On March 6, an Affiliated Auctions sale offered a veritable collector's paradise, with lots ranging from paintings, toys and coins, to rings, watches and . . . meteorites.  The US auctioneers' March 'Fine Art, Antique Coin and Jewellery Auction' sold so many vintage valuables, that any one collector might feel understandably overwhelmed.

A stunning 18k gold ring, set with a big and beautiful diamond, lit up the sale.  The clear, I colour diamond -weighing 4.1 carats and brilliant cut - is kept company by 8 diamond baguettes and a staggering 22 round-cut flush set diamonds.  These weigh a total of 6.76 carats.

This 18k gold diamond ring sold for just shy of $15,000

This beautiful ladies ring had a high estimate of $15,000 - it realised just short of that, selling for an excellent $14,800.  With diamonds currently in vogue, this seems a relative bargain for an investor with so much weight on one ring.

Another successful lot was an 1857 gold coin, salvaged from the famous shipwrecked SS Central America.  Sometimes called the 'Ship of Gold', the Central America sank in an 1857 hurricane, en route to New York City.

Four hundred lives and 30,000 pounds of gold were lost; anything connected with the doomed vessel is now highly valuable.  The $20 double eagle offered by Affiliated Auctions is in great condition despite its ordeal.  It achieved a very creditable $6,900.

These two fine items can hardly represent the sheer variety that was offered.  For collectors, the 300-odd lots presented plenty of potential to expand any number of dedicated collections.  With many affordable prices for entry-level investors, auctions like this are worth paying attention to.