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John H.First of all, you have to be born with the collecting gene. Not everyone is and, personally, I just don't understand it.<g>
I think a great collector is someone who does it for the love of his chosen collectible(s). Someone who doesn't spend more money than he or she can afford but someone who picks their spots and tries to bring in their chosen material in a cost effective manner. I think it's important to be well educated and have a good understanding of the subject that you are collecting and a good collector must have a passion for that subject.
Collecting for the sake of having something to collect doesn't cut it. That's why my collecting interests have changed so many times in the course of my life. As soon as I find something new to consume me I tend to lose a great deal of interest in my previous passion. The opposite also holds true. If my collectible of choice becomes less attractive, e.g. modern sports cards, I'll lose interest and inevitably find something else to pick up on.
John