What is the strangest non-coin related piece in your collection?

DCW

Ok, so we are all driven to collect coins here. To many, it is an odd attraction to metallic discs. But for most of us, it is a sanctuary from boredom.
The desire to seek out and assemble things that are "interesting" or "rare" makes each of us feel special, if serving nothing more than to break up the monotony in a life riddled with repetition.
But as the saying goes, "There is no sickness like the obsession to collect things."
Ok, I just made that up, but perhaps it will catch on?
This thread is about the bizarre purchases we've all made outside of our normal collecting interests, some to the chagrin of our significant bothers...I mean others.
Here is mine...ahem...a fossil from the great North American saber tooth cat, Smilodon Fatalis.
I paid so much for this that I shall likely be buried alongside it. And in 10,000 or so years, who knows? Maybe we will be dug up and confuse the hell out of future paleontologists...
Post what you've got, folks!

BillJones

My piece is not as unusual as a fossil, but it is token related. Here is a lion embossing press that was sold by Boston die maker, Joseph Merriam. Merriam placed images of animals on the handle of his presses, probably to make them unique and memorable for possible future sales.

This relates to the salamander press token that Merriam issued during the Civil War. This piece is rare and is paired with the very popular "Good for Scent" dog design.

DCW

@BillJones Love it! You know I'm a big fan of Joseph Merriam. I hope to add one of his presses to the collection in the future. Thanks for posting!

SmEagle1795

Coins are definitely my focus but here's a recent purchase of mine, a praying mantis encased in amber from 20 million years ago:

And also recently purchased from Heritage: a slice of the moon:

DCW

@SmEagle1795 I remember seeing that mantis in the Heritage auction. What a majestic piece!

LanLord

First time I've tried to post a photo in this new forum software, hope it shows up.
It's a Trilobite. It's nearly as old as me

ricko

Wow...that mantis in amber is an amazing find....I have purchased many pieces of amber looking for such a find...takes a lot of polishing...no luck yet. I have an old deck of cards, well over 100 years old, mint condition, and no numbers. Way back then, cards were identified by the number of symbols...i.e. six clubs was the six of clubs.
Cheers, RickO

TopographicOceans

I saw that amber mantis on Heritage and thought it was really cool.
Nice pick-up

HCumberdale

I couldn't help but pick this up, odd as it may be, and certainly not very glamorous. Judging by the price realized, it failed to impress anyone but me. I'm aware of two other examples, and I can't imagine many were saved.

https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/1-1PQAA

coinsarefun

I never could figure out if mine is a moth or butterfly

messydesk

While I don't have any fossils, here's a trilobite my daughter started preparing in her spare time.

The oddest thing I have in my collection of "things collected" is probably this.

nwcoast

I have an assorted collection of odds and ends, science related mostly, books, letters, photographs of minor historical significance. Some original cartoon art, minerals, seashells....

But NOTHING come close to some of the pieces featured here so far!!!!
Just STUNNING and mind blowing!!!
Thanks for sharing!

CascadeChris

@messydesk said:
While I don't have any fossils, here's a trilobite my daughter started preparing in her spare time.

The oddest thing I have in my collection of "things collected" is probably this.

Oh boy. Now that's funny. I wonder if Leroy has a bottle

grip

Love the amber .Thanks for showing them.

silverpop

well i bought this pillow in the Philippines in 1997 and named it flat green frog which is fitting as it looks kind of like a frog and it's flat and green

epcjimi1

All nice pics, but Saber tooth cat teeth is winner winner, Purina® Cat Food dinner MHO

All I got is an arrowhead I found when a kid 45 years ago.

@DCW said:
Ok, so we are all driven to collect coins here. To many, it is an odd attraction to metallic discs. But for most of us, it is a sanctuary from boredom.
The desire to seek out and assemble things that are "interesting" or "rare" makes each of us feel special, if serving nothing more than to break up the monotony in a life riddled with repetition.
But as the saying goes, "There is no sickness like the obsession to collect things."
Ok, I just made that up, but perhaps it will catch on?
This thread is about the bizarre purchases we've all made outside of our normal collecting interests, some to the chagrin of our significant bothers...I mean others.
Here is mine...ahem...a fossil from the great North American saber tooth cat, Smilodon Fatalis.
I paid so much for this that I shall likely be buried alongside it. And in 10,000 or so years, who knows? Maybe we will be dug up and confuse the hell out of future paleontologists...
Post what you've got, folks!

ldhair

Edit to add. Mine is like this one. Can't find the image.

Swampboy

Exquisite pieces.

Not 'strange' per se but the coolest non-numismatic piece I have outside my Dad's 25 year gold watch is this head shot of Nat King Cole's guitarist Oscar with personal inscription signed while on tour with my late friend and mentor.

Baley

@DCW said:

This thread is about the bizarre purchases we've all made outside of our normal collecting interests, some to the chagrin of our significant bothers...I mean others.
Post what you've got, folks!

I've got the usual smattering of natural history stuff like seashells, minerals, fossils, meteorites, and other artifacts,
as well as a few fun items such as this:

Nap

The Saber Tooth Cat fossil is fantastic, museum worthy.

I have many weird odds and ends, they are kept in a room for collectibles:
A tyrannosaurus bone and tooth
A carved wooden temple door from Indonesia made into a bar
A trilobite fossil
A carved drinking horn
Photographic memorabilia of the British airship R34
A collection of postcards featuring pictures of Zeppelins, with a focus on WWI era
18th century Italian playing cards

Perhaps the strangest is a page from a Medieval illuminated manuscript showing the beheading of a saint. The saint has the same name as my wife, for whom I bought the piece.

epcjimi1

@Nap said:
The Saber Tooth Cat claw is fantastic, museum worthy.

Huh, it's a claw? Holy bejeejebus, how to rip your innards open.

Nysoto

This is not exactly strange, but it is a rare item with an interesting story. I collect a few vintage Martin guitars, and the one pictured was for sale locally, at Emerald City Music in Seattle. There are few vintage Martin's in the NW, so I rushed down and traded a guitar and some cash. It is a 1911 Martin 0-18, quite rare as Martin only made 210 guitars in 1911 (they make 100,000+ year now). The guitar sounds great as these old Martin's sound better as they age. The dealer said an elderly gentleman brought it in, and the guitar was in his family for years. These stories are about as believable as eBay "old estate" claims for coins.

What makes it interesting is that I posted the guitar on the Martin forum, and there is a Martin historian and author who has researched company archives for many years. I gave him the serial number, and yes, Martin shipped this guitar to Eilers Music in downtown Seattle in December of 1911, a few blocks from where I bought the guitar. So the story of the guitar being in a Seattle family for years was true. Also, the guitar has its original canvas case, which is worn to the point of no longer being functional, although still part of the history. The Martin historian said that he has never seen even a picture of an intact Martin canvas case from that time period, so both the guitar and the original case are very rare.

ricko

Stef...that appears to be a moth in the amber...based on my studies of entomology.... Though I do not claim expert status by any means... Cheers, RickO

TwoSides2aCoin

A kangaroo pelt, but I have a nephew who loved it so much, I gave it to him. I've had stranger things.

coinsarefun

@ricko said:
Stef...that appears to be a moth in the amber...based on my studies of entomology.... Though I do not claim expert status by any means... Cheers, RickO

Thanks Rick!

SkyMan

I collect space memorabilia. I would not consider any of the items that I've collected to be particularly strange, but then again, I'm the buyer, so who knows. Here's the Centerpiece of my collection. It is the flown Flight Plan, in essence the log, of Apollo 12, the second manned Moon landing in history.

I've posted it before to these boards, if you'd like to see more of the pages inside of it here's a link to the thread:

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/954596/skyman-gets-an-email-and-a-centerpiece-caution-many-pix

1630Boston

@SkyMan
checked your link.................fantastic history.

mkman123

Loving this thread, keep it coming all, really want to see what other neat strange items people own. To me the amber is really cool

Elcontador

We have a gator head. Some friends in the Bayou gave it to us. We mounted it on a plaque and put it on the wall. Named it 'Buford,' because the plaque didn't have enough space for the name, 'Boudreaux.' The wife hates it. Can take a pic on my cell and try to figure out how to post it here if you like.

asheland

Awesome thread!

1630Boston

@SkyMan
Not my strangest but I have one of Robert Goddard's file cabinets.

1630Boston

,

TennesseeDave

Some cool items posted so far.

1630Boston

I don't think it is strange but...............................
This was a 'pet' on the farm growing up, he'd be about 50 years old today,
he is a Manx cat. No tail and look at those hind leg muscles, no barn rat was a match for him.

CascadeChris

@1630Boston said:
@SkyMan
Not my strangest but I have one of Robert Goddard's file cabinets.

That's pretty cool. Tell me it's shaped like a rocket!

1630Boston

No sadly, it is a standard green metal cabinet. The drawer tabs say "RHG documents" filed for a book of some sort. I think I still have a car registration with his name, @skyman is welcome to it if/when I can locate it.

jedm

Fantastic items, keep them coming. I got nothing to compare with this stuff.

1630Boston

Actually just found it, it is a 'notice of estimated income tax' paid 1/7/71 name = GODDARD, Worcester, MA, . So I guess it was from his family not from himself.

SkyMan

@1630Boston said:
Actually just found it, it is a 'notice of estimated income tax' paid 1/7/71 name = GODDARD, Worcester, MA, . So I guess it was from his family not from himself.

I'm not sure, given that they had lived in Roswell NM. for many years, but it might have been his wife's, she died in 1982.

1630Boston

@skyman I got it from family in Worcester circa 1984 near Clark University, come to think of it it may have been from a Clark owned house that was being cleaned out.

1630Boston

hopefully @ricko will see my 'cat' above, I think he would appreciate a "toned" cat.

dcarr

I'm not sure which is the "strangest", but this one is definitely odd since it is NOT an El Camino, but rather an unusual 1971 GMC Sprint (the first model year that such a thing was produced). It has a factory "400" V8 engine, which is actually an LS3 with 402 cubic inches (basically a factory over-bore of a "big-block" 396 V8):

Lakesammman

Oregon Wampum from JKAmericana, formerly in the Clain-Stefanelli collection.

ricko

@1630Boston....nice tarnished cat...... Recommend a dipping.... Cheers, RickO

Coin Finder

Mine is a totally cool silver tea pot made in Russia in 1859 Royal seal, fine craftsmanship. Really awesome, saved from the melting pot!

epcjimi1

@dcarr said:
I'm not sure which is the "strangest", but this one is definitely odd since it is NOT an El Camino, but rather an unusual 1971 GMC Sprint (the first model year that such a thing was produced). It has a factory "400" V8 engine, which is actually an LS3 with 402 cubic inches (basically a factory over-bore of a "big-block" 396 V8):

Nice.

epcjimi1

Old cookbooks from the day. We got a ton of 'em. This is an 1851 published in Indiana. My family moved from Indiana to Iowa in this time period, I think it made the trip. Well stained, "Table Receipts, Western Housewifery".

The gilded edge calling card of Mr. James V. Thornton came with the book, on this page, I have no idea who he is.

My Dad called recipes "receipts", seeing this book decades ago, I understood his reference.

The simple receipt for "Brain Balls" appears on this page. Just stir 'em up!

Times have changed.

northcoin

Lots of interesting and fun posts on this thread. I have some prop money and other movie/TV memorabilia that would be responsive to the subject. Also have some genuine dinosaur eggs including a nest of them as well as a prop dinosaur egg from one of Jurassic Park movies which sort of bridges the gap.

The prop money from the TV Series LOST:

Movie memorabilia from the Jackie Chan/Owen Wilson film Shanghai Knights:

(Included is the Imperial Seal that was stolen and taken to London in the movie, the shield and swords that hung in the London Clock Tower and were used by Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson in the Clock Tower sword fight and the Cross Bow that was used in the scenes at the Imperial Palace in China.)

(Note in the photo above the "stunt double" Imperial Seal on the right which has a translucent rubber crystal in place of the glass crystal. It was use for the scene where the Imperial Seal was being tossed between the actors. The photo below is a screen shot of Jackie Chan's character holding the Imperial Seal in the movie.)

I also "collect" pictures of Moose wandering into my yard.

PocketArt

Well, I collect a lot of "curiosities," but at the top of the list are items I personally found. Pictured are some banner stones, hard stone tools, and a few fossilized American Bison teeth I picked up strolling the fields of NW Ohio. The megalodon tooth I didn't find. A lot of neat stuff out there in plowed fields.

1630Boston

@PocketArt
Fantastic tools.

CascadeChris

My grandfather was an MP at Pearl Harbor in 1941. He picked this up on the beach 2 days after the attack. He wrote "P. Harb Dec 9 '41" on the back in pencil which is faded a bit now. It's a damaged hand painted wood cabinet door presumably painted by a bored sailor with a bit of spare time sometime before the attack to brighten up his workspace.