Why Do We Collect Things?
Pittman paid $400 for a Canadian 6-piece 1936 Dot specimen set in 1954.
Auctioned in 1999 for $345,000
One fervent collector of historical documents refers to his own collecting propensity as "a genetic
defect". More likely, collecting is a basic human instinct; a survival advantage amplified by eons
of natural selection. Those of our ancient ancestors who managed to accumulate scarce objects may
have been more prone to survive long enough to bear offspring. Even today, wealth correlates to
longer life expectancy - and could any form of wealth be more basic than scarce, tangible objects?
Knowledge and learning Relaxation and stress reduction Personal pleasure (including appreciation of beauty, and pride of ownership) Social interaction with fellow collectors and others (i.e. the sharing of pleasure and knowledge) Competitive challenge Recognition by fellow collectors and perhaps even non-collectors Altruism (since many great collections are ultimately donated to museums and learning institutions) The desire to control, possess and bring order to a small (or even a massive) part of the world Nostalgia and/or a connection to history Accumulation and diversification of wealth (which can ultimately provide a measure of security and freedom)
The motives listed above, and others, are not mutually exclusive. The majority of collectors reap several -
often most - of these benefits, though some may invest excessive amounts of time, energy and discretionary funds.
Robert Lesser's collection of over 250 rare robots and space toys has been exhibited at several museums and is
considered among the finest in the world.
Many non-acquisitive pastimes provide similar levels of satisfaction, knowledge, recognition - and other benefits
of collecting. But unlike home gardeners, tropical fish enthusiasts, and similar hobbyists, serious collectors
of rare objects will very often find that they have created substantial wealth at the end of the day, especially
when they acknowledge, at least to themselves, that doing so is one of their goals. James L. Halperin is a professional rare coin dealer, futurist and best-selling science fiction novelist,
as well as co-owner of Heritage Auction Galleries, the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Write to him c/o Heritage, 3500 Maple Ave. 17th Floor,
Dallas, TX 75219-3941 or email Jim@HA.com .
