Many beginning hobbyists are searching for popular collectibles, wondering what are the top ten things people collect. If you are one of these, consider some of these top then things people collect.

1. Sports Cards
Sports cards have been around for a very long time. There are a number of different ways to collect and there are card sets for every sport. Hobbyists have a choice to collect for investment or to collect for enjoyment. (Not that investing in sports cards isn’t enjoyable.) This is one of the top ten things people collect based largely on volume. Each year more and more sports card sets are released, spanning major league and minor league teams.
2. Money
Collecting coins and bills has been a hobby for centuries. It gained some momentum as a popular hobby with the release of the State Commemorative Quarter Program but in general is considered to be a nerdy hobby. There are not a large number of coin shops nationwide and most collectors and investors purchase online. There is a growing number of individuals starting out in the hobby by collecting from pocket change and from their own bills. While this isn’t a wildly popular hobby, it makes the list of top ten things to collect based on it’s staying power.
3. Stamps
Like collecting coins, collecting stamps is considered a bit nerdy and hasn’t gained much traction as a very popular thing to collect. There will always be stamp collectors though and the USPS will keep cranking out collectors variations of stamps. Other countries also produce limited run stamp issues to appeal to collectors.
4. Comic Books
Comic books have been one of the top ten things people collect for decades. Hobbyists can find comics ranging in price from $1 for less popular issues to thousands for rare titles. Again, the geekiness of this hobby previously kept it from growing too much. Now that Hollywood blockbusters are being made using popular comic book characters, the hobby is pushing into the mainstream.
5. Wine
Wine is considered one of the top ten things people collect even though many consider it a hobby of the rich. More and more wine enthusiasts are discovering that starting a wine collection takes prudence as much as it takes money. Good wine collections can be started for reasonable sums, making it easy for the regular guy to begin a collection.
6. Art
Like wine, art is a collectible reserved mostly for individuals with sizeable amounts of money to invest. With the growing popularity of handmade sites like Etsy, quality art can be found at reasonable prices. Most collectors are justifiably wary of purchasing art over the internet and as a result more buy from craft and art fairs. For beginning art collectors, it is recommended to take this route and try to purchase directly from the artist.
7. Action Figures
G.I. Joe and Star Wars are two of the most popular action figure lines that hobbyists target. As with most on this list of top ten things people collect, antique’s demand the highest premium. More modern samples can also cost a considerable amount because of the craftsmanship applied to their manufacturing. Some high-end samples are made and/or painted by hand. These will demand much more of an investment from the collector. Beginning action figure collectors should stick to figures from their favorite shows.
8. Dolls
Barbie is not the only doll maker that hobbyists are intrigued by. Older China dolls, porcelain dolls, and handmade samples from the turn of the century fill many valuable collections. Doll collectors and action figure collectors often consider themselves very different. While they are technically very similar things to collect, most hobbyists collect one or the other, not both. The most expensive dolls are those found in mint condition from decades ago.
9. Porcelain Figurines
There are a number of different items that may fall under the category of ‘porcelain figurines’. Precious Moments was at one time the most popular of these collectibles. Porcelain birds also became very popular among collectors at one time. These collectibles have waned in popularity throughout the years and likely appeal least to young people of all the items on this list of the top 10 things people collect.
10. Books
Most passive collectors of books simply don’t get rid of them after reading. Books have an aesthetic value that many appreciate as decoration in the home. Other hobbyists choose to collect first editions of books and rare issues from their favorite authors. Famous, long lived authors such as Hemingway and Vonnegut have built up an extensive library across many different publishers. This makes it much more likely that collectors will be able to identify more rare samples and editions.
If you are seeking a hobby, consider choosing from this list of the top 10 things people collect.