What's Your Passion...The Art of Collecting

What is your passion? Cars? Comic Books? Toys? Coins? Deciding on your passion is the first step in the art of collecting. When I was a child I was a Batman fan, a Superman fan, and a Spider-Man. It wasn’t until I started to wear glasses that I began to relate more to Spider-Man and this is where my passion for Spider-Man began and continues today. As I watched my father organize his coin collection and helped him at various flea markets, I learned how to organize my own small comic book collection. I earned money through my chores and helped my father on the weekends at flea markets, which enabled me to save enough money to buy my own Spider-Man comic books. This collection grew into Captain America, Avengers, and many other series that peeked my interest.

I quickly learned that my comic book collection was growing to the point I couldn’t remember what I needed when I went to a show or flea market. It was time to start a list and track my inventory. I created a journal of my entire collection which I still have today. This journal became my “collector’s tool” to reference when searching my missing comic books. Today there are many great apps out there to track your inventory, but I continue to rely on my handy-dandy hard copy list. This way it’s always available to me (and no risk of my list disappearing when the app is no longer available or no Wi-Fi). Another tip you might want to consider is joining clubs or associations that complement your passion, such as CBCA if you are comic book collector or attending a collector show. Education is an asset. You will learn a great deal through these resources.

On a final note, you will want to protect your collection. This is an important element in the art of collecting. You will need high-quality, acid-free polypropylene bags and boards. On average the bags and board will cost you about .15/book. Comic book boxes are ideal storage for your books, but if you can’t afford boxes secure them by laying them flat to avoid bending or creasing (creasing is not your friend). You can purchase any of these items at comic book stores or look for them at collector shows. Comic books should be stored in a dark area that is cool, dry, and smoke-free.

I have been collecting comic books for over 40 years. If you have any questions, I am happy to offer guidance or suggestions that will help grow your own collection. I also run small group discussions as an opportunity to share my experiences and knowledge as a collector. You can contact me at Average Joe's Comics and Toys.

Look for next month’s blog...toy collecting.

Thanks for reading and Happy Collecting!

Average Joe