One of the basic fundamentals of the antiques and collectibles trade is understanding the concept of organic collectability. The very reason certain collectibles are worth a substantial amount on the secondary market is simply due to the fact that they were not saved and hoarded as collectibles. Just look at the value of the first issue of Action Comics. Released in June of 1938, this now historic comic book featured the first ever appearance of Superman. Suffice it to say that when this comic book appeared on newsstands at that time, very few were saved as coveted collectibles simply because no one ever thought that Superman would be coveted by generation after generation of diehard fans. As a result, very few are available today and when a copy of Action Comics issue one comes up for bid at auction, the final bid is usually in the seven-figure range. This is a perfect example of organic collectability in action (pardon the pun). Now compare a copy of Action Comics issue one to a plethora of mass-produced collectibles being promoted as rare simply because the manufacturer limits supply on the primary market. This has been the formula adopted by many different manufacturers over the years. The Bradford Exchange, The Franklin Mint, The Longaberger Basket Company, PEZ, Ty (makers of Beanie Babies), Funko, and many more have all adopted this concept as a way to get would-be collectors and speculators excited about their products. And since the 1980s, this strategy worked exceedingly well, never mind the fact that most of these particular products ended up crashing and burning on the secondary market at some point. It does not matter though, simply because virtually every new generation of collectors and speculators never learn from the past. A common mantra on most modern-era collecting forums: my collecting category is not comparable to Beanie Babies! Therefore, it will never suffer a similar fate! This is completely false in most cases. Just a few short decades ago, for something to become collectible and highly valued on the secondary market, the item in question would have to go through several different phases before finding an audience as a true collectible. To illustrate my point, let me use vintage Star Wars action figures as a prime example. Vintage Star Wars action figures have a lot of organic collectability today because, believe it or not, there was a time when these items were considered almost worthless. I know that sounds almost unbelievable to the generation of fans (myself included) who grew up with these incredible toys under their Christmas trees, but I assure you the assessment is completely true. Star Wars action figures were first released in 1978 by Kenner Toys, and the company would go on to sell over 40 million units in just the first year! I am sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but very few vintage Star Wars action figures actually qualify as rare, let alone scarce. The reason some of these toys are quite coveted today is simply due to the fact that almost everyone who bought these toys opened them and played with them. They were not purchased as prized collectibles for the most part, because no one knew, at least in 1978, the generational effect Star Wars would have on the general public and specifically with toy enthusiasts and collectors. The vintage Kenner Star Wars line would last from 1978 through roughly mid-1985 when demand softened after the 1984 release of The Return of the Jedi, which was the last move in the planned trilogy of original Star Wars films. By the time production of the coveted Star Wars line ceased, toy enthusiasts grew tired (gasp!) of Star Wars and moved on to other toy lines of the era, like Mattels incredible Masters of the Universe line. As a result, by late 1985 you could find a lot of these left over Star Wars action figures and playsets sitting in bargain bins finding few buyers. It was during this time that most of these toys were considered nearly worthless. Over the next few years, if you visited any flea market or garage sale, you were bound to find a lot of vintage Kenner Star Wars readily available for purchase. The generation that grew up with them as their favorite toy line had moved on and discovered new and exciting things like video games, Transformers, Masters of the Universe, and girls. It wasnt until well over a decade later that interest in the vintage Kenner Star Wars toy line first started to emerge. The creation of the internet fostered the nostalgia collectors felt toward these products, and, low and behold, enthusiasts started to compile information about the toy line and just how many action figures and playsets were produced during its nearly seven-year life span. Slowly, but surely, more nostalgia-filled collectors showed interest in the line, and prices began to rise on the secondary market. This is the way the antiques and collectibles trade is supposed to operate. Things are supposed to become virtually worthless before they become extremely valuable on the secondary market. Unfortunately, todays collectors no longer have the patience to wait for something to die out and then rediscover it again. They want to try to hoard and keep everything in pristine condition, hoping that it continues to be sought after over time. This is something that todays manufacturers are all too aware of, and it is killing the collecting community. For instance, in the year 2023, Hasbro has the license to produce Star Wars action figures and toys. Unfortunately, most of the products they make as part of this toy line are produced for the collecting market rather than the toy market. The Black Series of Star Wars figures the company produces are eagerly sought after by fans and kept in their original packaging. They are not purchased and played with like the toys of my era. Under normal circumstances, I usually end all of my articles with a neat little summary that provides an overview of the lesson being discussed. I am not going to do that here. Somewhere in this article that my critics will just consider another empty rant is a very important lesson that teaches the difference between organic collectability and that of mass-produced scarcity. I am sorry, but try as you might, you cannot manufacture a true organic collectible. It doesnt matter if you are Hasbro, Nintendo, Lego, Funko, Rolex, Hermes, or any other manufacturer, the best collectibles of today were the ones that were once considered worthless. That in and of itself is the lesson, and I long for the day that the current starry-eyed speculators and collectors who make up the modern era collectibles trade wake up and realize this. That said, I am not holding my breath. Thanks for reading. Shawn Surmick has been an avid collector since the age of 12. He currently resides in his hometown of Boyertown, Pa., and is a passionate collector of antiques and collectibles. His articles focus on various topics affecting the marketplace.