When it comes to hobbies and interests, the possibilities are limitless – people devote their time to all sorts of activities, from the most mellow to the most bizarre. Somewhere arguably in the middle lies the hobby of collecting, but that, too, can range anywhere from humdrum to mind-boggling, depending on what the collector is on the lookout for.
On the list below you will find some examples, from rubber ducks to masks, from toy cars to scissors, and beyond, that show that it’s not only paintings and expensive wines that collectors are interested in. So if you want to see some unique assortments, scroll down to find a bunch of them below and make sure to upvote your favorites. By the way, if you have a collection of your own, feel free to share in the comments what it is that you’re usually on the hunt for!
#1 Proud Of His Growing Stick Collection
Image credits: myghostfellout
#2 My Growing Collection Of Hand Embroidered Pieces Inspired By Ocean Satellite Imagery
Image credits: Satellite_Stitches
#3 It’s Not Perfect. But Here’s My Hotwheels Collection Display For My Office
Image credits: tipnitty
Many people don’t get the hype of collecting items. For them, they’re just more things to dust off at home on chore day. But for people who find themselves hooked on the activity, it becomes a game that rarely has an end.
Of course, when it’s a series of cards you’re collecting, for instance, or a certain group of objects, it is possible to complete the collection. But if it’s something like rubber ducks, toys, or seashells that you’re holding on to, be ready to expand your dwelling as there might be no end in sight.
#4 My Collection Of Antique Kodak Cameras Designed By Walter Dorwin Teague. 1920s And 1930s
Image credits: imgur.com
#5 My Cool Collection Of Freshly Washed Dogs . Yes They Are All My Dogs
Image credits: DrRowdybush
Discussing why we tend to collect items—be it a series or an endless collection—neuroscientist and psychologist Daniel Krawczyk suggested that our brains are wired to collect things. In his TEDx Talk, the expert in neuroscience, an avid collector himself, pointed out that there’s a link between why we collect and value things and how the human brain functions.
Interestingly, humans are not the only species that tend to collect all sorts of items influenced by the bizarre wiring of our brain. According to the neuroscientist, other species, such as the pack rat or the mag pie, do, too!
#6 I’ve Been Collecting Swung Glass Vases For Years And I Finally Got A Light Strip For My Collection ?
Image credits: sparkilini
#7 I Collect Pill Boxes And Small Containers
Image credits: Obvious-Piperpuffer
#8 My Element Collection! I've Been Collecting Pure Samples Of Each Element For 5 Years Now, And I Currently Have 44 Pure Elements. I Built This Table A Few Years Back To Display Them
Image credits: totally_normal_dude
In his talk, Krawczyk noted that when it comes to us humans, the first collectors were probably our hunter-gatherer ancestors. For them, it would have been critical to their survival, so they would collect and save food for a rainy day, or hold on to useful tools that were likely to come in handy later on.
“Collecting may have really saved our species in the past; it’s more than just a hobby,” the expert said.
#9 This Guys Tattoo Collection. Each Artist Filled In A Hexagon With Whatever They Want
Image credits: lordfukwad
#10 My Mad Magazine Collection, Only 16 Issues Away From All 1700*
Image credits: Alfreds_MAD_World
#11 Can Trixxie Share Her Collection
Image credits: gothbread
Moving on to talk about collecting more as a hobby rather than a means of survival, Krawczyk suggested that there are numerous reasons to engage in this kind of leisurely activity.
Take art collectors, for example; the neuroscientist noted that part of art is communication between the artist and the viewer, so someone keeping a collection and showcasing it allows viewers to re-experience certain emotions when marveling at the collected items.
Collectables can also become a great business venture, especially with kids as the target audience. Whether it’s G.I. Joe figurines, Cabbage Patch dolls, or other items, children are known for wanting to collect them all. “Some of the most successful toy lines have capitalized on this idea – ‘If you have one, [...] there’s all these other ones, and wouldn’t it be great to get these?’” Krawczyk said in his talk.
#12 Mom Worked At Mcdonalds For 4 Decades And Collected These Pins. She Was The Drive Through Lady!
Image credits: 1sixxpac
#13 Tools Of My Trade Became A Small Collection
Image credits: reddit.com
#14 My Rock Sphere Collection!
Image credits: SilverScythe3
“Collecting can be purely an investment. We can take value to an extreme, like no other species,” Krawczyk continued, telling the story of how, back in 1991, Wayne Gretzky (former professional ice hockey player) and Bruce McNall (a former sports executive) purchased a Honus Wagner baseball card from 1909 for $451,000 USD.
At the time of Krawczyk’s TEDTalk in 2016, the card was valued at $2.8 million during its last trade. According to Yahoo! Finance, a copy of the card was sold for a record $6.6 million in 2021, only to beat that record and reach $7.25 million just one year later.
#15 My Grandpa Gifted Me His Collection Of Elvis Records For My Birthday
Image credits: majahelenelarsen
#16 My Collection Of Miniature Chairs
Image credits: damestillmen
#17 My Collection Of Art Deco Cameras. Mostly Late 1920s To Late 1940s. These Range From “Common” To “Few Known To Exist”
Image credits: MrRabinowitz
If you think that that particular Honus Wagner card was covered in gold dust or was special in some other way, you might be surprised to learn that it was far from the only collectible of its kind to be sold for millions of dollars decades after its production. According to CBC, a different Honus Wagner card was sold for $3.25 million, while a Mickey Mantle card from 1952 was sold for an astonishing $5.8 million, all of which goes to show that some collectibles can indeed become great investments over time.
#18 I Was Told This Belongs Here....what Do You Think??
Image credits: VintiqueBug
#19 My Indiana Glass Hen On Nest Collection
Image credits: IndyHen
#20 A Small Part Of My Grandpa's Garage Collection
I try to make my garage remind me of my grandfather's with all the wonderful vintage product packaging. Hopefully you find these as interesting as I do!
Image credits: krawlspace-
If you’re thinking that your collection of porcelain dishes or toy figurines won’t bring you a fortune down the line, don’t be so sure; baseball cards, too, were once not much more than a piece of cardboard. But whether or not the monetary value increases over time, the sentimental value ought to, especially as the collection grows.
So, if you’ve already started a collection of some kind, keep up the good work—and if you’re still not sure if you should start collecting something, just look at the cool assortment on this list! Surely there is something that would be fun to have loads of, isn’t there?
#21 Vintage Bakelite And Celluloid Cicada Pins And Brooches
Image credits: Affectionate-Bid7208
#22 My Dinosaur And Prehistoric Animal Collection
Image credits: Pinbacker87
#23 Here’s A Collection You’ve Probably Never Seen Before. This Is My Elevator Button Collection!
Image credits: Jowevator3219
#24 My Lava Lamp Collection At Work (45 Total)
Image credits: thebeefbarron
#25 My Antique Playing Card Collection
Image credits: SirDufford
#26 I Was Told This Sub Might Appreciate This Collection Of Mine
Image credits: reddit.com
#27 This Board Game Collection I Discovered At My Friends House
Image credits: reddit.com
#28 These Bank Notes I've Collected From Visiting Various Countries Over The Years
Image credits: blazes1337
#29 Needle-Felted Adventure Time
Image credits: ScottyShaBam
#30 Just Look At My Little Crochet Snake Collection
Image credits: ameralds
#31 Paintings I Made On Seashells I Collected From My Local Beach
Image credits: FearlessDirector9113
#32 Victorinox Swiss Army Knives. Different Models, Vintage, Colors
Image credits: StGoran
#33 Added Another To The Collection But Don’t Have Any Room
Image credits: Perceyhere
#34 Found These Beautiful Boys Over The Span Of A Few Weeks. I Guess I Collect Ceramic Pies Now
Image credits: Beardle
#35 Thought This Fits Here. My Airline Sugar Packet Collection
Image credits: Individual-Dog1894
#36 My Mostly Uranium Glass 1963 Split Window Corvette Collection
Image credits: SpecialNeedsBurrito
#37 My Nintendo Collection
Image credits: Nylokken
#38 My Corvid Collection
Image credits: spearmintjoe
#39 The First Season Of Spongebob Squarepants Was Hand-Drawn. This Is My Small Collection Of Pre-Production Drawings And Actual Cels
Image credits: SSScooter
#40 Some Of My Vintage Glittery Pocketknives
Image credits: Affectionate-Bid7208
#41 Here's Part Of My Collection Of Bricks And Books About Bricks!
Image credits: ThanHowWhy
#42 Hot Sauce Collection
Image credits: ClaySteres
#43 My Pigeon Pins!
Image credits: RatLamington
#44 A Box Of My 4-Leaf Clover Collection. In The Summer I Probably Find 10-20 A Day. It’s Like I Can’t Not See Them
Image credits: Affectionate-Bid7208
#45 My Icon Collection So Far, Who Should I Do Next?
Image credits: Glass-Studio-40
#46 My Goosebumps Collection! Im Looking For The Beanbag Chair & Roller Blades Guys!
Image credits: ZakBabyTV
#47 I Collect Other People’s Trash That I Find On The Beach. There Are A Couple Very Old Garbage Dumps (1800s & Early 1900s) That Were Built Right On The Water On Kauai So You Never Know What You’ll Stumble Upon
Image credits: beautifullyhurt
#48 Almost 3 Years Of Collecting Balls From Fountain Pen Ink Reserves
Image credits: ROgamerXRO
#49 During The Holidays I Finally Took Some Pics Of My Collection Of Toy Typewrites
Image credits: rixilef
#50 This Is 1/10 Of My Great Aunts Mcdonalds Toy Collection— She Went Insane With It In The 90s, And Currently Has 10 Huge Tubs Full Of Toys
Image credits: Xandoline
