ATLANTA -- Do you have a collection of pins or other memorabilia that came from the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games?
Dr Lori, Ph.D from the Discovery Channel's "Auction Kings" show appraised some 11Alive staff members' collections to give us an idea what they would bring on the retail market.
"When it comes it comes to Olympic pins you want to think about a couple of things. Pins that were issued by major sponsors like Microsoft, McDonalds, and IBM, for example, have added value," she said.
Dr. Lori said said Olympic rings on a pin add to its value and pins that feature specific sports or even a specific event within the sport add to the value of a collection.
She pointed out a pin that features a coporate sponsor plus the Olympic ring symbol. "Here's a fabulous pin. You've got the Olympic rings, and Coca-Cola on it, so that's about a $175 pin right there." she said.
Dr. Lori, whose syndicated column runs in more than 100 newspapers across the U.S, appraised an 11Alive photographer's entire pin collection at between $3000 and $5000.
"The range is usually about $50 to $500 per pin, and during the Olympics is the time to get top dollar for your pins," she said. "But if you wait another four years, they only increase in value."