AND TWO COLLECTIBLES THAT STAND OUT
By Beth Kobliner, Janet Plume.

(MONEY Magazine) – Forecasting the value of collectibles is tricky, since their worth depends on intangibles like society's evolving sense of beauty, nostalgic appeal and the cultural zeitgeist. Still, we scanned dozens of collectible categories and found two that haven't lost money since 1980: Top-quality comic books of the '30s through the '60s. Collectors call 1930 to 1950 the "golden age" of comics and 1960 to 1970 the "silver age," since those decades were when classic characters ranging from Superman to Conan the Barbarian were created. Comic books from that era in near-mint condition -- meaning almost perfect quality -- have risen as much as 1,300% in value since 1980, says Bob Overstreet, publisher of the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, which tracks comic prices. To find ones that are likely to keep appreciating, look for issues that mark a clear turning point in a comic's evolution, such as the one that introduced the Hulk (left, below). American Art pottery from the 1880s to the 1920s. In the late 19th century, several important pottery movements began in Ohio, all of which elevated household wares from their utilitarian roots into a true art form. And since the mid-1970s, says Terry Kovel, co-author of the annual Kovel's Antiques and Collectibles Price List (Crown, $14), many of these pieces have been steadily escalating in value. Handcrafted Rookwood pottery, for example, is up as much as 500% since 1980, according to David Rago, an art pottery dealer in Lambertville, N.J. And Roseville artware, like the $3,500 vase shown above that was made in 1906, is up about 250%. -- B.K. and Janet Plume