Collecting is hunting, sorting, and storing desire on shelves
Collectors seek, acquire, catalog, display, and conserve objects that hook their attention—stamps or seashells, antiques or last year’s toys. Antiques, by common definition, are at least a century old; “vintage” and “collectable” cover younger quarry. Some start as children and never stop; others begin in adulthood with narrowing focus.
Collections vary in what they hold and in purpose and presentation, and the possible subjects are practically unlimited, though some are far more popular. Vintage describes older pieces not yet old enough to be antiques, such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau items or Carnival and Depression glass. Some fields bend the hundred-year rule, antique cars among them, while antique furniture has traditionally been cut off at the 1830s. Ephemera are once-ordinary things, now scarce because nearly every example was thrown away.
Some newcomers buy whatever appeals and learn as they go; others study the field first. Sometimes the test for inclusion is not the kind of object but something incidental, such as who once owned it. Completists try to get every item in a finite set, others take one piece per year of manufacture or place of purchase, and one item per country is a common rule. Some prize monetary value and keep things pristine, while others care nothing for price and actually use what they collect.
Once bought, a collectable's retail price no longer matters; its value lives on the secondary market, meaning whatever a buyer will pay. Age, condition, supply and demand let owners, auctioneers and dealers sell for more or less than they spent. Limited editions are made scarce on purpose to lift demand, and price guides in books or online list typical selling prices.
Collecting often reflects curiosity about what objects represent, as postcards might about distant places, so it can educate and turn hobbyists into experts. It can relieve stress, stave off boredom and build friendships, it is notably common among academics, and the internet has let isolated enthusiasts find one another.
Source: Collecting
