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Antiques vs. Memorabilia vs. Collectibles: What’s the Difference?

Impress your fellow collectors with your knowledge of the various categories.
ByCaLea Johnson|
Sports cards are common collectibles.
Sports cards are common collectibles. | EThamPhoto/GettyImages

You can find almost anything you can think of in an auction. Whether you’re into rare movie posters or Charizard-shaped Cheetos, there’s a souvenir you’ll adore somewhere on the internet. There are certain types of items found at auctions, from antiques to memorabilia to collectibles. Many people confuse these terms, but they refer to different things.

  1. What is an antique?
  2. What is a collectible?
  3. What is memorabilia?

What is an antique?

As High Plain Auctioneers explains, one of the most prominent traits of an antique is its age. As a rule of thumb, items over 100 years old are usually classified as such. An antique's value can be determined by various factors, such as its rarity and condition. They can also have some sort of historical value. Some examples of antiques include artwork, jewelry, furniture, and coins. You might be thinking antiques are the same as vintage items, but this is also inaccurate—items in the latter category are 20 to 99 years old, as per The Spruce.

What is a collectible?

Collectibles are an entirely different category from antiques. The most obvious difference is that the former items are typically not as old. Another defining feature of collectibles is that their owners usually make a hobby of collecting the products. Some common collectibles include vinyl figures like Funko Pops and trading cards from games like Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering.

What is memorabilia?

Memorabilia and collectibles are the most commonly confused of the three categories. However, unlike collectibles, memorabilia is often tied to an event, time period, or person and often has a nostalgic or sentimental factor. For example, a person may keep tickets to a Chicago Bulls game they attended years ago to commemorate the event. Additionally, memorabilia can gain value over time because of its rarity. Collectibles, on the other hand, are usually bought for fun and typically don‘t have significant value outside of the interested community.

Learn About the Differences Between Other Items: 

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