What do u like to collect?

[ShivaFan]

I understand that "collecting" (non-ethereal) things isn't for everyone, and in one sense builds almost a preverse attachment to the material.

Yet for many of us, this "hobby" has an attraction or fascination even though WHAT collectors collect is as broad as the physical and material and natural world itself and beyond.

I cannot resist collecting "things". This is not the same as hoarding all things. It is always oddly very specific - though what is the interest or "collectuble" can change over time.

All my life, there has been a little bit of that "collectors bug" in me. Not completely out of control, but this tendency, this "hobby" seems it will always be with me until I die.

These are some of the things I collect:

* Ancient, old and colonial era coins and currency and including modern currency in some cases, primariy of India, as well as what is called "temple tokens".

* Rock handbills from the 1960s primarily.

* Watches.

I have other fascinations too, such as with precious and semi-precious stones such as lapis and turquoise and sapphire, or for antiquity, art, old religious items, but considrring the costs involved this would move more towards the "museum" genre than "just collecting".

So what do you like collecting?

 

[psychoslice]

I like collecting spiders and beared dragons, and also Scorpions .

 

[Estro Felino]

Minerals and rocks

 

[psychoslice]

Those rocks look beautiful.

 

[oldbadger]

I understand that "collecting" (non-ethereal) things isn't for everyone, and in one sense builds almost a preverse attachment to the material.

So what do you like collecting?

Hello Shivafan....
My wife once collected gemstones, all one carat in size! She has a keen eye for stone identification!

I once collected and repaired toy boat clockwork motors but I sold the entire collection last spring, keeping back for myself one tiny little clockwork tug!

Many years ago I carried out security surveys for an Alarm Installation company. I was often called to premises which held 'collections' of such high value that the Insurers demanded an alarm installation.

I saw some amazing collections, from fairground glass to coins, medals you name it. In every one of these properties the owners had lost their freedom, their sense of well-being and their contentment. The 'collection' had become the master. For instance, the householders could no longer just go to bed, or out shopping... they had to carry out intense closing procedures, and alarm sets.

In those days alarm systems were not stable, and false alarms did happen. A moth might warm itself near a radiator and then fly past a passive infra-red detection unit, or simply fly straight towards a micro-wave detector, in which case the householder would be woken in the night, petrified, sounders screaming....... and wondering who or what had caused the alarm.

In fact the traumas and costs amount to a huge list........ too long.

Even collectors of Koi carp could awake to find their pond liner slashed, the pond empty of water, and all their beautiful fish stolen. I became an expert at setting traps for koi thieves.

But the biggest sadness was that many of them could not show their collection to visitors, in case one day they might open their door to a caller to look into a gun muzzle or knife point.

This constant appraisal of risks, and the aftermath of so many dreadful robberies and burglaries, left me in wonder of beautiful collections whilst removing any and every trace of jealousy or envy from me...... now and for ever.

 

[chinu]

" Collect the Memories of God as much as you can, Its just free of cost
Otherwise don't make any regret, When your last breath is lost " -Says Kabir.

 

[oldbadger]

" Collect the Memories of God as much as you can, Its just free of cost
Otherwise don't make any regret, When your last breath is lost " -Says Kabir.

Store not up your treasures on Earth, where moss and dust doth corrupt, and thieves break in and steal. Rather that ye store them in heaven......... Jesus.

:yes:

 

[chinu]

Store not up your treasures on Earth, where moss and dust doth corrupt, and thieves break in and steal. Rather that ye store them in heaven......... Jesus.

:yes:

Thanks for sharing this beautiful quote, Mr Badger.

 

[ShivaFan]

Those rocks were very nice.

Rocks and minerals are pretty cool actually. You hold nature in your hand and you look into an amazing creation. I too share this excitement (but storage can be a problem).

Holding something like a very old or ancient coin really "feels" wonderful - I think of the many palms in the past who held the coin and I wonder what their lives were like. It really connects with my sense and interest in and of history. I pull my coin collection out and share it with friends and relatives and we all enjoy together... I do not hide it. "See this odd shaped coin with this stamp mark on it? It is over 2,000 years old from India. And here is a temple token from a Hanuman temple from 200 or more years ago. "

There is sort of a wow factor and a lot of history to talk about.

I like some of the other collections shared. Usually they show, even if toys in one way, how inventive humans are.

I think collections bring many happy hours of meditation and thought to lots of people. One thing I have of an interest is musical instruments. But that would be a collection that would require a museum.

 

[Estro Felino]

Those rocks were very nice.

Rocks and minerals are pretty cool actually. You hold nature in your hand and you look into an amazing creation. I too share this excitement (but storage can be a problem).

Holding something like a very old or ancient coin really "feels" wonderful - I think of the many palms in the past who held the coin and I wonder what their lives were like. It really connects with my sense and interest in and of history. I pull my coin collection out and share it with friends and relatives and we all enjoy together... I do not hide it. "See this odd shaped coin with this stamp mark on it? It is over 2,000 years old from India. And here is a temple token from a Hanuman temple from 200 or more years ago. "

There is sort of a wow factor and a lot of history to talk about.

I like some of the other collections shared. Usually they show, even if toys in one way, how inventive humans are.

I think collections bring many happy hours of meditation and thought to lots of people. One thing I have of an interest is musical instruments. But that would be a collection that would require a museum.

In the municipal park of my town, I've found this kind of coins

belonging to the III century BC. The local museum is full of these
In my house I keep a roman amphora too (don't tell anyone)

 

[oldbadger]

Holding something like a very old or ancient coin really "feels" wonderful - I think of the many palms in the past who held the coin and I wonder what their lives were like. It really connects with my sense and interest in and of history. I pull my coin collection out and share it with friends and relatives and we all enjoy together... I do not hide it. "See this odd shaped coin with this stamp mark on it? It is over 2,000 years old from India. And here is a temple token from a Hanuman temple from 200 or more years ago. "

I was a metal detection enthusiast in the late 70-80's. I searched fields with other friends. One day I found a Henry II short-cross silver penny and was very very happy. 5 minutes later I saw that my friend Jerry had put his detector down, he was standing very still, staring at a clod of earth in each hand. I went to him. I saw one clod of earth had the perfect impression of a coin in it. The other clod had a Roman Gold Aureus in it, looking as if it had just been dropped, and never been lost for nearly 2000 years! I will never forget that moment.

I found many amazing items during those years, the oldest being a celtic (small) potin, and I am just thinking of going back to part-time metal detecting. But I would not collect my finds, just enjoy them for a time and then sell them.

 

[ShivaFan]

In the municipal park of my town, I've found this kind of coins

belonging to the III century BC. The local museum is full of these
In my house I keep a roman amphora too (don't tell anyone)

Oh my Goodness! Fantastic!

You are very lucky.

Here a good friend while hiking on a peak found a very old 300 years old or more Native American big (almost lingum like) grinder stone. It is now in a museum.

I had a friend who lived in Iran during the Shah, he found an old metal plate carved with figures on it. Big, the size of a dish plate. Not sure how he got it to the US since obviously that is illegal but he did. He plans to give it back after the current government falls.

I will share one of my coins later, it is 2am in the morning here, I do not sleep much anymore due to all the horrors in the news.

 

[ShivaFan]

I was a metal detection enthusiast in the late 70-80's. I searched fields with other friends. One day I found a Henry II short-cross silver penny and was very very happy. 5 minutes later I saw that my friend Jerry had put his detector down, he was standing very still, staring at a clod of earth in each hand. I went to him. I saw one clod of earth had the perfect impression of a coin in it. The other clod had a Roman Gold Aureus in it, looking as if it had just been dropped, and never been lost for nearly 2000 years! I will never forget that moment.

I found many amazing items during those years, the oldest being a celtic (small) potin, and I am just thinking of going back to part-time metal detecting. But I would not collect my finds, just enjoy them for a time and then sell them.

Love it badger!

I always wanted a good metal detection device. Gold country isn't too far from here. Gold bugs are big time here again, we still have a huge amount of gold.

 

[oldbadger]

Love it badger!

I always wanted a good metal detection device. Gold country isn't too far from here. Gold bugs are big time here again, we still have a huge amount of gold.

Oh.... you gotta do that!
I love searching, hunting type pastimes, and detecting was one of the best.
We don't have gold-bugs and nuggets like you do, but I knew a man who panned for gold in Scottish streams. He just liked being out in the wilds, camping, watching the wildlife, but he panned as well. He had a pouch of gold dust which he had collected over the years.

 

[StarryNightshade]

So what do you like collecting?

Cheesy, low-budget B-horror films.

 

[Vinayaka]

I try to be an anti-collector and live incredibly simple, with regard to physical things. Valuable experiences, well, that's another matter. As with many others, I do collect those.

 

[Huey09]

Comic books, Mostly Marvel and Darkhorse. Also regular books. I hope by the time I'm an old man I'll have a library like Belle from Beauty and the Beast

 

[Revoltingest]

I primarily collect things technical:
Anvils
Catalogs
Books & magazines
Dynamos
Lubricators
Clocks
Engines (eg, steam, gas, gasoline, Stirling cycle, Diesel)
Wrenches
Machine tools
Woodworking tools
Spark plugs
Vises
Metallurgical tools (eg, tensile test machines)
Patent models
Advertising (posters, paintings)
Motorcycles
Forklifts
Trucks (only 1 so far...a 1908 Duplex)
Drafting equipment
Hawaiian shirts
Penguin mugs
Wacky ties (in case of funerals & weddings)

I used to collect carburetors, but deaccessioned most of'm.
Gotta draw a line somewhere.

 

[Draka]

Things I mean to collect: books, coffee mugs, movies, dragon/unicorn statues.

Things that my kids feel I need to collect: papers from school, papers with doodles, papers with notes, torn papers, colored papers, papers taped together, papers with wet glue on them, heart-shaped papers, and of course post-it notes with "I love you" on them.

 

[Penumbra]

I'm an anti-collector. I deliberately try to reduce things that seem like they might start collecting.

It's not to say I don't like some material things, like a nice set of clothes and shoes to wear currently (though I favor quality over quantity), but rather, I make sure not to build any sort of backlog of stuff that I don't actively use. With a couple exceptions for some small family trinkets, if I don't actively use it, it goes away.