posted 04-21-2003 10:42 PM               

My answers:

1. I own a small manufacturing business, so my collecting expenditures rise and fall as my business sales do.

2. I also collect military flight gear and memorabilia, especially X plane and high altitude stuff. (expensive also!)

posted 04-21-2003 10:58 PM            

My funds come from any overflow of business income (I own my own) or unexpected $$$ falling into my lap. {Doesn't happen much anymore}.

Since I'm mostly Apollo and moon related, I have a small and almost complete set of signed 16 x 20's, and some sort of a flown artifact of significance from each moon mission.

Many books that I have aquired are now signed and I have a nice bit of history to share with friends and to pass on to my son.

I collected coins when I was very young, and just started rediscovering those little treasures. I haven't looked at my coin collection in 30 years.

Might be able to cash some in to pay for a ride in a MiG 25.

Rizz

posted 04-22-2003 05:15 AM               

Derek, agree with you about the cigarettes..but cant agree with you about the empty cans..we all have our little vices.

Seriously though when I have to get up to work early shifts at 5.00 AM sometimes the only thought that keeps me going is another day another dollar...to spend on autographs and stuff.

I use my shift payments...do double shifts 16 hours sometimes to pay for lifes little pleasures...

I think life is made easier for us collectors who thru certain dealers are allowed layaway plans for stuff which we sometimes havent got the cash to pay up front for...thats another way of paying for our rather expensive habit...

My other expensive hobby is Fishing....
that can cost a fair few pounds for a good day at the Trout fishery., or on the rivers...none of which are near where I live.

Regards

posted 04-22-2003 02:00 PM               

I started with collecting coins, progressed into sports collectables (around the same time I started collecting astronaut autographs, maybe 20 years ago) then it was into historical newspapers with bold headlines (displayed proudly on my walls), then finally into art.

I have sold off most of my sports collectables (I have some beautiful pieces signed by Michael Jordan that I personally got signed by him, for I live a mere 10 minutes from where the Bulls practice, that I won't sell) along with a lot of my coins (I'm keeping my Morgan Dollar collection) and I'm usung the funds to pursue my astronaut colection which I'm addicted to!

That's about it other than I rediscovered my addiction to astronaut autographs about 5 years ago and with the help from Donnis Willis, Farthest Reaches and Aurora Galleries my collection is growing nicely!

Dave

posted 04-22-2003 04:46 PM               

Every now and again I save up my overtime money to make a bigger purchase like a rarer autograph or artifact.

Happy collecting........Adam

(I used to collect Jackson 5 / Jacksons / Michael Jackson stuff in my youth. Still got it all in my loft, must get round to ebaying someday and getting more space stuff with the proceeds !)

posted 04-22-2003 04:54 PM               

I've been recently considering selling the Garfield collection to help, in part, offset the cost my space collection. Of course I would keep a few choice pieces (including a few personalized items from artist Jim Davis) but I would want the collection to sell as a whole. I have good reason to believe its nearly a complete archive of Garfield merchandise produced between the cat's creation in 1979 and his 20th birthday in 1989.

Any takers?

posted 04-22-2003 06:15 PM               

Vacations... that's how I pay for my space collection. I have taken my girlfriend, now wife, on a nice vacation every summer for the past several years. That makes her happy so I can buy space stuff. That gets real expensive though! (You wouldn't believe what "Reaching for the Stars" or "Naval Aviation in Space" cost me gross at the end of the day!)

------------------
Warm Regards

Douglas Henry

posted 04-23-2003 12:27 PM               

My other passion for years was Star Wars. I was 7 when the original film was released, and it caught me at just the right age. Since then I have seen the first film alone well over 400 times (or the equivalent of viewing the film 24 hours a day for 33 days!)and have amassed quite a collection. The new films are nice in the sense that they finally tell the story - but I certainly do not see them as equals to the original trilogy. I've received some attention for my interest in Star Wars, from having articles written about me to being asked to be a guest on a national radio show to displaying my collection locally. I've met many of the actors from the films and have visited a few of the filming locations as well. Unlike my Apollo collection, my favorite Star Wars items are the inexpensive ones: trading cards, monthly poster magazines from the first three films, and action figures (loose ones, I'm not much of a "mint-in-the-package" kind of guy). Basically the things that I collect from Star Wars are the things that I had when I was little - it keeps a nice connection open to my childhood.

posted 04-23-2003 04:38 PM               

Otherwise, I look for ways to cut costs. For example, I write book reviews for two locally published journals, and this has essentially eliminated ever having to go and buy a space book ever again. I don't get paid for the reviews but I do get to suggest what gets reviewed and I keep whatever I write a review for. It's a great money saver.

As for other collections, I collect militaria related to engineering, as well as miniatures. I apply the same principles to these hobbies as well.

Cheers,

posted 04-23-2003 05:13 PM               

Actually, I collect mostly models and artifacts from the first 20 years of U.S. spaceflight - from April 12, 1961 through April 12th 1981. I also collect items from early aviation and the golden era of flight (between WWI and WWII) In my guest bathroom I have my other collection - Elroy Jetson.

To pay for "my habit" is just a matter of priorities. A sailboat does not bear my name, a cabin in the mountains does not belong to me, or fancy trips to Europe take place. At this point in my life, my "second home" or "boat" is my collection of aviation and space artifacts. They take less maintainance as well!