I have at different times in the past collected stamps, coins, and action figures. Right now, I collect decorative tea tins–but they have just about filled up the shelf over the kitchen cabinets so I’m not sure that this can continue much longer.
I traded in my coin collection to pay off my house.
I haven’t really been collecting anything since.
Hot sauces
Pez dispensers (in the past, donated collection)
Round things (actually more spherical)
Computers
Tools
Cars (although I thin the herd often)
Piece of metal, plastic, and wood (not what you would typically call a collection)
Books, but not really a Benjamin-style collector. I’ll very reluctantly give up my usage guides and dictionaries – in fact, my will, such as it is, reflects that my guides and dictionaries stay within the family.
Also rare/obscure records – that’s in my will too. As my keyboards – I’d much rather have some kid in the family carry those white elephants, if they want them. If not, then sell them to some kak-handed book-instrument-monger and get something they want. I’d hate to see my small private library go to some chiseling re-seller of books. Music instruments and audio equipment will always go to somebody good, so not worried. But thousands and thousands of dollars for choice books would hurt me if it went to some jerk re-seller instead of keeping the good stuff for the family.
I used to collect coins, it was what my dad and I did together. I sold most of my collection after he passed away, my heart just wasn’t in it anymore.
Also went through a stage in high school where I collected cows. Still have one relative who doesn’t believe that I’m over it.
Now I’d say I collect cookbooks, but that’s probably more like an accumulation.
I have a fair amount of unusual candleholders, I guess that’s the closest thing I have to a true collection.
No. And I don’t have French or Spanish either, as I keep giving those away to people who can actually use them.
When my current husband and I got married my mother-in-law asked me what I collected, and I was stumped. I’d never really thought about it. But as the years have gone by and people have died I’ve discovered what it is—other people’s stuff.
I collect tops of all sorts. (as in the spinning toy)
I used to collect:
Marbles
Coins/money from places traveled
Packs of matches
Seashells
Sharks teeth ( I have found 7 total) not really collected I guess, because I believe that when you find one you must give it away.
Plants/cactus mainly (years ago)
Still collect:
music
Books (cookbooks)
Artwork (what I can afford)
I think I’m you…these were my exact answers! Most of my Pyrex is of the mixing bowl persuasion, although I really like the baking dishes too.
Audio equipment, usually bought used on Craigslist.
Records. Got my first three 45’s when I was seven or eight (in 1958; I still have two of them), first albums when I was thirteen. Added CD’s to the compulsion when they first appeared. I have a LOT of them now, and have probably sold/traded a third as many again over the years.
Used to be a coin collector, but sold off most of my collection last year. Stuff starts to own you in later years, and I just don’t have the desire or the room for more crap. Gave all those goddamn coffee mugs to the Sallies some years ago and got rid of those annoying sea captain statues that people insisted on giving me, since they somehow got the idea that I was “collecting” them. That’s the danger of mentioning that you like something: it turns on a spigot that you have a hell of a time shutting off.
Small rocking horses. I’ve seen some bigger ones that I really wanted, but there just isn’t room in the house for them. The ones I have are all less than foot high, mostly much smaller than that. I don’t want the ones with riders. Some of them are mass-produced, and some are handmade. My favorite is a tiny little cast iron, painted one from an antique toy museum in St. Louis.
I’d probably have more than I do, but they’re not that easy to find these days.
Funny you shoudl mention that.
My in-laws came to attend our wedding. Her step-father also happens to be a minister, so we had him do the ceremony, too.
“What do you collect?” Mom-to-be asked me, the night before the wedding,
I could tell from her face that she was rather mortified when I told her, “Martial Arts weeapons.”
I’m sure she was wondering just what kind of lunatic her daughter was marrying. Future-dad kept his face blank, but I suspected he wasn’t thrilled either.
As I went on to explain that I only buy weapons that I’ve trained with and feel comfortable using, and that I insist on buying my own to make sure they meet the proper specifications for my usage, their faces cleared up quite a bit. I realized the question wasn’t just casual, it was an attempt to figure out what they could give me as occasional gifts (if not for the wedding itself).
Now the only thing in my collection that doesn’t fit my ‘rules’ is a blow-gun.
When the in-laws took a trip to the Amazon river (they travel a lot), they asked what kind of gifts they could bring back. I told them, “A blowgun and some of those darts with the goop from the colorful frogs.”
Mom-in-law said they couldn’t find the darts; Dad-in-law said they couldn’t get the darts out (in?) thorugh Customs. I suspect they didn’t buy them with the reed.
–G!
"How much does it cost – I’ll buy it!
The time is getting lost – I’ll tryi it!
Well he can’t even run his own life,
I’ll be damned if he’ll run mine!
–Jonathan Edwards, “Sunshine”
Print is dead.
Joe
Books, and not just first editions. I have shelves of books that I have not read yet and shelves of books that I have, but will not get rid of.
I have about a million baseball cards. I don’t actively collect anymore, these days I might buy a pack or two a year. Talk about a wasted investment. Baseball cards, and really all sports cards, were off the hook in the 80s and 90s (my youth). My most precious cards might be valued at half of what they were worth back then.
My family collects magnets to put on the fridge from vacations. We have been known to forget to pick one up from time to time, so that’s not too serious.
I like ears. Especially women ears, they’re my favourite! I don’t mean I collect them, or anything, I don’t have a big bucket of women-ears hidden away somewhere. No-no-no! I’m not after your ears, really! Not that there’s anything wrong with your ears. If I was some kind of mad ear person your ears would be the pride of my… ear bucket.
Let’s see…Hello Kitty stuff of most types, horse toys, memorabillia, etc., leopards, bunnies and books.