Recently, we hosted a community giveaway. But it wasn’t really about the prizes.
We wanted to know why you collect.
Because behind every collector is a reason. Sometimes it looks like madness from the outside, but to the collector, it makes perfect sense. And more often than not, it resonates deeply with others who share the same passion.
We received 83 submissions. Each one told a story. This post is a look into those stories, why we chose our three winners, and what we learned from asking a question that seems simple on the surface but turns out to be anything but.
The 3 Collectors who WON
1st Place: homerunhittershof - The Ultimate Collector
The name says it all. homerunhittershof lives and breathes baseball cards.
With a collection of over 100,000 cards, spanning from the 1930s to 2025, this is dedication on another level. It’s not just about volume. It’s about decades of history, patience, and love for the game. This collection isn’t quiet, subtle, or casual. It’s bold, intentional, and unmistakably driven by passion.
2nd Place: Kyle - The community MVP
Kyle’s story hit home for many of us.
After losing a family member, collecting became a way to keep that connection alive. Cards turned into memories. The hobby became a bridge between the past and the present. The community response spoke for itself. The engagement, comments, and shared emotions made it clear this story mattered to a lot of people.
A well-earned second place
3rd Place: qofl - The childhood superhero
Qofl’s story takes us back to being kids.
For many of us, superheroes weren’t just characters on a page. They were comfort, escape, and possibility. Comic books gave us worlds where outsiders belonged and where strength came in many forms. The X-Men, in particular, reminded us that even those who feel different can find a place to call home.
That feeling sticks with you. Long after childhood.
The Other 80 Stories
The remaining submissions came from collectors of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. Baseball cards, Pokémon, comics, stamps, childhood finds in the attic, collections passed down through generations.
Rather than summarize them here, we encourage you to explore them yourself. Each post adds another layer to what collecting really means.
You can browse the full list of community stories below:
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-i-can-into-this-hobby
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-collect-pokemon
- https://collectibles.com/posts/i-started-collecting-because-it-seemed-like-a-great-hobbie-shout-out-to-collectibles-for-all-they-do
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting12
- https://collectibles.com/posts/give-away-post
- https://collectibles.com/posts/my-collecting-story
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-i-started-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting11
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting11
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collection-journey
- https://collectibles.com/posts/my-journey
- https://collectibles.com/posts/competition-post
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting15
- https://collectibles.com/posts/who-started-me-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting14
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting13
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-i-started
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-i-started-collecting2
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collecting5
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting17
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting16
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-collect3
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-i-started-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/every-collector-really-does-have-a-story
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-collect2
- https://collectibles.com/posts/inspiration-from-my-grandfather
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-collect2
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collectable-origin
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-collect
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting9
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting8
- https://collectibles.com/posts/giveaway14
- https://collectibles.com/posts/started-as-a-child
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting6
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collectibles-give-away
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting5
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting4
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting3
- https://collectibles.com/posts/holy-smokes-my-first-ever-submission-has-been-graded
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collecting-the-moments
- https://collectibles.com/posts/reason-why-i-collect
- https://collectibles.com/posts/i-got-into-collecting-seriously-when-my-great-grandfather-past-away-and-i-got-his-1957-58-topps-baseball-cards
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collecting4
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting2
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collecting-how-i-started
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting-baseball-cards2
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collectibles-journey
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/i-started-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-it-all-started
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-i-got-into-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/what-got-me-into-collecting
https://collectibles.com/posts/collecting5 - https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting19
- https://collectibles.com/posts/getting-started
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collectablescom-givy-why-i-started-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-i-began-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-collect4
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting18
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collecting6
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collecting7
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting23
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting22
- https://collectibles.com/posts/the-reason-i-started-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/starting-with-stamps
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-or-why-i-started-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collecting8
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collections3
- https://collectibles.com/posts/how-it-started
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting27
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting25
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting24
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting--i-was-in-the-attic-and-found-5-huge-old-bins-and-hold-and-be-hold-it-was-full-of-basketball-football-cartoon-cards-just-all-kinds-of-stuff-ive-never-seen-like-a-jerry-rice-rookie-didnt-know-then-but-after-inherently-4-collections
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-love-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/what-got-me-started-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-got-into-collecting
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting28
- https://collectibles.com/posts/collectibles-and-collecting-baseball-cards-again
- https://collectibles.com/posts/why-i-started-collecting26
So… Why Do We Collect?
After reading every submission, one thing became clear.
Collecting helps people through hard times. As kids. As adults. During loss, change, and uncertainty. Sometimes it’s about nostalgia.
Sometimes it’s about connection. Sometimes it’s simply about having something that’s yours.
That realization sparked a bigger question:
What is that itch collectors feel?
That pull. That needs to search, preserve, complete, and remember.
It’s a question that’s gone unanswered for a long time. But not for much longer.
We’re currently exploring this topic more deeply, with plans for an in-depth research paper or possibly an e-book from Collectibles.com.
Because collecting isn’t just a hobby. For many of us, it’s a lifeline.
