Retired Franklin Mint
Retired Franklin Mint plates, dolls, and other collectibles can be an excellent investment if you are careful to do your research beforehand.
About Franklin Mint
The Franklin Mint has been around for more than 40 years. In 1964 it began striking legal tender coins for various foreign countries. From there it began to make other items, among them:
Specializing in collectible items, the Franklin Mint has produced some of the most unique items on the collectibles market. Games like the Civil War chess set are eagerly sought after for their beauty and fine craftsmanship.
The company has partnered with large corporations to create a plethora of licensed and authorized products. These corporations include:
- General Motors
- Paramount
- The Smithsonian Institution
- Harley Davidson
- Ford Motors
The collectible items that the Franklin Mint creates are signed, numbered and/or limited editions. Their popularity means that after an item is retired the value will continue to rise as collectors vie with each other to possess the items of interest.
Retired Collectibles
When a collectible, be it a doll, collectors plate, statue, game, or other item is retired it means that the company will not make it any more. The patterns and dies used in making the item are often destroyed to ensure that it won't be made sometime in the future. The company will continue to sell these collectibles; but, once the back stock is gone collectors will have to rely on other venues to acquire these pieces.
Not every retired Franklin Mint piece will be valuable. There are many variables when it comes to the value of any retired piece. These include:
- Rarity
- Desirability
- Condition
- Location
Location may seem like an odd variable but some items will sell for more in different parts of the country. The value of a collectible is very unpredictable.
Finding Retired Franklin Mint Items
While checking eBay for the sale history of retired collectibles is one possibility, it is not necessarily the best choice. Franklin Mint collectibles are often scarce on eBay, especially the retired ones. Online antiques and collectibles sites are a good place to find them as well as local antique shops and stores that specialize in collectibles.
Doing a search on Google is often the best way to locate what you are looking for. You will need to be consistent, searching regularly until you find what you are looking for.
Evaluating Retired Collectibles
Sometimes you can gauge the value of an item by how much someone purchased it for in the past - but not always. What is popular today may not be popular next week. That's why it is important to be sure you have up to date information about your items.
Franklin Mint collectibles are always numbered and marked distinctively. For the collectible to have the highest value it needs to have all of its original parts. For example if you are looking at a retired doll you should be sure that it has the entire original costume. If shoes or accessories are missing it can significantly lower the value of the item. At the same time if the collectible is in the original packaging it can significantly increase the value.
You should also look for a certificate of authenticity, which is also called a COA. This guarantees that the collectible is authentic and is as represented.
Collecting retired dolls, plates and other items can be a rewarding hobby, emotionally as well as financially if you are careful about the items that you buy. Display them safely and keep your COA in a safe place so that if you decide to sell your item you can command the best price possible.
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