How Marbles End Up Where They Do

[Parmcat]

I find this kind of interesting.  There may not be an answer, but it may be a cool discussion 

I'm in Ontario, Canada.  Still pretty new to the hobby.  I started buying the jars of mibs from antique shop to learn.  What I find it there are certain makes that seem more abundant here, but others I have never found.

It seems these are more common around here:

Japanese transitionals, German Striped Transparents, Peltier Rainbos and lots and lots of Alleys 

Things that seem elusive around here are CACs, the highly sought after high end Swirls like Superman. Superboy etc.

I assume it has to do more with imports.  But I'm curious what others find more commonly and what is elusive in your area.

Thanks!

[akroorka]

I live in Wisconsin--in a small town--all top notch marbles are elusive here.

I still find them though---😁.

Marble--On!!

[William]

Me, small town minnesota, but within anywhere from 20 minutes too 2 hours from numerous antique malls!

I find a little bit of everything...

[Parmcat]

56 minutes ago, akroorka said:

I live in Wisconsin--in a small town--all top notch marbles are elusive here.

I still find them though---😁.

Marble--On!!

Are there types that are most common for you?

[akroorka]

Yep--Vitro all reds--All day long-

[Alta]

I am on the other side of Canada - Victoria BC. In shops here if they have marbles it is usually modern Vacor and Imperial. Once in a while there may be some Older Japanese Transitionals, German Slags and others along that sort. 

Most of my vintage marbles have been online buys, however they have been overwhelmingly Canadian buys from the East Coast, in these there has been many more Japanese Transitionals, Good number of slags from many different makers (although not a single Pelt slag yet) Japanese Figure 8's and Pincers a fair number of WVS (Mostly Alleys and Champs, but some RW), older Imperials and a fair amount of common Vitros, MKs and Pelts- although these I do not come by all that often. 

Also a good amount of cross through cat's eye marbles from Japan, which are apparently harder to find down South. 

[Parmcat]

2 hours ago, Alta said:

I am on the other side of Canada - Victoria BC. In shops here if they have marbles it is usually modern Vacor and Imperial. Once in a while there may be some Older Japanese Transitionals, German Slags and others along that sort. 

Most of my vintage marbles have been online buys, however they have been overwhelmingly Canadian buys from the East Coast, in these there has been many more Japanese Transitionals, Good number of slags from many different makers (although not a single Pelt slag yet) Japanese Figure 8's and Pincers a fair number of WVS (Mostly Alleys and Champs, but some RW), older Imperials and a fair amount of common Vitros, MKs and Pelts- although these I do not come by all that often. 

Also a good amount of cross through cat's eye marbles from Japan, which are apparently harder to find down South. 

I also agree with the figure 8 and Pinchers.  And lots of cross throughs as well

[Wolf]

6 minutes ago, Parmcat said:

I also agree with the figure 8 and Pinchers.  And lots of cross throughs as well

Well Louisiana is good for seafood and little antique boxes that hold marbles. My own family grabbed 2 of mine.

[William]

5 hours ago, Wolf said:

Well Louisiana is good for seafood and little antique boxes that hold marbles. My own family grabbed 2 of mine.

I lost my father about a year ago but he lived in Louisiana for many years, since probably 1978....Slidell for a portion of it, then Pearl River on the north side of the lake...I spent a couple years with him growing up, no other place on earth like New Orleans!

[William]

Ok, back too business lol....I usually run into tons of swirls, MK Cat's Eyes more than others, and lots of Peltier...and Vacor...

[William]

Just now, William said:

Ok, back too business lol....I usually run into tons of swirls, MK Cat's Eyes more than others, and lots of Peltier...and Vacor...

Oh, and on occasion I'll find CAC and German handmades, and a few hard to find marbles....oh, lots of Akroware too...

[Wolf]

1 hour ago, William said:

I lost my father about a year ago but he lived in Louisiana for many years, since probably 1978....Slidell for a portion of it, then Pearl River on the north side of the lake...I spent a couple years with him growing up, no other place on earth like New Orleans!

That's where my dad passed away also. My step mother still lives there. I grew up there in early childhood. What a small world 🌎 

[Chad G.]

Generations of collectors, if nobody collected them they'd never move

[William]

25 minutes ago, Chad G. said:

Generations of collectors, if nobody collected them they'd never move

There's been a time or 2 that I've bought bags/jars of marbles, nice ones, and have the establishment say "oh, someone is finally buying that jar, it's been sitting there for months"

Yep, it happens 

[Tommy]

Imho , marbles have been collected for years ...some for nostalgia and some for collections. Many lots have been picked through for the good ones to that person .the ones collecting for nostalgia are the ones that have the good marbles still waiting to be found by a collector. 

Good hunting everyone 👍🏼 

[Fire1981]

Me and my marbles need to move because there ain't diddly doodoo poopoo squat out here. It's probably because Carowill has and or got all of them🔥

RAR

[Carowill]

I don’t find any locally.  eBay or Block’s auctions or marble shows.

[Wolf]

9 of my favorite marbles showed up at a online clothing store. 

[Shamrock Marbles]

On 11/5/2025 at 1:11 PM, Parmcat said:

I find this kind of interesting.  There may not be an answer, but it may be a cool discussion 

I'm in Ontario, Canada.  Still pretty new to the hobby.  I started buying the jars of mibs from antique shop to learn.  What I find it there are certain makes that seem more abundant here, but others I have never found.

It seems these are more common around here:

Japanese transitionals, German Striped Transparents, Peltier Rainbos and lots and lots of Alleys 

Things that seem elusive around here are CACs, the highly sought after high end Swirls like Superman. Superboy etc.

I assume it has to do more with imports.  But I'm curious what others find more commonly and what is elusive in your area.

Thanks!

Assuming that all marbles are equal in “attributes” (quantity, pattern, color, size and shape), the distribution of these would follow entropic distribution. Over time marbles would find their way to all “four corners” of the world.

Think about an enclosed cube. Spray perfume in a corner and the perfume molecules would ultimately distribute equally in the volume over time.

Marbles produced in Ohio would naturally find their way around the world over time.

A Christensen Agate Guinea from the 20’s has the same probability to migrate from Ohio to Montreal as it does to Rolla, MO.

Now, what changes the distribution is the “value” given to any one or multiple “attributes” involved. Equate money or beauty to gravity or magnetism. “Value” will usually find its way to the deepest purse.

Over time, a Guinea found in Canada would probably find its way back into the USA due to the attractiveness of the currency exchange.

Well financed collectors disrupt the natural distribution (entropy) of marbles. Their money acts like a black hole and soak up high valued marbles while leaving “lesser” marbles to circulate. (This is not a complaint. Just a reality.  They take marbles off the free market and those remaining in circulation become scarce and increase in value. In time, those collectors have their acquisitions released back into public circulation due to disinterest, divestment or death).

Stay patient and enjoy the search!

YMMV. 😀

 

 

 

[Fire1981]

Well said 🔥

RAR👍

[Parmcat]

9 hours ago, Shamrock Marbles said:

Assuming that all marbles are equal in “attributes” (quantity, pattern, color, size and shape), the distribution of these would follow entropic distribution. Over time marbles would find their way to all “four corners” of the world.

Think about an enclosed cube. Spray perfume in a corner and the perfume molecules would ultimately distribute equally in the volume over time.

Marbles produced in Ohio would naturally find their way around the world over time.

A Christensen Agate Guinea from the 20’s has the same probability to migrate from Ohio to Montreal as it does to Rolla, MO.

Now, what changes the distribution is the “value” given to any one or multiple “attributes” involved. Equate money or beauty to gravity or magnetism. “Value” will usually find its way to the deepest purse.

Over time, a Guinea found in Canada would probably find its way back into the USA due to the attractiveness of the currency exchange.

Well financed collectors disrupt the natural distribution (entropy) of marbles. Their money acts like a black hole and soak up high valued marbles while leaving “lesser” marbles to circulate. (This is not a complaint. Just a reality.  They take marbles off the free market and those remaining in circulation become scarce and increase in value. In time, those collectors have their acquisitions released back into public circulation due to disinterest, divestment or death).

Stay patient and enjoy the search!

YMMV. 😀

 

 

 

Great response.  Thank you