Quite a few years back, I was coaxed into attending a ComiCon-type convention in St. Louis. Like many sci-fi/collector gatherings, this one had dealer booths selling books, posters and collectibles. There were also special appearances by some celebrities.
I was unfamiliar with many of the “luminaries.” I assumed they were notable in their field. The exception for me was author Stephen King. As a fan of the horror genre, I was familiar with King’s novels and creations. At this show, he was going to be personally signing books. I couldn’t resist. I bought four of his books and got in line. A long line. The wait was expected to be several hours.
I very slowly inched my way forward. Finally, after 90 minutes or so, I was getting close to the table where King was signing. Just as I neared, a woman announced the signings were over. King had other obligations. Those of us still in line were out-of-luck. No books to be signed for me. Or, would there be? ...
I later learned one of King’s “other obligations” was him standing at a kissing booth. For five dollars, fans could get a kiss from the author. The booth was vacant. No fans. No line. I walked over. King sat there alone. We looked at each other. I told him about my waiting in line. He was sympathetic. We made a deal. If I didn’t offer money in exchange for a kiss he’d happily sign my books. Win/win. He signed them all, some with fun inscriptions.
Was it worth the wait? Yes, for several reasons. First, I had a chance to chat with the King of horror. Nice guy too. Second, in the ensuing years, King’s signature has become fairly valuable. In common editions of his books, it can bring several hundred dollars. In rarer printings it has brought many thousands. Most often, those pricier signed books need to be in exceptional condition.
That’s the thing about us humans. We seem to be the only species that has a special sentimentality for fairly common items. After all, a book is merely a bunch of pieces of paper with printing on them all bound together. And, an autograph is simply some ink on paper in a certain squiggle design.
I thought about that recently while in a large general merchandise retailer. It was late, about 10PM, and a large group of adults stood in line near the toy aisles. I had to ask what was up. A man explained they were waiting for the new stock of Pokemon cards about to be put out. He added that, though the packs of cards only cost a few dollars, certain ones were currently worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Later, I saw signs at a pharmacy chain limiting Pokemon purchases to just three packs. It was curious. After all, these are all just small pieces of cardboard with colorful printing on them.
Evidently, Pokemon cards have replaced baseball and other sports cards. Those were fun for kids in the 1950s. Then, they became somewhat valuable in the 1960s. Even more so in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Adult collectors began paying big money for them, particularly for those in pristine condition.
Certainly, some classic baseball cards such as the 1952 Mickey Mantle are epic. One of those once sold for over $12 million. Because of such stratospheric prices, adults in the 1980’s and ‘90s began buying entire unopened cases of cards and stashing them away. Soon, reality set in. The bubble burst and all those mass-produced cards from latter years were essentially worthless. They still are.
There are countless other examples. Remember Beanie Babies? In the 1990s, people couldn’t get enough of them. Mothers and grandmothers bought them up en masse. Some contended they were “investing” in them to eventually pay for their children’s college tuition. Not a chance. That bubble burst in 2000. Beanie Babies that had sold for hundreds or thousands soon brought just a few bucks, if that.
How about “Tickle Me Elmo” in 1996? That Christmas, the $28 toy was selling in the aftermarket for upwards of $1,500. Again, fights ensued. Today, sellers would be lucky to get $10 for one.
The list goes on from Thomas Kincaide prints to Precious Moments figurines. The sentimental boom and bust is almost predictable.
As for the current Pokemon rage, fights have broken out at some retailers. In Wisconsin, one shopper pulled a gun on other card buyers. Yep. All adults.
Just last week, news was rife about rioting at Swatch stores by customers who wanted the latest trendy pocket watch. Some sales of the limited-edition watches have resulted in group brawls and police deploying tear gas. Invariably, given a little time, people’s attention will be drawn to something else. Our human attention span is flighty and fickle. It happens almost like clockwork.
For more collecting stories and advice, log on to: http://prexford.com/.