If Only I Had...

A few years ago, my room mate began watching The Antique Roadshow, both the American and British versions. Although I was usually reading a book when it was on,  I would look at interesting things and wait for the appraisal before going back to my book.

I started to wonder if I had anything antique that was worth anything. Well, there was my pendant that my parents bought for my birthday in the sixties, with all sorts of symbols, it's supposed to bring positive energy to the wearer. I didn't suppose it was worth anything, even though it's in pristine condition.

But it did make me think of some postcards I'd had as a child. My grandmother's neighbor, Mrs. Golder, came to her one day and said, "Earlie, I have these postcards my grandkids used to play with, they're too old now but your grandkids are the right age." So that is how I got all these postcards from 1900-1914. I loved those cards as a child but when I moved out east, I didn't take them with me. I thought they were all gone and I wistfully wondered what they would be worth as antiques.

In 2008, I visited my Dad in BC. I mentioned those postcards and he said he still had them. What? My step-mom Shirley and him went through all their drawers and found all those postcards. I was ecstatic! Now I would have all sorts of money. I mentioned this to Dad, too and he told me there was all sorts of those postcards for sale everywhere, at most, they're worth about three dollars. Disappointment. But never mind, I wanted those postcards.

Back in Ottawa, I showed them to my room mate. He found a couple of postcards with very early motorcycles that might be worth a little and there is one photo of the Prince Of Wales mistress, who was an actress, worth about one hundred dollars. But I've decided to keep them. I read the writing on the back and found that E.S. Golder and his friends are the first generation of car crazy guys. They are constantly writing about the new invention, the motor car. It's too interesting to give up.

Then there were the old coins my mother had. We have a money museum in Ottawa and I've seen one coin we had two of. Both Ming Dynasty coins. They would have been worth millions but as befits 17th century coins, both had been worn away by handling over three hundred years. Still, it would be nice to have. My mom thought she could get a lot of money from it and sold it years ago. Dad says she got next to nothing.

But one thing I really wish I had now belonged to my room mates family. They were shipbuilders in Ireland and a 18th century shipbuilders tool kit had come down the family. I would love to see it. But alas, my room mate's brother sold it years ago.

So now I've run out of things I wish I had. But I'm going to keep everything and pass it on. Maybe they'll be more lucky.