Welcome to the world of James Bond 007 collectibles. Before you start, there are a few things you should decide upon:

• decide on your level of commitment, it also might be useful to decide a monthly or yearly budget;
• decide on what you like and stick to this category of 007 collectibles; and
• your budget determines the depth of items and rarity of the category you have chosen.

There are a number of areas you can choose when it comes to James Bond collectibles and memorabilia, including:

• books;
• toys;
• posters (sub categories here are lobby cards and promotional items);
• props;
• comics;
• movies (DVD's and Blu-ray);
• watches; and
• many more!

Do your research!

Knowledge is probably your most important weapon and will save you time and money. Remember sellers will always act in their own interest and that is why it is important to always be armed with the right information, including the value of the item in question and what you are willing to pay. Caveat emptor, buyer beware! If it sounds to good too be true, it probably is. If you are unsure, then walk away!

How to value an item

It's worth what someone is willing to pay!

If an item seems to cheap however, there may be reasons for this, including:

• the item could be incomplete or have reproduction parts;
• the seller may want to quickly get rid of the item;
• the popularity of an item could be less than before;
• new finds can affect the prices of current James Bond collectibles; and
• it may not be a  perfect market i.e. the buyers might not be aware of the item.

Remember, sometimes bargain collectibles may be a bargain and sometimes not!

On the flipside an item could fetch more than you think, for reasons including:

• the item could be store stock, which is an unused item in "as sold" condition that commands a premium;
• in an auction scenario, one of the prospective buyers may have a high desire to own the item and thus pay more than market price; and
• first time buyers may be unaware of the market value of an items and overpay.

Condition is probably the most important factor when determining value, a complete and unopened item will fetch a higher price than an equivalent opened or incomplete item. The condition of the packaging is just as important as the item itself. A used toy with packing in excellent condition is usually better than a unused mint toy with bad packaging condition.

Remember, you will make mistakes, what's important is that you learn from them.