EBay And The 'Princess Diana' Effect On Royal Memorabilia

It's ten years now since Diana Princess of Wales died,Royal Family that's just fetched $1526 on eBay. Notice
but her popularity lives on, manifesting itself in a healthythe multi-collecting interest involved here, not only is this
market operating in memorabilia concerning everya piece of royal memorabilia but it is also personal and
facet of her life, and death!additionally emanating from one of the most popular
And so you'll find hundreds of different Dianaroyal collecting areas, Russia.
collectibles listed and attracting plentiful bids and highFor examples of how this personal element can lift
finishing prices on eBay.prices, consider a letter signed by KING FAISAL of
Diana is just one collectable royal, albeit currently oneSaudi Arabia in the 1970s fetched £252.91 and a
of the most popular on eBay. There are so manyletter from King George II to William Pitt made
more royal personages, past and present, fetching tidy£250.43. Before you say it, no these items are
sums for sellers on eBay and, as just a handful ofnot all that hard to find, especially at local collectors'
eBay Sellers know, royal memorabilia is a great nicheauction sales. Some months back, in Yorkshire, I bought
to turn into a specialist business on eBay.a big box of historical autographs from the mid 1800s
Diana's eternal popularity seems also to add value toto early 1900s, including one signed by George III and
somewhat common books and magazines availableothers by Queen Victoria and other notable
aplenty at boot sales and flea markets.personalities. In the absence of other
Witness two books sold recently on eBay.com:collector-come-dealers on the day the box went for
- 'Princess Diana: Her Public Life' fetched $129.95£130. I didn't make anywhere near the prices
- 'Princess Diana's Nightmare: The Family' fetchedsome Queen Victoria autographs have fetched but I
$124.99did make a fast three hundred pounds on six items,
* Collectors generally prefer and will pay higher pricesincluding Queen V's signature which I listed on seven
for items bearing royal portraits over other illustrations,days auction, starting price £49.99, none of
such as Coat of Arms and famous residences or justwhich extended beyond one bidder! But then I listed
plain text.these items on eBay.co.uk, a big mistake; had I listed
* Items bearing inscription of a special event orthem on I'm sure those prices would triple or quadruple,
milestone, with date and the subject's name, fetch aat least.
premium over portrait only or non-celebratory text.* Generally only top ranking royals attract much
* Some topographical areas are collectible in their ownattention from collectors and rarely are high prices paid
right, almost regardless of collectible type, such asfor memorabilia from 'minor' royals like the Duke and
postcards, ceramics, newspapers, and virtually anyDuchess of Wessex, Princes Anne's children, Sarah
other collectible. Islands are especially popular, includingDuchess of York. It really isn't worth buying to resell
Hawaii. Add a royal theme and you can usually doubleitems depicting British royals less than two or three
or triple the value of any item without the royalsteps away from the throne, unless those items are
personage. So it was no surprise that two 19thgoing immensely cheap or some other special feature
Hawaiian cabinet portraits depicting King Kalakaualifts the item out of the ordinary. A hand signed
(Hawaii's 'Merrie Monarch') and his Queen ConsortChristmas card, for example, from the Duke and
fetched $255 and $246.55, respectively, over fifty toDuchess of Wessex, might still be worth fifty pounds
sixty pounds or so for their early photographic content.or so compared to several hundred pounds for virtually
* Memorabilia for royals and aristocrats from Britainanything hand signed by Diana or the Queen, and might
and overseas are equally collectable and highlybe worth buying if prices are low.
saleable on eBay though you'll find bidding is generally* Limited edition items, of virtually any collecting interest,
low for items listed in their country of origin, especiallyare invariably worth many times more than their mass
small countries with proportionately few collectors. It'smarket counterparts. So a figurine of, say, Queen
usually best to list most collectibles on the world site, atVictoria, limited to 100 copies, each numbered, can be
ebay.com, rather than country of origin. This way you'llexpected to grow in value over the years, as others
not only reach most really enthusiastic collectors offrom the set are broken, lost, donated to museums,
royal memorabilia who search eBay worldwide, butand otherwise become more rare. Compare this to
also you'll be targeting precisely the world's best knowunlimited numbers of figurines that might be made
royalty collecting nation: America.today and manufactured potentially forever!
* These high price examples depict royals and* Be warned, some so-called 'Limited Edition' items
aristocracy from other countries listed on eBay.com:border more on mass market manufacture than rarity
- King of Siam Mong-Kut old Franck CDV photo 1860and may never grow scarce or valuable. Genuine
fetched £123.98'Limited Edition' items are limited by number and the
- Sheikh of Mevlevi Dervishes CVD Photo 1870snumber is usually low, say 100 or 1,000. Watch out for
Turkey fetched £117.28manufacturers calling their products 'Limited Edition'
* Anything personal such as an autograph or a royalwhich are limited to huge production numbers or long
person's personal possession attracts a premium,periods of manufacture which can extend to millions of
sometimes a big one, such as a book from the 1700scopies over many years.
once belonging to a Grand Duchess of the Russian