The stuff we have as kid is probably going to get ruined, trashed, left in a rental van somewhere in Florida, etc. That's why most parents don't bother getting expensive collectibles for their little ones.
Sometimes, though, we end up with collections of things and the expensive just sorta happens somewhere along the way. That doesn't mean we get to take advantage of it though.
Sometimes things just ... slip away melodramatically and you kick yourself over what could have been. One Reddit user asked:
Let the longing wistful sighs begin. So many people had something slip away. It's honestly kind of a bummer. Good read, bit sad.
South African
South African coin collection that my older sister threw away without consulting anyone.
My sister was into different things at the time, so I don't think she had any clue about coin collecting. It was very mean to throw out my stuff and I think she realised this later on, but I don't resent her for it because we all make mistakes.
- ChipChow
Listen To Your Kids
Not quite the same thing, but in 1997 I asked my parents to reinvest some money that was set aside for us by my grandfather, about $8000 after tax, into Apple stock. They were correct to tell me no, but I never quite put the thought away. If they did and were smart enough that we kept it, not counting reinvested dividends, we'd have 349,127 shares today. At the current share price, $98,453,865.
How my life could be different if my parents threw sanity to the wind and listened to their middle school age son about what he learned in class.
- DGolding
Comic Books
GiphyNearly all of the first 24 editions of virtually every Marvel series, from The Fantastic Four to Spiderman (including the Amazing Tales in which he was introduced) to Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos. Basically all of them.
At a comic book store I was once looking at some collectors editions of those comics priced at about $1500 to $2400. I said to the clerk "Man, I used to have all of these." The clerk, whom I'm sure was Matt Groening's model for Comic Book Man, without even looking up said in a bored voice, "Do you know how many times a day I hear that?"
Summoning The Devil
My mom had a collection of signed Beatles records that she threw away after she converted to Christianity because played backwards they summoned the devil or something. For years I was hoping to inherit it when I grew up.
All I think it summoned was poverty. :/
Pokemon
My brother had a bunch of first edition Pokémon cards, that he spent over a year collecting. Mom took them away for getting in trouble at school, and they were never seen again.
Grandpa's Comics
My Grandfathers comic book collection. He would be 92 if still alive. It's in a chest in the original family home. Inherited by a hoarder who will probably lose it all someday.
Honestly better than that is the huge luggage trunks the family brought to the States when moving from Czechoslovakia in the 1800s. They are in the same attic.
Jehova's Purge
GiphyJeeze, After my mom died, my dad met this crazy, Jehova's witness witch and one thing led to another. About a month before my high school graduation we got into a HUGE fight over something and she burned my collection of old DnD books and magic cards.
Complete collections...
every 1st edition book in good condition signed by Gygax. Guess my brother knew him at some point.
The real kicker? I rode the wave of the original magic the gathering launches back in the day, complete sets of the original series through...homelands? All burnt to a crisp. Every once in a while when I want to be depressed about never being able to retire i look up the card values.
- Kennian
Monetary Value Isn't Everything
Not any monetary value, but my Dad got rid of my entire Lego collection when I was in the Navy. My sister is pregnant with her first child and mentioned she wished we still had my enormous Lego collection for him (her son). It may not have been worth a fortune but it meant something to us.
Too Much Stuff
I had a huge collection of magic the gathering cards all in mint condition dating back all the way to alpha that I collected as a young kid. My mom decided that I had too much stuff that I enjoyed and threw out my collection and a bunch of other stuff.
Arrow Heads
About 40 Indian Arrow heads collected on my grandparents farm for years by myself and my grandfather and full sets of baseball cards from 1969-1980, my mom decided to toss out all that "junk" when I moved out for military.
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