For every type of collection there are as many collectors.
Through my many years of attending swap meets, yard sales, and shows for
every type of thing I have collected, I have been able to become
a keen observer of what makes collectors tick. There are about 20 or so different ground rules that EVERY COLLECTOR needs to know, REGARDLESS OF THEIR COLLECTION! I have run into at these shows etc. On this page I will attempt to pass on these rules in a clear,concise manner as possible. These effect both the seller and the buyer. On the previous pages I've passed
along some tips for surviving shows and sales, and also the types of folks you'll meet. This page is just a bunch of general rules of thumb for dealing with the addiction known as the collecting bug. I hope you find them as funny
and as insightful as I have. Try not to laugh out loud when you read these. You'll need to keep these rules close to hand when the bug bites, otherwise you might find yourself up to your armpits in Kids Meal Toys and your significant other has deserted you for greener pastures!
Hopefully we can all live and learn from this.
DECIDE WHT YOU LIKE - Whether it is Left Handed Cavalry Swords from The Franco-Prussian War or Ancient Sumarian Ice Cream Churns, decide what you like and stick to it! There is no law that says you can't change your mind once you start. I have a friend you started with baseball cards many years ago and now collects first edition rare books. Talk about a jump! By the same token, I have a firend who has a huge collection of swizzle sticks and is considered a leading expert on them. The point is they both have decided what they like and continue to collect.
DON'T OVERSPEND - I can't empasize this enough! If something isn't worth the price to you don't buy it! You should be happy with the object you buy and the prce you pay for it. I had a friend who thought his collection of a particular manufacturer of diecast cars would be complete if he only had this particular piece. Well he shopped high and low for it, and finally while stationed in England he found it. However, it was twice what he felt he should be paying for it. He bought it anyway, but was miserible with his purchase. The bottom line is pay what you feel comfortable paying for a piece!
AVOID EXCESS - THIS IS THE #1 CAUSE OF COLLECTOR BURNOUT!!!! Just because you have the time and money to buy ALL the Stars Wars Limited Edition Character Glasses, it doesn't mean you have to buy them all on the first weekend you decide to collect them. Give yourself some time to enjoy your acqusitions. If you have the means, start with the rarest and hardest to get pieces first then work your way towards the easy pieces. However, if you don't have the money to start with the hard stuff or if you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, start with the easy stuff and progress from there.
BUY NEW PIECES ON THE FIRST RUN - How many times have you uttered those fateful words, "IF ONLY I HAD GOTTEN THAT ______ WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT"? I'm sure we all have at different times wished that. The point is, if you collect something (such as diecast cars) and something new tickles your fancy, if you have the means to purchase it by all means do it! Many times pieces are changed or just withdrawn if they don't prove wildly popular from the get go. SO if you see something and you like it, buy it!
SUSPENDED OR RETIRED PIECES- WHile we are on this subject, let's talk about them. A lot of times certain pieces will be withdrwn for retirement or just outright suspended for an indefinate period of time. A good example of this is the Billy Ripkin Fleer Baseball Card. During the 1980's Billy Ripkin (Cal's brother) appeared on a card with something obscene written on his bat. After this was discovered, production of the card was suspended until the offensive wording was edited from the card. The card was the reintroduced to the collecting community. Those folks who were lucky enough to purchase the card with the error were indeed glad they did.
INTERNAL VARIATIONS - Not everyone is aware that these items exist. A great many companies (Coca-Cola for one) produce variations for their own employees. Coke likes to put out commemerative bottles for milestones within the corporation. These bottles are highly prized amongst Coke collectors as they have a VERY limited distribution range.
While there are still many more nuggets of wisdom that I have yet to catalog, these are all that I have come across at present. Anyone who has been in their hobby for more than a few years and been around the block will recognize these key points.
If you think me wrong, well, just keep your eyes and ears open and learn to love your hobby. If you want some tips on
how to survive the wilds of the show circuit, click on the link below to get to my survivor page!
