Collectibles 101

Stuff Gathers
An associate bought me an M&M shower radio that I kept in my office, so everyone decided I collected M&M memorabilia, and now I own everything from talking phones to a remote-control car. Actually, I just like eating the candy! But the truth here is that people who love us buy us things. When we love them back, those things become precious memories that need preserving.

Starting a Collection
If you are looking for a reason to start a collection, ponder this: no more not-your-style clothing gifts, or lotions and potions that make your eyes puffy and your skin blotchy!

Select a treasured collectible you've received, or buy one to start off your collection. Mine was a Hummel figurine. It's uncouth to ask everyone to stop over-thinking the gift process and to buy Hummels. However, if you invest in an elegant display case with a nice wood finish and beautiful glass doors, and then you strategically place the display case in a prominent location for all to see with the collectible right in the center, your statement is made.

If your audience is a hard sell, a lighted case will draw more attention to your collectibles. Putting a collection behind glass announces that it is precious to you, and a case with a lock proclaims its value. As if by magic, when special occasions arrive, your collection grows.

All in the Presentation
When buying a display case or curio cabinet, leave room for expansion. Placement of items in the collection case should be balanced. If a shelf has a large centrally placed figurine, place figurines to its sides that are mirrored in size. Group themes together, or simply keep the smaller figurines on the higher shelves so people don't have to bend to see their detail. Before long, you'll be expanding your collection into additional display cases.