You don't have to break the bank to get in on 2009's top 10 collectibles

With prices of everything on the rise, it's no surprise that the collectibles in greatest demand for 2009 are fun to own and make great displays, yet are still affordable to the average collector.

This year's most popular and best-selling items are modestly priced; even the most expensive cost less than $200.

And, the shop owners and collectors we spoke with all agree that each collectible's "bargain status" helps make it a hot-ticket item.

Another aspect unifying the list for 2009 is that more than half are kitchen and dining collectibles, such as Fire-King restaurant ware, vintage lunchboxes, metal baskets, Stangl pottery, pewter tankards and rolling pins.

Other winners are straw hats, hand-wrought shears and scissors, school slate paintings and picture frames.

These finds are sure to inspire you to take on a new collection or two for 2009. Happy hunting!

Stangl pottery

In the 1920s, a New Jersey company first called Hill Pottery then Fulper Pottery Co. hired Martin Stangl, who created the dinnerware patterns manufactured until 1978. Stangl designed "thistle," "blueberry" and the most popular, "fruit and flowers." Stangl pieces, which include eggcups, chargers, casserole dishes, plates, bowls and pitchers, became the every day staple of mid-century country houses, but they are even more popular now. Dinner plates might be as high as $25 or more.

Lunchboxes

Full of kitschy charm and colorful character, vintage lunchboxes offer graphic appeal with retro flair. The heydays for this great kitchen collectible were the 1950s and 1960s, when tin boxes promoted popular kid-oriented movies, TV shows and comic strips. Favorite subjects included Superman, Howdy Doody, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. These vibrant, kitschy collectibles are perfect for display on the tops of cabinets. You might find them as low as $25, but watch for 1954 Superman boxes-one of these sold for $11,500.

Metal baskets

Metal picnic baskets are colorful and practical collectibles, and they're rising in popularity for their eye appeal and relatively low prices around $15. Stacked, displayed side by side or scattered along shelves and cupboards, they offer lots of storage and add bold color and a vintage feeling to any kitchen.

Straw hats

Vintage and antique women's clothing has always been a popular collectible. Hats can be displayed just about anywhere, such as stacked on dressers and hung from pegs and racks. And, you can find them for as little as $25. Hats crafted by known makers and big-name designers, however, are more costly.

Picture frames

Antique frames add a sense of nostalgia to any space. Smaller frames can start as low as $1 at a flea market. Prices for large frames that date to the 19th century are starting to climb. In fact, in the larger sizes, frames that were hand carved and gold-leafed by famous makers now can sell for thousands of dollars. However, you can spend a lot less for a similar look. If you can find one like this in reasonably good condition, no matter the size, for $100 or less, buy it.

Hand-wrought scissors and shears

Iron scissors were used for everything from tailoring to hair cutting to shearing animals. It's hard to imagine how difficult it would be to hand craft these delicate iron tools. In the 19th century and earlier artisan farriers made scissors and shears along with horseshoes and other iron goods one piece at a time. These implements can get pricey in high-end antiques shops. To get bargains look through garage sales and small shops outside of cities and where farm equipment and gardening tools are being sold. You might find them as low as $10.

Slate paintings

A staple in one-room schoolhouses of the mid-1800s, wood-framed slates were used by children to do schoolwork, then later by artists as canvasses for their paintings. While the slates can be purchased for less than $100, even around $25, knowledgeable dealers have asked as much as $350 for school slate paintings.

Rolling pins

Rolling pins are a reasonably priced tool that can be found in most antiques malls, and as a result they are becoming popular decorative accessories in country kitchens everywhere. Some people base the collectibility of vintage pins on the handle color, the most common being red and green. Others appreciate the wares' clean, linear lines, and display them in large-mouthed containers. Most cost less than $25.

Fire-King ware

Made by Anchor Hocking beginning in the 1940s, opaque, colorful Fire-King ware was sold in grocery and hardware stores, and was even given away as promotional goods in sacks of flour. The most frequent use of these wares, however, was in restaurant food preparation and serving. Look for mixing bowls, coffee mugs, plates, platters and eggcups. Pieces can range from $10 to $200.

Pewter tankards

A standard in homes decorated in traditional country, Colonial or primitive styles, pewter tankards have been around since the 17th century in America and even earlier in England. Fewer American pieces exist, making them the most valued by collectors-and the most expensive. Tankards can range from $75 to $350 each and up.