THE COLLECTOR
Dear Collector,
Enclosed find picture of a Mae Starr doll which I received for Christmas in 1933. She has a wind-up mechanism in her back that plays cylinder-type records. Any information on her would be greatly appreciated.
Not a talking doll per se, this Effanbee toy that made her first appearance in 1928 has been called a “phonodoll.” All her records (there are about six of them) are songs. With original packaging, clothing and records, Mae could be worth as much as $700.
Dear Collector,
I have a 1949 Philadelphia Athletics yearbook and would like to know its approximate value.
Led by owner-manager Connie Mack, whose 50-year managerial tenure was the longest in Major League Baseball history, the American League Athletics had an 81-73 season in 1949. In near mint condition, your yearbook has a value of nearly $100.
Dear Collector,
I have a $5 postage stamp with the picture of John Bassett Moore. Does it have any value?
An assistant secretary of state, Moore (1860-1947) was honored by the Postal Service with a stamp in 1966. Current value, if used, is $3. Unused, it’s worth $10.
Dear Collector,
When I was in his restaurant in New York, I got Jack Dempsey’s signature. Can you tell me what it’s worth?
Nicknamed “The Manassa Mauler” after the Colorado town where he was born in 1895, Dempsey had a record of 60-7-8 before his 1940 retirement. For years, his Manhattan eatery was a landmark for tourists, where he tendered literally thousands upon thousands of autographs. Due to the great number of surviving signed material, his autograph is worth about $75.
Dear Collector,
In 1951, when I was a young man in the Navy, one of my ports of call was Cuba where I picked up this Cuban bill whose design looks like our American dollar. Is there any value to this bill?
U.S. currency, due to its stability and strength, was the exemplar for a number of foreign notes, including your series 1949 one peso note that has a current value of about $2.
Dear Collector,
I have a 1906 penny in excellent condition. How much is it worth?
With only a few years left for the Indian Head cent, your bronze coin is one of over 96 million struck in 1906. Average buying price is under $3.
Dear Collector,
I found a Dewey/Warren campaign button; is it of any value?
Two time presidential candidate during the 1940s, Republican Thomas Dewey and his running mate Earl Warren are the subject of this 1948 pin back button which is now worth $10.