Collecting is one of the most joyful hobbies out there. The anticipation of wanting to find that one rare item, the disappointment of not finding it, and the happiness one gets when a collection is complete. While there are many well-known forms of collecting such as assembling coins, there are other types of collecting that you might not be familiar with. Accordingly, we have created this list of some of the most non mainstream forms of collecting.

Philatelists

Philately is the study of postal and postage stamps. It also includes gathering, admiring, and studying stamps and other philatelic items. Philately means much more than simply collecting a print or learning about the postal service. It’s even possible to identify as a Philatelist without owning any stamp collection. This is one of the older types of collecting out there, with a relatively large following. Despite being somewhat an endangered breed, they're still considered one of the pillars of the collecting community.

Notaphilists

We had to include this category because a lot of people are actually notaphilists without even realizing it. Yes, this might be considered a subcategory of the broader term currency collecting, but notaphilists are realistically the largest group of item accumulators out there. The collection of banknotes is referred to as Notaphily. While people own banknotes to use them as currency, the idea of notaphily is only a recent construct, formed later in the twentieth century. Notaphilists are a broad group of individuals with collections as distinctive as their tastes. Some notaphilists would love to have a substantial collection, which isn't realistic because not all types of issued banknotes can be collected.

 Scripophilists

These financial connoisseurs are closely related to Notaphilists, except for one difference. The research and accumulation of stock and bond certificates are known as scripophily. Scripophily is a specialized field of currency that gets collected due to the unique beauty of some historical documents as well as the intriguing historical context of each document.

Vexillologist

Like all colors of collecting, this one is concerned with worldly and cultured collectibles. Vexillology is the study of origin stories, the symbolism in them, and eventually the appreciation of flags, as well as any interest in flags in general. The term is a combination of the Latin vexillum and the Greek suffix -logia. The term vexillology first appeared in print in 1959.

Machirologist

One of the edgier forms of collecting one can find themselves appreciating. While holophilists are whimsical about all things related to firearms, Machirologists dwell on the sharp and blunt edge of things. You guessed it; they collect knives and blades in their various forms. These people aren't just fascinated with the blades’ blinding shininess, but the craftsmanship, and historical and artistic significance each piece holds.

Rabdophilist

One of the more intriguing forms of collecting we came across. Rhabdophilia is the act of collecting walking sticks or canes; it is described broadly as the art of making or collecting any accessory used for walking in classical times. Many walking-aids have meticulously crafted heads. About 200 accessories, of which the most famous is the sword. Sword canes date back to the 16th century, and the sword sometimes falls out just like a sheath. Other designs of the sword and knife had a spring mechanism, which would be released with a button or lever pressing.

To conclude, accumulating wealth in terms of your preferred collectible is the thing we love to see here at Franklin Mint. We’re always trying to include more items that cater to each and every form of collecting out there. We plan to be as inclusive and encompassing of all tastes, much like the hobby of collecting, in general. Make sure to check our website for a huge variety of collectibles such as coins, stamps, walking sticks, scale models, and much more.