Vintage Lures Reel in Collectors All Year Round
For some folks in the eBay world, recent postal increases are being viewed as nothing short of Mail-Ageddon. While the first class increase is receiving the most publicity, many sellers are up in arms about what the increases and regulation changes will do to their business. All these increased rates and new regulations got me thinking about items that sellers can ship from coast to coast, and even across the seas, without fear of exhorbinant costs. One niche that features small items which remain hot all year long is vintage fishing lures. A little research showed that vintage lures and tackle, as well as rods, reels, decoys and bait buckets, are part of a fascinating collectors niche that flies below the radar dominated by trading cards, comics, glassware and books.

Kissmas Comes More Than Once a Year for These Collectors
Largely ignored by rock critics KISS has carved out a career spanning four decades, selling somewhere around 40 million records in the process. But for all their sold out concerts and platinum records, the band did something bigger and better than anybody before or since – make and sell merchandise. Though the Beatles and Elvis are understandably credited with marketing their personas as well, or better, than their music, KISS turned the art of licensed merchandise into something of an art form.

Ten Years Later Elmo is Still a Holiday Hit
On November 10, 1969 the television program 'Sesame Street' premiered and introduced the world to such characters as Ernie & Bert, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. Combining short sketches, live actors, music and Jim Henson's Muppets, the program gave preschoolers a dash of entertainment with their education. Yet one character has emerged from the 'Sesame Street' canon to bring joy to children, retailers and savvy internet entrepreneurs time and time again. If it's near Christmas I must be talking about Elmo.

Black Cats Bring Good Luck to These Collectors
Loved by millions and embraced as a harbinger of good luck in many parts of the world, the iconic black cat has become as much a symbol of Halloween and superstition as jack-o-lanterns and broom-riding witches. Though a black cat crossing one's path was originally viewed as a sign of good fortune in Britain and Europe, the animal's association with witches, pagan rituals and witch hunts turned it into a far more sinister symbol. Today, that view of black cats has softened into a playful and popular image embraced by millions of devoted cat lovers as well as folk art collectors and Halloween buffs.

Agassi Retirement Shines Spotlight on Tennis Collectibles
In September it's normal to see the sports section and highlight shows dominated by the arrival of football as well as the stretch run in baseball's red hot pennant races. This year, though, another sport has been getting its fair share of press thanks to the retirement of one of its most flamboyant, controversial and beloved stars. The end of tennis great Andre Agassi's career has brought renewed attention to this summer's US Open Tennis Championship and to tennis in general. Bursting on the stage as a long-haired prodigy from Las Vegas, Agassi was often known as much for the image he portrayed off the court as the tennis he performed on it.

Tale of Fraud and Forgery That Rocked the World of eBay
In May of 2000, growing auction giant eBay made international headlines when a painting sold on the site for a breathtaking six-figure sum. Posted by a novice seller named "golfpoorly," the item's description indicated that he'd found the large piece of abstract art years before at a Berkeley, California garage sale. Collectors, noticing a small "RD52" in the corner of the painting, speculated that the piece was an unknown work by renowned American artist Robert Diebenkorn. Over the course of the auction bids shot up from the opening price of 25 cents to a staggering $135,805. Too bad the item was a fake.