Weirdly Wonderful Items That People Seem To Enjoy Collecting

By Nikita D

This article was originally published on therocketsscience

People often pass their time or explore new things by collecting strange items. You must have heard about people collecting coins, stamps, or even guitars. Their passions often make them want to own as many varieties of a specific item as possible. And sometimes, these passions almost turn into obsessions, which is when you hear about some people collecting strange dolls or even things like back-scratchers! Obviously, there is no real use to having multiple variations of the same strange thing, but obsessive behavior is often such. Curiosity and interest can lead to such stockpiles, and these obsessions are often lifelong until they find themselves with a strange stash of rocks or even sand! In this article, we are going to delve into the world of out-of-the-ordinary collectors and the off-beat things that people collect.

A Ball of Stickers

Who would think that this is even a thing, but someone decided to collect stickers by forming them into a ball! They may have started accidentally by rolling a few stickers in the form of a ball, but out of laziness never really threw it away.

Image: reddit/Damnthatsinteresting

What emerged after time was a growing ball of all kinds of stickers painstakingly stuck one on top of another. If you look at the ball, you may even be able to spot strange stickers and labels of all kinds and from all over. 

Strange Children Eatables Collection

Children have a lot of pent up energy and time to indulge in all types of behavior. While most of it is just harmless playing, some of their games might end up being too dangerous for them. If you have kids, you know they will try and eat anything by putting whatever they can grab into their mouths.

Image: buzzfeed.com/mikespohr

One pediatrician decided to collect all the strange items that he found in children’s stomachs. The most common thing for them to eat seems to be coins! Key’s, pieces of legos, and wires are also things that kids seem to find appealing.

Collection Of Keys

A grandpa decided to collect keys from his days working as a salesman. Since he used to travel a lot, he had stayed in many motels and hotels. One definitely unique fact about his collection is that he used the keys to fashion a map of the USA.

Image: Reddit/Mildlyinteresting

The strange aspect of this collection is that the grandpa had taken all the keys from the rooms he stayed in. Usually, one returns them at the reception while checking out. It seems like this guy used to check out without giving the key back.

Coca Cola Cans

Cans are something that we usually throw away., or nowadays recycle. Of course, they don’t have many uses once we have finished the pop inside. But, this person had a penchant for collecting all the cans he had drunk since he was just 15 years old.

Image: Listaca.com

What began as a random collection now is pretty impressive. Almost like a Coca Cola can museum. His collection even includes special edition cans and commemorative cans from virtually every country in the world except Cuba and North Korea.

A Staple Pin Collection

Office life can get a bit monotonous sometimes, which is why a group of colleagues decided to invent a fun game. The game continued for so many years that it became a collection. Out of boredom, they decided to collect used staples.

Image: imgur.com/KbggYAk

Thats right, the staples that people usually throw away after being done with them are what they collected. The pile got bigger and bigger till an entire bin was filled with used staples. This collection definitely needed a lot of patience, we are sure!

Drawings from Patients

Doctors are responsible for making patients well and even saving their lives. Needless to say, a lot of patients send gestures of appreciation after their health has improved. This pediatrician receives many gifts from his young patients, many of which are drawings.

Image: reddit.com/dvkui3

It is an incredibly sweet gesture, and this doctor decided to keep every single one of those drawings. This is a wonderful heartwarming collection, and it must bring a smile to the doctor’s face every time he looks at them.

Stones In Shape Of Alphabets

Stones come in all shapes and sizes. But, who would have even considered that someone could gather pebbles and stones that look like letters of the alphabet? Someone managed to do just that. Belgian Type Designer Clotilde Olyff collected such a unique set of pebbles found on beaches.

Image: Abduzeedo.com

This unique and weird collection was completed from a nearby beach. This makes his feat even more interesting. The entire stone collection must have taken ages to collect, and we totally salute this designer for accomplishing this impressive feat. 

Lost Apple Collection

One cannot even fathom how many different varieties of apples there are in the world. But, this guy took it upon himself to collect every single type of apples he could get his hands on. He called it the “Lost Apple Collection.”

Image: Reddit/blessedimages

He has been collecting the biggest sizes of apples of all kinds of varieties. This kind of unique collection surely takes a bit of imagination. We are not sure how he has resisted tasting all of these fantastic apples too.

Periodic Table in Jar Form

Remember having to learn all about the Periodic table in your Chemistry class? This guy decided to step it up a notch by making a collection of the periodic table in a jar form. He collected all the periodic elements in the table and arranged them in jars.

Image: Reddit/mildlyinteresting

This collection surely looks expensive and time-consuming at the same time. The spacing and setting are exactly like the table, and it must definitely help to remember all the elements. This satisfying collection is undoubtedly unique. We wish we had one in school!

A Lucky Clover Collection

Leaves can be a thing of beauty. All are different from each other, and it takes someone with a discerning eye to be able to spot and collect them too—this person collected 4 and 5 leaf clovers over a long period of time.

Image: Onedio.com

These 4 and 5 leaf clovers are not easy to find, and it must have taken him a lot of patience. This lovely collection has been kept throughout the years and continues to fascinate and bring much luck to the collector. 

Chess Medals

Passion and excellence will help you win many accolades and medals over the years. When awards are won, one can create an impressive collection of past achievements. This 14-year-old boy managed to collect all of these over a few years!

Image: Reddit/ Mademesmile

Imagine how many more medals are still in his future. Though he looks really unassuming in this photo, he is, in fact, brilliant as he has collected many tokens of excellence over just a few years of his life.

A Collection of Superheroes

A lot of men like to have a collection of superheroes and anime character figurines. While some succeed in collecting maybe ten to twenty of them, this person has a whole wall display of every superhero imaginable. This collection must have taken years.

Image: Unfinishedman

There are comic book heroes, anime characters, movie heroes – every superhero and villain imaginable. This man must be a total fan of DC and Marvel movies and comic books. Some superheroes are even in mint condition here. He must be really proud of his splendid collection. 

A Collection Of Different Versions of Monopoly

Monopoly is a game enjoyed by many people, but this lady took her love for the game to a whole new level. While many homes have an edition of the game at home for family gamenight, this collector can chose from 100’s of versions.

Image: dailymail.co.uk

This lady has a library full of different types of monopoly games she has collected over the years. She even has models dating back to the early ’1900s. She definitely loves this game, and it shows! We wonder how many of these games has she actually played through. 

Locks of Celebrity Hair

Musicians and movie stars have some of the craziest fans. You must have heard of people selling tufts of Elvis Presley’s hair or even nail clippings of some or other movie actor. This guy has a thing for collecting celebrity locks of hair!

Image: Atchuup

The collection includes the hair of famous celebrities and historical figures, including Edgar Allan Poe, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, and even Ludwig van Beethoven. He must have taken ages to collect these, and it is kind of impressive!

Damaged Golf Balls

Passion for sports is something that keeps your mind and body engaged for many years. Not only is it therapeutic, and great for relieving stress, but it is also a great way to keep fit and get excercise. Golf is a game that many people love to play.

Image: reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/fsjwpv

This man was also an avid golfer, but what makes him interesting is that he chose to keep his old golf balls. Not the new ones, but the ones which were damaged. He keeps all the balls that came to an untimely end in this very unique display.

A Strange Collection of Shark Teeth

We have no clue why this person decided to collect deadly shark teeth, but such a collection does exist! One would totally shudder at the thought of sharks, let alone shark teeth. We are sure no one would like to be at the mercy of those teeth.

Image: Onedio

These are different types of shark teeth that he found on the beach and decided to keep them. And now he has this whole collection of shark teeth that we do not know what he does with. One would think he wrestled sharks to find these teeth!

Colorful Food Shaped Erasers

Remember those novelty erasers we used to get in school? They used to even smell like fruits, and kids loved collecting them. But, this person has taken his eraser obsession to a whole new level and has collected hundreds of colorful erasers.

Image: reddit.com/user/qwas11

The fun part of this collection is that these erasers come in different types of food shapes. They are even in the form of vegetables and fruits. It is a truly delightful collection and looks really pleasing to the eye.

Sand From Different Locations

Travelling can bring a lot of excitement into a person’s life. Visiting a new land or country can be incredibly exciting. Many travelers collect various souvenirs from their travels, such as t-shirts or postcards, but this person decided to take a little piece of the place home with them!

Image: onedio.com

It is an incredibly creative yet amazing sand collection. Now he can keep a piece of the land with him to remind him of the places he visited. This adventurous traveler eventually had many sand samples and decided to display them in his home.

A Memorabilia of Cameras

Modern-day photography has become really simple these days thanks to mobile phones. But, those old polaroid films and cameras were genuinely glorious. Even though technology has grown leaps and bounds, some people are still old-school and love film photography.

Image: Onedio

This person took their passion for film cameras and turned it into an obsession of collecting vintage cameras. He has collected cameras that look so old that it’s hard to believe that they ever worked. A fun but strange collection indeed.

A Collection of Metals

The discovery of metals and how they helped humankind evolve is known to everyone. Through significant exploration, we found what our ancestors used metal objects for a variety of purposes. Slowly, we collected all kinds of metals that helped tell us more about them and how they lived.

Image: Reddit/ MildlyInteresting

Iron Age, Bronze Age; these are all timelines historians have identified to signify the uses of metal. With each discovery of metal, our civilization grew stronger and advanced a bit more. Here is a collection of all sorts of metals that have been discovered. 

Tools Galore

It is a great skill to be able to solve problems at home like leakages, carpentry issues, and other small issues around the house. To be able to fix things efficiently, a toolbox is essential. However, this man’s tool collection goes way beyond a standard toolbox.

Image: reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying//88y9s9

He collected all kinds of tools over a time, which almost now looks like a collection of every tool imaginable. He has even displayed it in a most epic manner. He must be able to solve any problem around the house.

An Armor Wall

Armors and weapons have changed dramatically over time, and studying different weapons can be incredibly interesting. An amazing collection of armors is available at The Royal Armouries in Leeds, United Kingdom. The entire wall is full of these deadly weapons.

Image: Flickr/ Chris Scopes

These armors represent different periods in history and how weapons changed over time. The collection is fascinating to see as it fills up the entire wall and goes up as far as the eye can see. Truly an impressive collection indeed.

Wild Life in Australia

Australia is blessed with a  hot tropical climate, which is why wildlife and nature are abundant there. If you have ever lived in a home in Australia, then you would know how many insects and wild creatures can intrude your home. 

Image: thedaddest

This woman collected all sorts of wild creatures that came into her home. She collected beetles, bugs, and even giant moths. Her collection also included strange giant spiders, yikes! She made an art display of the insects, and it almost looks good but is still kind of creepy if you ask us.

A Carton of Rocks

Ever seen a rock shaped exactly like an egg? Yup, this person managed to collect not one but a whole carton of such rocks. The fact that all of the rocks look exactly like smooth eggs is marvelous! 

Image: Reddit/Mildlyinteresting

While this collection of egg rocks might seem a little odd, one might never know what will hatch from one! Maybe a dragon or a strange creature? One can always keep hoping and imagining some incredible outcome. Even if nothing happens, they sure look like works of art. 

Dungeons and Dragons Dice

Who would have ever thought of collecting dice? Well, this person did. We suspect he loves playing all sorts of games, and at some point, this game addiction evolved into collecting game dice. He decided to collect all types of game dice, from Dungeons and Dragons to Ludo.

Image: Reddit/Oddlysatisfying

The collection became rather extensive, and it looks beautiful now displayed by color. The dice range from all kinds of shapes to all sorts of sizes. He has formed a dice city now with unique dices. These look like gems from a vantage point.

Video Games

For some reason, men love video games, no matter how old they get. The level of competition and passion are all things that usually are involved in video games. While many men collect video games, this Redditor took it to another level.

Image: reddit.com/user/uncleseeth/

Here is a fully packed wall of video games that dates back to the earliest video games produced. The games are organized into all types of genres and times. Needless to say, this is a dream for every video game lover.

Spoon Loving

The spoon is essential in the kitchen and is merely a useful tool for eating and cooking. But, would you believe that people make a hobby out of collecting spoons? Someone has painstakingly collected the collection you see here.

Image: Reddit/mildlyinteresting

These are definitely not regular spoons used for eating but only to be displayed in their cabinet. They certainly look pretty and worthy of displaying too. The vintage spoons maybe carry the family crest of this collector’s ancestors.

A Collection of Sharpener’s

Just like the collection of erasers that we saw, this collection of sharpeners is also in the same category. However, this is almost a documentary of the evolution of sharpeners. Since writing has been as old as time itself, so has the invention of writing tools.

Image:reddit.com/user/mattygraddy/

These sharpeners are of such varied shapes and sizes that they almost do not look like sharpeners at all. It almost looks like art, and they actually look great on the mantelpiece. This fantastic collection of sharpeners almost looks like it should belong in a museum collection.

The State Insignia

A lot of the coins in the USA have different insignia when they come from different states. The insignia are unique and really fascinating as well. These coins are almost a work of art, and maybe that is what inspired this collector. 

Image: thechive.com

The collector has started collecting the states quarter, and he pierces each coin to reveal different insignia. This collection truly is a work of art and must have taken a lot of commitment and skill to achieve. Once this collection is complete, it will look amazing.

A Pyramid of Bowling Balls

Bowling is undoubtedly a fun team sport, and kids and adults alike love to play this game. Have you ever thought of collecting those huge and heavy bowling balls, though? Well, someone decided to do just that. It makes for a unique collection too.

Image: Reddit/garbageman13

Just look at this man standing proud on his collection. This collector spent 15 years collecting bowling balls before he had enough to build his pyramid. This structure is a combination of 1,785 bowling balls! Such determination surely deserves a medal.

Different types of Matchboxes

Matchboxes often have various types of designs on them. But how many of us actually took time to admire any of them? This collector surely did. He was possibly fascinated by the art of matchbox design and decided to collect them. 

Image: Onedio

Soon, he had a large enough collection to make him a matchbox collector. It is amazing to see in which unlikely places do humans find art and beauty. This lovely and artsy matchbox collection is the epitome of exactly that. 

Rubber Duckies

Who does not love a nice and warm bubble bath with a few rubber duckies floating around? Well, kids sure do. But, these rubber duckies have less relevance in our lives as we get older. This collector decided to collect them none the less!

Image: Reddit/mildlyinteresting

He perhaps used to love his warm baths in the tub and rubber duckies along with it. So much so that he started collecting these rubber duckies wherever he went. Or maybe he has a kid, who knows. Needless to say, this collection is rather cute.

A Star Wars Collection

Star Wars is a series that many people love and has a huge following of loyal and devoted fans known as well simply, Star Wars Fans. This collector must be head of the fan club and went above and beyond by turning an entire room into a Star Wars collection.

Image: Dailyfailcentre

There are many pieces in this room, ranging from light sabers to different costumes. He must be pretty proud of this huge collection and we can imagine that it is worth a pretty penny too, especially if some of those are original props.

Sharpened Pencils

Items such as erasers, sharpeners, and pencils are not things that someone usually collects. But, here is a weird one. A collection of sharpened pencils which he never thought to throw away. Maybe he thought they look like pieces of art!

Image: Reddit/all

This collection has grown slowly and steadily, and we think that maybe they are from specific grades in school or from exams taken. He has even assembled these pencils into different types of groups and color schemes, and they almost look like arty.

Hot Wheeling It

Do you remember those Hot Wheel cars as kids that everyone used to love? Not only did they used to come in different colors, but different car models as well. Plus, those hot spinning rims were undoubtedly a great collectible feature. 

Image: imagict.com/en/words/collection

This collector has accumulated all the Hot Wheels he can, and it really looks like an impressive collection. Hot Wheels actually produces new and car models every year, which means this collector will never run out of Hot Wheels. 

Birdhouses

Animals and birds deserve all the kindness and compassion we can show them. This woman certainly took up the cause by offering shelter for birds. The front of her home is literally covered with her birdhouse collection.

Image: Reddit/Mildlyinteresting

The unique part of the story is that she decided to collect not one, but many birdhouses that she displayed on her own house. She started with one and kept on growing her collection till it looked like this. 

McDonalds memorabilia

Who does not love a good old McDonald’s burger? No matter how many times you eat one, they never really get old. Many people have at least a few of the memorabilia items from this restaurant chain at home. But, this guy has a roomful of them!

Image: DailyMail/bancroft USA

60-year Mike Fountaine, an Mc Donalds franchise owner, has a mind-blowing collection of 75,000 McDonald’s memorabilia pieces. The collection is so huge that it occupies 7500 square feet of his home. The collection includes cups, lapel pins, and almost every Happy Meal toy too!

Stack of Seeds

People have always loved collecting certain things for decades, and our grandparents are certainly no exception to this. One Reddit user stumbled across a very extensive seed collection and catalog that his grandfather had painstakingly collected in his attic.

Image: reddit.com/user/HungryBanana07/

Though this looks like a more professional collection than a personal hobby, this index of seeds must have taken years of careful selection, and he must have been really proud of his work. The best part is that some of the seeds may still be visible for planting.

An Enviable Tie Booth

It is no secret that some women love a man in a suit. This man took that notion rather seriously and built up a stylish collection of ties. Usually, a man has maybe only a handful of ties that he can mix and match.

Image: Reddit/publicfreakout

This man went a step beyond and collected all kinds of ties fathomable. And it sure is a colorful sight. These ties will elevate any regular shirt and pants. He also recognizes the importance of a good bow and tie. 

Sands Of Time

Similar to the land collection that we saw earlier, this is another collection of sands that an avid traveler collected during many trips to far off places. Though we do not know what inspired this rather strange, but interesting collection of sand from all parts of the world. 

Image: stumbleupon.com

The fascinating part of this collection is that all the sands look drastically different. From the color to the texture, no two are exactly the same. Maybe, that is what prompted this woman to start collecting sand from all her travel destinations. 

Transformers Ahoy!

A collection of superhero memorabilia is not an uncommon collection these days. Still, film franchises like Transformers also have big enough fan bases for some of them to start collecting items too. This collector is obviously a big Transformers fan.

Image: foter.com/Sunstreaker/

What started just as a hobby soon became an enviable collection. This collection features all the Transformers cars and even the original characters with them. The sci-fi franchise became an instant hit when it was released in 2007.

Brick In The Wall

Who would have thought that bricks on a display wall could look good? Only creative people could even fathom such ideas. This is a collection of bricks and books that are actually about bricks! And it for sure looks like a work of art. 

Image: reddit.com/user/ThanHowWhy/

Many of the bricks are from around the world and made from different materials, making this collection really interesting. While most of the bricks are from the United States, there is even one from Venice. Plus, many of the bricks are from the 1900s. 

All Kinds of Tire Damagers

Tires are subjected to all surfaces of roads and hazards that can cause damage to the rubber rims of the tire. A lot of times, these things get stuck in the tire and cause it to puncture. A car repair shop got an idea and decided to create this wall of tire killers. 

Image: Thechive

They decided to display all of the dangerous items that they removed from people’s tires for some strange reason. It looks like a warning for people to pay more attention to where they are going, and what they are potentially driving over.

Pokemon Memorabilia 

Pokemon has a huge fanbase. Not only kids but adults too also love and adore this cute cartoon series. From Pikachu stuffed toys to the ever-popular Pokemon mobile game, this amazing series has many loyal fans and collectors.

Image: NyPost

This kid took it a step further and is the proud owner of the biggest collection of Pokemon collectibles. Lisa Courtney from the UK owns 16,000 Pokémon items. We cannot imagine the level of convincing she had to do to his parents to let her buy all of this!