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Some of us are into bowling, others love traveling, nature, or rock hunting. Does that mean you collect all the bowling balls to make a giant pyramid, or gather every single mosquito you’ve ever killed, or arrange the keys of every hotel and motel you’ve ever been to? Well, for these people, it does indeed.
Meet the collectors of the most random items out there, who prove that nothing is off-limits when it comes to human curiosity.
From a shark tooth collection to a collection of every insect found at home in Australia, Bored Panda has compiled a list full of the most bizarre, wonderful, and entertaining assemblages. Scroll down, upvote your favorites, and let us know what you adore collecting in the comment section below!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
This Is One Of Several Alphabets Assembled By Belgian Type Designer Clotilde Olyff From Stones Collected At The Beach
#2
A Year Ago, I Started Staying In And Peircing State Quarters, Instead Of Going Out And Getting In Trouble. Here Is My Collection So Far
#3
I Started Feeding Bar Nuts To These Crows That Are Regular To The Patio Of A Bar I Work At. My Collection Of Gifts Finally Started After 3 Months
It turns out, humans have always been drawn to collecting things. In the 19th century, aristocratic collectors would amass books, zoological and biological specimens, art and decorations that were all considered a status symbol.
The Victorian era gave birth to the cabinet of curiosities, which referred to space specially designed to arrange, display, and store one’s collectibles. Many of these cabinets have become the first museums that exhibited curated collections.
But the urge to collect things starts as early as our childhood. Most of us had our own little collections of keychains, stamps, or Legos. However, only a few people devote their time and effort to their collected items as they reach adulthood.
#4
My Doctor Has A Kept All The Pictures Kids Have Drawn Of Him
#5
My Grandfather's Pencil Sharpener Collection I Inherited
Alex Fierro 4 years ago
OH I have pretty much that exact globe pencil sharpener at home!!!! It's my pride and joy :D
#6
Perfectly Round Rocks I Found On The Beach. Bonus: Egg, Dorito, And Watermelon Rock
For many, it offers the thrill of the hunt, which draws them in. Most collectors develop an emotional attachment to their objects where each one carries a story. Ask a record collector about their display, and they will happily tell you a two-hour-long story about the first vinyl they got their hands onto.
Nostalgia may also be the driving force of collecting, and it’s usually visible in the historical collections that require a great deal of knowledge and context.
#7
This Is My Periodic Table Of Elements With Actual Elements
#8
This Man's Collection Of Lost Apples Varieties
#9
Over The Past 15 Years My Dad Collected 1,785 Bowling Balls And Built A Giant Bowling Ball Pyramid
#10
Collection Of Reference Seeds Found In My Grandadâs Attic
#11
My Grandma With Her Birdhouse Collection
#12
The Product Of 15 Years Collecting Shedded Antlers From The Woods
#13
Since The Late 80s, My Office Has Been Collecting Used Staples That Were Removed From Documents That Needed To Be Microfilmed/Scanned. Here Is That Collection
#14
Our Tire Sticker Ball Turned 6 Today
#15
Some Of My Favorite Arrowheads. Amazing Little Pieces Of History Collected On Our Private Property In Southern Arizona
#16
2 Years Of Collecting Sea Glass
#17
I'm 14 And Here Is A Picture Of Me And My Chess Medals
#18
My Four-Leaf-Clover Collection (Plus A Couple Five-Leafers In The Middle)
#19
My Girlfriend Cleaning Her Monopoly Collection
She has about 600. There are some duplicates and most are sealed. The oldest one is from the 1940âs I think. My favorite is the Harley Davidson one which weighs about 20 pounds
#21
My Sand And Dirt Collection From Every Place I Visited
#22
The Airbnb That Iâm Staying In Has A Collection Of Rubber Ducks In The Bathroom Wall
#23
I Helped My Dad Alphabetize His Vinyl Collection
#24
My 100% Complete Collection Of Every LEGO Shield Ever Made
Efraim Ondrej Kubik 4 years ago
He is missing the shields from Knights Kingdom (regular and McDonald's also) but anyway, amazing!
#25
My History Teacher's Presidential PEZ Collection
#26
This Collection Of Objects Swallowed By Children
#27
Marble Collection From The 1800s. All Made From Polished Semi-Precious Stones
#28
Weapons Collection From The Royal Armouries In Leeds, UK
#29
This Is My Gameboy Mosaic Made Out Of Gameboy Games. Note: No Games Were Harmed And All Are Removable And Playable
#30
My (87-Years-Old) Father's "Ugly" Golf Ball Collection
My old man, who is now pushing 90 and can't get out to play anymore, was always the guy who would hit his shot, then poke around in the woods and ponds looking for golf balls. He saved buckets of good golf balls, but his real pride and joy is his collection of "ugly golf balls". He was overjoyed any time he'd find a rotten old ball that had been hit by a mower and left to decay. The guy got a hole-in-one once, complete with a big plaque. He promptly lost that golf ball. But he invites strangers into his home to show them his ugly golf ball collection. It's the little things!
#31
Local Pharmacy Has A Display Of Antique Medicines
#32
I Collect Rocks That Look Like Eggs
#33
Friend's Mom In Australia Has A Collection Of What She Found In Her Home
#34
My Granddad's Tool Collection In His Shed
#35
I Collect Food Shaped Erasers
#36
My Aunt Has A Spoon Collection That Has A Tiny Spoon Collection Right Above It
#37
My Dad's Little Metal Detecting Museum
#38
My Entire Bow Tie Collection, Minus The One I'm Wearing Now
#39
My Mom Collects Sand From Beaches All Over The World
#40
A Small Part Of My Vintage Camera Collection
#41
My Game Collection Is Finally Out Of Storage! Wife Surprised Me By Building Shelves As An Anniversary Gift Today
ăăă±ăăŸă 4 years ago
i would marry any guy who would get me a whole damn library and two horses!
#42
An Array Of Cake Pans Collected In The Lifetime Of My Late Grandmother Taken From A Roof Top
#43
My Dice Collection
BoredPanda is awesome 4 years ago
Wow. So cool. I love this one. The colour, designs and order is so nice
#44
My Grandfather Used All Of His Hotel/Motel Keys He Received From His Job As A Travelling Salesman And Made Them Into A Map Of The US
Sue Hazlewood 4 years ago
Did he not know you are supposed to hand them in at the desk when you check out?
#45
Someone Had All The Failed Presidential Candidates Bumper Stickers On Their Car
#46
My Dad's Lifelong Collection Of Matchbooks
Sue Hazlewood 4 years ago
I used to collect match boxes too but had so many and nowhere to store them so off loaded them all.
#47
The Only Remaining Picture Of My Childhood Star Wars Collection
#48
My Copy Editor Father's Collection Of Worn Down Pencils
He started using them on the recommendation of one of my teachers back when I was in high school. He's got a whole box full of them. I'm not sure about the exact make, but the brand is Palomino if anyone is interested.
#49
A Collection Of Things My Local Shop Has Pulled Out Of Flat Tires
Fun fact: the white circle in the top left is one of those security tags for clothes.
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What things do you collect?
Coli Erasmus 4 years ago
When my grandmother died last year, we discovered her collection of over 100 funeral programs. At 89, she had outlived most of her friends, 2 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 of her own children and a grandchild. The oldest pamphlet we found, was handwritten and dated 1939 meaning her collection spanned 80 years. After her memorial, we placed her own pamphlet in the box with the promise that we'll keep the morbidly sweet collection going. It is now in my mother's possession, from where it one day will become mine and after me, my eldest daughter has already called debs on it.
Sarah 4 years ago
That's sad but really sweet of you to keep her collection going.
Load More Replies...
Shaista Katirena Bolatbek 4 years ago
my grandad (a retired surgeon from Afghanistan) has a collection of every bullet and shrapnel piece he's pulled out of injured patients. He has about 900 pieces and still remembers the stories behind them.
teesside-business-show 4 years ago
Shaista Katirena Bolatbek Good response!
Load More Replies...
Mimi777 4 years ago
I have a collection of mini sample perfume bottles. Back when Peebles and Goodyâs was around they always had tiny perfume samples customers could take one of and I have about 50 or so. Some are really ornate and just mini versions of the big ones that are detailed. I also like to collect old glass liquor bottles. I have about 10-15. Also money and coins from different countries, I have some from Yugoslavia and couple others countries that no longer exist. Oh and canât forget my sticker collection from elementary school!
Rick Seiden 4 years ago
I have over 350 individual decks of playing cards I've been collecting for 25 years. I just organized about 8 months ago or so. It took me over a month to do. I took pictures of all the unique boxes, backs and faces, and posted them on blogger for the world to see. https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5937863549485591306#allposts
ADHORTATOR 4 years ago (edited)
My mother has a collection of doll houses... over 50 doll houses, from a small cottage and different shops (Butcher, clothing....) to a church with belltower...the houses have miniature electric lighting,
John Louis 4 years ago
I have over 5000 comic books so I am a collector, I like collectors live life with passion and something that you like for its own sake with no regard to what other people think.
deanna woods 4 years ago
I collect shot glasses and rubber ducks. One of my shot glasses looks like a mug and it says Queen. Another has the infamous caticorn on it.
Blade the gallade 4 years ago
I collect golf balls because I live near a golf course, I have around 200 by now.
Alex Hurley 4 years ago
Me and my wife collect refrigerator magnets from all the places we travel in the world. One of our home office walls have been painted with magnetic paint to hold hundreds of our magnets,
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
Don't know why u were downvoted, that's fair enough! Have an upvote :)
Load More Replies... 
Stannous Flouride 4 years ago
I have easily the world's largest collection of an enameled cookware made by a company called Vollrath with over 200 pieces. I use some of it regularly to cook with but have over 150 pieces with their original labels that have never been used. My oldest piece is an enameled cast iron teakettle from the 1890s. vol2019011...a45631.jpg 
Dagnirath 4 years ago
I collect antique books, anything at least a century old. I have everything from prayer books and novels to the memoirs of a call house madam. The pride of my collection is 1. a certified rare 1st edition novel from 1871, and 2. something I'm 95% certain was published in 1714 (I can't tell for certain because it's written in German). I also collect foreign coins and am up to 52 different countries.
Sarah 4 years ago
I collect weird rocks and state coins, also stickers from every place I've been.
Shakura Kazuki 4 years ago
I have a collection of abut 300+ skyrocket nose cones. I collect them every year on New Years eve. I store them in 4 full shoe boxes. They had been very colorful when I started collecting, but nowadays they are all black. I still collect them though.
Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago
I collected business cards from the age of 9. I just like their images. At the age of 21, I wrote to Guinness, and was one week and 110 cards short of the record, as a local had contacted them, and mail from California took weeks. At the age of 49, I retired and sent off my collection to historical societies in the regions from which the cards came. I sent out 149 packages, from 10 cards to 1780, depending on the location. By that time, my oldest card was from the 1930s, and from my hometown (which received the largest package). The cards came from all continents (save for Antarctica), and over 39 countries.
Your Local Lizard 4 years ago (edited)
i collect shower thoughts in a notebook: here's my fav: fire would be so much scarier if it didnt give any light
Fixin'Ta 4 years ago (edited)
Collecting things can be an indication the person is neurodivergent (ADHD, Autism scale, etc.) It's one of our superpowers. ^_^ I have lots of collections, but nothing on a grand scale -- cards I've made, childhood soft toys (mine and my son's), seashells and sand from various beaches around the world (and no, I didn't know it was illegal to take sand from a beach in many places -- thank goodness), books, photo books, I even "collect" birds (I don't actually have them in my possession, but I am a birdwatcher and love to catalogue the different birds I see each day and how many of each species). It's a very satisfying hobby (unless it turns into hoarding...)
Lily Mae Kitty 4 years ago
I have a lot of collections. I am a vintage reseller and run estate sales so vintage is in my blood. I collect vintage cat art and figurines from the 1950s-1960s, vintage purse collection, vintage silk scarf collection(lots of Vera Neumann, vintage printed cotton tablecloths and napkins, enamelware, cookware, vintage barware, costume brooches...
QueenoftheSquids 4 years ago
My mom used to collect collecter's edition star wars opening night pizza boxes. I collect apple tree seeds. Also keychains. My keys are utterly ridiculous and weigh two pounds
El Dee 4 years ago
Funeral programmes have only started to become a thing in my country recently. So no collections yet..
Linda Burger 4 years ago
I started collecting superballs 36 yrs ago. Also clown figurines, all the Godzilla and gamers and large monster movies. I also collect cat figurines and items with cats on them. And I collect books.
Coli Erasmus 4 years ago
When my grandmother died last year, we discovered her collection of over 100 funeral programs. At 89, she had outlived most of her friends, 2 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 of her own children and a grandchild. The oldest pamphlet we found, was handwritten and dated 1939 meaning her collection spanned 80 years. After her memorial, we placed her own pamphlet in the box with the promise that we'll keep the morbidly sweet collection going. It is now in my mother's possession, from where it one day will become mine and after me, my eldest daughter has already called debs on it.
Sarah 4 years ago
That's sad but really sweet of you to keep her collection going.
Load More Replies... Shaista Katirena Bolatbek 4 years ago
my grandad (a retired surgeon from Afghanistan) has a collection of every bullet and shrapnel piece he's pulled out of injured patients. He has about 900 pieces and still remembers the stories behind them.
teesside-business-show 4 years ago
Shaista Katirena Bolatbek Good response!
Load More Replies... Mimi777 4 years ago
I have a collection of mini sample perfume bottles. Back when Peebles and Goodyâs was around they always had tiny perfume samples customers could take one of and I have about 50 or so. Some are really ornate and just mini versions of the big ones that are detailed. I also like to collect old glass liquor bottles. I have about 10-15. Also money and coins from different countries, I have some from Yugoslavia and couple others countries that no longer exist. Oh and canât forget my sticker collection from elementary school!
Rick Seiden 4 years ago
I have over 350 individual decks of playing cards I've been collecting for 25 years. I just organized about 8 months ago or so. It took me over a month to do. I took pictures of all the unique boxes, backs and faces, and posted them on blogger for the world to see. https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5937863549485591306#allposts
ADHORTATOR 4 years ago (edited)
My mother has a collection of doll houses... over 50 doll houses, from a small cottage and different shops (Butcher, clothing....) to a church with belltower...the houses have miniature electric lighting,
John Louis 4 years ago
I have over 5000 comic books so I am a collector, I like collectors live life with passion and something that you like for its own sake with no regard to what other people think.
deanna woods 4 years ago
I collect shot glasses and rubber ducks. One of my shot glasses looks like a mug and it says Queen. Another has the infamous caticorn on it.
Blade the gallade 4 years ago
I collect golf balls because I live near a golf course, I have around 200 by now.
Alex Hurley 4 years ago
Me and my wife collect refrigerator magnets from all the places we travel in the world. One of our home office walls have been painted with magnetic paint to hold hundreds of our magnets,
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
Don't know why u were downvoted, that's fair enough! Have an upvote :)
Load More Replies... Stannous Flouride 4 years ago
I have easily the world's largest collection of an enameled cookware made by a company called Vollrath with over 200 pieces. I use some of it regularly to cook with but have over 150 pieces with their original labels that have never been used. My oldest piece is an enameled cast iron teakettle from the 1890s. vol2019011...a45631.jpg
Dagnirath 4 years ago
I collect antique books, anything at least a century old. I have everything from prayer books and novels to the memoirs of a call house madam. The pride of my collection is 1. a certified rare 1st edition novel from 1871, and 2. something I'm 95% certain was published in 1714 (I can't tell for certain because it's written in German). I also collect foreign coins and am up to 52 different countries.
Sarah 4 years ago
I collect weird rocks and state coins, also stickers from every place I've been.
Shakura Kazuki 4 years ago
I have a collection of abut 300+ skyrocket nose cones. I collect them every year on New Years eve. I store them in 4 full shoe boxes. They had been very colorful when I started collecting, but nowadays they are all black. I still collect them though.
Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago
I collected business cards from the age of 9. I just like their images. At the age of 21, I wrote to Guinness, and was one week and 110 cards short of the record, as a local had contacted them, and mail from California took weeks. At the age of 49, I retired and sent off my collection to historical societies in the regions from which the cards came. I sent out 149 packages, from 10 cards to 1780, depending on the location. By that time, my oldest card was from the 1930s, and from my hometown (which received the largest package). The cards came from all continents (save for Antarctica), and over 39 countries.
Your Local Lizard 4 years ago (edited)
i collect shower thoughts in a notebook: here's my fav: fire would be so much scarier if it didnt give any light
Fixin'Ta 4 years ago (edited)
Collecting things can be an indication the person is neurodivergent (ADHD, Autism scale, etc.) It's one of our superpowers. ^_^ I have lots of collections, but nothing on a grand scale -- cards I've made, childhood soft toys (mine and my son's), seashells and sand from various beaches around the world (and no, I didn't know it was illegal to take sand from a beach in many places -- thank goodness), books, photo books, I even "collect" birds (I don't actually have them in my possession, but I am a birdwatcher and love to catalogue the different birds I see each day and how many of each species). It's a very satisfying hobby (unless it turns into hoarding...)
Lily Mae Kitty 4 years ago
I have a lot of collections. I am a vintage reseller and run estate sales so vintage is in my blood. I collect vintage cat art and figurines from the 1950s-1960s, vintage purse collection, vintage silk scarf collection(lots of Vera Neumann, vintage printed cotton tablecloths and napkins, enamelware, cookware, vintage barware, costume brooches...
QueenoftheSquids 4 years ago
My mom used to collect collecter's edition star wars opening night pizza boxes. I collect apple tree seeds. Also keychains. My keys are utterly ridiculous and weigh two pounds
El Dee 4 years ago
Funeral programmes have only started to become a thing in my country recently. So no collections yet..
Linda Burger 4 years ago
I started collecting superballs 36 yrs ago. Also clown figurines, all the Godzilla and gamers and large monster movies. I also collect cat figurines and items with cats on them. And I collect books.
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