Bored Panda got in touch with professor and avid collector Shirley M. Mueller, M.D from Collectorbrain.com to learn more about why people make collections in the first place. “It is, I believe, a combination of genetics, environment, experiences, and nostalgia all rolled into one,” she shared,

“They are not divided equally in terms of contribution. It is almost always more of one than another. Which one is more dominant in any one person is difficult to determine.” Nevertheless, it’s quite evident that humans do like large piles of things, while only some insist on gathering large piles of the same thing. 

We were also curious to hear her thoughts on the line between collection as a hobby and as an obsession. “In a word, 95% of collectors or more enjoy their collection. The remaining few, less than 5%, include hoarders who do not experience pleasure when they gather objects as collectors do.”

“Instead, what hoarders accumulate becomes an emotional and physical burden (since the household becomes overcrowded and displeasing to everyone). On the other hand, what collectors select, organize and display is satisfying to them, and, generally, the rest of the world. Whether one would call this a line or not can be debated, but it certainly is a difference.”

Given the variety of things people gather, we wanted to know what was the most interesting thing she has seen collected. “This is a fascinating question and something I have been thinking about. It is body tattoos. In fact, museum exhibits have even featured this subject. There was one at the New York Historical Society in 2017 which focused special attention on women and tattoos. There have been other exhibits like it throughout the world. The visuals in these displays are exotic and even titillating.”

Shirley left us with some parting thoughts. “Collecting is a passion that is additive to life. Through it, people can fill their leisure time in pursuit of objects that interest and inform them. This collection which represents the personality of the collector himself or herself can then perpetuate the memory of the collector at death. What could be better?” If you would want to read more, check out her book, and her other articles, or visit her blog. 

Naturally, someone out there has the largest collection of something. For example, Bettina Dorfmann of Düsseldorf, Germany is the world leader in Barbie Dolls, with over 15,000 in her collection. One wonders if the recent film made the value of her hobby skyrocket. If yes, good for her.

For older items, as one can expect, you will have to frequent thrift stores. Unfortunately, more valuable items can be hard to get, as collectors grab them up. So the best bet is to simply explore thirst stores, garage sales, and other, similar venues in the hope of securing a great deal. It’s more possible than you might think. 

Obviously, the value of a Barbie doll comes from the fact that there are collectors who are interested in it. This is still, for better or worse, a small market. Items with more clear resale value are, naturally, harder to buy. For example, the largest jewelry collection in the world, at least by value, belonged to Austrian philanthropist and art collector Heidi Horten. Around the time of her passing, it was valued at around $150 million.

This is perhaps why so many collectors focus on more niche items. First and foremost, it’s more accessible than, say, jewelry. At the same time, this also allows someone to create an actually unique collection that stands out. Plus, if you are the world leader in, say, misprinted stop signs, it does ascribe a certain kind of expertise.