Why, when & how did you begin collecting?

[ObKrieger]

I feel like I have answered this before, but I like these threads, so I don't mind answering again.

When I was five I got a bucket of plastic army men for Christmas. I played with then every day. My grandfather, who was in the Air Force in the early 60's, took me to a surplus store a few months later. He got me a camo BDU cap, one of those woodland patterns from the 80's, and I remember wearing it all the time. A couple of years later I got a toy rifle, and my friends and I played 'war' outside pretty much every day until I moved away when I was 10. I played outside so much that if my play experience were actual combat, I would be more experienced than a member of Großdeutschland.

When I was 8, I went to Jordan for the first time, and I got to visit all of the archaeological sites there. I pretty much decided there and then that I love history and historical artifacts, and that I was going to be an archaeologist. Since then that has changed; I now want to be a sociocultural anthropologist, but both professions are closely related anyway.

When I moved I suddenly had no friends, so I spent a lot of time at flea markets and whatnot. I started to buy things, many of which were fake, and slowly built up a small collection until I got my first job. Like Ade, my 'serious' collecting really got going when I met a local dealer who allowed me to handle a lot of original items. He also gave me (and still gives me) great prices on things. I have to say, though, that the majority of my knowledge has been provided by the internet, and mostly through this forum. Since I have joined I have learned a lot about the politics of the collecting world, from fakes to price ranges to Charlie Snyder. I am glad that I have gotten involved with the collecting community.

And so now, the only obstacle is money. Once I graduate and begin my career, I plan on burning through the bank account at the rate of 5 helmets a month. haha

[AmericanKraut]

My late grandfather was in the AAF during the war, but passed a few years before i was born so i never met him.

MY great grandfather passed away before I was born and he also served in the AAF as a tail gunner in b-24s and 17s he was enlisted 1940-61 (late 1930's -mid 70's technically), but my great step grandmother died when I was 12 and I revived a few items of his. One was a b-15 flight jacket that is my most prized item in my collection due to its history, and a custom AAF Waltham pocket watch. This started my interest in collecting and I joined a reenacting group and have been collecting ever since.