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What do you like to collect?

I have a collection of die cast cars (mainly muscle cars) I also collect Lego sets and I have a few car posters if I had a man cave it will be filled up with all of that. if you count collecting pictures of dolphins as collecting then yes I do that.
 
Currently I'm into collecting manga. I have no idea how many I own, but it's a lot. I keep my favorites in a wicker bookshelf that my mom gave me.

I have dozens of volumes squirreled away in various corners of the house; I wound up overwhelmed by them because I would buy about 5 volumes per series at a time. I was always afraid that I would go crazy if I were left at a cliffhanger or something.

That changed when I bought Nurse Hitomi. I was forced to buy only the first volume because that's all there is that's currently been translated into English. I read the volume, enjoyed it, and to my surprise, I wasn't upset at all that I have to wait a little while for the next one. Now I only buy the first volumes of series that sound good to see if I'll actually like them. That way I don't feel guilty if I spend money on something that wasn't my cup of tea, since manga on Amazon only costs about $11 per volume.

Another thing that I wound up eventually realizing is, I don't have to be completely obsessed with a series in order to enjoy it. I used to buy manga (once again, 5 volumes at a time) expecting to develop a special interest in a specific series. I expected this to happen because that's how I used to be about anime when I was a teenager- I used to zero in on one or two specific series and obsess over them until a shiny new series came along.

When I tried this approach with manga, I always wound up disappointed, because I wasn't really in it for a nice story, I was in it for a very narrow obsession that would consume my every waking thought. Eventually I realized that I was into it for all the wrong reasons. Most people don't pick up a book and expect to be completely obsessed with it; most people will pick it up and simply expect a good story. Once I began taking that approach to manga reading (combined with my approach of buying only one volume at a time), I became much more satisfied with my hobby.

Sounds like common sense, I know, but common sense is something that tends to eludes me until I learn it "the hard way".
 
It started with stamps, I graduated to bags, then shoes, then (unused) postcards now make-up. I have a tendency to save anything that has a happy memory attached to it, like movie tickets or even a map of the London underground..it's always a struggle to throw these things away.. I like my mementos. (A little too much.)
 
image.jpg

My collection of dried paint from the caps of paint tubes. I have saved each chunk since my first painting.
 
I remember I used to collect video game consoles a lot, especially around early 2011, including old Sega, Atari, Sony and Nintendo systems. =D I think I collected an old Amiga computer too. I've always liked retro stuff =)

I sometimes purchase collectible items (action figures, keyrings, plushes etc) based on my favourite franchises (Pikmin, LittleBigPlanet). My most recent one was a Captain Olimar model. (Photograph took as of July 2014)

20140728_125541.jpg
 
I collect antique glass and pottery I find at flea markets, which I attend weekly. My interests do drift though. I just bought a sick-call crufix/holy water thing from the 40s I found at a junk shop. All of my bookshelves are filled with these items and I move things around in order to display new things as they are found. Sometimes I sell things on ebay to pay for my special interest. I devote a lot of my spare time to collecting which is nice because I sometimes have more time than activities. I'm enjoying reading what others' special interests are and what they collect, nice question :)
 
I collect electric guitars, FX pedals, amplifiers etc - Being an aspie musician is a VERY expensive way of life!

Also video games/consoles, and I'm a bit of a compulsive hoarder of batteries. You can never have too many spare batteries.
 
Screencaps and other graphics (like quote graphics that describe my life, lol)
YouTube videos
DVDs and VHS tapes of movies/TV shows that I like
Disney things in general
Books
Things from my past when I find them
Pretty things
Swagbucks :p
 
My special needs 14 month old (so she's mentally more like a 2 month old) has quite the collection of stuffed animals. She doesn't give a cr*p about them, but I do, and am always trying to add to the collection (my husband tries to prevent me from doing this). So, for all intents and purposes, it is MY stuffed animal collection [emoji39]
I'm trying to convince my husband that our daughter NEEDS a Grumpy Cat plush. My insistence has gone unheeded.
 
Currently I'm into collecting manga. I have no idea how many I own, but it's a lot. I keep my favorites in a wicker bookshelf that my mom gave me.

I have dozens of volumes squirreled away in various corners of the house; I wound up overwhelmed by them because I would buy about 5 volumes per series at a time. I was always afraid that I would go crazy if I were left at a cliffhanger or something.

That changed when I bought Nurse Hitomi. I was forced to buy only the first volume because that's all there is that's currently been translated into English. I read the volume, enjoyed it, and to my surprise, I wasn't upset at all that I have to wait a little while for the next one. Now I only buy the first volumes of series that sound good to see if I'll actually like them. That way I don't feel guilty if I spend money on something that wasn't my cup of tea, since manga on Amazon only costs about $11 per volume.

Another thing that I wound up eventually realizing is, I don't have to be completely obsessed with a series in order to enjoy it. I used to buy manga (once again, 5 volumes at a time) expecting to develop a special interest in a specific series. I expected this to happen because that's how I used to be about anime when I was a teenager- I used to zero in on one or two specific series and obsess over them until a shiny new series came along.

When I tried this approach with manga, I always wound up disappointed, because I wasn't really in it for a nice story, I was in it for a very narrow obsession that would consume my every waking thought. Eventually I realized that I was into it for all the wrong reasons. Most people don't pick up a book and expect to be completely obsessed with it; most people will pick it up and simply expect a good story. Once I began taking that approach to manga reading (combined with my approach of buying only one volume at a time), I became much more satisfied with my hobby.

Sounds like common sense, I know, but common sense is something that tends to eludes me until I learn it "the hard way".

I've been trying to collect manga, too. Although I suspect that my collection isn't as large as yours (I'm 17 and have only started collecting at about 15). It's easier to collect around where I live because the shop that primarily sells it has it for about, maybe 2-4 dollars a volume. Yeah, that cheap. Of course, popular series are more expensive and can get into the 5-7 dollar range.

Lucky for me I don't read Attack on Titan, which is currently one of the most expensive manga series in the store.
 
I have a physical & memory collection.

The physical collection is just (lots of) stuff that have memories associated with them. Important, but basically just stuff.

The really important collection is of experiences & activities that have memories associated with them. My many memories of my sons growing up from babies to adults. Their successes & failures. My pride, disappointment, empathy & support.

My memories of me as a young aspie trying to make sense of a world I did not understand, but eventually managing to reach a compromise with. Trying very hard to impress my peers. Never really succeeding. Ultimately not caring.
 
image.jpg screenshots from a webcam pointing at lake that I like a lot. Here is an example (I have dozens, edited down from hundreds.)
 
I like to collect Pins on Pinterest. I don't often do anything with them, or even go back through them to look at them.
It's like digital hoarding.
 
I collect US Coins. I buy Carson City mint coins whenever I see them. I have all types from half cents to dollars. I have an almost complete wheat penny collection. I have the following denominations , half cent, cent, half dime, nickel, dime , 20 cent , quarter, half dollar, dollar.

I collect coins with strange damage also because sometimes the old counting machines messed up and damaged them. Or there is a hidden story in the damage.

My favorite, well seated quarter with Carson City mint mark or 1917 type 1 standing liberty quarter, the standing liberty is showing more skin than she should be...

Carson City is a tale of exploration and accident. Long story short you would stop there on they way to get California gold during the winter. Some people panned for gold in a river nearby and got all this black stuff but didn't realize it was silver.

I will end my story there. I love us coins.
 
Opps 1916 standing liberty quarter. That reminds me, I want to buy a certified coin. If you are going to spend big bucks you should buy certified. Coin dealers inflate the condition to get a higher value.
 
I used to collect erasers, which I still have somewhere. Also beer bottle caps, can tabs, but I'm more obsessive over hockey cards. It would get bad if I had more money and less control.
 
I like to collect 70s/80s rock vinyl records and memorabillia (posters, tour programs). I have over 600 records at the moment, these are some of the ones I like to play often:
These Are a Few of My Favourite Things.JPG
 

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