ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, July 4, 1996 TAG: 9607050032
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: HOLIDAY
COLUMN: computer bits
SOURCE: Staff report
Have you positively drooled over a 1910 Honus Wagner T-206 baseball card? It can be yours for about $500,000 if your bid is the winning one at a Christie's East auction Sept.21.
Wagner's card, thought to be only one of two bearing an advertisement for Piedmont Cigarettes, bears a multicolor portrait of the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop, according to information you get at the christies.com web site.
It seems Wagner didn't want his name associated with cigarettes, so he had his card withdrawn - but not before a few got out. This card was owned by hockey player Wayne Gretzky, who bought it for $451,000, then sold it to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for $500,000. Wal-Mart, in a national giveaway in February, conveyed it to postal clerk Patricia Gibbs, who is selling it now.
The card will come up on the second day of the company's first two-day sports memorabilia sale. Even if you don't want to bid, you might still enjoy Christie's site, where little gavels mark the categories, including Hot Spots.
After (or before) Christie's, check out Sotheby's site (sothebys.com). This auction house has advice on how to start collecting and includes tips on developing an eye for collectibles.
Readers' offerings
We are happy! We asked for readers to send information for the column, and we got some replies.
Mickey Mixon says he has collected about 1,200 records of family members since 1989, going back to an ancestor who came from Kent, England, to Jamestown in 1650. While doing the research, he found some useful software for the amateur genealogist.
His favorite program is Personal Ancestral File, which costs about $30. It does a "great job and is very easy" to use, he said. Brother's Keeper and Family Tree Journal also have nice features, he found.
He had some other advice: "It has been said: If you want your family tree traced for free, run for public office!''
Medical, et al
Reader and Web browser Gary Carter suggested three sites for medical information. The first is Web Doctor, another is MD Interactive and the third is Health Touch. He also says to call up the What's New site, which is a daily listing of, yes, new sites. He warns, however, that this is a big place to visit. The addresses: Web Doctor (Medical Reference) http://www.gretmar. com; http://www.business1. com/mdinteract; Prescription drug information http://www. healthtouch.com/levell/p-dri.htm
Seniors' resources
Donald Thorne of Custom Resources Unlimited is tooting his own horn, but he seems to have good reason. Thorne is the father of Senior World, which is found at infi.net/~dthorne.
The site started with "senior services" but now will take you to other national sites for information on long-term care, retirement and care giving.
"I receive requests for information from around the country," he wrote.
His other site is Roanoke Valley of Virginia, or roanokeva.com. It brings together the sites with information on this region and has a white pages-style directory in which any local business or service may be listed, free, with a link to their home page.
"I feel a show of coordination and unity can be of assistance in the image of our Valley on the Net," he said.
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