OT: Do You Have a "Collector" Gene?

[skelly423]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

'Collector' gene? Ha! My mom called it the hoarding gene...and I got it.

There's a fine line between collecting and hoarding. I think it comes down to the number of cats that live among your "collection".

Whatever you choose to call it, I've got the gene. Baseball cards, hockey cards, coins, paper money, watches, I've got boxes of all of them.

[ullmandds]

my collections include studio pottery, dice, danish/mid century modern furniture and stuff, art, coins, baseball/sportscards and memorabilia...I try to keep things under control!

[Deertick]

Originally Posted by skelly423

There's a fine line between collecting and hoarding. I think it comes down to the number of cats that live among your "collection".

Whatever you choose to call it, I've got the gene. Baseball cards, hockey cards, coins, paper money, watches, I've got boxes of all of them.

Uh-oh. What's the cut-off? Asking for a friend.

[Vit-d]

I’ve got it.

I am not one of the worst of the worst, but for the past 20 years or so, I’ve always had some sort of item that I am on the hunt for. Baseball cards, comic books, action figures, etc. Right now it is the little “Homies” Gumball machine figures from the early 2000s.

The reason I suspect it might be a gene is because I know my grandfather on my dads side had it too. He was a big collector of postcards, old tin type photos, and buttons. He used to go to swap meets and collectible shows all over the place looking for those things.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by Vit-d

The reason I suspect it might be a gene is because I know my grandfather on my dads side had it too. He was a big collector of postcards, old tin type photos, and buttons. He used to go to swap meets and collectible shows all over the place looking for those things.

Like others on this site, my mother started taking me to antique stores when I was 6 or 7. She said we were good at understanding hands-off. She also told me she wouldn't take my kids to antique stores!



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[Den*nis O*Brien]

.... I would suggest that you not dismiss the "Collecting Gene" theory. I say this from the following personal experiences........
I was surrendered at birth for adoption in 1947 and had no knowledge of my biological family and no contact. I have been a life long collector, scrounger and salvager. I worked a route of neighborhood garbage pick up days with my coaster wagon in the mid 1950's I still have a great catchers mitt from those picks. And of course hoarded my wax pack treasures from the corner store. In the 1970's my wife and I survived by picking auctions, garage sales and etc. I found my birth mother and biological sister in the late 1980's. They were both avid and passionate garage sale, resale shop, alley trash can pickers that had an incredible "Radar" for valuable treasures. They each had a niche collection that they kept but made a tidy living on the balance. I was bowled over by some of the items they found in one dollar gallon zip lock bags at a few resale shops. They just had instincts and a love of hunting treasures. So make of that what you will but I firmly believe in "The Gene".

[brian1961]

Dennis, your personal story was very moving, and I thank you for sharing it.

I definitely have the "Collector gene". I took a break from working on income taxes, so though I'd like to elaborate, I better get back to work. However, I surely have it, and have had it as long as I can remember.

--- Brian Powell