Why would I want to get my antiques, a 1950s lunch box, or a doll collection appraised?

You can get an appraisal to learn the value of anything you own—your collectibles, pictures, rugs, etc. People get appraisals for a variety of reasons: in order to insure them; to sell them; during divorces, estate planning, bankruptcy and other litigation; for disaster preparedness planning; and when making charitable contributions. You will never know the true value of what you have until you know how much it is worth.

If you want to get an idea of what an item might be worth and whether it should be appraised, you can do a little Internet research yourself on the designer or maker. If you think you have something valuable, ask an appraiser whether the property merits a full appraisal. The ASA directory lists accredited appraisers in every field and in each region of the country.