Will Seippel | October 17, 2024

There is a lot of talk about value in the vintage and antique landscape. Whole shows
exist to show what an item might be “worth” in terms of a sale price. Sometimes, it’s
about insurance, and we need a value on something to adequately insure it against
loss, theft, or damage.

Still, doesn’t every collector have a few pieces that are not super valuable, not a limited
edition, or a signed original? Is it okay to collect or treasure something that would not
fetch a high price at a sale or auction? Can you own artwork, ephemera, décor, or other
pieces that will never set a record at Sotheby’s or even sell at a yard sale?

I’ve spent decades working in the collectibles space, looking at everything from CDs
and DVDs to fine art, jewelry, and historical objects. Identifying, valuing, and preserving
my own items has taught me so much about trends and prices. Still, the fact remains
that everyone has something in their collection that might not be valuable or rare, but
we keep these treasures around because they make us happy. The value of something
isn’t also in a COA or a price tag.

In my home, I have this painting shown at the top. Some might think it’s odd, and I have
no idea about the artist. There’s a signature, but it’s illegible. I googled it but never found
any information about it. I bought it because I like it. I put it where I can see it, and I just
enjoy looking at it, and I notice something different about it every time I look at it. Who is
the guy in the corner; why are there sunglasses in the pic; is it in a church? What do the
flames mean? I don’t know any of this, but I still like the work.

Of course, it’s always important to safeguard any records of vintage items, COAs,
appraisals, and the like. Keeping track of the price paid or any insurance on pieces is
also essential, but now and then, an inexpensive item that does nothing more than give
us a smile can be a favorite. Not everything winds up on Antiques Roadshow or in the
Smithsonian.

The WorthPoint Price Guide and our virtual Vault are both excellent tools for
determining the value of a piece and safeguarding the information and photos related to
it. But if you have a piece of art or other collectible that doesn’t have a high dollar value
or a significant history, so what? Go ahead and put it right where you can see and enjoy
it. The concept of “worth” includes much more than price, and collectors understand
this.