By Jonathan Castner Transfer spending in women’s professional soccer almost doubled in 2020 and surpassed $1 million this past year for the very first time. Last summer’s transfer window was the most active in women’s soccer history, with a number of stars like Lucy Bronze, Pernille Harder, and Tobin Heath, making big money moves. Last […]
Signatures on envelopes – Free franks Benjamin Franklin was a printer, an inventor, and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was also frugal. It was his “mission.” When he hit the ripe old age (for then!) of 20, Franklin decided to embark on what he called “moral perfection.” He created a list of […]
IRS Charitable Contribution Procedure Way back in February, the IRS released a new version of IRS Publication 561 – “Determining the Value of Donated Property.” If you have not studied it in detail, it’s time to take closer look. I won’t describe all the changes, but you might find the penalties section of special interest, as […]
A LeBron James Rookie Card from 2004 recently sold for nearly $2 million at auction. That’s the most ever paid for a contemporary sports card and not far below the $2.8 million (over $3 million today with inflation) paid for a 1909 T206 Honus Wanger card in 2007 (the highest price ever realized for a […]
Michael Jordan is back again, driving us down memory lane with “The Last Dance,” ESPN’s ten-part series about Jordan and the 1998 Chicago Bulls. But while the spotlight shed new light on team relationships, his true partner was and always has been his shoes. Sorry Scotty Pippen. His shoes – Nike’s Air Jordan – are […]
Last week I was going through my autograph research files, yet again, and came across my ‘education folder.’ The ‘education folder’ is a hardcopy file full of most of my major buying mistakes, and so named because every time I made a mistake, I learned — the hard way. It contains forgeries, autopen facsimiles, and […]
A Guide for Gatekeepers, Paralegals, Insurance Adjusters & Others By Leon Castner, Senior Partner, National Appraisal Consultants, LLC Many professionals encounter personal property appraisals during their work, either receiving them from appraisers they have contracted or given them by others in their firm to review and file. Not all appraisals are created equal, however, and […]
Advice for Congressmen and Congresswomen for Donating Your Congressional Papers Senators, Congressmen, and Congresswomen donate their archives of papers and records for a variety of reasons. Some folks donate to preserve the history of their district; others donate them to document social, cultural, and political changes in the United States. Whatever the reason, it is one […]
• What formal, tested training has the appraiser taken? • What training, testing and certifications does the appraiser currently hold? Can he or she provide the documentation to back it up? Twenty years in the autograph or antiques business is no indication of appraisal competence. Nor is a degree in history. Historians, archivists […]
It may seem like a silly question, but often the silly questions are the best. What exactly is an appraisal? The answer and its consequences may surprise you, whether you are a professional appraiser, one that uses appraisal services, or just an interested third party. According to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, an […]