what else do you collect?

does anyone here ever set out to collect anything other than coins? i
know the answer is yes and maybe some of you can pitch in what other
areas you've dabbled in.

today i'm letting go of one collection which at its height i had just
about as much passion for then as i do now with coins. it was a
collection, oh boy this is going to sound geeky, of... chemical
elements. you know, the stuff that makes up everything in the
universe. and any of you who know me privately know i'm hopelessly
afflicted with a get-one-of-each mentality (see my roman coin
collection at http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/grid28.php )

it's a bitter sweet moment to put the elements up for sale. you know,
something you put that much work into, even if you let go of actively
pursuing, has become a part of you at some level. but collections are
alive - or should be - so that unless you're a pack rat once your
interests change over time it's best to recycle them and let someone
else experience that rush you once felt.

i know this guy bill who's nuts about old coke bottles. others are
into fossils, minerals and so on. so what non-coin stuff have you gone
ga-ga for?

ras