plastic template that I found that measures the diameter of small spheres. Can't remember where I found it, most likely a stationary store. Very important to know the size to find the price. Next thing is to understand and identify the color "ox blood". That took me a while. They best place to quickly learn is looking at items for sale on Ebay.

Good advice about the size template. Thanks.

I buy marbles when I see them, but like the baseball cards (and coins and stamps), I don't have enough interest in them to properly educate myself. I have some marble books by Everett Grist, but I swear they still all look the same to me.

Several years ago, I tried to research a collection of marbles that I had since I was about 10 years old. These marbles were one of the few things I still had from my childhood. There must be about 1000 marbles, all of the 1950's and prior. My skill was good at the time, I wiped out the competition and collected a huge lot of oldies including aggies. Knowing some of the old ones had value, I tried to search to see what they would be worth. What a chore. I finally gave up and gave the whole collection to my granddaughter. She always asked to play with them when she came to visit.

I wish I could have found someone to review the lot and see which ones had value. Some I could find and were worth about $40.00 each. Who knows about the rest. I would have needed an incredible amount of time, a good resource book and calipers.

Good luck with your search. If you ever find a good research book, let me know. I'll buy it and pass it on to my granddaughter. Might be a little bonus toward her education fund.

Yeah, a person could go nutty real fast trying to ID a mess o' marbles. These are all pre 1950, too. Many of them are hand-blown. Some are acro agates (aggies) and there are many, many shooters. After perusing eBay, I've decided to just sell them in one lot and let the free market of eBay prevail. One thing I did learn is that estate marbles sold in a lot with their old container do better than without the container. So I'll be putting the old cigar box in as well.


Or maybe I'll just keep them. They look pretty in a big jar on the windowsill in the sun.

I hope your winter is over, PR!

A bag of old marbles. Many are cute, tiny marbles. My old collection had only one of these clear marbles with white swirls inside. This lot had about 20. The others are old, some are the large ones. Great fun!

Could not resist them. Off the lot goes to my granddaughter. Did try and look up the small ones. I don't even know what they are called. There were many books on eBay to use as reference but I don't have patience to try that again.

Must buy a new bowl for granddaughter to display them once she grown out of the marble stage.

fun!