Hobbyists don’t mind spending time and money in enlarging their collections
THE world of collectibles is both fascinating and fun, and in some cases, even profitable.
Some collectors focus on a particular category of items, such as vintage toys or rare books, while others collect a diverse range of items that appeal to their personal interests.
Regardless of the type of collectibles, the pursuit of acquiring and preserving these items can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
What makes collectibles so special is that some can even be worthwhile investments that appreciate in value due to their rarity, besides being aesthetically pleasing assets to own.
Here are the five collectibles that their enthusiasts treasure:
Comic books
The golden age of comics was from the late 1930s to mid 1950s, but these books continue to be popular even now.
Some comic book collectors are “completists”, searching for rare issues that have eluded their grasp, but most buy comic books because they are fans of a particular superhero or character.
Old comic books, especially those from Marvel and DC, Archie, Scooby-Doo, One Piece, Lat and Ujang, to name a few, are worth collecting just for aesthetics and enjoyment. People can find these comics in some bookstores, vintage shops, and online.
Comic book fan Kaleon Rahan, 49, bought most of his old copies from local comic specialty stores.
“I collect them because some of them are sentimental, and give me a sense of nostalgia. It is also my hobby and passion.
“I have tried collecting comics from different genres, but my personal preference is still in the superhero genre, which is comic books published by Marvel and DC,” he added.
Vinyl records
Due to their history and authenticity, vinyl records are among the top collectibles.
Usually, original records are sought-after by collectors because they are interested in the musicians.
Some even pay a lot of money to buy premium vinyl records.
Records by legends like The Beatles, Nina Simone, P. Ramlee and Sudirman, to name a few, are definitely worth collecting.
Vinyl records and their whole catalogue can be found in specialty record shops and online.
Though vinyl records had faded away in popularity by the time he was born, Megat Muhammad Zulfitri, 23, is a big fan of the format.
His first vinyl record was Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me, which he bought from Teenage Head Records in Subang Jaya.
“I currently have 62 Malay and English long-playing (LP) albums, and I also own about 200 CD albums. The prices range from RM30 to RM300.
“I ventured into the hobby after a trip to The Groove Room in Amcorp Mall. They had a listening room where the owner played George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and I was blown away by the production quality.
“From then on, I collected albums that have sentimental value to me and that I personally enjoy,” said the student who lives in Kuala Lumpur.
Vintage
Vintage pieces are collected for their beauty, rarity or personal emotional connection.
The variety of items is extremely broad, from jewellery to furniture, clocks, sculptures, vases and historical artefacts, just to name a few.
Some collect vintage and even antique toys.
Collectors find unique pieces in numerous places.
Rosnah Kanang, 60, who is based in Johor, has been collecting such items since 1987.
She has collected over 200 pieces, and most of them are from Asia and Europe. The prices ranged from RM200 to RM5,000.
“My first purchase was 36 years ago, when I bought a blue and white bowl in Bangkok, Thailand.”
Most of her collection, especially the items she bought from Bangkok, are sentimental to her because that was where she met her late husband.
“He started to collect antiques and vintage pieces when he was in Bangkok, and the first such item he bought was an elephant chair.
“We shared the same interest, and we continued collecting such items together even after we got married.
“In 1990, my husband was posted overseas again. This time to Frankfurt, Germany. We went to a flea market in the Netherlands during our stay there and collected a few more vintage items, including an old radio,” said the mother of two.
Toys
Toys are one of the few underrated collectibles that many people are unfamiliar with.
Collecting toys can give us something to remember about our childhood, and sometimes heal our hearts.
Toy collector Hisham Kamal, 52, displays his most prized possessions in glass cabinets, while the other toys are carefully stored in boxes.
“I started to collect toys in 2010, when a friend introduced me to the carboot market and weekend markets that sell cheap and rare toys.
“Most of the toys I obtained were from Japan, but some of them were from the US, UK and China. I have collected about 1,000 toys, and the price ranges from RM1 to RM50.
“I display them at home in glass cabinets, and some of the toys are kept in boxes.
“However, I plan to build a large glass cabinet to display all the toys in my possession,” said the government officer in Penang.
Stamps
Collecting stamps have long been a widespread hobby, with roots dating back to the 18th century.
Not only is it cheap, it is also a good opportunity to discover different cultures, currencies and landmarks of other countries.
Collecting stamps can teach us precision, cleanliness and thoroughness, said Penang Philatelic Society president Ng Wee Theng, who has been collecting stamps with his friends since primary school.
“I get stamps by swapping them with friends and buying them from other stamp collectors on the Internet.
“I have collected many music thematic stamps since they are my favourite stamps to collect.
“I was born in Penang and grew up there, therefore Penang stamps have sentimental value for me,” he said.
Ng even participated in a competitive stamp collection contest in 2008, where he won a medal and certificate.
“We needed to display the stamps on A4-size exhibition sheets and do a theme or a story about the stamps.
“But I prefer the non-competitive stamp collection display since it gives me more freedom,” said the 57-year-old.
