Register Today

We’re looking for collectors from across the Mid-Atlantic region who want to share stories of their prized possessions at Chesapeake Collectibles’ two-day taping event, on October 3 and 4 at MPT’s Owings Mills, Maryland studios.

Paid registration is required to attend. The cost is $135 and includes verbal evaluations of up to three items by a team of experienced appraisers and a chance to be selected to appear on the show. It also includes a one-year membership to MPT.

Registration and attendance details are available on our website at this link. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated because of occupancy limits.

We hope to see you with your prize possessions at our taping weekend in October!

Talkin' Collectibles with Mike

Whatever your interest in collectibles – 100-year-old antiques, Pokémon cards, militaria, music on vinyl, family heirlooms, rare books – this is where no explanations are necessary.

Your family members or friends don’t understand? It’s okay, we do. And this is how well we understand: there seems to be a collector for everything. Which is what Chesapeake Collectibles honors. And what this newsletter is devoted to. As with all MPT endeavors, a sense of community is the foundation.

Who's the party host? See my capsule bio at the end of this inaugural column. Let me set the tone for everything to come by pointing out the size of the wave that has made collecting one of the liveliest arenas of 2026.

• The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History was gifted a copy of Action Comics No. 1 and Captain America No. 1, each worth several million dollars.
• In a market of many different sensibilities, a meticulously authenticated sketch by Michelangelo sold at auction for $27.2 million.
• As affirmation for every pop culture and media archaeologist, two missing episodes of Doctor Who were, according to the Associated Press, recently discovered by a charity organization in the estate of a film aficionado.
• Our personal auction-watching tracked a high-condition 1950s ride-on toy truck with a Nabisco logo from a $200-$400 estimate to a price of more than $1,000 (including buyer's premium).

As we go forward, we’ll add original reporting and commentary to discoveries and trends that make Chesapeake Collectibles enduringly relevant. Our passion is to fire your imagination and bring the show’s spirit to you as usefully as possible. Be assured, we’re alert to the realities of the current fervor, from the misrepresentation of items to shill bidding.

And for the record, as obvious as this is, we’re your hub for viewership information. How do you mark your calendars? With vintage calligraphy? Maybe quill and inkpot (inkpots are SO collectible!). However you do it, write boldly: Season 13 of Chesapeake Collectibles premieres on Monday, June 1.

Talkin’ Collectibles with Mike is written by Mike Antonucci, an MPT volunteer with decades of newspaper and magazine experience in a range of subjects that he can now confine to one: anything about collecting.

And Now, a Word from Our Appraisers

As the United States celebrates 250 years of our democratic form of government, I'm frequently asked whether this will influence what people collect or the value of pieces closely related to our country. The simple answer is “yes."

Colonial period furniture and decorative arts, which always have strong value, should see an uptick in interest. The same can be expected of items honoring the 1876 Centennial, when makers and artisans created pieces to celebrate our first 100 years.

As always, particular makers will command the greatest interest – Paul Revere over a local silversmith, for example. As a nation, we’ve had a strong influence in creating our own styles and trends, and those should offer opportunities for astute collectors. This applies to everything from American Art Pottery and jewelry design to political pieces of note and 1960s counter-culture memorabilia. For the collector of Americana, this will all be a part of celebrating 250 years.

– Amory LeCuyer