Article Author: Dave Knight
People collect so many different things now that many of the items will never get universally popular. There must be thousands of collectors who share their passion with only a handful of other enthusiasts.
Magazines, especially antique and specialist-subject publications, are popular collectors items. But the varied subjects covered by them mean the market for them is as fragmented as the topics. So are special interest magazines worth collecting?
Some time ago I auctioned a collection of Wheels & Tracks magazines on eBay. They were given to me by a guy who was having a clear out at home and fortunately he didn’t just ditch them into the trash. 
As a result of that sale I think that magazines, even special interest magazines like Wheels & Tracks, should only be collected for there value and interest to the owner. They are not a big earner so as a general rule they are not an investment. As with all things there are exceptions to the rule but W&T is not one of them. Maybe in the future someone’s grandchildren will get to sell them for a tidy sum but there is no immediate profit to be had.
Wheels & Tracks was first published in 1982 and continued to arrive on the news-stands every three months until 2001. Just why it was discontinued I don’t know but the articles are just as interesting now as they were when first published.
Inside is the pages are packed with photos, detailed drawings and reviews. There is a readers forum, a section named Indentifile that asks readers to identify vehicles and other objects from photos. There’s a discoveries section, book reviews and lots of other features. Not only a historical record of military hardware but a veritable treasure trove of information for the military enthusiast.
While focusing on the vehicles used by the armed services during the 20th Century it is inevitable that both WWI & WWII are covered throughout the series. Vehicles of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Republic of Germany, most other European nations and many other countries around the world are featured. A lot of the vehicles, which were total wrecks when found, have been restored by collectors and exhibited at military shows. Those articles, usually accompanied with progress photos are particularly interesting.
If military vehicles and military history are your thing then look out for Wheels & Tracks, they have a wealth of interesting articles, facts and photos in their pages. As for collecting magazines and other publications pick a subject you enjoy. You may not get a monetary return on your investment but the pleasure you’ll derive from reading the articles and looking at the photos cannot be quantified in profit terms.
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