Description:
Betting your investment portfolio on a stockpile of rookie cards? Not so fast, says Pete Williams, author of Sports Memorabilia for Dummies. Even though baseball cards as an investment vehicle outperformed stocks, bonds, and treasury bills from 1980 to 1987, remember the familiar disclaimer that past performance is not indicative of future returns. While the collecting mania is still in full bloom, Williams wants everyone to know that the power curve of collectibles as an investment is past its peak. With investment dollars finding other homes, it's a wonderful time to start collecting. Prices are down and there is more merchandise for the rest of us. This latest addition to the ubiquitous Dummies series details the finer points of memorabilia collecting by an insider. Pete Williams, writer and columnist for USA Today's Baseball Weekly, parlays his work as a beat reporter covering the sports-collecting business into a primer that separates the investment-fueled hype from the enjoyment that fans can derive from collectibles. This volume, like the other For Dummies books, uses an extremely readable and lighthearted approach to an otherwise overwhelming topic. Williams guides us step by step through getting started and sifting out what to collect, to the pitfalls and scams of unscrupulous dealers, and includes an exhaustive appendix of resources. This volume is a must for anyone wanting to stay abreast of the "collecting" industry. --Tim Shannon
| 
