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[collectop]

When do you call it quits from collecting. I have been collecting for 47 years now. My kids and family thinks I am nuts. I have two rooms filled with Spinning tops and boxes with tops in storage with no room to display them. My wife has her limits of where I can put them L.O.L. My question to you all is how many is too much?

[ta0]

Hi Michael

That's an impressive collection! You might currently have the largest in the US. That you have enjoyed your hobby for 47 years is wonderful! You have to have a passion in life!

I'm not sure if you are asking when do you stop acquiring new tops or when do you get rid of the collection.
I imagine you still like collecting but you see practical problems.

To stop augmenting the collection is much easier than letting it go.
If every time you get a new top you have an excrusiating decision of either storing it in a box or sending another top into a box, I guess it's time to stop acquiring.
But if it becomes a burden, either financially, to family relations or even simply spatially, it may be time to get rid of it.
Also, at a certain age one needs to think if one wants to leave the children the chore of selling it (probably with little or no knowledge of value or history) or should one spare them. Lourens Bas' daughter also has the collector bug and probably will keep his intact. On the other hand, Daniel Lassanske's daughter had to work hard to dispose it. Getting rid of a large collection by selling individual pieces is very challenging and takes too long, as Don Olney found out.

In my case, I continue to collect but I try to pace my acquisitions. But lately I'm thinking I need a larger house so I can display my collection, what is a little worrisome if I think about it 

[Christop]

That is an impressive collection! I currently am getting close to coming a small display case and feel like I need to slow down, lol. I've only really been collecting for a few years, though.

[collectop]

Thats how I started, then it becomes addictive. Then you learn just how many different tops there are. Good luck

[collectop]

Hi Michael

That's an impressive collection! You might currently have the largest in the US. That you have enjoyed your hobby for 47 years is wonderful! You have to have a passion in life!

I'm not sure if you are asking when do you stop acquiring new tops or when do you get rid of the collection.
I imagine you still like collecting but you see practical problems.

To stop augmenting the collection is much easier than letting it go.
If every time you get a new top you have an excrusiating decision of either storing it in a box or sending another top into a box, I guess it's time to stop acquiring.
But if it becomes a burden, either financially, to family relations or even simply spatially, it may be time to get rid of it.
Also, at a certain age one needs to think if one wants to leave the children the chore of selling it (probably with little or no knowledge of value or history) or should one spare them. Lourens Bas' daughter also has the collector bug and probably will keep his intact. On the other hand, Daniel Lassanske's daughter had to work hard to dispose it. Getting rid of a large collection by selling individual pieces is very challenging and takes too long, as Don Olney found out.

In my case, I continue to collect but I try to pace my acquisitions. But lately I'm thinking I need a larger house so I can display my collection, what is a little worrisome if I think about it 

Very well said my friend.  thanks for the input.

[ortwin]

Luckily, I seem to be (almost) immune to that collectors virus.
Once in my youth I collected five liter beer cans/kegs. I had to get rid of the collection of about 120 of them when the house of y parents needed to get cleared and I had no space for them at the place where I was staying at the time.
Over in the twisty puzzle forum there are also some really big collectors, and every once in a while there is one that is trying to get rid of the collection.I am just replying to this post here because at present there is a collector of twisty puzzles announcing that he wants to sell it.

Have a look over here. 

I am not trying to say anything really with this post. I do not have an opinion like "collecting is good" or "collecting is bad". I think it is good that there are passionate collectors, but I am glad that I do not have the virus.

[jim in paris]

howdie Folks !

great display Michael !
I surely share this collecting bug ;-)
besides tops , yoyos ,vintage diabolos,bilboquets ,
 books about toys and games of the world
which are my main passion ,

I collect all I can find related to TINTIN the french belgium comic books

I also have side collections which build up just by themselves
indepedently to my consent :
lighters with corsican logos,pairs of cissors,
bottle openers, knives of all sizes and origin,
desks of cards,Elvis memorabilia ...
I do not buy on the net,only in street markets or antique shops..

that's my collecting bug !

cheers to you all

jim

[ta0]

This is a good place to recount a collector's related anecdote that happened to me today.

I took my car for an oil change and the manager of the place noticed that my car's plate is TOPS.
"Are you a Tops collector?" he asked. "I saw that you plates say Tops"
"Yes! Are you?" I answered surprised.
"Yes, I am! My most expensive one is a . . . ," but I couldn't get the ending of the sentence.
He had to go away, but we both felt the warmth of a kindred spirit.
My guess was that he collected EDC tops, but any top was good.
So, when he approached me again I asked him what kind of tops did he collect.
He asked me to repeat the question, a little perplexed. After I did, he explained that he collected Topps (with double p): baseball cards!