The hobby of collecting  is a very personal reflection of an individual's personality and interests. The make-up of any collection is varied and the possibilities are endless. Each collection will be unique in both style and content.

Beginners should take note of a few important guidelines when building your collection:

• Start as a general collector and collect what interests you.  Resist the urge to specialize before you have seen and handled a wide range of items.

• Collecting should be fun. It is unlikely to be fun if you begin as an investor. So, start with quantity and learn to appreciate what makes your collectibles interesting.

• Before you invest learn as much as you can about how condition, rarity and desirability affect the price of individual items.

• Collecting is addictive, and it can make you obsessive. Don't let it.

• eBay is a great source for collectibles, but as the old saying goes "buyer beware". Hundreds of items are listed daily, many are very common, and others rarely seen. Establish reasonable price limits and stick to them. Enthusiasm from over zealous bidders often result in someone over-paying. Establish a limit and stick with it.