Collecting: A Beginner’s Guide-Part 1
To quote the Fanboys tagline, everyone collects something. My collections are specific. I have two things that you could say I collect. The first is snow globes. I love them and if I see one that’s unique in some way, I try to bring it home. Especially if on vacation. Even if I can only afford the small $10 gift shop snow globes. I’ve got snow globes from New York, New Orleans, Disney World, and even from London…but that last one was a gift.
I also collected enamel pins there for a minute. I think they’ve fallen fairly out of fashion, but I’ll still pick one up here and there from a favorite coffee shop, or maybe a comic con if they’re selling them. They’re fun, inexpensive, and don’t take up a lot of space in my house. Which is sort of the thing…if you want to get into collecting, where do you start? What to collect? and why?
Here’s some tips on how to get started if you’re wanting to get going on a collection of your own.
What can I collect?
Of course the first major decision will be: what to collect? Often when mentioning collecting the stereotype is a stamp or coin collection. Collecting can be anything though. A good idea is to start with something you’re already passionate about. Go broad at first. If you’re a huge Star Wars fan, start there. If there’s a certain intellectual property you’re obsessed with, chances are you already own things that can be a part of your new collection. Or if you enjoy traveling, collect things from each place you’ve been to. If you’re into nature, collect something tied to the outdoors in some way. Again, start broad and then start narrowing it down.
Once you figure out what you love-time to get focused. If what you love is a particular IP, then maybe start collecting action figures or statuettes from that fandom. If it’s traveling, you can collect post cards from every town you visit, or bumper stickers, or fridge magnets. If nature’s your thing, maybe look for different plant leaves, break one off and take it home to press into a scrap book. Or collect bugs and begin identifying them. I mean, the options are limitless. Just make sure it fits into your life in a seamless way. Which brings me to my second point.
Make sure it fits.
Whatever you decide to collect, make sure you’ve got the space for it. For example, I love to collect local artwork, but I have limited wall space in my home. So, I focus on smaller art pieces/art prints from the artists I love: 8×10 inch pieces, 5×7 prints in some cases; the point being I can’t buy a huge abstract 6 foot by 8 foot painting. I have no room for it. With my enamel pins, they literally all fit on a favorite tote bag. I’ve got 20 pins but they literally take up the space of about a square foot.
Whatever you start collecting, make sure you have the space for it, and for it to grow. Action figures or Funko Pops can fit in a display case, or on a shelf. Collectible cards can fit in a binder. If you love concert T-shirts make sure you’ve got the closet space. Anyway, you get the idea. Make sure it fits.
Investment or enjoyment?
This is a good one to consider. Before you start your collection figure out if you want to monetize your hobby or if you want to collect for sheer enjoyment. Several collectors will turn their collections into a profit. Art collectors can do this, but even smaller scale items-like Funko Pops-is a great marketplace to buy, sell, or trade to either beef up or perfect your personal collection and can make you money.
If you do want to monetize your collection it’s important to do a little research before you begin. How much potential money can be made? What’s the time needed to invest and get started? Depending on what you’re collecting, find out if there are any super rare or valuable items that you can keep an eye out for. Talk to other collectors and find out what the market is like. How long will it take to start making money from your collection? Of course, these things you want to think about while considering what to collect.
Get going!
After you’ve given it some thought, narrowed down your collection to a specific object, and figured out if you want it to be for profit or for fun, then it’s time to start collecting! In a later blog post, I’ll explore where to look, how to shop, bargain hunting etc.
If you really can’t wait, get started at Fanboys Marketplace. We’ve got tons of things to help start your collection-or expand the one you’ve already started! There are three locations to choose from: off of Camp Bowie in Fort Worth, NorthEast Mall in Hurst, and in Denton inside the Golden Triangle Mall. See you when you get here!