For many of us, one of our favorite memories is of the simple games of our childhood...pickup sticks, dominoes and board games. Games like Sorry, Monopoly and Parcheesi kept us entertained for hours.

Many people today collect vintage board games for the very reason that those games hold a sentimental value for them. At the same time, collectors also value the financial investment they make in their collections. If you're a collector, it's quite likely that you enjoy both of these benefits.

You probably love the games of yesteryear because they remind you of your childhood and hold a fascination for you as well. You also likely recognize that these games, like any other antiques, can be very valuable and protecting your investment is an important part of being a collector. Following are some tips related to the hobby of antique board game collecting. These tips will help you make good buying choices and assist in protecting your investment.

Mint Condition Vintage Games

Of all the vintage board games that can be found in the antique market, those which are in mint condition garner the highest prices. Mint condition games are undamaged. They are in their original boxes and the boxes are also in perfect or near perfect condition.

Mint condition games additionally contain all of the components that came with the original game. Not a single piece can be missing if the game is truly mint. You should expect a mint condition board game suppliers to cost a pretty penny.

Buying Pieces and Parts

It's extremely common for pieces or parts of games to get lost over the years. For this reason, many of the vintage games offered by vendors will be marked down due to their incomplete nature. Many collectors decide to purchase multiple games in order to get one complete game which contains all of the components and parts necessary for rounding out the vintage board game.

If you decide to go this route with items in your own collection, just make sure that the different ones you buy all coincide according to the model or manufacturing year so your final, complete game contains all the right pieces and parts in the right design for creating a full set.

Protecting Your Collection

Any antique collection must be stored in the proper manner to maintain the condition of each item in the collection. The same is certainly true for a vintage board game collection.

Most games come in cardboard boxes. The game boards themselves are usually made from heavy or thick cardboard or paperboard, as well. These materials can be damaged quite easily by moisture. It is therefore critical that you store your vintage games in a cool, dry place.

Light exposure can also play a role in deterioration of board game components. Keep your vintage board games out of direct sunlight to avoid this problem.

Many collectors also have their prized possessions valued by an appraiser. The appraisal process will help you decide what the entire collection is worth so you can purchase an insurance policy to cover the value. You never want to think something will happen to your vintage board games, but having an insurance policy will at least allow you to work on rebuilding the collection if something does.