Coins and stamps have always been a desirable investment for serious collectors, but some of the most valuable coins and stamps are still in circulation today. Seriously, there very well may be someone reading this article right now that has a super-valuable coin or stamp stored away forgotten in a box, coin jar, or attached to an old letter address to grandma.

So, shakeout your pockets full of loose change to see if any of the coins that you have is one of the "World"s Most Valuable Collectibles', and then check to see if you already own any of the other valuable collectibles contained in this article.

Stamps

Collectible stamps are easily obtainable by the average citizen at their local post office, but the "World"s Most Valuable Stamps' have been in general circulation for generations and may be stored away in some unknowing person's home. You could be one of the lucky people and already own a valuable stamp that could change your live-forever.

Sweden Three Skilling Banco, Yellow Color Error, 1855

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The three-skilling stamp, which is usually printed on green color paper, was accidentally printed on yellow color paper that was reserved for the eight-shilling stamp of the same set. Only one 1855, Yellow Color Error, Sweden Three Skilling Banco has ever been discovered and sold for an astonishing $2.3 million in 1996 to an anonymous collector.

U.S. Franklin Z-Grill, 1867

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The U.S. Franklin Z-Grill (1867) stamp presents a portrait of Benjamin Franklin and are embossed with a “Z-Grill”. The “Z-Grill” was produced by embossing a pattern of tiny squares into the paper that would allow the canceling ink to absorb into the stamp paper, so the ink could be seen on the back of the stamp. Only 2 copies are known to exist, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any others to be discovered. In 1988, a 1968 1-cent “Z-Grill” stamp sold for $930,000.

These are only two examples of “The Most Valuable Stamps”, but by no means are the only two stamps that are extremely valuable. For more valuable stamps, see the World's Most Valuable Stamps.

Coins

Serious coin collectors know a good investment when they see one. Collectors favor U.S. Coins and especially coins minted in precious metals such as: Platinum, Gold and Silver or coins with limited production numbers in general circulation. Usually, collectors will prefer coin "Proof" sets (coins that were never released in general circulation and were vacuum sealed, so the coin would be protected from human touch).

However, this article is not about collectibles that only exists in a private collection or displayed in a museum collection. The coins that we are focused on are coins the average person could actual discover in loose pocket change or possibly laying on the ground.

1943 Copper Penny

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Estimated Value: $200,000+

1965 Silver Dime

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Estimated Value: $9000+

Visit Rare and Valuable US Coins for other valuable coins that you could already own and not know it. Or, visit Most Valuable US Coins Found in Pocket Change to locate other valuable coins that are not listed in this article.

Comics

The creators of comic books in our world have introduced us to marvelous ideas of futuristic technologies and heroes that routinely save the world in the nick of time. Superman, Batman and Spiderman are just three of the hundreds of superheroes that have helped drive the worldwide fascination with these artistic story-filled comics.

Serious comic collectors prize comic books that are in mint condition and that are responsible for introducing new superheroes or super-villains. Of course, to better understand the comic world, then purchase a comic book price guide and start the learning process.

Action Comics #1

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Estimated Value: $440,000(In, “near mint” condition”)

Visit Top 10 Most Valuable Comic Books in the World for other extremely valuable comics.

Baseball Cards

For the past 100-plus years, various baseball card publishers have come and gone, but some baseball cards are worth thousands upon thousands of dollars to the right collector.

1909 T206 White Border #366 Honus Wagner, 2B Pittsburgh Pirates

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Estimated Value (depending on condition): $250,000-$400,000

The reason why the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner baseball card is worth so much today is because Honus Wagner did not endorse the use of tobacco. The baseball card was going to be included in a tobacco product, but Honus wasn't going to part of that due to his personal beliefs. Mr. Wagner demanded that his card not be part of the promotion, so the baseball card was canceled and the cards that had been printed for the promotion were ordered to be destroyed, but not all were and so some of the employees left with the canceled cards.

Visit Forbes for additional super-valuable baseball cards.

Video Games

Videogames have become extremely popular around the globe since their humble beginnings in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Once the Atari 2600 became available to the average household, then the videogame market expanded by millions of new and excitable gamers. Next, came the biggest and arguably best videogame advancement in our generation, the Nintendo game console proved that videogames could be more than a grainy videogame graphic game. So, after Nintendo, came the next advancement leap in videogame graphics, sound, story and speed that only the Sony Playstation could provide.

Today, there are many video games that are incredibly valuable and even more so, if the game in “mint or near-mint” condition and are complete with original box and instructions.

Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge

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Estimated Price Range: $200 - $727

The Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge was used in Blockbuster Video tournaments and never were actually released to the general public. Rumors have said that only 2500 copies were published and the remaining copies of the game were piled into bargain bins, so that customers could purchase them.

To learn about other valuable video games, then visit Racket Boy for a complete listing of collectible Nintendo video games that you might already own and not know it.

Children's Picturebooks

Early children's picturebooks provided hours of wholesome entertainment for children and allowed the youngest of children the opportunity to follow along with the story, just by looking at the pictures provided normally on every page.

Now, presently some of these early children's books have increased in value as there are more collectors entering into this market. Due to the fact, that not many of these children's picturebooks were expected to survive the destructive power of young children as they were growing up - the books that have survived in relativity good condition have jumped in value.

And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street (1937), Illustrator Theodor Geisel

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Estimated Value: $5000-$8400

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1938), Illustrator Theodor Geisel

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Estimated Value: $3800-$6200

To learn about other valuable Children's Picturebooks, then visit Children's Picturebook Collecting.

Autographs

Probably since the dawn of time or at least since famous people were willing to sign their name to pictures, books, sports collectibles and everything in-between, there has been a market for autographs. Millions of ordinary people have come face-to-face with someone famous or even infamous (such as; gangsters, serial killers) and collected an autograph.

Some of these autographs are immensely valuable and can fetch a truckload of cash for the lucky person that already owns one of these rare autographs, but just don't realize that they have it.

The world's most valuable autograph is that of the famous playwright William Shakespeare. Only six authenticated examples exist, and they are all signed on documents. It is believed that if one of these autographs were offered at auction, then it could fetch perhaps 5 million dollars or more. To learn more and to see an example of William Shakespeare's autograph, visit The Most Valuable Autograph in the World.

Other incredibly valuable autographs include:

J.D. Salinger - Estimated Value $40,000
Thomas Pynchon - Estimated Value $40,000
Neil Armstrong (the first man to walk on the moon) - Estimated Value $6500
Tiger Woods - Estimated Value $2800

For more information regarding other valuable autographs, then visit Wallstreet Fighter.

Rare Books

For some collectors old, rare books hold the key to both good investment and entertaining reading. Valuable books are not all old or rare, but can be newer that has a popular author's autograph or were part of an exclusive limited release.

BROWN, Peter. New Illustrations of Zoology (1776)

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Estimated Value: $12,908

To learn about other valuable books, then visit Horden House.

Toys

While this article really did not address valuable collectible toys; some are extremely valuable to the right collectors. Like with other types of collectibles, toys do not have to be antique or vintage to reach a high value. To learn more about this subject, then may I suggest visiting Toys in the Attic and read a comprehensive article highlighting some of the most sought after and valuable toys in the world today.

This article was inspired after following the bartering (swapping) skills of a man named Kyle MacDonald and his website “One Red Paperclip". Kyle, Swapped his self from one trade to another, until he had himself his very own house. Amazingly, he managed to swap himself to a house in only fourteen trades.

Now, I am not suggesting that anyone can do what Kyle MacDonald did, but if you never try, then you will never know. Even if your idea isn't so grand as swapping until you achieve something big, it is cheaper than buying new or bidding in an auction. You can still swap your old things for the things that you want and only be responsible for paying the cost of shipping the things you have agreed to swap with another member(s).

This list isn't a Top 10 list, but if it were, then I would suspect that this list would look pretty much the same as I have it right now. So, enjoy!

Books, CDs, DVDs Swaps

Bookmooch

Exchange used books with other BookMooch members and “Get” the book(s) that you want in return. There is no cost to participate in the BookMooch community. Only pay for the actual shipping of the books that you agree to swap.

Paper Back Swap

Swap paperback Books, CDs and DVDs with other members of Paperback Swap. Membership is currently free. Like with any swapping community, members are responsible for paying the actual shipping cost for the products that they have agreed to swap.

Swap Simple

SwapSimple makes swapping books, DVDs and video games really easy and simple. List the books, DVDs and video games simply by entering the UPC code that is printed on the DVDs or video games or enter the ISBN number that is printed on the back cover of the books into the swap listing tools and SwapSimple will take care of the rest. Swap with members who are included in your swap network free and only pay $1.00 or $2.00 per swap, if you are swapping with members outside of your swap network. Swaps are backed with a 100% Money Back Guarantee. Membership is free and required.

Sequential Swap

Dust off your old and new comic books, trade paperbacks and graphic novels and use Sequential Swap to swap what you have to get the comics that you want with other members. Membership is free and required.

Fashion and Cosmetics

Swap Style

Swapstyle.com describes itself as “an online fashion swap party where you can swap, sell and buy fashion, accessories, cosmetics, shoes and lots more with people from all around the world at any time, day or night”. This is a fantastic idea in my opinion, because it can save its members a lot of money on the name brand fashions and cosmetics that are normally purchased at retailers at high markups. Members can also participate in forums and discuss the latest fashion trends, sales and/or whatever comes to your mind at the time. Members are only responsible for paying the actual shipping costs associated with the items that they have traded or sold and the other members are responsible for paying for the actual shipping of the things that they agreed to swap with you. Membership is free and required.

Make Upalley

Ladies here is your chance to swap cosmetics that you own, but don't use for cosmetics that other members have and you want. We're talking about name brand cosmetics - the expensive stuff. Members are only responsible for covering the shipping costs for the cosmetics that they have agreed to swap. Members can read products reviews or write a review on the products that you have used. Participate in forums and meet other members, so that you can get to know the people that you might want to make a swap with later. Membership is free and required.

Swap Anything

U Swap It

Members of the Swapit.com community can swap anything that they desire with other members and for the things that they want. Swapit.com members are not limited, just to swapping books, CDs and DVDs, but can swap electronics, sporting goods or anything that they want to swap with other members. Members are responsible for paying for the shipping of the items that they have agreed to swap with other members. Members can also join into the Swapit forums to get to know other members better. Membership is free and required.

Swap Thing

Here is another fine swapping community that allows its members to swap, buy or sell things in a new and different way. Members can swap, buy or sell services, skills or things that they have for services, skills or things that other members have and you want. At the time that this article was written, there were 3,452,775 things available for swap or for sale at SwapThing and that is a lot of things to browse through. Membership is free and required.

Toys

Toy Swap

This is the perfect website for anyone who has old or new toys that are no longer wanted or played with and that can be swapped for old or new toys that other Toy Swap members have available for swap with you. Membership is free and required.

Cooking and Baking

Bake Space

If you are a person who loves baking fresh cookies, cakes and pies, then Bake Space is the perfect place to be, because its members swap cooking and baking recipes and share ideas. Membership is free and required.

Swap A Skill

Swap a Skill

Do you have a skill that you want to swap in exchange for a skill that someone else has available to swap? This is a great website for individuals who process a skill (artistic, musical, engineer, plumber, electrician, or just about any type of skill that you can think of can probably be found here at Swap-A-Skill at times. Basic membership is free, but there are some costs associated with membership upgrades, if you so choose to upgrade your membership. Be sure to read the membership agreement, before signing up.

Swap Term Papers

Swap Termpapers have 10,000 termpapers intheir database and members can swap a quality termpaper that they have written for a termpaper that Swap Termpapers have in their database (termpaper that you need). The termpaper exchange is free as long as the member has a quality termpaper to trade-in, otherwise members can purchase a termpaper from Swap Termpapers at the going rate. “Swap Termpapers has termpapers, essays, book reports, book reviews and thesis papers written the way that you need them”, according to Swap Termpapers.

For Webmasters: Swap Links

Monster Link Swap

Drive more traffic to your website by establishing quality link partners online.MonsterLinkSwap.com members save time and money, because MonsterLinkSwap.com has an established database of other webmasters wanting to exchange links with you, now. Basic membership is free, but limited. Upgrades are available, but upgrades do require payment.

Fun Swaps

Sketch Swap

No Membership Required. Just simply draw something and once your masterpiece is finished, then submit your drawing, so you can receive a drawing that someone else has drawn. Personally, I think this is a neat little website even though there is not much to it. Sometime simple is better.

File Swap

FileSwap enables visitors to swap computer files, photos, music, wallpapers, audio files, animated icons, videos or even PDF and text files, quick and simple. Use the browse button to retrieve the file or files that you want to swap and hit the Swap button to continue. After the file you have selected has been entered into the system, then you will receive a random file that someone else has submitted. Yes, it is kind of like playing the lottery, but your chances of winning something interesting is far better than the lottery.

Conclusion

This was a fun article to write. I hope that I have been able to introduce you to a whole new world, where the things that you want today can be swapped for, while you have fun and save money.

If you know of any other websites that you believe are better than these in this article or you just believe should have been included, then leave a link to them with your comment. I do check weblinks and I will remove any weblink that leads to adult websites or any illegal website.