The history of collectibles is very extensive. There is evidence that suggests that prehistoric humans collected various objects. But, the recorded history of collectibles started after World War II; that is, after the year 1945. In America, people were getting more leisure time due to increased economic growth. They start devoting this extra time to the different hobbies. The hobby of collectibles is one of the most satisfying. It can include coin and stamp collection, base ball card collection, etc. Collectibles are not limited to any items, or limited in any way at all. Anything can become a collectible if you are passionate about gathering enough of them.

You can find many old catalogues and price lists for different collectibles and other hobbies for the year 1945. There is a news paper devoted solely for hobbyist coin collectors in the year 1952. The response for this newspaper is so great that the company that published the news paper was encouraged to publish other material related to collectibles. This included catalogues, price lists, magazines for different types of collectibles (including stamps, comic books, toys etc.) with references to various books, magazines etc. Like a fire, the hobby of collectibles than spread across the countries. As the number of collectors was increasing day by day, it become very easy to exchange collectibles and buy or sell collectibles.

In the year 1960, the market of collectibles was at a peak. Since there were high demands for different types of mechanical and soft toys, these toys than became collectibles for children. The habit of collecting different toys in childhood does not go away as they grow up; instead, it converted into the hobby of amassing collectibles. The occasional news that particular collectibles were fetching thousands of dollars was also very encouraging for the hobbyists. There were different state-wide auction arranged, which had overwhelming response. There have been some famous cases in which frauds have been busted for duplicating or faking the collectibles.

After the year 1969, the many different collectors started forming their own groups and clubs. Many companies, both private and public, are formed to take advantage of people’s great interest in the hobby of collectibles. The auction of collectibles brings more and more high prices. In the year 2000, Honus Wagner baseball cards fetched around 1.26 million dollars in auctions. Many people get into collectibles hoping to make money, though usually the ones who do make money did not set out to do so in the first place.

The craze for different collectibles increases rapidly almost every year. It seems like every year or so we hear about some new craze that is striking the fancies of collectors across the world. One of the most infamous of these was the $5 Beanie Babies, which were sold between $ 100 and $1000. Another infamous case was the “Tickle Me Elmo” doll, which even caused brawls in some stores. More and more people take the hobby of collectibles very seriously. As any one can start the hobby of collecting different objects without investing much, it is one of the best pastimes for both young and old. Today, the volume of retail collecting market soars to around 10.4 billion dollars.

So, if you haven’t already jumped on the collecting bandwagon, now is the best time. It can be done as a profitable venture, or simply as a fun thing to do. So, start thinking today about the different things that you could collect. It could be something popular like dolls, or something that nobody else in the world collects. It’s totally up to you. Sticking with the more mainstream collectibles, however, will give you the chance to see price guides, magazines, and various other forms of support that will make the hobby easier. Ultimately it is up to you, and you should probably stick with whatever you are the most passionate about.