I've always liked Stephen Leacock's short piece On Collecting Things, because it hilariously rings true for me. I have often flitted between collecting things intensely and them dropping it and moving on to something else, and it does seem to be overwhelmingly a male pursuit (I've only known one woman who was as nerdy about collecting different musical releases from her favourite artists as I was, though I guess lots of grannies do collect stuff like decorative spoons and porcelain dolls)
In my life I've variously dipped into collecting coins, stamps, comics, hockey/baseball cards, football stickers, Criterion blu-rays, Calgary related ephemera and so on. All variously short lived adventures. Also like most people, some of my collections are just things that have amassed rather than me consciously setting out to collect them (books, music, Lego, etc)
However some collections have been more intentional and longer lasting -
As a teenager with newly acquired cash of my own, I used to spend my time trawling through second hand record shops scooping up early singles from my favourite artists. "Oh this German release has a different cover" or "the b-side on this single is 20 seconds longer than it is on that other single release". It was especially fun pre-internet because you sometimes wouldn't know something existed until you stumbled upon it randomly. Unfortunately, I sold a good chunk of my collection on Ebay about 15 years ago when I needed money quickly. I've been thinking of getting back into this lately. Not internet shopping because that ruins the thrill of the hunt, but I guess Recordland is the only game in town these days for second hand music.
I collected vintage pre-80s Penguin books for a number of years and still have them (and read them). I don't consciously collect now but will still pick up some interesting ones if I run across them in book shops or thrift stores. I also collect vintage crime/mystery paperbacks to read, mostly British but some US hardboiled stuff too. I also pick up Penguin/Oxford classics if they're in good condition.
I'm always curious about other people's collections even if it's not something I'm particularly interested in. In searching for previous threads on here, there's one from someone who collects licence plates. Not my thing, but I enjoyed looking at the pictures. So if you also have pictures, do share.
Although the price of sports cards and sneakers went through the roof during the pandemic. Which coincided with me having a baby/buying a house. So I sold off that majority of my collection. Still have a quite few left though.
I used to have DVDs and CDs, but those take up far too much space. Plus I don't think I even own a CD player. CDs went to goodwill and the DVDs are now in a binder. A flood destroyed the DVD inserts/art, so just have the bare disks now...most of which I never watch and many are in low definition, which makes them unwatchable.
I collect hill-used signs from ski and snowboard mountains. I particularly like beat up ones. My favourite is a sign from Lake Louise from the now-gone summit platter. I actually have two different ones from that lift and they're both awesome.
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as a kid i collected stamps, transformers comics and thundercats comics.
i also had lots of lego... but i'm not sure i'd call it 'collecting' - it was a toy to play with
as an adult.... hmmmm.. pretty much just flames stuff.
__________________ "...and there goes Finger up the middle on Luongo!" - Jim Hughson, Av's vs. 'Nucks
Collect movies, mostly focusing these days on 4Ks and Blu Ray releases but also DVDs and VHS from time to time. You'd be amazed what movies still don't even have a Blu Ray release or have one that is out of print and goes for like $200 The nice thing about 4K is it's region free so I have been purchasing a lot of movies from the UK lately. Not sure how many I have, but have 7 Ikea Billy bookshelves with 8 rows filled with movies plus many more shelves filled with movies.
Also collect hockey jerseys have about maybe 60-75 jerseys. Stopped collecting for a long time wasn't a fan of the Reebok jerseys but got back into it with the new Adidas ones.
Also sort of collect movie posters if I can find any good deals on them. My favorite one I own is my original Dark Knight one that was hanging in the theatre in Airdrie back in 2008 to promote the film.
I have collected hard cover first editions of Stephen Kings Dark Tower series .
Same for me, but trying to keep the collection quality over quantity. Sitting on 6 watches now and probably won't go over 10.
I also have a small scotch collection, would like to build that up.
As a kid I collected hockey cards, pogs, marbles, comics, star wars toys, CD's, DVD's, video games.
Have always had an affinity towards collecting.
Like everyone else it seems, as a kid I had many collections. I collected GI Joes, hockey cards, hockey stickers, Star Wars toys, Star Wars books, model cars, DVDs and CDs.
Then I got a mortgage. Then kids.
Now I collect nothing.
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Japanese Market Seiko dive watches. Super specific yes. And avoid this hobby at all costs, it's a rabbit hole with no bottom.
I'd say cars, but every time I have one I think is a keeper, I get lured by something else. I'd call it more a hobby as I've owned over 250 in my 31 years of driving.
Firearms. However that hobby is getting harder and harder to pursue.
I have over 120 boardgames. But I buy them with the intent to play, and these days I sell as many in a year as I buy, so I’m not sure I’m really a collector.
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Originally Posted by fotze
If this day gets you riled up, you obviously aren't numb to the disappointment yet to be a real fan.
Collecting is the devil's work, I always want to stop but I can't and then I run out of space and storage and I have too many unfinished projects. I basically have a new hobby every summer.
I would be happy to chat with anybody else with these problems too
- vintage/reisue/modern toys from 80s franchises (mainly Transformers, lately adding He-Man, Gi Joe, TMNT)
- watches (trying to get out, I keep breaking them and then spending more money on mods/replacement parts)
- mechanical custom keyboards (another stupid expensive hobby)
- guitars
- pianos
- vinyl records (1000+ from 2010s)
- vintage handheld games and consoles (Game Boy, Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket, etc.) + modern mods like IPS screen installs
- vintage silverface Hi Fi including amps, receivers, speakers, and turntables
- bikes and cycling accessories
As I kid I collected hockey stickers and later hockey cards. Continued to collect sports stuff for many years after that (as a teen and into my adult years, mostly thanks to eBay), although it’s slowed down recently as I’ve gotten older. Probably for the best, as I’ve realized I can be a borderline hoarder.
I did get back into hockey cards during the pandemic, but I’m not interested in spending the hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars nowadays. I just buy cheap common cards so it doesn’t matter if values go up or down — which seems to scratch whatever collecting itch that remains…
What do you collect?
The nice thing about 4K is it's region free so I have been purchasing a lot of movies from the UK lately. Not sure how many I have, but have 7 Ikea Billy bookshelves with 8 rows filled with movies plus many more shelves filled with movies.
