collectibles appear to dominate the sports memorabilia market. Add to the fact that the items can be older than other sports’ (and therefore typically rarer), the overall value of baseball memorabilia (upon authentication) could also be greater.
Take all this and give people the ability to speedily source, communicate, sell, or trade the items, and you’ve got yourself a party. The internet was like a supercharger to all sports collectibles for sale (and to collectibles period). Recently, the market for sports memorabilia was estimated at $5.4 billion—with $4.7 billion of that fueled by eBay.
While it’s not certain how much of that is made up of baseball, it’s a safe bet to assume that the good ol’ ball game makes up more than its fair share.
Extra Innings: The Weird Side of Baseball Collectibles
Even top 10 lists that are about strange collectibles are dominated by baseball. Eight of the 10 items described here are baseball “memorabilia.” Among others, they include:
- Ty Cobb’s teeth for $6,500
- Luis Gonzalez’s chewing gum for $10,000
- David Ortiz’s beard for $10,000
- Nolan Ryan’s jockstrap for $25,000
- Curt Schilling’s bloody sock for over $92,000
- Mickey Mantle’s signed death threat
Don’t Get Caught Looking: Research Collectibles Insurance!
Whether over a century old, a fresh #3 Phillies jersey, or a player’s teeth—collectible memorabilia are precious things, and it’s important to protect them. Homeowners insurance often does not cover items like baseball jerseys or cards, so be sure to research and understand what options are out there for insuring your items.
