Collecting: where to start?

Collecting is a kind of activity, based on the collection of a collection of homogeneous (and sometimes heterogeneous) items. Collection called a systematized collection of items, united by some kind of feature.

Objects of the collections of wealthy people are antiques, paintings, sculptures, cars, expensive wines and cognacs, cigars, etc. Collecting such items takes a lot of money - each item can cost tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

But you can collect something not so expensive, for example, unusual bottles, jars, cork, packaging. Thus, any item can become a part of the collection - it all depends on the interests and preferences of the collector, as well as on his financial capabilities.

Collecting items of a certain type often even has its own name. For example, since childhood, all the familiar collection of postage stamps is called philately, and collecting coins - numismatics. Collection of orders, medals and badges is called faleristics, collecting audio recordings - philology. Even the collection of wrappers from ice cream also has its own name - gelatophilia.

Within each type of collecting canstand out and their subspecies. For example, you can collect stamps or coins of only one country, only jubilee or rare, only a certain period. In other cases, collectors collect not just homogeneous objects, but also combined with some common idea: a certain color, shape, etc.

Rules of collecting

To collect the collection of pleasure and pleasure, and the collection was admired by its owner, it is necessary to remember some important rules.

At first, The collection should have homogeneous objects, united by a certain feature. Therefore, a couple of candy wrappers and three calendars in a desk drawer - this is not a collection, it's rubbish.

Secondly, all items of the collection must be systematized, they can not just be piled up. For brands there are special albums, postcards can be stored in envelopes or folders. For figures, statuettes, models, you already need to allocate a whole shelf, a cabinet.

Recommended keep inventory of the collectioni.e. write down in the special notebook or electronic file the name and number of the object, its location. You can also make notes on the time and place of acquisition of the object, its value.

It should be studied and observed rules for storing items in your collection. For example, stamps can not be taken by hand or putjust on the table - so they will very quickly become worthless. For brands there are special forceps, and putting them is recommended on a clean sheet of white paper to minimize the possibility of contamination to a minimum.

Why is collecting so popular?

The answer to this question, most likely, lies in thethe very psychology of man. Collecting, as a kind of hobby, gives a person the opportunity to have fun, relax, diversify their daily lives. But collecting is also a pleasant memory associated with this or that subject, the joy of owning the desired and often rare thing.

Psychologists tend to consider collecting some kind of compensatory function of the human psyche. Collecting those or other objects, a person compensates for unfulfilled hopes or dreams, sublimates negative emotions. This is quite normal and the collector does not need any psychological help.

but in some cases, collecting can become a pathology and then this pathology should be treated. Pathological collecting is characteristic of people suffering from mental disorders.

Collecting various items, whether it's vintage vases or CDs, a person discovers a lot of new, useful information. Collectors often become bigexperts in their field. Passionate numismatist will tell you about the ways of coinage minting in different historical epochs, easily distinguish centimes, pesos, crowns, etc. A collector of wines probably tell a lot about the characteristics of growing and processing grape raw materials, the duration of aging wines.

In some cases, collecting can become not only entertainment and hobbies, but also a good means of earning. However, the collector should always be careful and cautious - instead of the rarest copy, scammers can easily forgive him forging.