Continuing my previous comments on collectibles, I'll mention a little about the upsurge in counterfeiting. (Incidentally, it is said that some 20-25% of US currency in worldwide circulation is counterfeit!) As the market value of various collectibles trends upward, the incentive to create copies also increases. Many of these are so well executed that it is virtually impossible for even experts to detect the forgeries. As just one example,there are probably thousands of Leica copies that were made in the USSR over many years, and some of them are near perfect while others are rather crude and easy to spot. There are now hundreds, if not thousands, of vintage Fender Stratocaster fakes out there and probably quite a few people have unknowingly spent incredible amounts of money on them. Here's a link to a page with a lot of good info on copies and counterfeits in the world of vintage guitars:
http://www.edroman.com/rants/vintage.htm
Some of the world's most prestigious museums and auction houses have been fooled by forgeries of paintings and sculptures time and again. Try searching online for counterfeit art, guitars, or cameras and you'll find lots of interesting stuff!
