The Business of Investing: 3 Recommended Books

Collectors have begun taking an interest in credit piece investing. Because of this, Credit Card Collector (editor’s note, this is the name of a previous credit card collectors’ club newsletter) recommends that all readers study three books

Three must-read books

  1. How to Make the Most of Your Investments in Antiques and Collectibles

The first is “How to Make the Most of Your Investments in Antiques and Collectibles”, by Harry Rinker.

Harry states in his book, “Investing in antiques and collectibles is a serious business. It is not a hobby or recreational pastime. The goal is simple—to make money. It requires hard work, lots of hard work. Indeed, one of the hidden costs most frequently overlooked by investors in antiques and collectibles is the amount of time doing research, acquiring objects and achieving the final sale. The rewards can be substantial, but they must be earned.”

For a collector to attain the final goal, one of the techniques Harry emphasizes is the promotion of the individual’s collection. Promoting a collection takes on many different forms, but what’s necessary to know can be covered by studying two more books.

  1. Guerrilla Marketing

The next book in line for study by the serious investor is “Guerrilla Marketing”, by Jay Conrad Levinson. The book covers all the basics of a good advertising and marketing program. The book is easy to understand and apply. It gives enough detail so a promotional program can be launched. It’s interestingly written, which makes for an enjoyable read. The book is ideal since it can be applied by those with resource poverty. As the author says, it’s for anyone who wants to put serious money into a marketing program, “serious being anywhere from $100 per month to $1,000,000 per month.” 

The book covers all the aspects of advertising and marketing you’ll need to know to promote your collection. Just select from the book the advice you need for your particular goal. 

  1. If I Can Write, You Can Write

The next important step for an investor to take in preparing to promote their collection is learning how to write. There will be times when writing is necessary, such as when doing news releases, articles, and possibly even a book. 

It’s important to know the basics of writing. The easiest and best book for the investor who wants to know just enough to be considered a good writer is “If I Can Write, You Can Write”, by Charlie Shedd.

Charlie’s book is a short and simple list of basic writing techniques. It’s a very painless experience. It will teach you enough so editors will find your material acceptable. The business of collectible investing requires more than just buying and selling pieces. It requires the investor to enhance the value of his personal collection. 

With a well rounded education of studying three books: How to Make the Most of Your Investments in Antiques and Collectibles, Guerrilla Marketing and If I Can Write, You Can Write, the investor should be able to handle practically any situation that will arise.

Copyright Greg Tunks, 1990

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Frequently asked questions

You can find out the value of old credit cards by checking how much similar cards sell for. There are several ways to do this.

The simplest way to determine the value of old credit cards is to ask an experienced collector. If you submit an inquiry via our contact form, we can connect you with an expert who can assist you and point out if there is anything rare or unusual in your collection.

Alternatively, you can become a member of the American Credit Card Collectors Society. Membership in our credit card collecting club provides access to resources and knowledgeable members who can help. Benefits of membership include access to a gallery containing thousands of cards with historical pricing information, and access to our entire collection of newsletters, from 1994 through the present day.

You can look at recent sales on auction sites, however, there are some considerations to keep in mind when doing this. Firstly, it’s important to look at selling prices, rather than asking prices. Selling prices are the prices people actually paid, while asking prices can be very different. Secondly, historical sales on some sites are only saved for 3 months, so you may not find something that exactly matches what you have. Thirdly, it is sometimes possible to see rare or unusual cards sell for lower prices than they should have because people do not understand their worth, the ads don't do justice to the card, they're listed in the wrong category, or any combination thereof.

There are always people in our club who are actively buying cards. Collectors tend to focus on a niche, like gas cards or retail cards, or they might focus on a slightly broader area, like bank cards or travel and entertainment cards. Many of the rarest or most unusual cards will exchange hands in private sales. Please contact us if you are thinking of selling your collection.

You can also sell your old credit cards on online marketplaces. You will get the highest price if you sell each of your cards individually, although this approach requires the most effort. At the opposite end of the effort scale would be selling all cards as a job lot, an approach which typically results in the lowest price on a per-card basis. Halfway between these two approaches would be to group cards into different categories and to sell these individual groups, e.g., BankAmericard, Master Charge, oil and gas, retail, and so on.

To join the club, visit the membership section and complete the registration form. You can pay by check or PayPal. We offer annual or lifetime memberships. If you have any questions please contact us via the form on our website.

Credit cards are more worthwhile collecting if they are rare, in good condition, have historical significance, or are associated with famous personalities or events. Valuable modern cards might include those that are difficult to obtain, such as American Express Centurion (a.k.a. ‘black’) cards, while older credit cards might include early independent bank cards, American Express, Diners Club, or BankAmericard (Visa) cards from the 50s/early 60s, or Master Charge (MasterCard) cards from the late 60s. Rare or unusual cards can also be sought after, such as those issued in small numbers, like small independent department stores or gas stations, or cards with appealing aesthetics.

Consulting with other collectors or experts in the club can provide valuable insights. Contact us for more information via the form on our website.

We do not offer an appraisal service in a traditional sense (such services are normally a paid service) but we can connect you with an expert who should be able to assist for free and point out anything rare or unusual in your collection. The simplest way to do this is to submit an inquiry via our contact form.

The American Credit Card Collectors Society accepts donations and is most grateful for any we receive. When donations happen, we strive to find good homes for cards where they will be looked after, matching cards with collectors who will appreciate them. The club may charge members a nominal fee for donated cards, and the proceeds are offset against the running costs of our club. We are a non-profit organization. Running costs include expenses like our convention and website hosting. Donations are most popular for people getting out of the hobby, or when someone has inherited a collection and doesn’t know what to do with it.

If you wish to donate your collection, please contact us via the contact form above.

American Credit Card Collectors Society