Jeff Figler

Collecting for Beginners Jeff Figler

Publisher Marketing: From Bobblehead dolls to refrigerator magnets, pricy porcelain figurines to autographed baseballs, everything, it seems, is collected by just about everyone. And no one knows the rapidly growing field of collectibles better than renowned expert Jeff Figler. You may have seen him on PBS's Nightly Business Report or heard him on Sirius Radio. In Collecting for Beginners, Figler introduces fledging collectors to the ins and outs of collecting from A to Z. Figler takes readers on a fascinating - and at times hilarious - journey into the back rooms of thrift stores, long neglected garages, and to many other unusual places where collectibles - some worth small fortunes - have been discovered. This is no ordinary journey because Figler is no ordinary expert. He started young with baseball cards, as so many collectors did, and now owns a museum housing many of the most exquisite and priceless collectibles in the worlds of sports, politics, history, and celebrities. Readers of this highly entertaining guide will find themselves adorned in the memory of Elvis Presley's Peacock jumpsuit, and in the back of John Lennon's psychedelic limousine, because the world of collectibles spans everything from rocks to rock 'n roll, baseball bats to political banners. Collecting for Beginners covers a huge array of topics, including how to care for collectibles, how to help children collect the treasures that they hold most dear, how to collect for the future, and how hopeful collectors should conduct themselves at auctions, both on-site and online. (Yes, there's a lot of "how to" in this richly detailed book.) Collectors will also find themselves immersed in the astonishing world of celebrities and their collectibles, and they'll discover the secrets to learning the real value of their most cherished items. Collecting for Beginners will tell you all you need to know to get started in one of the fastest growing hobbies in the world. Collecting is fun, fabulous, and its vibrancy comes fully alive in a book that will soon become essential to every aspiring collector - and there are millions of them. There is no other book that serves as a primer for aspiring collectors, whose numbers continue to grow despite the economic slowdown Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2012 (EAN 9781461077435, Paperback) Contributor Bio:  Figler, Jeff A nationally-recognized expert on collectibles, Jeff Figler has authored over 400 published articles about sports, pop culture and historical/presidential collecting. He is a former sports columnist for the St. Louis Post Dispatch, STL Today. In addition, his articles appear regularly in The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles, Collectors Journal, The Antique Shoppe and Today Vintage, and other magazines in the collectibles field. He has been the Collectibles Editor for Hall of Fame Media and has been a syndicated radio talk show host through Sports Byline, heard by millions of people in 173 countries on the American Forces Network. He is also a popular speaker on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Figler's personal collection is a true testament to practicing what you preach. Jeff and his wife established the Figler Foundation and Museum in 2006. The Museum has been featured by major media across the United States. Included in the Museum's sports, historical/presidential, and pop culture galleries is a Honus Wagner baseball card (considered the "Holy Grail" of sports cards), as well as Beatles and Superman memorabilia, and a handwritten letter by every U. S. president. Jeff and his wife reside in St. Louis, San Diego, and London. He can be reached at jfigler@jefffigler.com