Q: I have a complete deck of 53 "Vargas Girls" plastic-coated playing cards. They are marked "Creative Play Card Co. Inc., St. Louis 2, Missouri." Each card has a picture of a young woman in a different pose.
A: Alberto Vargas was a successful artist of pin-up-girl art in the 1940s. His work appeared in Esquire, calendars and posters. dTC "Warman's Americana & Collectibles, 6th Edition," edited by Harry L. Rinker, lists a deck of playing cards by Vargas at $150.
Q: Where can I get big bucks for my personally signed photograph of Elvis Presley? He signed the photo while he was filming a movie in Hawaii in 1965.
A: Autographed photos of Elvis Presley sell for about $850 to $900. David J. Maloney's "CIC Antiques & Collectible Resource Directory" has the names of auction services, dealers, experts, museums and club associations to contact. When selling, keep in mind that a dealer expects to make a profit. The seller achieves only a percentage of the "big bucks" a dealer asks for a collectible.
