Valentines

Q:  I have several Valentines that belonged to my uncle and were given to me when he died. Some have “To” and “From” and the names and date written on the back. What are they worth?

A: Valentines were first mentioned in literature in the late 1600s. They were handmade until the early 1800s, when commercially produced valentines became available. By the mid-1900s, millions of valentine greeting cards were mass-produced. Old valentines are collectible. Some collectors look for mechanical cards, 3-D pop-up cards, or cards with other special features. Most valentines sell for $1 to $20, but some sell for a few hundred dollars. Some with cut paper designs sold for several thousand dollars in recent years.