Congratulations: If you’re reading this, you’ve just gone through a wonderful rabbit hole, Alice-like, and entered the fascinating world of collectibles!

Through articles, reviews, announcements and advertisements, AmeriCollector.com will endeavor to be a thoughtful, informative, entertaining and – dare we hope it? – VALUABLE resource for collectors of all stripes. Whether you collect bottle caps or Bugattis, pinback buttons or vintage pinup babes, teddy bears or tattoo irons – or even if you just want to try to understand the psychology of collectors (a territory we’re eager to explore) – you’ll eventually find it on these Web pages. Sooner rather than later, if you elect to write about it yourself …

That’s another thing that AmeriCollector aspires to be: a FORUM for collectors. Anyone who has surfed collectibles sites knows how really narrow their focus can be: Postcard collectors stick to postcards, coin collectors write about coins, etc. That’s all fine – these are great sources of information for budding and veteran collectors alike – but they tend to be very static one-man shows, with no outside contributions, and are seldom updated. Dealer Web sites may be more diverse in terms of things to see, but they’re hawking stuff: They don’t “do” news. Which completely ignores the fact that most collectors LOVE to talk about how and what they collect – as well as offer advice to folks who share their passion.

AmeriCollector wants to do all that and more, offering (1) insight and information from all quarters, (2) news on events, auctions, books, products and services as well as (3) a means to reach out to other collectors through our “Collector Classifieds,” where you can post an item you want to sell, put the word out for one you want or publicize your business or event.

Finally, we hope to show that there is a lot of crossover among collecting fields. A collector of Barbie dolls may well have something useful and exciting to impart to someone who collects Harley-Davidsons. We will try to be impartial and nonjudgmental about collecting subjects, although we do require that they be legal and nonexploitative: nothing about snuff films, controlled substances or human body parts, please.

So bookmark us and drop us a line or a story, if you’re so inclined: We love feedback, corrections, news and updates.

AmeriCollector.com is back!

Welcome to AmeriCollector.com! If you were a regular reader of this collectibles blog, you’ve gotta be wondering where we’ve BEEN the past couple of months …

Well, the fact is, we’ve undergone a redesign of the site, through the talents (artistic and electronic) of premier webmaster Stephanie Irwin, IR2 Media Group, Inc., (www.ir2media.com) who will go far to remind us that collecting is as hip as you want to make it. I have negative doubt that the new look that Stephanie is giving AmeriCollector will not only attract a lot more traffic and input to the site, it’s going to win design awards.

We’re going to resume the posting of announcements for collector’s events, including museum exhibits, both in the Pacific Northwest (where we’re based), around the country and in cyberspace (i.e., online auctions). Got an event you want to tell us about? E-mail us at LetsCollect@AmeriCollector.com.

We’re also going to add a new feature: “Collector Classifieds.” There, at an affordable rate, you can post notices for items for sale, ones you’re looking for and services you need or provide. (Note: This feature will be for legitimate collectibles only: no ads for mail-order brides, performance-enhancing drugs, e-dates, etc. Check your spam for that stuff.

As always, we invite your questions, comments, leads and advice. Got a tip on searching more effectively on eBay? Send us a line. Been to a new museum you’d like to tell us about? We welcome your review. Heard about a recent rip-off? We’re all ears. All we ask is that you be sincere and nice (angry is OK, nasty isn’t), check your facts and keep it clean.