America's Football Team:  Collecting Dallas Cowboys Football Memorabilia

Football has always been a favorite American pastime. In fact, I can’t think of anything more American than sitting around during football season eating hamburgers with good friends, good beer, and a good game on television!  Maybe this is why collecting football memorabilia is one of the most popular hobbies in our country. Collecting football items and memorabilia can be just as fun and exciting as watching the game! And if you are going to collect football memorabilia, why not make it souvenirs from “America’s football team,” a.k.a. the DALLAS COWBOYS!  No other team in NFL history has such a wide and dedicated fan base than the Cowboys.  If you are thinking about adding to your football memorabilia collection, or maybe starting a collection for the very first time, then the Cowboys are a great place to start!

This History of the Dallas Cowboys Football Team
(courtesy of http://www.fivepointstexastours.com)

The Dallas Cowboys have made a sigificant mark in professional football history. Originating as an expansion team in 1960, the Cowboys are now one of the most popular and successful teams in the NFL. Today the team is the second most valuable sports team in North America and has an estimated value of over 1.1 billion dollars. Annually the team generates approximately $250 million in revenues, making them one of the wealthiest teams in the NFL.

Known as "America's Team," it seems there's no middle ground when it comes to one's opinion of the Cowboys — people either love them or hate them. This classic football team is based out of Dallas, but they play their home games at Texas stadium in Irving, Texas (plans are in the works for a new stadium to open in 2009 in Arlington, Texas).

Currently the Dallas Cowboys are members of the Eastern Division of the NFC. Over the 40 plus years of the Cowboy's existence, they have set phenomenal records and they hold the best playing record of all football teams. Several of the team's successes include a total of 27 winning seasons and the league record of 20 consecutive winning seasons. They've also won 5 of the 8 Super Bowl games appearances (1st team to win 3 w/in a 4 year period), earned 54 postseason games winning 32, they hold the most season with at least 10 wins, 14 NFC Championship game appearances (2 NFL championship games prior to NFL-AHL merger), they made the playoffs 26 times, and won 18 division championships.

1960s Team History

On January 28, 1960 Dallas, Texas was granted a National Football League franchise. However, team owners Clint Murchison, Jr. and Bedford Wynne faced opposition from the owner of the Washington Redskins. At the time the Redskins were the only team that represented the southern United States, so they were not thrilled to have any new competition. Dallas team owners bought the rights to the Redskins fight song "Hail to the Redskins" and told the Redskins owners that they couldn't use the song unless they agreed to allow for the new team. Today the rivalry between the two teams still runs strong.

Originally the Cowboys were called the Dallas Steers and then the Dallas Rangers. Eventually they fixed their minds on the nickname Cowboys for the 1960 team debut. Tex Shramm was hired as the teams General Manager and Tom Landry was hired as head coach. The Cowboys first season was not much to brag about — they completed the season winless. In 1961 the team made their first draft picks and had their first victory on 09-17-60 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Dallas Cowboys continued to improve throughout the 1960s. In 1966, the Cowboys had their first winning season. With the combination of Don Meredith (Quarterback) and Don Perkins (running back) the team would set a record winning 20 straight seasons, this record has not been matched by any other team to date in NFL history. The team played in their first playoff game, which paved the way to 8 consecutive playoff appearances. In the mid-60s eight players were sent to the Pro Bowl.

The Cowboys were not only becoming a strong force in the NFL, but they were making a strong impact on the people of Dallas as well. The people of Texas were loyal and the Cowboys had to compete with the (AFL) Dallas Texans for their affections. Eventually, the Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City to become the Kansas City Chiefs. Ground was broke in 1969 for a new stadium for the Cowboys. By 1971 Texas Stadium was completed in Irving, Texas a suburb of Dallas County.

The 1966 NFL Championship Game was the Cowboys' first postseason appearance. The Green Bay Packers defeated them, but that would change the following year. In 1967, the Cowboys won their first postseason victory over the Cleveland Browns.

1970s Team History

The AFL and NFL merged in the 1970s. Not only did the NFL see dramatic changes, the Cowboys faced drastic changes as well. The team made it to their first Super Bowl with a new Quarterback Craig Morton. The game was packed with mistakes and the Baltimore Colts defeated the Cowboys 16-13.

The 1971 season had a crippled beginning in the new Texas Stadium. Landry decided to make Staubach the permanent starting quarterback for the remainder of the season after suffering several losses in the first half. This proved to be a smart move, Dallas were unstoppable. With the astounding performance of Staubach the Cowboys went on to the Super Bowl crushed their opponents the Miami Dolphins. To date it is the only Super Bowl game in which the opposing team didn't score a single touchdown. Finally the Cowboys would lose the unfriendly title of "Next Year's Champions."

At this point the Dallas Cowboys began to gain national popularity. People loved to watch the Cowboys powerful and dominating defense and amazing offense.

In 1974, the Cowboys would miss the first playoff in eight years. However the following season the Cowboys drafted Randy White and Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson. They fresh line of talent took them to the next Super Bowl where the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated them. Nevertheless two years later the Cowboys defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII 27-10. NFL film editor Bob Ryan would be responsible for nicknaming the Cowboys "America's Team" a name that would stick with them through the good and the bad times.

They once again went to the Super Bowl (XIII) defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers despite a failed last-minute effort by Staubach. Staubach retired after the 1979 season and Danny White filled in for the next few years. The glory days and stardom began to fade for America's Team.

1980s Team History

The 1980s did not prove to be a great decade for the Cowboys. They did manage to return to 5 playoffs and to win 2 Division Championships, however they did not make it to another Super Bowl.

In 1984, Murchison sold the Dallas Cowboys to H.R. "Bum" Bright. The ownership didn't seem to help the plunging team and Bright sold the team to Jerry Jones in 1989. Jones immediately fired Landry the one and only coach the Cowboys ever had. Jimmy Johnson replaced Landry as head coach. The Cowboys also underwent several other changes veteran Herschel Walker was traded and the picked Troy Aikman during the draft as their new quarterback. Although they had the worst season ever in 1989, it would prove to be a new course that would bring the team back to glory.

1990s Team History

Emmitt Smith joined the line-up in 1990 as running back. Now the Dallas Cowboys had a triad of talent. Aikman, Smith, and Michael Irving together led the team back to the playoffs for the first time in 6 years in 1991.

1992 was the comeback year for the Cowboys. They won the 1981 NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers and once again won a Super Bowl (XXVII) victory defeating the Buffalo Bills 52-17. The Cowboys set a Super Bowl record of 9 turnovers during the game and coach Johnson became the first to obtain both National Championship (college) and Super Bowl victory (professional) football. The following year was a mirror of '92 the team once again defeated the 49ers in the NFC Championship and in Super Bowl XXVIII they defeated the Buffalo Bills 30-13. Another NFL record was set when 11 Cowboys players were sent to the Pro Bowl. Those players were Aikman, Smith, Irving, Everett, Johnston, Maryland, Newton, Norton, Novacek, Stepnoski, and Williams.

Owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson had a falling out that led Johnson to leave the team at the end of the 1993 season. The new head coach would be Barry Switzer. In 1995, Deion Sanders was added to the team line-up. Following the Cowboys won their 4th straight Division Championship, their 8th NFC Championship, and finally won another Super Bowl (XXX) defeating the Steelers 27-17.

Victory can only last so long and eventually the Dallas Cowboys' glory began to fade. Switzer resigned in 1998 and Chan Gailey was a short-lived replacement. Gailey was let go in 1999 and became the only coach for the Cowboys that did not win a Super Bowl.

2000s Team History

The Cowboys promoted Dave Campo (defensive coordinator) to head coach. Jerry Jones began to face public criticism and was blamed for failing to hire a good head coach because he wanted to coach the team himself. However, Bill Parcells agreed in 2003 to come out of retirement to coach the Cowboys on Jones request. Dallas would shock the nation with a 10-6 record and the best defensive team in the NFL. The 2004 season was littered with injuries, penalties, and turmoil.

In the 2005-2006 season the defense improved, but the offense line left little to be desired. Drew Bledsoe helped to give the Cowboys some stability in their offense, but he alone couldn't make up for other troubles. However, the team managed to place third in the NFC East 2006 season.

Many people question why the Cowboys don't have a large number of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees and they claim there is a bias against the Cowboys. One thing goes without saying the Cowboys made their mark and set many records in the NFL that have not been broken. One of which is the most (7) Super Bowl MVPs Chuck Howley (linebacker), Roger Staubach (quarterback), Randy White (defensive tackle), Harvey Martin (defensive end), Troy Aikman (quarterback), and Larry Brown (cornerback).

Next time you need some R&R come visit the alluring city of Dallas, Texas and catch a Dallas Cowboys game.

Don’t know where to begin?  Here are some Dallas Cowboys legends to look out for when starting your Dallas cowboys memorabilia collection:

• Troy Aikman
• Tony Dorsett
• Bob Hayes
• Chuck Howley
• Lee Roy Jordan
• Tom Landry
• Bob Lilly
• Don Meredith
• Don Perkins
• Mel Renfro
• Tex Schramm
• Emmitt Smith
• Roger Staubach
• Randy White

How to Start a Sports Memorabilia Collection

*  Ask yourself:  Why am I collecting sports memorabilia?  Are you collecting with the intentions of selling your valued collection down the road?  Or is it because you are a lover of sports? It is a good idea to establish your intention before choosing what to collect.  If you are in it solely for the money, then you will only research items that are high in value or are expected to appreciate greatly in value over the coming years.  If you are a sports fanatic, do you love all sports or just 1 or 2 sports?  Is it a player that you admire or a whole team that you can’t get enough of?  In my opinion, you should always collect something because you are passionate about it.  The experience will be much more enjoyable for you and the collection will be something special you can pass down in your family for generations.  It is also more motivational to collect and maintain a collection if you love what you are doing.
 
*  Establish a theme for your collection.  Do you want to only collect baseball cards from a certain time period or team?  Is it only autographed items of award winners or hall of famers that you are interested in?  Narrowing down options for your collection allows you to be more focused on building a valuable and impressive collection.  It is also very important to focus on one category because it allows you to become an expert at what you collect.  There are tons of different types of sports memorabilia out there and it is a lot more fun to be an expert at one faction of the game and move on to something new later, then to just know a little bit about a lot of different things.  The more you learn, the more engaged in your hobby you will become as you build your collection.
 
*  It’s time for some research.  It’s good to start out knowing the general value of what you will be collecting, especially if you intend to sell it down the road.  You can use iTaggit’s ValueRange It tool to determine what the items are selling for in today’s market just by typing in the description and clicking “Go.”  If you do plan to sell the collection, think about what kind of collection will appeal to the most buyers. For example, you would probably appeal to a greater market if you collected memorabilia of gold medalists in a specific sport rather than just miscellaneous Olympics memorabilia.
 
*  Set up a budget and make yourself a wish list.  Collectibles whether they are sports memorabilia or vintage antiques can get pricy.  One thing you will learn as you star to really get into your collection is that you will suddenly find yourself having “I HAVE to have it” moments when you come across something that is just perfect for your collections.  It is time to exercise that self control!  I think that sometimes men aren’t as bad as us women when it comes to impulse purchases -until they comes across a signed Cal Ripken, Jr. jersey that’s just perfect to add to the Orioles-dedicated gameroom, complete with cases of signed game balls and bats!  We’re all guilty of it at some point!  Making a list of what you want to add to your collection, along with a budget of what you want to spend per month (or whatever works for you) is a good way to keep us on track.  Those signed jerseys won’t provide much shelter after we have spent our way to homelessness!   
 
*  Knowledge is power.  Get online or stop by the bookstore and grab some good reading about what you are collecting.  Study up on what makes your item valuable, or more importantly, what decreases the value of your item!  Learn about the grading systems and characteristics that would cause your items to fluctuate in value, such as rarity, condition, or events having to do with a player, etc.  Knowing all that you can about what you are collecting can help you to not be fooled into buying a replica and can also ensure that your collection holds its value over time.
 
*  Be trendy.  Stay on top of the latest trends in sports collecting.  Join message boards, sign up for newsletters on websites dedicated to collecting your items, and subscribe to memorabilia publications to stay current on all things sports-memorabilia related.  The more you learn about your trade the better and it is just as important to stay current!
 
*  Ladies and fellas’, start your shopping!  Shop online marketplaces such as ebay.com, craigslist.org, oodle.com, and the iTaggit classifieds to find rare items.  You can also find many websites dedicated to trading and purchasing only sports memorabilia.  Check your newspaper listings and local sports memorabilia stores.  Remember to always keep an eye out because you never know when you can find the perfect item!  Also, if it is autographs you collect, be sure to always have something on hand to be signed when you attend games.  Most players will hang around after games or practices to sign autographs and you never know if he or she could be the next big thing!  I followed Tiger Woods during a college match years ago and snagged his autograph not thinking much of it (other then my father telling me he’s going to be one to watch).  That turned out to be some good advice! Thank you Dad!

 Spinning a Beautiful Collection: Collecting Antique Spinning Wheels

It has been hundreds of years since the spinning wheel was a staple in ones home for its functionality.  Even though we don’t have to spin our own thread for our clothing anymore, the antique spinning wheel remains a sought after collectible in the antiques marketplace.  Both its beauty and lasting historical value make the antique spinning wheel a beautiful addition to your home décor and your collection of family heirlooms.  

The History and Evolution of the Spinning Wheel
(courtesy of http://kws.atlantia.sca.org)

A handspindle is defined as any implement that can be twisted or rotated by hand to twist fibers together into yarn.  Handspindles can be divided into two general categories: a dropspindle, in which the thread is formed as the spindle spins while gravity pulls it to the ground; or a suspended spindle, where the spindle is spun on a set surface like a top and the thread is created by pulling the fiber away from the spindle. Spindle spinning is an art form – whereas modern spinning mills can produce large quantities or yarn in short periods of time, the types of yarn that can be spun are limited by the mechanics of the machines themselves - they cannot rival handspun yarns in delicacy and versatility.  At one point, handspinners in India were able to spin almost half a million yards of yarn from a single pound of cotton (Hochberg). In handspinning, you can design the exact kind of yarn you desire with any variations in texture or color or thickness that you wish – your only limitation is your own skill level in spinning.

Most authors agree that the practice of spinning fibers to form thread and yarns has been in existence for over 10,000 years.  The spinning wheel, the tool most commonly associated with the art of spinning, was not introduced to Europe until in the late Middle Ages/early Renaissance.  Thus, the dropspindle was the primary spinning tool used to spin all the threads for clothing and fabrics from Egyptian mummy wrappings to tapestries, and even the ropes and sails for ships, for almost 9000 years.

Whorls from hand spindles have been dated back to 5000 BCE in Middle Eastern excavation sites.  Bette Hochberg in her book Handspindles puts forth the theory that, since the wheel is generally agreed upon to have been invented somewhere around 3500 BCE, it is possible that the use of dropspindles helped man to discover the wheel.  By observing the process of rotation as it applied to the whorl of a spindle, early man might have made experimented with that rotation by placing it upon a vertical plane instead of a horizontal one and thus created the wheel.

Spindles and spinning are also an integral part to the mythology and folklore of many cultures.  Plato likens the axis of the universe to the shaft of a spindle with the starry heavens as the whorl end of his Republic.  The Bible mentions spindles and spinning.  Spider Woman, a Goddess in Navaho culture, taught them the art of spinning.  Arachne challenged the goddess Minerva to a spinning and weaving contest and was turned into a spider in Greek mythology.  In Germanic and Teutonic cultures the three Fates spin, measure and cut the threads of life of mortals.  Even our modern fairy tales mention spinning, as in Rumplestilskin, Sleeping Beauty, and East of the Sun and West of the Moon.

But despite the myriad stories and myths involving spinning and the numerous archaeological finds involving spinning implements, scientists have not been able to determine the location and time period in which hand spindles were first used.  Most believe it was somewhere in the Middle East, but no definitive evidence can place the craft before the Neolithic period.  Whorls made of clay and stone have been found dating as far back as this period, but the spindle shaft itself has not – leading experts to believe that most shafts were made of wood, and thus disintegrated over time.  The earliest whorls were made of soft stone like sandstone or limestone that could be shaped without metal tools, but later whorls could be ornately carved and decorated out of materials from bone, porcelain, glass, precious metals and semi-precious stones and came in all shapes and sizes.  However, it is very likely that other objects were used to spin fibers into thread before the creation of the handspindle itself.

Spinning fibers into thread was initially accomplished without the use of any tools at all; however, this method was more time-consuming. The fibers were held in one hand, and the other hand was used to pinch off a portion of the fiber.  The fibers were then twisted by hand between the fingers while simultaneously being pulled out to create longer lengths of thread.  Thread made in this manner is referred to as twisted yarn, rather than spun yarns.  A figurine carved from the tusk of a wooly mammoth wearing a loincloth made of twisted threads was carbon dated back to 25,000 BCE, but it is difficult to determine if the threads in her garment were twisted or spun  (Hochberg).

The oldest actual “tool” used for spinning thread were common rocks.  Archaeologists theorize that this tool was in common use by primitive peoples, but do not have good supporting archaeological evidence for this theory.  As the first spinners were nomadic tribes from pre-agrarian societies, it is unlikely that they would have carried their rocks from camp to camp, and would use stones found at each new site for their spinning.  A leader thread would be spun by twisting the fibers between the fingers to a desired length, then the resulting thread would be tied around the rock.  The rock could then be rotated to spin the fibers as they are played out between the fingers.  Spinning with rocks is still done in remote parts of Asia among the nomadic tribes.

A hooked stick is another ancient “tool” used for spinning.  Whereas the rock would be used more like a dropspindle, a stick cut from the branches of a tree would be used to spin the fibers by rolling the stick horizontally along the length of your thigh to put twist into the fibers.  The first sticks may have been straight, and were a natural outgrowth of rolling the fiber along the length of their leg to twist the fibers.  As with the rock, the time and place of the origin of this spinning tool is unknown.

Eventually, man hit upon a way to combine both the rock and the stick to create a tool that could provide greater twisting momentum for improved ease in spinning the yarn.  A whorl, often made of clay, bone or a soft rock, was attached to the spindle.  The spindle could then be twisted by hand with the weighted end of the shaft suspended on the ground, or rolled along the thigh.  It could also be used as a drop spindle, where the whorl could be placed at the top or bottom of the spindle.  A variation of this style, the bead-whorl spindle, is considered to be the most widely-used style of spindle throughout history.  It is specifically designed to spin fine yarns which require a lot of twist, and was in widespread use throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa where short-staple fibers such as cashmere, cotton and camel were used.  These spindles often had slim shafts, a pointed end to reduce friction with the ground, and hooked or pointed tops so that it could be used for either suspended or drop spinning. The bead is usually an inch or less in diameter and made of a dense material like stone or metal so that it rotates quickly to provide a lot of twist.  Some styles of bead-whorl spindles place the bead in the center of the spindle, so that the yarn can be spun both above and below the spindle.

Another type of weighted spindle that was commonly used was a cross-arm spindle, where a piece of wood or bone was attached to the bottom of the hooked spindle instead of a rounded whorl.  These types of spindles were used exclusively as drop spindles, either twisted by hand or rolled along the thigh to start the rotation while the yarn is pulled out from the fibers.  Eventually the cross-arm style was expanded upon to create a double cross-arm spindle, commonly known today as a “Turkish” dropspindle.  This style was used across the Middle East, and is formed by two arms that interlock (often at right angles) at the bottom of the spindle to allow for more balanced spinning than the single-arm style.  Some sets come with two sets of arms, so that you can use one set for thinner yarns and the second set for thicker yarns, and others come with arms of two different weights, allowing you three possible weight combinations for spinning on the spindle.

The most common form of dropspindle used today is known a hooked high-whorl spindle.  This spindle has the whorl located less than half the length of the spindle, with a hook at the top.  This type of dropspindle has been used since the twentieth century BCE in Egypt, where wall paintings depict spinners spinning and plying their yarns on hooked high-whorl spindles  (Hochberg).  Some spindles of this style have two whorls, one above the other, with a space to wind the yarn between the whorls.  This type of spindle was in common use throughout the Middle East, Asia and Africa.  Another variation of this style is the carved one-piece spindle, in which the spindle was made of lathe-turned wood with a wide top to act as a built-in whorl. These were most often used among European nobility of Italy, France and Spain in the 19th century, once spinning was taken up as a pastime instead of being a daily chore, and were often decorated with gilt and colored enamel.

Whereas high-whorl spindles were in common use in the East, drop spindles where the whorl was placed at the bottom of the spindle predominated Europe and Greco-Roman areas.  These low-whorl spindles were most commonly used to spin longer-staple fibers such as linen, silk and wool, and are still in widespread use in India, Indonesia, Peru and the Philippines.  Low-whorl dropspindles are second in popularity today to high-whorl spindles for most modern day spindle spinners.

Medieval spinners often used a distaff, (a stick with a fork or ornate comb on the tip used to hold long-staple fibers while spinning) to hold their fibers while they were spinning with a spindle.  This stick was usually held under the left arm according to most pictures – meaning that the spinners would have had to set their spindles in motion with their right hand, and feeding their fiber with the right hand.  In fact, the term “drop spindle” wasn’t common during that time period – you either spun “on the distaff” or “on the wheel.”  In fact, use of the distaff was so common that the term “distaff side” of one’s family indicated relations on the maternal side of the family.  Wool and flax were most commonly spun with distaff and dropspindle, even after spinning wheels became the popular tool of choice for spinning shorter-stapled wool and flax tow.

Unfortunately, there are no surviving examples early medieval spinning wheels, so one must look to artwork and historical records for evidence of their existence.  Evidence of spinning wheels themselves do not appear in any historical records and artwork of the 13th century.  In her book Spinning Wheels, Spinners and Spinning, Patricia Baines reports of written evidence to the presence of spinning wheels in Persia in 1257; and linguistic evidence that suggests they came to Persia from India, so it is entirely possible that they were in use prior to this time.  The earliest known artwork depicting a spinning wheel comes from China around 1270 and depicts a “wheel” with long bamboo spokes.  This wheel, as well as the Indian styles known as charkha wheels, were not rimed wheels at all, but rather had a string running through holes in the tips of the spokes connecting them in a zig-zag fashion, thus supporting the drive band.  The drive band was connected to a spindle turned on it’s side where the whorl might be, and powered by a hand crank.  The spinner would turn the hand crank with one hand and spin off of the end of the spindle with the other hand – thus the term “spindle wheel.”

While these rimless spindle wheels were in use in Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Italy and Switzerland, they did not reach Europe until the late 13th century.  Baines reports a mention of spindle wheels in Speyer (now Germany) dating from 1298 that forbids the use of wheel-spun warp threads in weaving.  Spindle wheels, as they can spin fibers with less gravity and twist, created a softer yarn that would not hold up to the warp tension as well as strong-spun warp threads.  Baines notes: “The need for such a regulation surely indicates that spinning on the wheel was an established method by that time.”  Unfortunately, there is not enough evidence in the document to define what fibers were being spun and what kind of wheel was being used.

Devices similar to spinning wheels with a conventional rim are pictured in windows of several French cathedrals dating back to the 13th century in Amiens and Chartes, areas known for their woolen goods in the medieval era.  The pictures appear to show them being used as bobbin winders for finished yarns, as opposed to wheels for spinning yarns; but the use of a spinning wheel to spin wool seems to have developed in France and Flanders (Baines)  Wheels used to spin wool appear in documentable evidence in Britain in the early 14th century as pictures in the Decretals of Gregory IX, a manuscript that was illustrated in England, and shows a woman carding, combing and spinning wool on a wheel.    The Luttrell Psalter written and illustrated in East Anglia sometime between 1335-1340, illustrates wool carding and spinning on a wheel.

Oftentimes, these spindle wheels (with the exception of the small charkha wheels used in India) are called “great wheels.”  This is not a medieval term, as smaller spinning wheels for comparison did not come into use until more modern times. These smaller wheels, like the ones made by Ashford, Louet, Majacraft and others, were developed late in the medieval period to allow spinners easier handling of the longer staple fibers like linen and combed wools.  Baines speculates that the silk reeling and throwing mills of 13th century Italy may have inspired the development of these wheels, as flyers were used to load spun yarn onto bobbins.  The thread was twisted as it left the bobbin, rather than being twisted and then loaded onto the bobbin as seen in modern flyer wheels.  The first published discussion of these machines doesn’t appear until 1607, yet there is documentation that the technology for these reeling machines was brought from Lucca to Bologna in 1272, and to Florence and Venice in the mid 14th century.  Apparently the weaving Guilds made every attempt at keeping the existence of these reeling machines a secret.  (Baines)

The earliest known record of a flyer wheel appears in the form of a picture from southern Germany, dated from 1475-1480, and shows flax spinning.  Other pictures from the Low Countries dating from the early 1500s show small flyer wheels being used to spin wool.  Leonardo da Vinci himself even worked on the mechanics of creating a flyer wheel, as evidenced in his notes of 1490, but he did not invent the flyer wheel itself.  (Baines)  Just as with the spindle wheels, these flyer wheels were turned with a hand crank.  The foot treadle present on most modern spinning wheels was an even later addition, but there seems to be little agreement as to their era of origin.  In her book A Weaver’s Garden, Rita Buchannan refers to “the development of the flyer and the treadle-driven wheel in the 15th and 16th centuries.”  However, Patricia Baines states that “There still seems to be no definite evidence (for foot treadles) before the 17th century.”

Regardless of the method and device used, as long as you are twisting fibers together to create yarn, you are spinning.  You can get a good quality dropspindle for as low as $5 that will give you yarn just as good as you can get on a spinning wheel, which usually starts around $300.  No matter how much you spend on your tools, or how historically accurate your methods, as long as you are creating yarn and enjoying yourself, you are keeping this once vital part of our history alive.

Types of American Spinning Wheels
(courtesy of ehow.com)

Saxony Wheel
 
American colonists grew flax to be processed into linen and colonial families prized their linen textiles. Once the flax fibers have been processed, they can be spun into linen thread. A Saxony, or flax, wheel is used to spin linen fibers into thread. This treadle-driven wheel has three legs and a flyer-and-bobbin mechanism is used to wind the thread onto the bobbin. Saxony wheels can have a single-drive or a double-drive set-up, which is the number of times the drive band goes around the wheel.
Walking Wheel
 
After wool has been cleaned and carded, it is ready for spinning. A walking, or great, wheel is often used to spin wool, and it is distinguished by its large wheel (typically over five feet high). Using a walking wheel is an art form that requires deftness and skill. The spinner turns the great wheel with one hand and walks forwards and backwards to control the carded wool with the other hand. Also, the spinner has to control the wool thread winding onto the spindle.

Castle Wheel
 
The castle spinning wheel is a modified version of a Saxony wheel. The bobbin-and-flyer assembly is located on top of the wheel instead of behind it (as in a Saxony wheel). The primary advantage of the castle wheel is that is occupies less space for use, storage and transport. Castle wheels, like Saxony wheels, can have a single- or double-drive system.

Norwegian Wheel
 
The Norwegian wheel is also a modified Saxony wheel. Although Norway also produced Saxony wheels, and Norwegian immigrants brought both types to America, the Norwegian wheel is usually distinguished from the Saxony wheel in that it has four legs instead of three and a larger wheel. Norwegian wheels can also have a single- or double-drive set up.

How to Spot a Truly Antique Spinning Wheel
(courtesy of ehow.com)

* Request the provenance for the antique spinning wheel, if available. This information will tell you the wheel's age, origins and perhaps the history of its ownership.

*  Examine the workmanship. Look for signs that the spinning wheel was handmade, such as slight differences in diameter of the legs. Machine-cut pieces are more uniform and were not made until about 1860.

*  Check the finish. A spinning wheel finished with lacquer or varnish probably dates from after the mid-1800s. Clear shellac was used before then. A very old piece might have an oil or painted finish.

*  Look for signs of age. An old spinning wheel that has not been cleaned or used will have built up grease and lint in the orifice or other parts. The flyer hooks might be worn, grooved or broken. The orifice also could show a groove where yards of yarn have passed through.

*  Look for a manufacturer's mark. Farnham wheels, made in Owego, N.Y., in the 1800s, have the "Farnham" signature stamped or burned into the top or side of the wheel table. Other types of signed wheels include "Truesdell" and "E.S. Williams."

*  Missing or broken parts can subtract from the value of a spinning wheel. A guide to spinning wheels is a good source for illustrations of spinning wheel parts. Unless the wheel is a rare collector's item, antique spinning wheels are relatively inexpensive--about $300 for a simple horizontal wheel.

Antique Spinning Wheel Price Guide

A Penny for Your Thoughts, a Rare 1913 Liberty Head Nickel for Your Collection!

Collecting Rare Coins

Collecting money:  it seems a little silly when you think about it, doesn’t it?  Don’t we all want to collect as much money as we can?  What I am referring too, however, isn’t just adding to your bank account.  I am talking about collecting rare coins.  The difference is, the nickel that you drop in your piggy bank will only net you 5 cents, while coming across a rare nickel not meant for circulation, such as a 1913 Liberty Nickel, will increase your worth by about $5 million dollars.  Isn’t the world of coin collecting exciting?  You never know what you may find.  That is why rare coin collecting remains one of the most popular and lucrative collections on the market today!

The History of Coins
(courtesy of http://www.thecoinalley.com/)

Here is some information on the history of coins. Copper, Silver, and Gold Coins have found themselves in the hearts of coin collectors all over the world.  And are some of the most cherished collectibles, that haven't become some collecting fad at the time.  Coin collecting is here to stay, and as long as collectors stay intrigued in the passion of coins, and pass that passion down, the "Hobby of Kings"  will never die out.
 
It wasn't until foreign tradesman came to trade with the American immigrants and demanded coins for payment of goods.  Before then immigrants used beaver skins, tobacco, and wampum, which was fashioned from mussel shells in the form of beads.  Many foreign coins were excepted as payment, however, the Spanish Dollar became the standard monetary unit used throughout the colonial period.  As time went on, many coins and tokens of all different types were introduced by the colonist, and the money came to be.

March 1 1781, the Articles of Confederation provided that Congress should have the sole right to regulate not only the alloy, but also the value of any coin struck.  This meaning each state had the right to coin money, and New Hampshire was the first of the states to consider coinage, but few coins were placed into circulation.  Other states, such as Vermont, Connecticut, and New Jersey were granted coining privileges and Massachusetts began coining copper coins.

Copper Coins were the first coins to be minted by the United States Mint, which officially opened its doors in 1793.  The Mint produced the Large Cent and the Half Cent, which both went through some rather major design changes.  But none the less the cents were produced in a time where they were greatly needed.  After the era of the Large and Half Cents, which ended in 1857, came rise to a new copper coin series called the small cents which escalated into what we use now.  The Flying Eagle Cent gave birth to a new metal used in minting coins.  This new metal was Nickel, and it began the basis of coins today.  The new copper-nickel coins are what a majority of our coins today are made of in some facet or another.

Many of the most popular and famous coins were struck in silver.  Silver coins were what the United States Mint primarily produced and are very popular in the collecting community.   Many denominations of silver coins have been struck including the three-cent piece, the silver half-dime, the twenty-cent piece, quarter dollar, half dollar, and the one dollar coins.  All these coins, whether short lived or here to stay, brought some importance  to the economic structure of the United States.  And whether the coins were produced for the sheer value of showing England that we could stand on our own two feet, or that we actually needed the adoption of the silver coins for just a nice coin to look at in our pockets.  The Silver Coins were without a doubt one of the most regarded collectible coins minted by our United States Mint.

Our US Gold coins were minted in 1795 in denominations of the 5 and 10 dollar pieces.  These are a very desired collectible among coin collectors all over the world, and the are as rare as they come. The United States Mint produced gold denominations of $1, $2.50, $5, $10, and the 20 dollar gold piece.  A $4 Gold piece was struck as well as a $50 Gold, but these were merely pattern coins for the upcoming new coins and were never released into the economy. Owning gold coins today, wasn't really to spend them with actual circulating currency, but to regard them in the same effect as collectible coins, only knowing that they were worth their weight in gold.

The Top 10 Rare U.S. Coins
(courtesy of http://www.livescience.com/history/top10-rare-coins-1.html)

10: 1943 Copper Penny
The Second World War meant big rationing on copper, and the US Mint was no exception. Most wartime pennies were instead made of a brass-steel alloy, except for a few struck from the outlawed bronze (a copper alloy). If you find one of these anomalies - the common brass version will stick to a magnet, while the bronze won't - it could be worth big bucks.



9: 1776 Silver Continental Dollar

Not long after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the new United States Congress decided to assert its freedom by striking the first true American currency. The design, usually attributed to Benjamin Franklin, is a whimsical motif including the words "fugio" (time flies) and "mind your business," along with thirteen interlocking rings representing the colonies. Many were struck in pewter and a few dozen remain, but the silver version is very rare.



8: 1866

This famous silver coin, owned by the DuPont family, was the target of a heist in 1967 and only recovered just a few years ago. Just a few denominations, and probably only the one duPont dollar, were produced without the classic "In God We Trust" motto in 1866. According to some sources, it was upon special request from a collector and friend of mint executives, a pharmacist who provided opium to the workers in return.



7: Almost anything from 1870

...or more specifically, from 1870 and created in San Francisco. Three of the most coveted collector coins - the 1870-S Half-Dime, 1870-S Silver Dollar and 1870-S Gold $3 coin (the S stands for the mint city) - come from the year when construction began on a new mint in San Fran. Just a few coins in those denominations were produced that year, most of which were destined to be embedded in the foundation's cornerstone.



6:  1913 Liberty Head Nickel

This five-cent piece is a numismatic legend. Despite being retired in 1912, five nickels with the "Liberty Head" design were struck in 1913 and came into the possession of one man. The collector started a rumor about their existence, driving up the value of the nickel if one was ever found but neglecting to mention he had all five. They were sold a few years later and, in a recent change of hands, one was valued at 5 million dollars.



5: 1974 Aluminum Penny

With the rising price of copper, in the early 1970s it almost cost as much to make a cent as the penny was worth. The US Mint tested alternatives, like this aluminum penny that was sent out to VIPs as a sample, and then never recouped.



4: 1861 Confederate States Half-Dollar

The New Orleans Mint came under the control of the Confederate States in 1861, but without a reserve of precious metals, the South chose paper money instead of coinage to support their war efforts. The few Confederate cents and half-dollars that were struck were virtually unknown until they began popping up in private collections after the Civil War.



3: The Brasher Doubloon

Before New York adopted the new constitution in 1789 it, like other states, had the right to issue its own state coinage. Goldsmith Ephraim Brasher got one of those contracts, to mint copper coins, but it appears he largely ignored that material and went on to produce several very artistic gold specimens for reasons unknown. Just seven of these unique coins are known to exist.



2: 1804 Draped Bust Dollar

When the Jackson administration, in 1834, wanted to dole out coin sets to foreign dignitaries, there was a problem - silver dollars hadn't been pressed for thirty years, to combat a rash of counterfeit schemes. The mint was ordered to press eight silver dollars for the occasion and they were dated 1804, the only dollar coins that would ever bear that year. Today, each has a value of over one million dollars.



1: 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

In 1933, with the Depression in full swing, President Roosevelt took the country off the gold standard and recalled all gold coins for melting. About a dozen never made it back to the mint or were smuggled out again by enterprising employees, including this one, which resurfaced in 1992 and was confiscated by the Secret Service. In 1933 it had a face value of $20; in 2002, it was sold at auction for over 7 million dollars.



Tips for Starting your Rare Coin Collection

• A good way to begin your rare coin collection is to go through the change you already have! Clean out your old drawers, wallets, purses. You'll be surprised at all of the interesting and rare coins that you may discover you already have just lying around.
• Learn about rare coins.  Purchasing a rare coin information and price guide is essential when starting your own rare coin collection.  Check out rare coin price guides online, like the PCGS (http://www.pcgs.com/prices/default.aspx).  You want to know how much your coins are potentially worth in today’s market so that you know what to look for in your home and while shopping for rare coins.
• 
• Know where to shop for rare coins. Check out antique stores, rare coin shops, classifieds websites such as the iTaggit online classifieds, and online auction websites such as eBay. You always could get lucky by getting handed a free rare coin by a cashier! Keep your eyes open, sometimes a rare coin can be found even lying on the ground!
• A rare coin collection can be worth hundreds to millions of dollars.  Always do your own research and value your own collection when deciding to resale your collection.  Do not rely on a non-professional appraiser to tell you the value of your coins. In fact, I would not rely on any appraiser to value my collection if I had not previously valued it myself.  Plus – valuing your own collection will give you a feel for how much it is worth and give  you a better appreciation of your new-found hobby!
• When acquiring rare coins, purchase only coins certified by an objective 3rd. party authentication company, such as PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Services), NGC (Numismatic Guarantee Corporation) and ANACS (American Numismatic Authentication Certification Service). Always purchase your rare coins from an established, reputable dealer whose credentials can be verified. Also, always verify the values of any coins you are interested in before you agree to purchase them.
• Purchasing uncertified coins opens the door to counterfeits and altered coins. Remember, if the deal sounds to good to be true, it is.

Rare Coin Price Guide