“Hot Collectibles of Tomorrow: A Board Game"

Are board games collectible? YES Do they have value? FINANCIAL - Few, SENTIMENTAL - Yes

I own around 1000 board games, and I consider them a collection. However, many of the games have little $$ value or are consider the next HOT collectible. Many if not most games are produced in large print runs. For simplistic means, lets divide games into two categories; Euro and Ameritrash.

Euro games are games that typically focus on game play and mechanics. Some examples include Settlers of Catan, and Ticket to Ride (both available at Target.) Whereas Ameritrash games are rich in theme and less focused on mechanics. Risk, Stratego, Operation, and Monopoly are standard Ameritrash games. Fans of these games are often over heard stating that Euro games have bland pasted on themes. I am a fan of both types of games as they scratch different itches.

My collection of board games has crested 1000 games. Many of them have sentimental value, but a few have financial value. My collection has grown and developed based on likes and "grails." Grails are games that I may have played as a child, or capture my imagination. One of my favorite games from 2011 was Puppet Wars. The theme is waring puppets who can cast magical spells. It is a very creative miniatures game that has a rich story line. Currently I have two grails that I hope to find this year; the Mad Magazine Card game, and the Hogans Heroes board game. As I write this blog, a copy of Hogan's Heroes is listed on eBay for $349! Plus while not in my collection, Hasbro published a new version of Operation: Star Wars R2D2.  How cool is that!

Despite these random thoughts, there is one company that is publishing one hot sought after game each year. The company is Splotter Spellen. Splotter is a small Dutch board game publisher, founded in 1997. They pride themselves in making deep, complicated strategy games. Their games offer a variety in unusual mechanics, and are printed in very small print runs thus making the games highly sought after and expensive. Their 2012 offering is a game called The Great Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a game about building a trade based civilization in ancient Africa. It has player interaction including variable player powers, auctioning/bidding, and point to point movement. Boardgamegeek.com "Clever use of turn-order manipulation, economic development in an almost close environment, scarce natural resource use and logistical optimization to deliver goods from craftsmen to monuments: You only get one action per turn, so be smart!"

While I have not played Zimbabwe, it is most definitely on my to do list. However, I am lucky to have played and own "Indonesia (2005,) and Antiquity (2004.). Very collectible.....

Check out these "collectible" posts;
http://coolandcollected.com/
http://fortuneandglorydays.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-league-has-spoken-collectibles-of.html