A World of Collectibles

What better job for a self-professed “collector” than owning a shop full of collectibles.

When Bill Mahler’s career as a bank auditor (hence, the nickname “Banker Bill”) ended, he spent time as a “Mr. Mom” before taking ownership of a collectible shop at 435 Amwell Road, center next to the post office, and renaming it Banker Bill’s Sports Cards & Collectibles.

“I’m a collector of everything,” the Branchburg resident proudly declares.

He laughs as he points to a sign on the wall that he says explains what happened to his childhood collections: “I used to be a millionaire but my Mom threw out my baseball cards.”

Now, four years after taking over the store, he is surrounded by baseball cards and much more. While most of the collectibles are sports-related—specifically baseball, football, basketball and hockey—he also features toys such as Pokemon, Webkinz and die-cast trucks and cars.

Mahler speaks knowledgeably about the various brands of cards on the market and their value. When 11-year-old Andrew Pfeifer and his mom Barbara from Princeton Junction recently came in to determine the value of Andrew’s card collection and learn more about the “art” of baseball card collecting, Mahler spent time explaining the importance of the card’s condition and the status of the player and to offer some tips on which cards to keep and collect.

He noted that cards that have autographs or pieces of jerseys or dirt (known as “relic” cards) imbedded in them draw the highest prices.

“We’re new to this,” said Barbara Pfeifer, whose son has been collecting about three years and has accumulated what they estimate to be thousands of cards. “We’re trying to get a sense of what he has before we throw them out.”

Youngsters like Andrew make up some of Mahler’s clientele, though most customers are seasoned collectors or people looking for something very specific.   

Cards – old and new – fill the display cases and shelves. The price of a pack of cards can start at $1, while some boxed card sets can sell for as much as $500.

The cards are surrounded by other types of collectibles, such as authentic jerseys ($60-$65), bobble heads and autographed items including photos (including an autographed Michael Jordan photo), footballs and baseballs (a signed Derek Jeter ball can sell for as much as $350, while others generally start in the $30-$40 range) and football helmets.

Mahler stressed the importance of ensuring that autographs are authenticated, noting that he buys pieces from highly reputable authenticators such as Steiner and James Spence.

While he says he’s “always interested in buying old stuff,” Mahler also looks for new types of collectibles to add to his merchandise. The latest is a series of lamps with team colors and insignias (priced at $35 or $45, depending on size).

Mahler also prides himself on looking out for his customers and will gladly keep his eyes out for specific collectible requests or notify customers when something he thinks they will like becomes available.