Curious about the value of the LPs you have stashed in the closet or the comic books you couldn’t part with as a kid? Many of the toys, trinkets and trends of the recent past have more than sentimental value; they may actually be worth lots of money.

If you played with it, watched it or listened to it, it’s probably perfect for Pop Nation: America’s Coolest Stuff, a new show being produced for the Discovery Channel that taps into America’s fascination with pop culture.  You don’t have to be a hard-core collector to participate, just someone who couldn’t part with something you loved from the 1960s through the 90s.  The show will give folks a chance to find out the worth of their movie posters, record albums, comic books, jewelry and other collectable items.  Once they learn the value of their item, they may then get the chance to sell it to an on-site collector or even one of the show’s viewers. 

Pop Nation consultant Harry Rinker is a national collectibles expert who knows that even everyday items from the post 1960s can sometimes be worth serious cash.   “Objects from the sixties and seventies are hot commodities.  Anyone might have a gold mine in their garage,” Rinker said.  “These are the things that young collectors want.  And interest is growing in objects from the 80s and 90s.” 

How can you find out how much your stuff is worth?  Discovery Channel is setting up four events across the country where people can get free appraisals and perhaps even end up on TV.  Pop Nation will be holding events at the following locations: Saturday, June 4, the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD; Saturday, June 18, the Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX; Saturday, July 2, the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CA; and Saturday, July 9, the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR.  The show is also looking for dealers to bid on objects brought in for appraisal and collectors willing to share their personal collections with the nation. 

Pop Nation will only feature portable items available after 1960, so forget grandma’s armoire.  If you played with it, watched it or listened to it, it’s probably perfect for Pop Nation. Anyone who wants to go to an event or to appear on Pop Nation must register at www.discovery.com/popnation.  Those who come and try to register on site are not guaranteed appraisals. 

After getting their items appraised, some participants might get a chance to sell their treasures because Pop Nation buyers will be offering cash on the spot for select items.  The right item could also get them on national television. The show is looking for great objects with great stories behind them.  So whether you’re an average person with an attic full of stuff or a serious collector, Pop Nation has something to offer you.

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