I bumped into this site by accident but after a few days of reading, I have to admit I’m tempted to start my own collection.

It’s an expensive hobby, so I’d like to ask some questions first.

1) Where should I buy my first piece? Any places online you’d recommend? Or is online not the way to go?

2) Do items increase or decrease in value over time? My conscience would feel better seeing it as an "investment".

3) I personally don’t care if something looks old, used and rusty. I even like how that looks. But is it a bad investment?

These and any other tips you might have for a beginner are much appreciated.