The Collecting Thrill Is Gone – What’s Next?
It is all but inevitable. You’ve been collecting for years— or perhaps decades— and the spark is gone or greatly diminished. The thrill of the hunt just isn’t enough to get you to the next antique show or auction or even to check out eBay for some under-the-radar scores. What to do now?When the collecting thrill is gone, what’s next? Image by Olya Kobruseva.Collecting, regardless of specialty or category, seems to follow a somewhat similar timeline. The initial thrill of discovering something you are truly passionate about. Building a collection with finds from here, there, and everywhere. Refining your preferences and becoming more selective about rarity, quality, and condition. Developing relationships with like-minded collectors and affinity organizations. Running out of room for new acquisitions. Adding only the finest examples to your prized collection, perhaps only a handful per year, or even decade, as time goes on. And then wondering… what’s next?As a collector, and a professional collections management consultant, I have worked with a number of elite enthusiasts hitting this possible endpoint in their collecting endeavors. For some, this has been a long time in the making, and for others, it just appears in the moment. Every collector has different needs and motivations, but the core question remains the same: what do I do now that the collecting thrill is gone? Here are three possible directions to consider if you find yourself at a crossroads.When the collecting thrill is gone… head to auction. Image by Sora Shimazaki.1. Sell your entire collection and don’t look back. This is the most extreme path you can take. If your interests really have waned or disappeared, you are downsizing and don’t have friends or family who can take on the collection, or have inherited a significant collection of no personal interest or connection, this