Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR), one of the major buyers of valuable metals, musical instruments, militaria and fine arts in the world, has been traveling through the United States, Canada and Europe since 1996 in search of the most unusual and rarest memorabilia. Traveling as part of the THR teams, who host close to 100 shows every single week, is an elite group of art specialists who are seeking America’s lost artwork.
In recent decades, the “pop art” culture, guided by trendsetter Roy Lichtenstein, has demonstrated a boost in popularity with collectors while typical landscape pieces by artists such as Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran sustain their significant appeal.
These pieces are meticulously examined by the professionals, and if they deem them to be of value and authentic, they will make an offer to buy them on the spot. The THR art aficionados are thrilled to come across American artwork to display to the audience as the Treasure Hunters Roadshow Tv show starts yet another fascinating season.
Quite a few art collectors are willing to fork out large amounts of money in order to complete their compilations, and the Treasure Hunters Roadshow professionals have discovered that Roy Lichtenstein’s artwork created in the 1960s is in higher demand and fetching higher prices. Famous for his works that were influenced by advertising and comic books, Lichtenstein defined the pop art movement through tongue-in-cheek humor and parodies of mainstream culture.
Born into an upper middle-class New York City family, Lichtenstein’s childhood education did not include any art programs. He did, on the other hand, paint and design, but mostly just for entertainment. Oftentimes, Lichtenstein could be located drawing images of the artists performing music at the Apollo Theatre. He went on to earn his Master’s of Fine Arts degree from Ohio State University following a tour of duty during WWII.
Shortly after finishing his degree, he joined the abstract expressionism school after dabbling in cubism and expressionism. Right after a dare from his son, who stated, “Hey, dad, bet you can’t paint as good as this,” and displayed a Mickey Mouse comic book, Lichtenstein completed his first work entitled “Look Mickey” in 1961. This first work was so coveted that every piece was acquired by investors before his exhibit opened at the Castelli gallery in 1962.
Numerous art reviewers, nevertheless, started to criticize Lichtenstein’s inventiveness due to his use of topics from other types of pop culture. His most recognizable and well-known pieces were replicas of comic book panels, nevertheless he had mostly abandoned the concept by 1965. Graphic novelist, Art Spiegelman, became annoyed with Lichtenstein stating, “Lichtenstein did no more or less comics than Andy Warhol did for soup.”
Responding to his critics, in the late 1970s Lichtenstein began to use a much more bizarre style in his artwork with plastic and metal sculptures and several hundred screen-printed pieces. In 1996, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. came to own the biggest collection of Roy Lichtenstein items, although it is believed that a massive quantity of his work continues to be in private collections.
Have some pop art lying around the house but not sure if it is of value? Visit the Treasure Hunters Roadshow events page to locate a show near you and the fine art professionals will be ready to assess it for free. A piece of paper that looks like a comic book in your attic just might be a Roy Lichtenstein original worth thousands of dollars!
Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) has been traveling the country in search of precious metals, watches, old coins, antiques and vintage toys since 1996. The company has lately expanded their search of treasures into Spain and the United Kingdom. Their international hunt for treasures supplies THR with an opportunity to obtain gold, silver and all types of collectibles for their worldwide network of buyers and collectors.
Scarce and exclusive toys are enjoyable to play with and collect. Although typically a childhood hobby, collecting toys is also popular with adults, who get pleasure from reminiscing with toys they used to play with in their early years. As the desire for vintage toys, in particular classic Barbie dolls in good condition continues to rise, these classic toys can bring a excellent paycheck at a Treasure Hunters Roadshow event. Their buyers have been instructed to give top-dollar for vintage mint-condition Barbie dolls.
The very first Barbie doll was released at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. Mattel debuted the doll soon after co-founder Elliot Handler’s spouse, Ruth, came up with a design for a new doll for her daughter, Barbara. Though hesitant to release the doll at first due to the fact that Mattel did not believe young girls wanted an grownup-looking toy, Barbie went on to become one of America’s most treasured toys of all time.
Ruth Handler came up with the Barbie doll concept during a family vacation to Europe, where she came across precisely what she envisioned for her daughter – Bild Lilli. Bild Lilli was a doll marketed in Germany in the 1950s. She was inspired by a comic strip, in which she was an incredibly self-empowered woman who, at times, was quite controversial. Barbie, or Barbra Millicent Roberts as her fictitious biography reads, has also had her share of controversies throughout the years. Criticized by health gurus and child psychologists for her unrealistic and unachievable body shape, Barbie has undergone many adjustments through the years, but remains a toy icon all over the planet.
Classic Barbie dolls can be valued at hundreds to really serious collectors. Initially introduced as a series, number one coming in 1959, Barbie actually had inserts in her feet to help her stand on her very own. This original Barbie is the only one to include this copper insert and is extremely valuable if in good condition. In the Barbie series, dolls one through three, and a couple of the fourth, ended up being manufactured with a solid torso and solid legs. Every single Barbie made after these has a hollow body.
Classic Barbie dolls still in mint condition, including ones that have remained in the box for over 5 decades, are a toy collector’s dream. The buyers at THR are wanting to buy these uncommon, collectible items and all vintage toys on behalf of their network of buyers and collectors. A list of objects that the Treasure Hunters Roadshow buyers are seeking can be observed on the company’s website.
Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) is a dealer of classic collectibles and precious metals. Teams of treasure hunters have been hosting tons of shows a year all across the continent since 1996. A few teams have not long ago expanded across the Atlantic Ocean to the United Kingdom and Spain. THR buys antiques, collectibles, gold, silver, jewelry, classic comic books and sports memorabilia, especially bobbleheads, at events on behalf of their worldwide network of collectors.
Sports memorabilia is fascinating to the Treasure Hunters Roadshow sports experts as they see a lot of rare and one-of-a-kind objects. Baseball objects are most popular, but the treasure hunters are ready to purchase classic or rare memorabilia from any sport.
One of the favorite products in the arena of sports memorabilia is the athlete, coach or mascot bobblehead. The bobblehead entered the sports world almost 100 years ago in the 1920s. The New York Knicks launched a bobblehead of a player for their enthusiasts to obtain and collect. The sports bobblehead grew to become a fan favorite in the 1960s. To start off the 1960 baseball season, Major League Baseball produced a collection of papier-mâché bobbleheads for each and every team. These collectibles had every teams’ jersey on them but the numbers and the faces were all identical.
Bobbleheads with certain players’ names were released for the New York Yankees in the World Series in 1960. The four players, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roger Maris and Roberto Clemente, each had their very own number on the bobblehead, but the heads remained the same. Due to the fragility of the product, several of these papier-mâché bobbleheads did not last very long.
As bobblehead popularity continued to grow, manufacturers started to use ceramic rather than papier-mâché so that they would not chip or crack as easily. Baseball teams went on to release bobbleheads of their star players for supporters to purchase and quite a few of the other major sports, which include basketball and football, followed. Teams loved the concept of selling more souvenirs and followers loved to have comical collectible items from their preferred team that they could display at work or in their vehicle.
Bobbleheads grew to become really popular in late 1990s because suppliers decided to start creating them out of plastic, which made the bobbleheads a lot more affordable. As the decade ended, major league sports teams realized that not as many fans had been purchasing the bobbleheads, so they resolved to give them away as a promotional product. The San Francisco Giants were the initial team to do this in 1999. They handed out 35,000 Willie Mays bobbleheads to supporters at a game. This fad caught on and teams started producing bobbleheads for their players, mascots and even coaches.
The sports memorabilia experts at THR stress that condition is quite important when buying and selling any sort of collectible product, and this is accurate with bobbleheads as well. The classic ceramic and papier-mâché bobbleheads are going to be far more valuable if they are in very good condition. Plastic bobbleheads are more recent and mass produced, so they are not as valuable as the others. Even so, the rare ones can still bring in a very good paycheck.
All aged, scarce and uncommon sports memorabilia can be brought to the experts at Treasure Hunters Roadshow for a free of charge evaluation and possibly even an offer to purchase.
The professionals at Treasure Hunters Roadshow see a broad selection of precious metals throughout their adventures around the world. Although gold and silver might be worth very good money, there are three other precious metal heavy hitters which the THR specialists want the public to know more about: platinum, palladium and rhodium.
Platinum has been termed the “choice precious metal of the stars” due to its hefty selling price. Its cost is double that of 18kt white gold of the exact same weight. It is largely used in men’s and women’s wedding rings as well as women’s engagement rings. The steep cost keeps it from being used in a wider array of jewelry, the exception being the bling of the wealthy and famous. Platinum is a white metal that, as opposed to gold, is used in jewelry in an almost pure form (around 95%). Its capability to retain its luster over time enables it to forgo the rhodium plating that other metals like white gold have to go through. And Treasure Hunters Roadshow specialists appreciate jewelry with shine.
Palladium is one more metal that strays from the spotlight. This precious metal is equivalent to white gold in pricing but carries the long-lasting beauty of platinum. At one-third the price of platinum, palladium is made with the identical purity level (close to 95%) and keeps its shiny white coloring for a lifetime. Because it is a naturally white precious metal, there is no need for palladium jewelry to be rhodium-plated.
So what is this rhodium?
Rhodium is not found in its pure form. Instead, it must be derived from platinum or nickel ores. About 20 tons of rhodium are generated a year, 80% of which is sourced from South Africa. The cost of rhodium is close to 50% more than gold by weight. Its key use is as a strengthening agent against tarnish, especially for jewelry made from white gold. When electroplated onto other precious metals, a coat of rhodium provides a reflective white surface known in the business as “rhodium flashing.”
Its high melting point, poor malleability and substantial price make rhodium a weak option from which to generate complete pieces of jewelry; it is best utilized as an addition to other metals. The medical field is a big buyer of rhodium-plated products, such as filters for mammography devices and optical instruments.
The pricey metal is also employed in commemorating distinctive honors. In 1979, Paul McCartney was awarded a rhodium-plated disc by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the highest-selling songwriter and recording artist of all time.
Though platinum, palladium and rhodium may well not be sitting about the home, the THR industry experts think that information is power and understanding more about precious metals keeps customers and sellers on an even playing field, keeping the world of jewelry purchasing fun and fascinating. THR is always on the hunt for new jewelry of all kinds in the course of their weekly trips across the U.S., Canada and Europe and they pay on the spot for any goods they purchase. Check out the Treasure Hunters Roadshow web page for more details and a full listing of forthcoming cities.
Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) is one of the primary buyers of precious metals, comic books, toys and other antiques. Since 1996, teams of treasure hunters have traveled to over 1,000 cities in the United States, Canada and Europe, in search of some of the most distinctive and rarest treasures.
Although THR is a buyer of all antiques, a special group of treasure hunters is dedicated to locating sports’ greatest collectibles. Although signed autographs, gear and cards are all popular items, sellers are encouraged to bring their unique or one-of-a-kind game-worn jerseys to the THR events.
If the sports experts at Treasure Hunters Roadshow, a lot of of whom are sports enthusiasts with considerable collections themselves, deem that the jerseys are genuine and valuable, and are of interest to their worldwide network of potential buyers, they will make an offer to purchase the item on the spot.
Though football, basketball and baseball jerseys continue to be popular in the United States, there is a large global marketplace for soccer jerseys from around the planet. As the popularity of soccer has continued to climb internationally, so has the interest in jerseys worn and signed by its largest stars.
Soccer (or football, as it’s known in the vast majority of the world) got its humble beginnings in the English countryside in the mid-19th century. Though the first recorded soccer match took place in 1860, it was far from the neat and rigid game we know nowadays. Most notably, teams had no standard uniforms. Instead, they frequently wore bulky knickerbockers and inconvenient colored sashes to distinguish teams.
To minimize the confusion, teams in the 1870s began to ask their players to have on similar colors. Even so, there were no rules governing that a team must use the same color for every game, nor a way of distinguishing players from one another.
As the game began to grow all through the globe at the turn of the 20th century, so did the list of guidelines governing it. Quite a few teams began to adopt a single color or style, most of them based on the designs of clubs that had taken shape in England.
Following WWII, a lot of teams began using significantly simpler uniforms because of to financial restrictions. These resembled the contemporary v-neck shirts made of natural fibers. In order to boost revenue for their club, Real Madrid became the first team to design and market a replica jersey sold to fans starting in the 1970s.
Seeing the success of these replica jerseys, other teams started to design more complex jerseys for both their players and to sell to fans. Manchester United made worldwide headlines in 1996 when their coach, at halftime of a game, declared that his team was losing because of the gray-colored jerseys they had been wearing (which had been purposely selected to be worn with jeans) because the players could not see each other on the field.
Jerseys continued to climb in popularity as fans eagerly scooped them up in order to display their team loyalties. Today, followers continue to shell out big bucks for athletes’ jerseys, specifically those worn in games. Recently, a World Cup-worn jersey sold at auction for more than $800.
Many of these genuine jerseys continue to make their way to THR events, where sellers are eager to cash in on their most valuable sports items. A list of upcoming Treasure Hunters Roadshow events can be found on the company’s site.
The jewelry industry experts at Treasure Hunters Roadshow can by no means get enough of that shiny stuff. When not offering the best purchase prices feasible at their shows, the professionals are admiring other collections of treasured metals and jewels. And where better to find the most high-priced and flawless pieces of jewelry than mainstream celebrities?
When it comes to high priced jewelry, R&B singer Beyoncé is at the top of the list. Her wedding ring from hubby Jay-Z is valued at more than $5 million. Developed by the renowned celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, Beyoncé’s ring contains an 18k flawless diamond. Other clientele of Schwartz include Jennifer Lopez, Barbara Streisand and Heidi Klum. Kim Kardashian is also among the list of stars sporting jewelry by Schwartz. Her 20.5-carat ring carries a cost of $2 million and has attracted a lot interest by celebrity media resources.
Actor Tom Cruise also has a spot around the top of the list for celebrity jewelry. The 5-carat engagement ring he purchased for Katie Holmes set him back a cool $1.5 million. Cruise said he bought it following his very first date with Holmes. The Treasure Hunters Roadshow authorities ask, “When you have got that much cash, why not?”
Even though motion picture stars and singers may go big on their jewelry purchases, no other group of celebrities outshines rappers in their public exhibit of bling. With collections of gold and jewels amassed all-around their necks, it is a wonder some rappers haven’t popularized back braces. Lil John is a good example of this showmanship through hordes of jewelry. Along with his ever-shifting collection of necklaces, rings, bracelets and diamond-encrusted chalices, he is also known to sport big pendants. His “Crunk Ain’t Dead” pendant got him in the “Guinness Book of World Records” for possessing the largest diamond pendant ever before made. The $500,000 piece stands seven and a half inches tall and weighs in at a hefty 12 lbs. It is made up of 3,756 round-cut white diamonds totaling 73 carats, all rooted in 18k yellow and white gold. How’s that for staying shiny?
While the THR experts appreciate the sight of a multi-million dollar necklace, their real passion lies in smaller sized pieces. The company is always treasure hunting for all types of precious metals and jewels, big or little, as well as antiques, fine art and collectibles on behalf of their worldwide network of buyers.
Items are purchased on the spot at the THR events, which are held throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe each and every week. A full listing of events can be found on the Treasure Hunters Roadshow web site.
The comic book experts at Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) regularly run across a huge selection of superheroes. But none catches their eyes more than Superman. With his signature red cape and “S” logo splayed proudly across his chest, he is one of the most recognizable superheroes ever created, let alone a globally-renowned American pop culture icon. But from where did the Man of Steel’s creators draw their inspiration?
Before Superman was born, his creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were hammering out the mold from which he would ultimately be produced . In 1933, they published a short story by the name of “The Reign of the Super -Man,” which featured a telepathic villain determined to dominate the earth. Later that year, Siegel rewrote the character as a hero, stripping away just about all of his previous traits, including a bald head. The hero was given a full head of hair, one of many characteristics Siegel derived from the famous movie actor, director, producer and screenwriter, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Known best for his roles in the silent movies “The Mark of Zorro” and “Robin Hood,” Fairbanks had a certain quality of strength and morality Siegel found highly favorable for a superhero. For Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, Siegel looked to the infamous movie actor Harold Lloyd. His soft, unsuspecting demeanor was perfect for the mild-mannered Daily Planet reporter. (Treasure Hunters Roadshow trivia bonus: the Daily Planet newspaper where Clark worked was originally named Daily Star.) Clark Kent’s name was derived from actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor.
For the duration of the early years, Superman took an aggressive tactic to fighting scrappy villains. He would throw bad guys around with superhuman strength, exhibiting little concern for the consequences. In late 1940, editor Whitney Ellsworth designed a code of conduct for Superman to adhere to. One element of the code stated that Superman was to never kill a human being, which had a great impact on the violent, animalistic nature of his original nature. Modifications were made, and the new Man of Tomorrow took on a much more controlled, Herculean strategy to crime fighting, which included his previous destructive style of combat.
Even kryptonite can’t keep the THR professionals away from their beloved vintage Superman comics, which are extremely desired by collectors all around the planet. THR desires to purchase old ten- and twelve-cent comic books, valuable metals, antiques and collectibles on behalf of their global network of buyers.
Items are purchased on the spot at the THR events, which are held throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe every week. A complete listing of events can be found on the Treasure Hunters Roadshow web page.
Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) is a premier vendor of precious metals and vintage collectibles based in the United States, with branches in Canada and Europe. Although the treasure hunters are passionate about gold, silver, guitars and rare books, among other things, they have a unique affinity for sports memorabilia. At virtually every THR event, which have taken place in nearly 1,000 cities internationally, enthusiasts line up to have a treasure hunter assess their boxes of baseball cards, vintage autographed pictures, game-used equipment and championship trophies and rings. Goods that are old, scarce or strange usually have the highest worth.
When sports enthusiasts have distinctive sports-related collectibles they want to sell, they are encouraged to bring the objects to their nearest Treasure Hunters Roadshow event for a cost-free evaluation by an professional in the industry. Many of the THR team members are passionate sports junkies who have private substantial collections. If the THR experts deem an item to have worth and be of interest to their global network of consumers, they will make an offer to purchase the item on the spot.
Some of the important sports memorabilia acquired by THR includes game-worn jerseys, uncommon cards, equipment used and signed by athletes, and autographed vintage images, such as a signed Babe Ruth photo that was really a treasure. Comparable Babe Ruth signed photos have sold for as much as $8,000 at auction.
Among sports enthusiasts, baseball cards are one of the most preferred items to be collected. Baseball cards became especially common in the United States throughout the mid-twentieth century, when tobacco corporations began to incorporate, in their products, cards featuring photographs and information about some of baseball’s biggest heroes. This advertising and marketing scheme quickly took hold among American youth, and soon, baseball card collections became a bragging point.
Baseball card collecting enjoyed its prime in the 1930s, soon after chewing gum companies made the decision to mimic what the tobacco corporations had so effectively carried out. When financial priorities shifted at the beginning of the Second World War, baseball card printing halted until after the 1950s. Right after 1950, as interest in great baseball legends peaked once again, autographed caps and baseballs became an integral component of the ballpark experience. In the modern day age, sports collectors have shifted their emphasis to things owned and used by athletes in real competition. Game-worn jerseys have proven to be particularly well-liked items.
When assessing sports memorabilia objects, condition is generally the single-most critical component. To keep the objects in mint condition, they ought to be put out of the reach of dust, sunlight or other damaging elements, such as in an acid-free exhibit case or frame.
These days, many of the very well-preserved vintage cards, jerseys and balls make their way to the roadshow events, where they bring delight to on-lookers, sellers and treasure hunters alike. A listing of upcoming Treasure Hunters Roadshow events can be found on the company internet site.
