Wooden Figurines Nativity Scene

Details Behind The Figures

If you like figurines on the shelves and tables in your home, then consider the numerous options from the Willow Tree collection. These are detailed figurines in a variety of designs. You can find the collectibles online or in specialty stores. Sometimes, retail stores will carry a select few of them. You can usually find the figurines more during the holiday season as many people enjoy giving them as gifts.

When you look at a figurine, you'll see an authentic stamp of Susan Lordi's name. The name is usually located on the bottom of the figurine. If you don't see the name, then it's likely not an authentic piece. There will also be a date with the name, which is when the figure was entered into the collection. You can usually tell if a figurine is authentic by looking at it as the pieces have a distinct look, but the name and date offer verification. Most of the pieces are of a mother and a child or of children. There is a nativity set that includes the wisemen, a stable, a baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary and all the other components of the Bible story. You can find angels holding harps, animals or other items. There are figures of couples hugging, couples with a baby, animals, and children in various positions.

One of the things that you'll notice about the Willow Tree figures is that there aren't any faces painted on the people. This is a detail that is intentionally left out, bringing more character to the pieces in the collection so that you focus more on the message and the feelings that the pieces bring. Each figure is etched with details that include flowers on dresses, wrinkles on clothing and indentations in the hair. These aspects give the figures life instead of the pieces being plain and simple with straight lines. You can purchase the figures to give to family and friends or to keep for yourself. They are an idea for a newlywed couple or a couple who has had a baby. The figures are also used for familial events, such as an anniversary or the passing of a family member.

Frank Baum's Magical Stories

Written by Tamyka Bullen 

Recently, I started collecting Frank Baum's classical books about the adventurous world of OZ. Probably, his works were just the seeds for next generation writers to bring more fantasy and magics in novels in the Christianized countries. Christianity doesn't allow any magics as they believe that they are the practices of the devil.  When the Wizard of OZ movie was on the T.V; my blood rushed, I took the seat excitedly before it had started. When the movie started, my eyes fixed on the rich and colourful world full of fascinating creatures such as Tin Man, Lion King, Scarecrow man, flying monkeys, Munchkins, Witches, and the fake Wizard! Because at my time, closed caption for Deaf people didn't exist. I was fascinated with magics because all my life, witchcraft was my number one obsession. Years later, the Disney company decided to sell the DVDs of the movie, I rushed to the HMV and bought it. 

Yay yay yay...OZ: The Great and Powerful movie came out on the theatre. I was like WHAT!!! I WANT TO WATCH IT. I waited until the DVDs were on the shelves in any stores, I bought it and watched it right away. The movie was so good. I started to develop my admiration for the Green Witch. Eventually, I bought the Wizard of OZ monopoly game from the bookstore and the LIFE magazine featured fully on the Wizard of OZ. I have all Frank's books of the Wonderland of OZ. In the future, I will buy my favourite characters, Dorothy and Wicked Witch of the West! 

Here are the pictures of my collection so far! 

Frank Baum wrote fifteen stories about the OZ.

I bought this magazine a few months ago because the movie is still the number one favourite for 75 years! 

I used to play the Monopoly game with my family when I was a kid. When the bookstore was selling this game with the Wizard of OZ features, I was like I MUST HAVE IT! So I have it! Lalala lalala 

Will Canada's lack of a penny spur coin collections?

I have a sizable collection of coins in my closet.

Most of it is Canadian silver dollars, about a hundred of them.

Now the reason why silver dollars are so valuable is two-fold...

#1. They're very rare.

#2. Silver is very valuable these days.

And as a bonus, depending on the age of the coins, they can be worth even more because of their age.

However if I was to sell my coin collection, I am not sure how much I would get for them.

If I check various websites online their value (depending on the coin) varies between $10 to $25 per coin.

And if I check the price of silver online it is currently hovering around $23.50 per ounce... which means I might get better value for my silver if I took it to a "cash-4-gold" place which also buys silver.

But what about the rest of my coin collection?

Well there are websites which specialize in coins online auctions whereby I could sell each coin (or a set of coins) to prospective buyers in much the same way people sell things on eBay. So it is possible I could sell my collection that way. Or expand my collection if I felt the desire to do so.

In Canada the Canadian mint has also decided to get rid of pennies as part of the national currency. All pennies currently in circulation are slowly disappearing, either being gobbled up by banks and resold back to the government, or being set aside by people who think the pennies might be worth something eventually someday.

Well, its partially true. The old pennies (the older the better) will certainly be worth something. But any pennies made during the 1970s, 1980s or more recently are basically worthless. Only the pennies dating from 1960s or earlier will be worthy of any true value for collections. (Unless they have a printing error on it.)

I do think however that this shedding of pennies may cause more young people to take an interest in coin collecting. In 50 years coins may disappear completely out of circulation and everyone will be using "change cards", which works a bit like a credit card or debit card, except its only good for small purchases.

These change cards are also being referred to as "Value Cards", but basically it will result in people becoming more dependent on credit and debit cards - and more dependent on bank accounts.

It is even a scary prospect to some people, because such prepaid "Value Cards" signals an economy even more dependent on credit - credit which has become an Achilles Heel to the USA's economy in the past, and will no doubt be the source of future problems as government overspending in many countries and household debts continue to skyrocket.

As of April 18th 2013 Canada's National Debt is now $609.6 billion.

Of which each Canadian's personal share is roughly $17,400.

Canada's consumer credit debt reached $477 billion in December of 2012 and continues to grow. Divided evenly between Canada's population of 35 million that means the average Canadian has approx. $13,600 in credit debt.

Taken together that means the average Canadian owes $31,000 just in government and credit debt.

The lion's share of which is government idiocy, followed by mortgages, and then credit cards / lines of credit, car loans, personal loans, etc.

And now back to the issue of coins.

If someone were to sell off a coin collection, how much of their personal debt could they get rid of? Probably not a lot. Most people don't have coin collections laying around worth thousands of dollars. I would wager my old coin collection is worth less than $2,000 altogether.

But if anyone out there wanted to make me an offer to buy my coin collection for $1800 (or a better offer) I'd probably snap my heels and shake their hand. They're just collecting dust in the closet anyway.