Plates, spoons, doorknobs, keys, coins, animals, beer cans, and the list goes on.  The hobby of collecting is something that can be done by most anyone.  However, collecting involves more than just the gathering of like objects.  There is the act of the hunt; of finding just the right piece for your collection.  Doing the research and having the patience to wait for the right time to make your next acquisition is half the fun. 
Most people don’t necessarily make a conscience effort to decide to start collecting something.  It just sort of happens.  At first you might have a couple of dolls that you bought because you liked them.  The next thing you know, another one turns up as a birthday or Christmas gift.  Now you’re well on your way to becoming a collector.  The other thing that can cause you to fall into the collecting game is the latest fad.  Something suddenly becomes crazy popular and you have to have one.  Then another item in the same collection is released and you have to have it as well.  Once again, you find yourself collecting these things.
On the other hand, collections can be passed down from generation to generation.  Coins are a good example of this type of collection.  A typical coin collector will collect coins based on their value and limited access.  Although these collections can be quite valuable, they are often never sold.  Therefore, these collections will be passed on to a relative or perhaps someone that has an interest in coin collecting as well.  The inheritance of a collection such as this by someone that does not have an interest in collecting can be dangerous as they will not know or understand the value of the collection.
If you are interested in becoming a collector you may begin to purchase items for your collection.  If you want to proceed more cautiously, you may want to do some research before you begin making any purchases.  Not all items are considered “collectibles” in the true sense of the word just because someone begins to collect them.  Collectibles, by definition, are most often a limited edition of a product and numbered.  Being a limited edition can mean that the item will only be available for a certain amount of time or that they will only be making a particular number of these items.
Becoming a collector for investment purposes is a gamble as any investment.  The value of a collectible is in what is called the secondary market.  The value of an item in the secondary market means that someone is willing to pay for the item you have.  In order for it to be of any real value, it has to be worth more than the purchase price.  The value of an item on the secondary market will vary and is dependent on many different factors such as the condition, age, and demand.  Obviously, the greater the demand for a product the greater the value will be of that product.