Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, and you still don't have a gift for the collector in your life? Here are a few suggestions that, while relatively inexpensive - most are under $30 - are certain to generate "ooh's," "ahh's," and heartfelt "Thank You's"!
Wade Whimsies/Figurines
If you've recently purchased a box of Red Rose tea, you may have noticed a coupon announcing the retirement of the Pet Shop Series of Wade Whimsies.
Red Rose is offering several options for the collector, including a complete set of figurines FREE with the purchase of a Wade Pet Shop stand. If you can't find the coupon, you can order directly from the Red Rose website, where you'll also find offers for some of the other figurines that they've issued in the past.
The new Calendar Series of the 12 months was introduced at the 3rd annual Red Rose Tea Fair http://www.redrosetea.com/teafair.aspx held in November in Windsor, Connecticut, and should be appearing soon on grocers' shelves.
PEZ Dispensers
In advance of the projected release next May of a new Star Trek motion picture, PEZ has issued a Classic Trek gift set of 8 dispensers: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Chekov, Sulu, Uhura, and the Enterprise. (Jol ylchu! (Klingon) Activate the transport beam!)
No Trekkers to shop for? You may know someone interested in one of these other cross-collectibles:
The 3 Decades of Elvis Tin
The Disney Princess Gift Set
The Mickey Mouse 80th Anniversary Tin
The Hello Kitty Lunch Box Tin
If, on the other hand, you're shopping for a collector of PEZ, he or she might appreciate the Golden Glow. Released in 2002 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of PEZ, it is still available from the Pez factory store.
And if you're really stumped on what to buy, there's always the PEZ gift card, available in any amount.
Coca-Cola
Want to tickle the Coke collector? You could spend lots of money on everything from barstools to bracelets at the Coca-Cola Store, but the novelty of Coke's 2008 ornament bottles might elicit as many smiles. The 13.5 ounce plastic bottles resemble the round glass ornaments hung on Christmas trees, and depict three different colorful graphics - Santa, Polar Bear, and Santa & Polar Bear.
The bottles are presently retailing for about a dollar each at various drug stores and discount chains, but several enterprising individuals have recently sold them at online auction sites for up to $25.00 per set of three!
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments
Finally, of course, there's always that cornucopia of cross-collectibles, Hallmark Keepsake ornaments.
Barbie, Mickey, Charlie Brown, Batman, Superman, planes, trains, automobiles, lions, tigers, and polar bears - you'll find them all. And if the ornament you choose is number one of a series, so much the better. The first in a series is usually the most collectible.
And don't forget to stuff a Dream Book ornament catalog and a Hallmark Datebook into the collector's Christmas stocking. They're collectible in their own right, and they're FREE!
If you're interested in learning more about some of these collectibles, check out the books listed below. (They may also make good presents.) Happy Shopping!
Books
"B.J. Summer's Guide To Coca-Cola: Identifications, Current Values," 7th Edition, by B.J. Summers
Link to book
"Collector's Guide to Pez: Identification and Price Guide," 3rd Ed., by Shawn Peterson
Link to book
"Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Value Guide, Second Edition: 1973-2006," by Nicki Pierce
Link to book
"Petretti's Coca-Cola Collectibles Price Guide: The Encyclopedia of Coca-Cola Collectibles," by Allan Petretti
Link to book
"Wade Miniatures: An Unauthorized Guide to Whimsies, Premiums, Villages, & Characters," byDonna S. Baker
Link to book
"The World of Wade Whimsies," by Ian Warner and Mike Posgay
Link to book
