Collectibles

In my last post, I wrote about collecting things as a hobby. In this post, I want to dive into the sentimental value that collectibles can have for us. Of course, what is a collectible for one person might not be a collectible for another. It falls into a niche where only the collector values that object, an object that on the face of it, is just an ordinary object to the average person.

For the collector, that object can be valued in two ways: its monetary potential in the market, or its aesthetic/sentimental value. A collectible can have monetary value because of its rarity and because of its history. Based on its current condition, who owned it (or who its owners were), and what function it had, its market value will vary depending on these factors. But collectibles can also have value that transcends its monetary potential, since it is moreover a keepsake.

What do I mean by that? What I mean is that it could be an object that was a gift or an inheritance, passed down from our grandparents or a family member or a friend. It’s an item that we don’t want to part with because if we do, it would be like parting with the memory of that person. The item could also have value to us because it’s something that we return to, such as a favorite book, or a painting or sculpture that we admire. Because if we do give it away or sell it, it’s gone completely, and we won’t be able to get it back.

For some, having collectibles is a business, whether that’s selling the items on eBay or through a pawn shop. But for others, it’s about preserving the memories associated with those objects, of knowing that they’ll be safe with us.