I Must Have It!
Superman returns—for a good cause. Looking for a hip collectible to show some love for the Man of Steel in honor of his new flick? Try a Superman Tag, a fundraiser started by the Christopher Reeve Foundation, to raise money and awareness for people living with paralysis. At a new site, http://www.supermantag.com , the tags are available for $10 in sets of two, one on a neck chain and the other on a clip. To date, the tags—emblazoned with the classic “S” shield and the motto “Go Forward”—have raised $800,000. Euro RSCG 4D contributed pro bono design services to create the site and Miles Technologies donated hosting facilities.
I choose you! And you, and you, and… If your son or daughter is Pokémon crazy, they’re not alone. There are over 14 billion trading cards in circulation featuring Pikachu and the rest of the over 380 different Pokémon characters. The Japanese-created phenomenon celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The cartoon series based on the characters is syndicated to more than 60 countries, and over 140 million Pokémon video games have been sold worldwide. Even if you don’t get the appeal, you can definitely understand the economics: since 1998, global retail sales have topped $25 billion.
M-I-C-K-E-Y-S-T-A-M-P. A sneak peak at The Art of Disney: Magic stamps set to be issued next year was one of the highlights of the World Philatelic Exhibition earlier this month in Washington, DC. Previous U.S. Postal Service Disney stamp collections have included sets based on the themes of friendship, romance and celebration. The World Philatelic Exhibition featured $40 million worth of the world’s rarest stamps, multi-million stamp auctions, and a vendor section offering stamps from 135 countries. Stamp collections owned by John Lennon and the Prince of Monaco were also on display.
Saved by the Web—he hopes. So, you say you like your collectibles late 80s/early 90s style. Click on over to http://www.getdshirts.com/ to buy a commemorative t-shirt and help Screech save his house! Yes, we mean Screech of “Saved by the Bell” fame, or rather his portrayer, Dustin Diamond. After the sit-com ended, the actor relocated to Wisconsin. Through an unfortunate series of events, Diamond, 29, is now facing foreclosure on his home and is using the Web to raise money. At the site, visitors can buy “DShirts” with the slogan “I Paid $15 to Save Screeech’s House.” (The extra “e” in Screech was added to skirt copyright issues.) If you’ve got a bigger budget, there are also $1,000 sponsorship “bricks” available, in the form of paid links on a house diagram on the site.
Ooh, look at that one. Finally, what look at collectibles wouldn’t be complete without at least a nod to the site where everyone has picked up at least one knick knack they didn’t need but had to have. Earlier this month at the eBay Collectibles Summit in Las Vegas, the online auction mammoth debuted two new Web destinations. MyCollectibles (http://www.ebay.com/mycollectibles) allows eBay members to connect with one another while showcasing, comparing and reviewing their collections. And of course, items newly purchased on the site can be reportedly added with a few easy clicks. Collector’s Corner (http://www.ebay.com/collectorscorner) aims to be a “central hub” offering resources on grading, authenticating, writing reviews, buyer’s guides, and how to sell collectibles on eBay.
