> 1) Can you think of a collecting fad more lasting than baseball cards (though i guess any sports or movie cards could be stuck into that same grouping, when compared with, say, postage stamps)?

Coins and stamps are great collectables. They almost never go below face value. Never collect anything with the hopes of making a profit. You will probably lose. Smart collectors buy only items in perfect condition. It pays to do lots of research.

Collect something you really like. That way, if the value goes down, you can say that you have something that you really like.

Avoid items that are made to be collectable. Cabbage patch dolls, beanie babies, so called collector plates, avon bottles, and things that come from a so-called mint, unless it's the US Mint. Made-to-collect items almost never gain any value. Treat them like some kind of plague.
>
> 2) What's your most valued collection?

That depends on what you mean by most valued. The collection I value most is my collection of vintage motor scooters. I also have coins.
But if you mean most valuable as in $$$, then it could be the scooters and could be the coins.

There is no limit to things that are good to collect just for fun. You mentioned musical instruments and they are hard to beat. It is good to collect something you can use. But for just plan fun, I suggest old bottles, cast iron skillets, Pez dispensers, vintage fishing tackle, belt buckles, overall buttons, or (my favorite "fun" collectable) De-Liars. Some people like old tools, pocket knives, dolls, pedal cars, BB guns, glassware, ceramics, quilts and automobiles.

Before starting a collection, always consider the space you have to store it, and the disposable cash you have to spend on it. And think about what you will do with it. You can play a harmonica, ride a scooter in a parade, and display a quilt. But what are you going to do with stamps? Or De-Liars, for that matter.

One thing for sure, there are a lot of collectors running around these days. It gives you something else to think about besides job, school, and terrorism.
Howard