Six Places to Find Collectible Vintage Ads

Vintage advertisements are becoming more and more collectible as time passes, so use these hints to find the best examples at the best prices.

First, online, one of the best sites to shop is still eBay. In fact, there are many Power Sellers on eBay who make their living by selling vintage paper items like collectible ads. The best search term is the word "ad," along with other more specific search terms, depending upon the kind of ad that you want, for example, "military ad," or "car ad" or "mustang ad." Many sellers have a flat rate per ad of around ten dollars, though a few go under that.

Second, a google search using the same kinds of search terms will dig up many sellers who have web pages dedicated to old advertising. Many of these people sell on eBay and from their own site. Be sure to find a seller who takes care with the packaging and who has good feedback.

Third, if you want to cut out the middle man, the good old garage sale is a good place to start. You might be able to make an offer on a whole box for the price of one ad that you buy online. Of course, to go this route, you really have to enjoy the process of driving around and looking. Sooner or later you'll find some great magazines, but it takes persistence.

Fourth, a quicker route is placing a wanted-to-buy ad in the local newspaper. You can list the publications that you want and how old you want them to be. This is nice, because many people won't even consider selling the magazines that old Uncle Leo had in the back of the garage until they see your ad.

Fifth, if you frequent sales or auctions or used book stores, get in the habit of handing out your card. Have your name on it, your phone number, and a list of the items that you like to buy. This is another method of getting the item before it hits a more competitive market on eBay.

Finally, most libraries still have bound copies of many magazines in the periodicals section, but everything is going digital, so a lot of those volumes will be sold or discarded. You should attend library sales, or inquire about collections that the libraries are discarding. Years ago this process started with newspapers, and some people made a fortune buying up the newspapers and selling them.

Nothing is as rewarding as thumbing through an old magazine that is filled with colorful illustrations and art work. Good luck on the hunt.