I have been a serious and highly selective collector since I was a small kid. I’m 77 now and if I were 10 years younger I wouldn’t be selling. I’ve built significant collections of American coins, medals and tokens, celluloid advertising and trade good-for pocket mirrors, advertising pinbacks and cell-wrapped advertising match safes only of great graphics, condition, and rarity. I guess you might say I enjoy the challenge and search as much as the item.

I chose Ted Hake for his reputation in all aspects and for what he’s done for collecting this and related fields. Aside from the quality and bidder reach of Hake’s hard copy catalogues and the online presentation which enables bidders to enlarge each image to appreciate both the condition and the graphics. Just as importantly, I’ve never had an occasion to return a lot or be dissatisfied of an auction purchase from Hake’s, which is saying a lot as I’m very particular.

By no means am I through with collecting. I’ve been building a top-notch collection of political campaign ferrotypes, pewter rims and selected early campaign tokens, only of the highest quality and rarity. Still underpriced and unappreciated but this is rapidly changing. I’m getting outbid!