A Brief History of the Silver State

People have lived in the Great Basin for thousands of years, adapting to mountains, deserts, lakes, and broad valleys. Nevada’s five major Indigenous groups are the Waší∙šiw (Washoe), Numu (Northern Paiute), Newe (Western Shoshone), Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute), and Pipa Aha Macav (Fort Mojave). Their descendants remain an important part of Nevada today through the state’s Tribal Nations, Bands, Communities, and Colonies.

Spain claimed the region that included present-day Nevada, although European settlement there remained limited. The land became part of Mexico following Mexican independence in 1821 and passed to the United States after the Mexican-American War in 1848. In 1850, much of present-day Nevada became part of the newly created Utah Territory.

The discovery of gold in California sent thousands of emigrants across Nevada on their way west. Mormon Station, established in 1851 along the Carson Route of the California Trail, provided travelers with supplies before they crossed the Sierra Nevada. The settlement, later renamed Genoa, became Nevada’s first permanent non-Native settlement.

Then came silver and the discovery of the Comstock Lode in 1859, which transformed the region. Prospectors, merchants, laborers, and investors poured into the area as Virginia City became the center of one of the richest mining districts in American history. The rush helped drive the creation of Nevada Territory in 1861, while mining wealth tied the sparsely populated territory increasingly closely to the nation.

Nevada entered the Union as the 36th state on October 31, 1864, during the Civil War, earning its enduring nickname, the “Battle Born State.” Statehood strengthened the Union at a critical moment, while Nevada’s mineral wealth and strongly Unionist population increased the young state’s national importance.

Mining continued to shape Nevada after statehood, with new discoveries creating boomtowns and subsequent busts across the state. Railroads linked mines and communities to distant markets, while ranching and agriculture took hold wherever the arid landscape allowed. For Nevada’s Native peoples, expansion brought displacement and increasing federal pressure to abandon traditional cultures. The Stewart Indian School near Carson City, opened in 1890, was part of the federal boarding-school system that sought to assimilate Native children. Today, the surviving campus preserves and interprets that difficult history.

Another transformation began in 1931. Nevada legalized wide-open gambling that year as construction began on Hoover Dam near the Nevada-Arizona border. The massive federal project brought thousands of workers to southern Nevada and helped to create Boulder City. Las Vegas, still a relatively small railroad town, benefited from the influx of workers, visitors, and money.

After World War II, Las Vegas grew into an international entertainment destination as casinos, resorts, elaborate signs, and celebrity performers created an image recognized worldwide. Nevada also became closely associated with the Atomic Age. Beginning in 1951, atmospheric nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site north of Las Vegas were visible for miles and even became a strange form of tourist spectacle, although the tests also exposed workers and downwind communities to radiation.

Modern Nevada is far more than the casinos that made it famous. Mining remains important, while tourism, technology, recreation, ranching, and growing cities continue to reshape the state. Through every boom, bust, and reinvention, Nevada has retained the independent streak embodied in another of its familiar names: the Silver State.

Honoring the 250th

America 250 Nevada is commemorating the nation’s anniversary through events, educational programs, arts initiatives, historic interpretation, and community projects across the state. The official celebration invites Nevadans to explore their own communities and consider how the state’s history fits into the larger American story.

Nevada’s contribution to that story is unusually visible. The Comstock Lode helped finance a growing nation, the transcontinental transportation network crossed its mountains and deserts, Hoover Dam became one of the great engineering achievements of the 20th century, and Las Vegas developed into an entertainment destination known around the world. America 250 Nevada is using those stories, along with the experiences of the people and communities that shaped the state, to connect Nevada’s past with its future.

Collecting Nevada

Nevada is one of those states in which history seems almost designed to leave collectibles behind. Mining camps, railroads, casinos, resorts, and roadside attractions produced everything from utilitarian objects to advertising material, much of it carrying names that still evoke the Silver State.

Mining memorabilia provides one of the most direct connections to Nevada’s past. Stock certificates, assay documents, mining-company letterheads, tokens, photographs, maps, tools, and equipment survive from the Comstock and later mining districts. Material associated with Virginia City and major Comstock mines has particular historical appeal, while memorabilia from later boomtowns such as Tonopah and Goldfield extends the collecting story into the 20th century.

Railroad material follows naturally. The Virginia & Truckee Railroad was closely tied to the Comstock, hauling ore, lumber, passengers, and supplies between mining communities and the mills along the Carson River. Tickets, timetables, lanterns, passes, photographs, dining ware, and railroad-marked equipment give collectors another route into Nevada’s mining-era history.

But you can’t think about the collectibles of Nevada without acknowledging that Las Vegas has produced some of the most abundant and available memorabilia in the state.

Vintage casino chips and tokens can provide an accessible entry point into Nevada collecting, particularly examples from casinos that have disappeared. Ashtrays, matchbooks, menus, postcards, playing cards, dice, room keys, cocktail glasses, and other casino-branded souvenirs document an ever-changing landscape in which famous properties were remodeled, renamed, or demolished.

Casino and resort advertising adds another layer. Posters, brochures, show programs, photographs, and menus preserve the days when performers such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, and Liberace helped define Las Vegas entertainment. Original material connected to long-gone casinos can combine entertainment history with the appeal of a vanished place.

Few objects capture Las Vegas quite like neon. Original casino signs are generally the territory of museums and serious collectors with serious amounts of space, but smaller signs, advertising displays, photographs, postcards, and other neon-related ephemera offer more manageable ways to collect the visual history of the city.

Nevada’s Atomic Age has also left behind an unusual category of material culture. Postcards, tourist brochures, photographs, government publications, and Atomic Age souvenirs document a period when mushroom clouds from tests north of Las Vegas became part of the city’s popular image. Today, these objects carry a more complicated history as the health consequences of atmospheric testing and the experiences of downwind communities have become better understood.

Historic and contemporary Native art is another important part of Nevada’s material culture. Basketry is particularly associated with the region, including the extraordinary work of Washoe weaver Louisa Keyser, also known as Dat So La Lee. Contemporary Native artists continue longstanding artistic traditions while creating work that reflects their own experiences and communities.

Collector’s Note: Federal and tribal laws may restrict the sale, purchase, or possession of certain Native American cultural items, including funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony. Collectors should research provenance carefully and confirm that an item can be legally and ethically bought or sold.

Looking Ahead: Nevada’s America 250 Calendar Highlights

Throughout 2026 — America 250 Nevada Statewide Programming
Communities across Nevada are commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary with educational programs, arts and entertainment, heritage events, and opportunities to explore the people and places that shaped the Silver State. New programs continue to be added to the statewide calendar.

Through Nov. 21, 2026 — Our History by the Numbers, Fallon
Churchill County Library is celebrating the Semiquincentennial with a monthly program exploring early American history through the Dewey Decimal Classification system. Held on the third Saturday of each month, programs combine an educational presentation with a hands-on activity and are open to all ages.

Oct. 16–18, 2026 — Minden-Tahoe SkyFest, Minden
Northern Nevada’s only air show returns to the Minden-Tahoe Airport with aerial performances and community activities against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada. Formerly known as the Aviation Roundup, the event draws visitors from across northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe region.

Explore More America 250 Stories:

America at 250: Nebraska: The Cornhusker State

America at 250: Montana: The Treasure State

America at 250: Missouri: The Show-Me State

America at 250: Mississippi: The Magnolia State

America at 250: Michigan – The Great Lakes State

America at 250: Massachusetts: The Bay State

America at 250: Maryland’s Chesapeake Heritage

America at 250: Maine’s Enduring Traditions

America at 250: The Legacy of Louisiana

America at 250: Kentucky’s Bourbon, Bluegrass, and the Kentucky Derby

America at 250: Kansas, the Sunflower State

America at 250: Iowa, the History and Heritage of the Hawkeye State

America at 250: Indiana, the Crossroads of America

America at 250: Illinois, the Prairie State

America at 250: Idaho’s Hidden (and Not-So-Hidden) Gems

America at 250: Hawaii’s Aloha Spirit

America at 250: Guam’s Cultural Legacy in the Pacific

America at 250: Georgia’s Craft, Commerce, and Cultural Influence

America at 250: Florida’s Diverse Heritage

America at 250: Delaware’s First State Heritage

America at 250: Connecticut’s Colonial Craft and Industry

America at 250: Colorado’s Land and Living Traditions

America at 250: California’s Golden State Traditions

America at 250: Arkansas’s Ozark Traditions

America at 250: Arizona’s Traditions Shaped by the Southwest

America at 250: American Samoa’s Enduring Island Traditions

America at 250: Alaska’s Living Indigenous Heritage

America at 250: Alabama’s Hand-Shaped Heritage

The post America at 250: Nevada: The Silver State appeared first on Antique Trader.

That may be precisely what makes milk glass worth watching now.

Today’s interiors are moving away from stark minimalism and toward rooms that look layered, personal, and collected over time. Grandmacore and cottagecore have embraced vintage ceramics, patterned china, old-fashioned florals, and other furnishings once dismissed as dated. Milk glass fits naturally into that mix, whether it is a simple vase filled with garden flowers, an elaborate covered dish displayed on a shelf, or a sculptural piece chosen simply for its form.

And, at least for now, much of it remains surprisingly affordable.

Milk Glass Isn’t Just White Hobnail

Mention milk glass and many collectors immediately picture Fenton’s familiar white Hobnail. There is good reason for the association. Fenton introduced Hobnail in the late 1930s, and its white milk glass versions became some of the company’s most recognizable twentieth-century glassware.

But reducing milk glass to white Hobnail overlooks a much larger collecting world.

Milk glass is generally opaque or translucent glass with the milky appearance that gives it its name. Although white is by far the color most closely associated with it, opaque glass was also produced in an assortment of colors, including blue, pink, yellow, brown, and black.

Nor does milk glass need a Hobnail surface. It can be smooth, ribbed, paneled, quilted, beaded, molded with flowers or fruit, or fashioned into elaborate figural forms. Westmoreland alone produced milk glass in such familiar patterns as Paneled Grape, Old Quilt, Beaded Grape, and English Hobnail.

The distinction is worth remembering. Hobnail describes a raised surface treatment, not milk glass itself.

Fenton’s Coin Dot offers another variation. Introduced by 1947, the pattern was produced in several colors as well as French Opalescent, with circles of clear glass emerging from an otherwise opalescent surface.

An American Glass Favorite

Milk glass has a much longer history than the mid-century pieces frequently encountered at estate sales and antique shops.

American glassmakers were producing identifiable examples by the nineteenth century. Pieces by Atterbury & Company, Hobbs, Brockunier & Company, McKee, and other manufacturers date to the 1870s and 1880s, long before Fenton and Westmoreland became the names many collectors associate most closely with milk glass.

Early glassmakers generally called the material “opal” glass rather than milk glass. Many nineteenth-century pieces were also unmarked, making documented forms, patent dates, patterns, and other identifying characteristics especially important to collectors.

And early milk glass was not necessarily white.

Atterbury & Company produced striking opaque colored and marbleized glass, including its well-known animal covered dishes. An antique Atterbury marbleized milk glass hen-on-nest sold for $103.50 in June 2026.

During the twentieth century, companies including Westmoreland, Fenton, Imperial, L.E. Smith, Kemple, Jeannette, Indiana Glass, Anchor Hocking, Mosser, and others produced an enormous variety of decorative and utilitarian opaque glass.

Westmoreland became particularly closely associated with it. Founded in Grapeville, Pennsylvania, in 1889, the company added opal ware to its lines in 1902. Its milk glass production reached its height during the 1940s through the 1960s, when the rich white glass became virtually synonymous with the Westmoreland name.

The company was hardly limited to undecorated white glass. Westmoreland also produced colored, cased, etched, and hand-decorated wares during its long history.

Fenton became another giant of twentieth-century American milk glass, with Hobnail helping establish an association that remains so strong that the terms “Fenton,” “Hobnail,” and “milk glass” are sometimes incorrectly treated as though they mean the same thing.

They don’t.

And American opaque glassmaking didn’t disappear with those famous factories. Mosser Glass, established in 1971 in Cambridge, Ohio, continues a family glassmaking tradition with both new designs and classic forms.

Fashionable Again and Still Affordable

That distinction may be the most interesting thing happening with milk glass right now.

Vintage-inspired interiors have returned to favor, but ordinary milk glass has not suddenly become expensive. Many recognizable twentieth-century pieces remain within easy reach of beginning collectors.

At a June 2026 estate sale, five assorted pieces of unidentified milk glass sold together for just $8.05. That same month, an assortment identified as Indiana Glass, Westmoreland, and Avon brought only $14.02.

Those aren’t the prices of a collecting category already caught in a speculative frenzy.

Instead, milk glass occupies an interesting place in the current vintage landscape. It delivers the authentic old-fashioned character sought by grandmacore and cottagecore enthusiasts without requiring buyers to purchase newly manufactured décor designed to look vintage.

It also gives newcomers room to learn. Collectors can handle pieces, compare patterns, study glass quality and maker’s marks, develop preferences, and even make the occasional purchasing mistake without necessarily spending a great deal of money.

Know What You’re Buying

Affordable does not mean every piece of milk glass sitting on a thrift-store shelf deserves to come home.

Age, maker, pattern, form, color, condition, and scarcity can all matter. So can knowing when a maker’s mark is useful and when it isn’t.

Westmoreland provides a good example. The company established its W-in-a-keystone trademark in 1912 and replaced it with the familiar intertwined WG trademark in 1946. But not every genuine piece of Westmoreland carries a mark.

Further complicating matters, molds were sold after the factory closed in 1984, and some retained Westmoreland trademarks when used by later manufacturers.

A mark can therefore provide an important clue without necessarily settling the identification by itself.

Older milk glass presents another challenge. Nineteenth-century examples were often unmarked, making familiarity with documented forms, patterns, patent dates, and manufacturers particularly valuable. Even color by itself is not a reliable way to assign a maker.

For collectors, learning the glass can be every bit as important as turning a piece over and looking for a name.

More Than Vases and Tableware

One of the great things about collecting milk glass is discovering just how many forms manufacturers produced.

There are bowls and compotes, pitchers and tumblers, dresser sets and candy dishes, lamps, covered animals, toothpick holders, epergnes, novelty pieces, and advertising ware.

Even an everyday coffee mug can lead collectors in another direction.

But then, you have your show stoppers. I may not be able to pronounce epergne. But I know one when I see it (I own a gorgeous blue milk glass hobnail Fenton epergne as a matter of fact).

What Deserves a Second Look?

Abundance is one reason ordinary twentieth-century milk glass remains inexpensive. A collector does not need to rescue every white Hobnail vase encountered at a garage sale.

Instead, look for pieces that stand apart.

An unusual form or color may deserve closer examination. So may an older example, a less common pattern, an especially well-executed piece, or something retaining an original label. Figural covered dishes, epergnes, advertising pieces, elaborate compotes, unusual tableware, and less frequently encountered decorative forms can offer considerably more collecting interest than the ubiquitous bud vase.

None of those characteristics automatically makes a piece valuable. They make it worth investigating.

Condition matters, too. Chips, cracks, staining, poorly executed repairs, and damage to applied decoration can make an inexpensive piece considerably less appealing when another example may not be difficult to find.

Most importantly, buy something because it is good glass and because you like it, not simply because an algorithm has decided that everybody’s grandmother is fashionable this year.

Ahead of the Curve?

No one can say whether renewed decorating interest will translate into substantially higher collector prices. Trends change, and widespread availability remains a reality for many twentieth-century milk glass patterns.

But collecting trends rarely begin when prices rise. Interest comes first.

Right now, milk glass has several things working in its favor. Its forms and textures complement the layered vintage interiors currently in fashion, its history offers plenty for serious collectors to explore, and prices for many pieces remain accessible.

Milk glass is fashionable again, readily available, and much of it won’t break the bank.

For collectors, that may make this an especially interesting time to take another look.

Ready to learn more? The National Milk Glass Collectors Society is a natural place to start, with information devoted to opaque glass from a wide range of periods and manufacturers. Fenton enthusiasts can explore the Fenton Art Glass Collectors of America, while the National Westmoreland Glass Collectors’ Club offers an extensive online collection, company history, and resources for identifying Westmoreland glass. And unlike Fenton and Westmoreland, Mosser is still making glass in Cambridge, Ohio. Visit Mosser Glass to learn about the family’s glassmaking history and see what the company is producing today.

Can’t get enough collectible glass? Wait, there’s more!

Glass Act: A Look at the Differences Between Carnival and Depression Glass

Depression Glass: What It Is and How to Identify This Rainbow Relic of Hard Times

Seeing Red: Decoding True Ruby, Ruby-Flashed & Ruby-Stained Glass

More than Uranium Glass: Glowing Beyond the Green

The Rise and Revival of Peachblow Glass in American Art

The post Milk Glass Is on the Move appeared first on Antique Trader.

Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the band Queen and one of rock music’s greatest stars, would have turned 80 on September 5, 2026.

British auction house Henry Aldridge & Son held an “Iconic Memorabilia, Collectors Items and Jewellery” auction the same day, which, fittingly, included a few pieces of Mercury’s fantastic fashion. The highlight of these lots was a stage-worn black leather biker jacket that sold for £111,000 (about $150,000), including a 23.5% buyer’s premium.

The jacket, made for the Jean Paul Gaultier 1987/88 “Rock Stars” collection, features white metal details, including a belt buckle, clusters of studs, and skull-shaped fasteners to the shoulder epaulets. Its place in Mercury’s mythology comes from more than being an example of the singer’s iconic style. He wore it for his final live singing performance, an appearance in Time the Musical at the Dominion Theatre in London on April 14, 1988.

The performance of Time the Musical was in support of the Terrence Higgins Trust, which was founded in 1982 and has since become the leading HIV charity in the UK. Mercury performed four songs, “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “In My Defence,” “Time,” and, in a duet with the musical’s star Cliff Richard, “It’s In Every One of Us.” This was one of Mercury’s few solo performances, without Queen members Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. It has been described as “revealing a vulnerable, emotional side rarely seen in his larger-than-life persona” that “turned the Dominion into a temple of rock.”

Mercury had been diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, but would not publicly announce it until 1991, shortly before he died.

After the Time the Musical performance, Mercury gave the jacket to his friend Barbara Valentin, who appeared in Queen’s 1984 music video for the song “It’s A Hard Life.” She later donated it to the AIDSTakeCare Foundation Trust, which auctioned it online for a fundraiser in 2001. The Henry Aldridge lot includes letters from Valentin and AIDSTakeCare, a newspaper story about Mercury, and additional documentation.

The auction also offered two black-and-white silk scarves that Mercury wore for the video for the Queen song “I’m Going Slightly Mad” in 1991; a pair of his chestnut leather brogue shoes; and, in a glimpse of the man behind the microphone, a brown leather U.S. Air Force–style jacket said to be his favorite.

The Show Must Go On: Read More Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury’s Mustache Comb Gains Hair-Raising Attention at Auction

Fans Show ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ in Freddie Mercury Auction

A Tribute Fit for Freddie Mercury

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Few printed documents are more closely associated with the birth of the United States than the Exeter broadside of the Declaration of Independence. Printed by Robert Luist Fowle in Exeter, New Hampshire, between July 16 and 19, 1776, the broadside was one of several editions produced after the Continental Congress approved the Declaration on July 4. Created to spread the news beyond Philadelphia quickly, the Exeter printing is among the rarest surviving broadside versions of America’s founding document, with only 11 examples now known.

The previous total of 10 increased by one in May 2026, when an unknown Exeter broadside was identified in the United Kingdom’s National Archives at Kew. Volunteer Michael Scurr was cataloging 18th-century Admiralty correspondence when he noticed a document that had long been listed in an inventory simply as “another paper.” Closer examination revealed it to be the only known Exeter broadside outside the United States.

The discovery solved a mystery that stretched back nearly 250 years. Historical records show the broadside had been carried aboard the American privateer Dalton, which sailed with official papers documenting its commission during the Revolutionary War. On Christmas Eve 1776, the vessel was captured off Portugal by the British warship HM Raisonable. The ship’s papers were seized and eventually transferred to Admiralty records, where the broadside remained unnoticed for generations.

Unlike the other surviving Exeter broadsides, the newly identified copy owes its survival to wartime capture rather than family ownership or institutional collecting. Preserved among British naval records rather than American archives, it offers a rare glimpse into how Revolutionary-era documents sometimes survived under unexpected circumstances.

The Exeter broadside joins a remarkably small group of surviving printings that continue to command extraordinary attention whenever they appear on the market. In January 2025, an Exeter broadside sold at Christie’s for $2.4 million. One year later, another example realized $5.687 million, setting one of the highest prices ever achieved for a printed Declaration of Independence. Most recently, in July 2026, Goldin sold a third Exeter broadside for $3.64 million to New Jersey philanthropist George E. Norcross III, who purchased the document for his family’s collection.

Although opportunities to acquire an Exeter broadside are exceptionally rare, the rediscovered example reminds collectors that history can still hold surprises. The copy now residing in the UK National Archives remained hidden in plain sight for nearly two and a half centuries. Now, the document adds a new chapter to the story of one of America’s most important printed artifacts while reinforcing the significance of the Exeter broadside itself.

More U.S. Constitution/Declaration of Independence News:

Goldin Opens USA 250th Anniversary Historical Auction, Led by Original 1776 Declaration of Independence Broadside

The Cost of Freedom? Right Around $2.4 Million

Declaration of Independence Continues to Make History

Sotheby’s Celebrates the Fourth with the Declaration of Independence

Rediscovered U.S. Constitution Copy Fetches $9 Million After Century-Long Obscurity

The post The Declaration Rediscovered appeared first on Antique Trader.

A Brief History of “Where the West Begins”

People have lived in Nebraska for at least ten thousand years. The region’s Paleoindians were nomadic hunters following large game across the plains. The artifacts they left behind, including several types of stone points, have been found at archaeological sites near bones of animals like bison and mammoths. Over time, cultures turned to foraging and hunting smaller game, and some eventually established more settled communities that practiced agriculture.

By the 1600s, horses introduced to North America by Europeans had begun spreading to Indigenous peoples of the Plains. Their arrival brought new alliances and conflicts, influencing where people moved and lived. About this time, the historic tribes that lived in and around the area we now call Nebraska included the Omaha, Oto Missouria, Pawnee, Ponca, Arapahoe, Sioux, Cheyenne, and Comanche. The name “Nebraska” comes from Otoe and Omaha words meaning “flat water.” In 1714, French explorer Étienne de Bourgmont applied a version of the name to what was later named the Platte (from the French for “flat”) River.

Nebraska was part of the land claimed by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Indigenous presence remained strong there; in 1804, Lewis and Clark met with the Omaha in what is now the city of Omaha. From about 1821 to 1854, Nebraska was part of the region called “Indian country,” whose boundaries were defined by Congress in 1834.

This changed in 1854 with the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which created the Nebraska Territory. Increasing numbers of European Americans traveled west to establish farms and settlements, especially after the Homestead Act of 1862. The Pacific Railroad Act, also passed in 1862, accelerated these changes, especially since Omaha, Nebraska, was the original starting point of the Union Pacific Railroad. Nebraska became the 37th state in 1867.

In 1879, Ponca Chief Standing Bear successfully challenged his detention by the U.S. government after attempting to return to his Nebraska homeland. In Standing Bear v. Crook, a federal judge ruled that a Native American was a “person” under the law and entitled to the protections of habeas corpus.

The Great Seal of the State of Nebraska was provided for in its first constitution, and its design was adopted in 1867. It is a circle with a smith at a hammer and anvil in the foreground; a settler’s cabin, wheat sheaves, and corn stalks to represent agriculture; a steamboat on the Missouri River; and, in the background, a train of cars heading west toward the Rocky Mountains. A banner above the scene declares the state’s motto, “Equality Before the Law.”

In the decades after the Civil War, land grants continued to encourage settlers coming from the eastern United States and immigrants from Europe well into the 20th century. The farms and agricultural businesses they established are still significant parts of the state’s and nation’s economy.

Honoring the 250th: Nebraska’s Role in America’s Celebration

Nebraska is marking the nation’s anniversary through the Nebraska Semiquincentennial Commission, which consists of educators, veterans, community leaders, and volunteers. The commission states, “This celebration isn’t about looking back at history from a distance. It’s about seeing yourself in it.” Exhibits, events, and activities across the state teach and celebrate the nation’s history while encouraging reflection on one’s own place in it and how it shapes American life today.

Working with schools, museums, cultural organizations, and community partners, the commission is coordinating events, providing educational materials, and sharing opportunities for activities and volunteer work. Declaring, “Every Nebraskan has a place in this story. We’re here to help you find yours,” the commission encourages a spirit of community while honoring the thousands of years of people and cultures who faced the land’s challenges and thrived on its resources.

Collecting Nebraska

Historical artifacts made by the Indigenous peoples of Nebraska and surrounding states are sometimes grouped together as “Great Plains.” Beadwork, quillwork, decorated clothing, and other objects are important pieces of history and examples of highly skilled work.

Contemporary Native artists in Nebraska draw on the materials, motifs, and subject matter of traditional arts and crafts to celebrate their history, confront stereotypes and misconceptions, and express their unique creative visions. Buying directly from Native artists and reputable galleries and markets supports the artists and their communities while helping collectors establish the authenticity of the art.

For collectors, artifacts like these can evoke the romanticized images popularized by years of frontier tales and Western films. However, please note: Federal and tribal laws may restrict the sale, purchase, or possession of certain Native American cultural items, including funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony. Collectors should research provenance carefully and confirm that an item can be legally and ethically bought or sold.

In the 19th century, multiple photographers in Nebraska created portraits of Native American subjects or scenes of their contemporary lives. These serve as both historic documentation and collectible photography. One of the most famous of these photo series was taken by Frank A. Rinehart at the Indian Congress hosted in Omaha in 1898 along with the Trans-Mississippi Exposition.

Nebraska is also the source of many agricultural collectibles. It is the Cornhusker State, after all. Tools and household items from historic farms or advertising from the state’s many agricultural companies have plenty of collector interest.

Windmill weights, originally made for practical purposes, are collected as folk art today. Nebraska was home to some major manufacturers of windmill weights with distinctive designs. Some of the most famous designs come in the shapes of cows and horses, a nod to their original use on farms.

For most of human history, where there is grain, there is beer, and Nebraska is no exception. Omaha had several breweries whose names, logos, and advertisements are sought by today’s breweriana collectors.

If you prefer nonalcoholic drinks, Nebraska is also the birthplace of Kool-Aid. After years of experiments, inventor Edwin Perkins created a fruit-flavored drink mix he called “Kool-Ade” in Hastings, Nebraska, in 1927. The spelling changed in 1934. Its colorful advertising has plenty of collector appeal. The iconic Kool-Aid Man first appeared in television commercials in 1975.

For fans of college sports, “Cornhusker” has another meaning. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers, nicknamed the Huskers or Big Red, compete in the Big Ten Conference and NCAA Division I. Their varsity teams have won national championships in football, volleyball, bowling, men’s gymnastics, and women’s track and field. Vintage merchandise and championship memorabilia are sought by collectors.

Looking Ahead: Nebraska’s America 250 Calendar Highlights

Throughout 2026—America 250 Nebraska Statewide Programming

Yearlong:  The Buffalo County Celebration includes living history events, guest speakers, museum tours, trail relays, and more in Kearney and surrounding areas.

March 2, 2026 – January 4, 2027: Our American Dreams, an exhibit at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island collaborating with the community to explore personal meanings of the American Dream.

May 23 – September 26, 2026: How We Celebrate: Honoring 250 Years of the United States. A summer exhibit at Gage County Historical Society and Museum.

July 2 – December 19, 2026: Material Nation: 250 Years of American Quilts. Part of the “Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026” initiative, the exhibit at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln International Quilt Museum examines creativity, life, and work in America through the nation’s history of quiltmaking.

August 1, 2026 – January 10, 2027: In Search of the Signers. An exhibit at the Durham Museum featuring documents related to 49 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

September – November 2026: America 250 at the Omaha Public Library. A series of talks, exhibits, and interactive activities offering different cultural perspectives on American history

September 12, 2026: Remember the Ladies: A presentation by Humanities Nebraska speaker Janie York at The Rock Museum and Chapel about women’s work in the American Revolution.

September 17, 2026: Ringing of the Bells Across America—North Platte. The Daughters of the American Revolution Sioux Lookout Chapter kicks off Constitution Week by joining a nationwide initiative to celebrate the first public reading of the Constitution.

September 19-20, 2026: Missouri River Outdoor Expo at Ponca State Park. The 21st Annual Outdoor Expo hosts more than 100 free activities, including sports, vendors, demonstrations, and Voices of America, a series of speakers celebrating America’s 250th.

October 27, 2026: Revolutionary Ambition: America at 250: A Conversation with Nathaniel Philbrick. The 31st Annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities, held in Lincoln and livestreamed, invites a historian and bestselling author to share stories of the Revolutionary War.

November 13, 2026: United States Air Force Offutt Brass: Patriotic Favorites for America 250. A free concert at the Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud celebrates Veterans Day and America 250 with the Offutt Brass ensemble of the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band.

Explore More America at 250 stories:

America at 250: Montana: The Treasure State

America at 250: Missouri: The Show-Me State

America at 250: Mississippi: The Magnolia State

America at 250: Michigan – The Great Lakes State

America at 250: Massachusetts: The Bay State

America at 250: Maryland’s Chesapeake Heritage

America at 250: Maine’s Enduring Traditions

America at 250: The Legacy of Louisiana

America at 250: Kentucky’s Bourbon, Bluegrass, and the Kentucky Derby

America at 250: Kansas, the Sunflower State

America at 250: Iowa, the History and Heritage of the Hawkeye State

America at 250: Indiana, the Crossroads of America

America at 250: Illinois, the Prairie State

America at 250: Idaho’s Hidden (and Not-So-Hidden) Gems

America at 250: Hawaii’s Aloha Spirit

America at 250: Guam’s Cultural Legacy in the Pacific

America at 250: Georgia’s Craft, Commerce, and Cultural Influence

America at 250: Florida’s Diverse Heritage

America at 250: Delaware’s First State Heritage

America at 250: Connecticut’s Colonial Craft and Industry

America at 250: Colorado’s Land and Living Traditions

America at 250: California’s Golden State Traditions

America at 250: Arkansas’s Ozark Traditions

America at 250: Arizona’s Traditions Shaped by the Southwest

America at 250: American Samoa’s Enduring Island Traditions

America at 250: Alaska’s Living Indigenous Heritage

America at 250: Alabama’s Hand-Shaped Heritage

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Trash became treasure when eleven Spanish ships were overtaken by a hurricane off the coast of Florida over 300 years ago. The ships were homebound to Spain to deliver treasures equaling 14 million pesos acquired from the then-colonies in Cuba, including precious gems, gold, silver, coins, and jewelry.

They were tasked with acquiring these precious goods for the Spanish Empire, which sought these materials to help address economic hardships caused by costly wars and financial mismanagement. But as the fleet set off on the Atlantic seas from Cuba, Spain would never receive those treasures. Rather, it was the eastern coast of Florida that would be the final destination.

As the fleet headed homebound to Spain, the waves swelled into large surges, with violent winds tossing the ships, and the warm Atlantic waters acting as fuel for the fierce and deadly storm. When it was all settled, there were few survivors, and those treasures were scattered, alongside parts of the ship, across the seafloor.

This devastating loss for the Spanish has proved to be a gain for treasure divers and hunters. Nicknamed “The Treasure Coast,” this 40-mile area spans Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties, and to this day, those once-lost precious items are being found near the region’s coastline.

The first major discovery of what is referred to today as the 1715 Fleet was in 1961 by treasure hunter and diver Kip Wagner (1906–1972). For years, Wagner found gold, silver, and more that totaled millions of dollars and even wrote a related book, Pieces of Eight (Recovering the Riches of a Lost Spanish Fleet).

More treasure hunters followed suit, including the famous Mel Fisher (1922–1998), who began his decades-long career with the 1715 Fleet. Fisher is best known for his 1980s discovery of the 1622 wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which was also sunk by a hurricane, but miles away from the 1715 Fleet in the Florida Keys. Fisher and his diving team uncovered a swath of goods, like precious metals (silver and gold) and gems, with daily vices like tobacco and indigo that were all taken from the Spanish ports in New Granada (Colombia, Panama) and Cuba for Spanish gain.

Thanks to the efforts of Wagner and Fisher, the Spanish shipwrecks on the Treasure Coast of Florida are known for the jewels, gold, and silver left behind. But for many shipwreck collectors and experts, what inspires them isn’t always these shiny objects. Often it is anything that can be found from the wreckage: weapons, furniture, ship parts, and even coal.

Many of these items are prized for their place in history, serving as remnants of an often-tragic moment in the past. Dishware from the Titanic illustrates the formality and sense of society on the ill-fated ship, while wreckage from a warship gives a better understanding of military weapons and warfare used in battle. Even the gold found on the ships of the 1715 fleet offers some form of reflection, as many coins were products of Spanish colonial influence and pieces like a gold chain belt were a method to store personal wealth upon one’s body while traveling.

These artifacts hold much importance to many people and organizations. As enticing as discovering a gold coin, or many, on the seafloor can be, full ownership of these items isn’t always given to the finders. On April 28, 1988, Ronald Reagan signed into law the Abandoned Shipwreck Act. It was made to ensure the protection of historic ships across the United States by giving ownership rights to the states in which the local waters house wreck sites, ultimately protecting these historic items from the private market and preventing harmful archaeological excavations. When a treasure hunter discovers a pile of booty, like in the state of Florida, the find must be reported, as the goods are state property. Finders usually receive a percentage of the find for personal ownership, while the rest goes to the state. If the finder of the treasure chooses not to report, it can cost them fines and potentially federal charges as punishment. In addition to the Abandoned Shipwreck Act, the Sunken Military Craft Act was enacted in 2004 to ensure that all U.S. and foreign military craft in U.S. waters are protected and treated as active war graves.

Findings of these fallen wrecks have also inspired organizations founded in their honor. The nonprofit 1715 Fleet was established as a dedication to the history of the iconic shipwrecks and their preservation. Among its activities is promoting community for amateur and expert researchers of the fleet, sharing related news, and showing collections of the items found from the wreckage on its website.

Another nonprofit, the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), is a volunteer-run foundation created by novelist and underwater explorer Clive Cussler (1931–2020). Named after a fictional U.S. government organization in Cussler’s novel, NUMA was created as a real-life organization with the mission to preserve maritime heritage. Through its promotion of conservation and archeological survey of shipwrecks, NUMA has contributed to the locating and uncovering of a vast range of sites, including many American Civil War boats. Other resources dedicated to preservation and historical efforts also include the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association, the Northwest Shipwreck Alliance, and Wrecksite, a website that acts as the world’s largest online wreck database.

A vast selection of shipwreck artifacts is held and on display at museums across the world and has become a popular destination for tourists. Among the offerings is the Mel Fisher Museum in Key West, which displays the findings of the treasure hunter and his company, including items from the Atocha and Santa Margarita wrecks. Across the United States is the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Paradise, Michigan, which houses the Whitefish Point Light Station and Light Tower, alongside relics from Great Lakes wrecks. Notable international locales include the Vasamuseet in Stockholm, which displays a preserved 17th-century Swedish warship that sank in 1628. The UK’s Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth owns a Henry VIII warship and related objects, while the Titanic Belfast in Belfast tells the story of the iconic wreck. The Western Australian Maritime Museum in Fremantle, Australia, collects artifacts from multiple wrecks, including one from the World War II submarine HMAS Ovens.

Depending on the object’s origin and type, its current value can be much more than the original worth and soar into the millions. Because of this, shipwreck artifacts have become a prominent category for auction houses, antique dealers, and retailers, with some solely dedicating their business to the wreckage goods.

Sedwick & Associates, based in Maitland, Florida, specializes in Spanish and Latin American wreckage numismatics and related items from throughout the world, touting having sold some of the most important shipwreck treasures. Among the recently sold at the auction house was a circa 1628 Mexican cob 8 reales from the Lucayan Beach Wreck that was sold for $700. It was later mounted shield-side out in a silver bezel and chain from the 1960s.

Wrecks outside of Spanish influence have also garnered attention from bidders and the press. Decadent goods like two 350-year-old wine bottles from a 17th-century German shipwreck were sold by Christie’s London in 2019. A 19th-century shawl belonging to Grace Darling was sold by Anderson & Garland in October 2025 for £820. Darling is remembered for her heroism in 1838 for helping survivors of the SS Forfarshire that sank off the coast of Northumberland.

Items from the Titanic always sell well. The highest-selling item from the ship’s found wreckage is an 18-carat gold pocket watch that belonged to first-class passenger and co-owner of Macy’s Department Store Isidor Straus, which sold for $1.78 million at Henry Aldridge & Son Auctioneers.

Even coal from a shipwreck has garnered sales for an auction house. Salvaged from the Titanic during an expedition in 1994, the 1.6 ounces of coal from the Shipwreck Treasure Museum in Cornwall, England, went for sale in a November 2024 auction hosted by Lay’s Auctioneers. Although broken into pieces, the coal went above its estimated range of between £500 and £800 for a winning bid of £1,500.

With all considering, it seems a ship’s trash really can be someone’s treasure.

More treasures from the deep:

Freeman’s Achieves Over $1.2 Million with Sale of RMS Titanic Artifacts Belonging to John Jacob Astor IV

The Legend of Larder Lake is Solved? We’ll Drink to That!

Lake Michigan Treasure Hunters Spurred by Gold and Whiskey

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If you ate at Pizza Hut in the 1980s or ’90s, you probably remember red checked tablecloths and vinyl booths setting the scene for family evenings out and kids’ parties. These memories may have a warm glow not just from nostalgia, but from the restaurant’s pendant lamps with red-and-white Tiffany-style leaded glass shades.

Now, most Pizza Hut locations rely on takeout or delivery, and the classic decorations, lamps and all, are no longer the standard at restaurants. So collectors look for them elsewhere. When Pizza Hut released a line of nostalgia-driven merchandise in 2021, it included a T-shirt printed with the familiar lamp. Now, a search on sites like eBay or Etsy brings up plenty of reproduction lamps, with pendant styles selling for about $250 to $350 and a smaller desk lamp, about $150 to $250.

These lamps sit at the intersection of two major trends: nostalgia and leaded glass. For some younger collectors, Pizza Hut lamps were their first exposure to this style, inspiring a later love for Tiffany designs. Publications like Homes and Gardens, Elle Decor, and the Miami Herald have noted the current trend for leaded glass lamps, exploring the appeal of classic craftsmanship, the bold colors of statement lighting, and the inviting warmth of “tavern-style” lamps. Collectors often refer to these lamps as “Tiffany style,” or sometimes just “Tiffany,” regardless of the maker.

Pizza Hut has jumped on the retro bandwagon, introducing Pizza Hut Classic, a series of dine-in locations with the familiar 1990s décor, salad bars, and even arcade games. Tim Sparks, president of Pizza Hut franchisee Daland Corporation, told CBS News that the lamps are the most difficult part of the décor to source. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, stained glass maker ParkviewBarn, a seller on both eBay and Etsy, has supplied reproduction lamps for some locations.

In May 2026, People reported Pizza Hut had 38 Classic locations established, with more to come. Sparks says they are “top performing locations” where “people come from two and three hours away.” These locations even manage to turn the clock back another way because, according to Sparks, “People do tend to put their phones down” while they eat there. 

Read more tasty restaurant-themed content:

Vintage Restaurant Ware Creamers

The Colonel Comes to Auction: The Personal Treasures of Harland Sanders Hit the Block

Vintage Fast Food Toys are Collector Treats

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Editor’s update: This article was written before Tim Curry’s death on August 25, 2026. What began as a happy bit of reminiscing about an actor whose work has been part of my life for decades now feels very different. His passing is devastating for those of us who loved him, whether we first knew him as the outrageously irresistible Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Clue’s impeccably proper, increasingly manic Wadsworth, the charming but villainous Cardinal Richelieu, the often goofy explorer and devoted family man, Nigel Thornberry, or one of the countless other characters only Tim Curry could have made unforgettable. I considered changing what I had written, but I won’t. These were my thoughts while he was still with us, and I can think of no better way to honor him than to leave them that way.

“I have loved and have been loved, and I hope you have too.” — Tim Curry, Vagabond.

One of the perks of editing Kovels Antique Trader is that I never quite know what will capture my attention next. While researching one of this issue’s sales reports featuring a recent JG Autographs’ History & Culture auction, one lot gave me pause: a signed copy of Tim Curry’s memoir, Vagabond.

It wasn’t the autograph that caught my eye. It was the name.

Like so many people of my generation, my introduction to Tim Curry came through The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I regularly went to the midnight showings, but I never quite graduated to fishnets and corsets. However, I did learn enough of the audience dialogue and call-backs to join in enthusiastically. To this day, when someone mentions Rocky Horror, my inner 19-year-old self exuberantly screams “Another helping of curry, please!”

As I read the auction description, every Tim Curry favorite immediately came rushing back. Wadsworth in Clue: “I was in the hall; I know because I was there.” The deliciously wicked Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers: “All for one. And more for me.” Long John Silver chewing up the scenery in Muppet Treasure Island: “Upstage, lads. This is my only number.” And Nigel Thornberry (“Smashing!”), whose wonderfully eccentric personality was a huge part of watching The Wild Thornberrys with my youngest daughter and my son. The show brought us happiness while teaching my children about the importance of the stewardship of nature. If I’m being honest, the ability to stream The Wild Thornberrys is one of the reasons that I recently signed up for Paramount Plus.

I soon realized that I hadn’t just stumbled across a signed book while researching an auction report. Instead of discovering an object, I discovered that I’d unknowingly assembled a collection of Tim Curry moments and memories spanning much of my life.

We often think of collections as things we intentionally build. But sometimes our best collections aren’t objects at all. A night at the movies. A favorite television show. A song. A family tradition. In my case, an actor whose performances have accompanied me through the decades until this one unexpected object made me aware of the fact that he’s been there all along.

I am reminded of how fortunate we are that so much of his work endures. A stroke in 2012 largely ended Tim Curry’s performing career, quieting one of the most recognizable voices in film and television. Yet he remained remarkably engaged with his fans, appearing at conventions, fan events, and cast reunions and roundtable discussions. Fortunately for the world, the stroke couldn’t diminish the characters he brought to life or the joy they continue to bring to audiences decades later.

By the time I’d finished editing the sales report, I’d ordered my own copy of Vagabond. Mine isn’t signed and never will be, and that’s perfectly all right. I wanted Tim Curry’s story more than his signature.

As it turns out, that auction lot gave me far more than a book recommendation.

Looking back, it’s remarkable how often Tim Curry appeared at different stages of my life. I didn’t set out to follow his career intentionally, yet there he was, popping up in films, television, animation, and stage productions, always leaving an impression. Very few performers could move so effortlessly from comedy to drama, from live action to voice work, and make every role distinctly their own.

So, thank you, Tim Curry. Thank you for the laughter. Thank you for a lifetime of remarkable performances and unforgettable characters. And thank you for the memories I’ve collected along the way.

Simply smashing.

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What do a Tiki menu, a Revolutionary War broadside, a first-edition book, and a pop-up have in common? They were all made of paper, and all were meant to be used, handled, read, and eventually discarded. Somehow, they survived.

The September issue of Kovels Antique Trader explores the endlessly varied world of ephemera, where fragile pieces of paper can preserve everything from everyday life and popular culture to moments of extraordinary historical importance. This issue examines objects not necessarily created to last but now offer collectors a tangible connection to the past.

Among them is one of the rarest printed versions of the Declaration of Independence. A previously unknown Exeter broadside, discovered in the UK National Archives nearly 250 years after it was printed, brings the number of known examples to just 11 and adds a remarkable new chapter to the document’s history.

From there, the issue moves into the world of rare books and related ephemera, including first editions sought by collectors and the dealers who specialize in finding them.

And then we get to one of my favorite corners of the issue: Tiki. In “Illustrating Paradise,” collector, author, and Polynesian Pop historian Sven Kirsten explains how menus, postcards, matchbooks, brochures, and other paper ephemera helped create the immersive visual world of mid-century Tiki culture.

The September issue also ventures beneath the waves with stories on ocean-inspired vintage jewelry and artifacts recovered from shipwrecks, before returning to paper with a look at the surprising history and enduring appeal of pop-up books.

The September issue also takes a personal turn in Editor Kele Johnson’s letter. While working on a Sales Report featuring a signed copy of Tim Curry’s memoir, Vagabond, Johnson found herself reminiscing about the characters he brought into her life over the decades, from Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Cardinal Richelieu to Long John Silver and Nigel Thornberry. Written before Curry’s death on August 25, what began as an unexpected trip down memory lane has since become a bittersweet tribute to an actor whose unforgettable characters entertained generations of fans.

From centuries-old documents to Tiki menus, rare books, shipwreck artifacts, and pop-culture memories, the September issue is a reminder that almost anything can become collectible when it has a good story to tell.

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At first glance, it makes sense that the stained, crumpled sheet of paper covered in scribbles was once thrown in the trash. Take a closer look, and it’s clear why it was rescued and became a collector’s prized possession: The scribbles are signatures by NBA top scorer LeBron James. Even better, they’re from his high school career. No wonder the collector turned down a $100,000 offer.

The collector, who did not provide his name, took the sheet of paper, now preserved in a clear envelope, to Got Sole, the self-proclaimed “world’s greatest culture festival.” With events in five cities, Got Sole brings sneakerheads, trading card collectors, vintage fashion enthusiasts, and connoisseurs of luxury goods together to buy, sell, trade, and generally celebrate their collectibles.

The collector told the story behind the signatures in a YouTube Short shared by Got Sole. Apparently, teenage LeBron James was practicing autographs in high school. After he threw the paper away, a teacher pulled it out of the trash and put it up on the wall. Later, it came to the collectors’ market.

Plenty of kids practice autographs while dreaming of stardom, but, in high school, James was already on his way. Playing for the Fighting Irish at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, he was the first sophomore to be named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball, as well as the state’s first sophomore to make the USA Today All-USA First Team. In his junior year, he became the first high school basketball underclassman to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, as the February 2002 issue declared him “The Chosen One.” Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first pick of 2003, he entered the NBA directly out of high school.

The collector showed James the paper and asked whether he remembered the signatures. The sports superstar affirmed that he did, although he acknowledged, laughing, that “this is terrible compared to the new ones.”

Even if James’s signing style has improved over time, the collector pointed out the resemblance of the high school signatures to official ones. For example, he compared one of the signatures on the paper to James’s “rookie autograph” as it appears on the 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Rookie Patch card.

When asked about the value of the autographs, the collector said he “didn’t even want to put a number on it,” insisting “it’s not really for sale” and saying he had rejected a $100,000 offer for the sheet of paper.

LeBron James memorabilia sells for high prices. A UDA-authenticated framed Cleveland Cavaliers jersey with his autograph recently sold at Mynt Auctions for $12,000. In 2021, the St. Vincent-St. Mary jersey that he wore for the Sports Illustrated cover as well as in games set an auction record for high school basketball jerseys when it sold for $512,000 at Julien’s Auctions. The same year, his 2003 Exquisite Collection patch card sold for a record $5.2 million at PWCC Marketplace.

More B-Ball:

LeBron James Basketball Card Sells For $2.4M

$3 Goodwill Find Could Bring $250,000 at Sotheby’s

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