Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Getting Started with Collecting
• Method 2 of 3: Taking care of items in the collection
• Method 3 of 3: What to Collect
• Tips
• Warnings

Collecting looks impressive, but have you ever wondered if it is difficult to get started? Is it time consuming? Let's say right away - not a bit!

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Getting Started with Collecting

1. 1 Think about why you want to become a collector. There are two main reasons: for fun and because collectible objects are of some value. At the same time, everything can be both narrowed down and expanded as much as possible! Here are the three most basic categories to choose from:
   • Collections of something free. This includes a collection of all sorts of sentimental gizmos such as postcards or, say, beer bottle caps.
   • Collections of something inexpensive. Figures, baseball cards are here.
   • Collections of something dear. Works of art, antiques - that's what I mean.
2. 2 Decide on a budget. If you decide to collect a collection of coins, dolls, or even fossils, then “becoming a serious collector” can be very expensive.
   • For one coin, you may have to pay hundreds of thousands of rubles.
   • Dolls to dolls are different. Dolls from the flea market cost a penny, but dolls from world famous doll makers cost millions.
3. 3 Choose what you will collect. Variants - darkness is dark!
   • Stamps.
   • Old coins. You can collect both coins of your country and all others.
   • Books. From modern collections of poetry to the rarest "first editions".
   • Fossils.
4. 4 Explore the items you will collect. Find out where to find them, what kind of care they need, etc.
   • You can learn a lot about coins from books for numismatists.
   • There are many sites on the Internet that are of particular interest to a wide variety of collectors.
   • You can find a lot of useful information in almost any library!
   • Items such as dolls, coins, baseball cards and figurines can be found in small shops, flea markets, garage sales, antique stores, or even in the attic of your own home!
   • The care of the items that make up your collection should be carried out as it should, and not otherwise. This is especially important in the case when you collect things with an eye to the fact that their price will rise over time.
5. 5 Be aware of the legal aspect of collecting. In many countries, the laws may prohibit the collection of certain items.
   • Thus, UNESCO restricts at several points the collection of antiques and antiques, especially coins.
   • In the United States and a number of other countries, there are certain restrictions imposed on the collection of firearms.
6. 6 Enjoy! Collecting should be fun! What's the point of collecting soccer cards if you don't like soccer?

Method 2 of 3: Taking care of items in the collection

1. 1 Get an estimate of your collection. This action is important for those who collect something of value, even in the long term.
   • Start by finding a competent person living nearby.
   • A number of antiquity lovers' associations can give you the contact of the right person - but of course you'll have to keep your wallet close at hand. However, some auction houses are ready to conduct an appraisal for free.
   • Don't trust eBay. It is difficult to check whether a person is reliable there.
2. 2 Organize an exhibition of the items that make up your collection. After all, you have invested so much effort, money and time in it! After all this, don't you deserve to enjoy the admiring glances of people gazing in awe at your collection ?! Please note that different collections have different locations for exhibiting.
   • Museums and libraries can exhibit within their walls the work of museums or members of the community. Talk to representatives of museums and libraries, they may be interested in your collection.
   • Most of the collections should be displayed where the sun's rays will not interfere with the enjoyment of the items.
   • This is especially true for paintings that should be protected from any direct light, not just sunlight.
   • Coins are usually stored in special albums and folders, in special containers or capsules. The latter are especially good for single and very valuable coins. Albums and folders, in turn, will make the exhibition easier.
   • Large items (dolls, fossils) should be displayed in glass cabinets.If you exhibit them in the open air, then you can either miss something, or find that your valuable exhibits have been damaged.
3. 3 Save your collection. Again, this is extremely important for anyone who collects, keeping in mind the prospect of items rising in value. You yourself understand that the better the condition of the collection, the more expensive it is. Knowing how the items in the collection should be stored becomes extremely important in this case.
   • If you store your dolls in plastic containers, they can become moldy. Mold, in turn, will appear if the container is damp.
   • Doll collectors should pay attention to the fact that the dolls come with their original clothes. This is especially true for antique dolls.
   • Cleaning coins can make them less valuable. Clean coins with care, holding only with the tips of your thumb and forefinger.
   • Paintings can deteriorate from light, humidity and temperature. The moment with light is a headache for many collectors, it is recommended to use a combination of halogen and incandescent lamps, while avoiding direct lighting. It is better to keep the temperature low, and keep the humidity at the same level.
   • Storing old books in the basement or in the attic is a failure. Leather-bound books will be destroyed by heat, moisture and various substances in the air. It is best to spend a little money and purchase a special folder for storing such books.
   • Keep your collection out of reach of children, animals, water and food leftovers.

Method 3 of 3: What to Collect

1. 1 Become a numismatist, coin collector. This is perhaps one of the oldest hobbies, dating back almost to the Roman Empire and Emperor Augustus. Numismatics was a hobby of kings, although it also had scientific value. Now numismatists specialize in everything.
   • Antique coins. Roman, Byzantine, Greek - if in general. If in private, then you can split it by eras and even rulers. If you are interested in this, then look for organizations of lovers of such numismatics, it will give you a lot of useful information. By the way, did you know that on the front side of many coins are minted not just someone's profiles, but the profiles of the rulers of that time?
   • American coins. Here it is worth focusing on a specific era, or collecting all the coins in general. For the sake of fairness, we can say that coins of all states in general, not only the United States, are of similar interest. In addition, if you do not live in the United States, then it will be easier for you to collect coins of your own country.
   • Do not forget that counterfeiters were, are and will be. Even old coins can be counterfeited with new technologies. Buy coins from trusted locations, check if they have all the proper certifications, show coins to an experienced appraiser, and don't buy from someone you don't trust.
2. 2 Collect dolls. There are many different coins, but what is worse than a doll ?! There are a lot of them too! There are so many of them that you willy-nilly have to focus on something specific:
   • Join the club of doll lovers who have connections with the world federation of such clubs. This will give you access to evenings, events, vendors, workshops, various dolls, etc.
   • Start subscribing to a magazine on the topic.
   • Be aware that there are many types of dolls - Chinese, rag, modern, miniature, etc.
   • Dive deeper into everything that surrounds the dolls. If you buy dolls - look for those lots where there is a marking “A / O” - “all original”.
   • Each individual doll has its own separate, special care. For example, depending on how the hair is attached to the doll's head (wig or not) and what the hair is made of (synthetic, animal hair, or human hair), the doll will need a very special way of cleaning.
3. 3 Collect fossils. Believe me, you don't have to become a paleontologist for this.
   • Fossil types.Strictly speaking, two broad categories can be distinguished: prints and fossils. You can, however, go further and distinguish groups of fossils depending on what exactly remained in eternity - a trace, a shape, or directly a part of the skeleton or even soft tissues.
   • Where is the best place to look for fossils. Sedimentary rocks are veins of gold for the fossil lover. Sandstone, limestone, shale can give you a lot of interesting things. Particularly interesting will be the cliffs and river banks, where there are "sections" of rocks. Find out where in your area there are such places - and go for exploration! Perhaps you will be able to repeat the success of the Chinese province of Liaoning, where fossils previously unknown to science were discovered!
   • Most importantly, do not violate the boundaries of private property and do not excavate where it is impossible. And even more so, do not steal finds from under the noses of real paleontologists!
4. 4 Get started collecting! Now that you know in general terms what it all adds up to, you can get down to business!

Tips

• You must have enough space for the collection. However, you can always collect something small.
• If you collect items that will become more expensive over time, then take care of them properly.

Warnings

• Not all collections will grow in price over time. Study this topic thoroughly before you start collecting something that will be completely uninteresting to anyone in the future.