Unfortunately I don't remember any thing she told me about them, so now I must research them. Just as you do with your collectibles, I need to learn as much as I can when I acquire something new to my collections, and here's an opportunity to do that!
Thimbles have a long history, but today, if any of us are still doing hand-sewing and mending, we probably use plastic and don't even think about that little gadget on our finger. However, even plastic thimbles from the 1940's and 1950's can be collectible if they contain advertising slogans or logos. They were often given away as marketing items, just as rulers and paper fans were.
Linda Pullen's Thimbles, Needlework Tools, and Hatpins illustrates thimbles dating back to the 14th century. These are made of bronze, and resemble the helmets of footsoldiers, perhaps deliberately. She has a gallery of thimbles from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and also mentions a museum of thimbles in Creglingen, Germany.
From her photos, we can see the evolution from soft metals which were not effective protection against the sharp needle, to the patented (1884) "Dorcas" thimble, invented by Charles Horner. This innovation provided a steel core to the sterling silver outer shell, and allowed for a variety of beautiful patterns to attract the user.
The name "Dorcas" was used to appeal to the many "Dorcas" sewing circles popular at the time, and which still exist in many churches today. The sewing circle ladies met to provide clothing to the needy, and were named for Dorcas, a seamstress in the Bible. There are today so many "Dorcas" patterns to collect, as well as the "Little Dorcas" made of baser metal, that one could spend a small fortune on them.
More photos of sterling and even gold thimbles, as well as thimble cases, can be seen at Cypress Antiques, and you can get an idea of current prices here as well. The cases for protecting and carrying one's not-inexpensive little thimbles are remarkable for their clever forms. I have seen thimble cases which resemble acorns, and another which IS an acorn, hollowed out and with its little cap intact. Others might be shaped like caskets, or buildings, or nutshells, or be made of tartanware, ivory, or bone.
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