A New Resolution

Hi all, after more than a year away I'm back...,Actually I was not really away as I do read up on my followers blog..

I have some free time on my hand now so I decide to list lots of interesting items to share with fellow bloggers.I realise that even I may need one whole year to list down stuff to made cyber copies. Cyber copies last forever , physical items get sold, lost damaged etc..

I have been collecting for many years now. I would generally classify my collection as numismatic material , philatelic material and collectables curios. But that would be collecting anything and everything under the sun!

How do I come about my collection?
Well u need to have a deep passion for it..
I have hardly sold anything at all but sometimes I do exchange items with friends.
Readers can made offers for items on my blog if the they really are interested.

How do I come about my collection?
Okay, Most towns in Malaysia have a place where people sell quacky stuff, local traditional medicines, second hand junks etc.
I have found some gems over the years which I shall list soon.
Be prepared to have a painful learning curve as most of the items are common, bad condition, way too expensive or poor fakes. Newbies would be caught out as I have been once.Going this route u need to be patient and also need a slice of luck..

Antique shops.
U can also follow this route but I feel that this is for the experienced collector.
I hardly ever buy anything from them because at best u can get market value for any item or u pay top ringgit for average stuff.

Internet sites
I bought half my collection over the internet , this is where I get value for money items.

Lastly , some are presented to me from family members once they know how crazy I am about collecting old items. Old fabric given to me from my mother are really priceless as i shall list later to share with fellow bloggers.

What Iam holding in my palm is a huge amber /copal .
Most reader would know that amber is fossilized resin from ancient forests.The resin is a self defence mechanism for trees trapping debris such as seeds, leaves, feathers and insects.Amber would take millions of years to take shape.

Copal is similar to amber only much younger, say a few thousand years says the experts.
There are tests done to know if it is a fake, distinguish copal from amber etc
I am pretty sure that mine is an original amber/copal as I have done some basic test
Some clever people test try to fool people by selling fake amber.Remember gift shops where they have huge scorpions inserted in yellow plastic?
I was initially worried that this could be plastic..
I read up a bit and did the hot needle test.
U heat up the tip of a needle and insert it discreetly , Amber /copal would release a fragrant smell as it is a resin. Plastic obviously would smell burnt toxic chemical.
I was very happy that smell was very aromatic..
A colleague at work once threw my amber/copal onto concrete floor when I was showing it to friends bcos he says that its plastic . Everyone was shocked ..
Its not broken thank god but its chipped at the edges.Well plastic dont chip..

Its not easy to differentiate copal/amber .Amber is rarer than copal and if mine is amber it is really worth some money. Amber should float immersed in seawater says wiki but unfortunately mine sank using South China Sea near my house..but the salt density of various ocean is different so I think it might be amber..
Even if it copal it is beautiful with one trapped bee, leaves, ants etc