Old Maps

Old maps—everything from folded road maps to 16th-century hand-drawn maps of Europe—are selling well at auctions. Could it be because a “map” used today is more likely to be a satellite image pulled up on your computer, cell phone or GPS device? Antique maps of the Old or New World tell a story of exploration, new discoveries and changing boundaries. Some even include pictures of buildings, wildlife, battles, waterfalls or coats of arms. The supply of hand-drawn maps from earlier centuries is limited, and most old auto club travel maps are being discarded. So there’s a dwindling supply and constant demand by collectors.