New student club aims to connect collectors at UNC

Justin Do’s Nintendo DS collection inspired him to start a club — but not for fellow Nintendo DS enthusiasts. It’s for collecting enthusiasts.

On Tuesday, the Carolina Collectors Collective received approval from the University as an official club. First-year Do said the organization’s goal is to provide a network for collectors of diverse interests to share their passion for collecting.

“The main purpose of the club is to serve as a hub for collectors of all sorts of items to gather and discuss the aspects of their specific collections,” Do said.

Do developed his desire to collect Nintendo DS devices over winter break when he found an old one from his childhood. When he returned to school, he asked friends for their old DS devices and started a collection — but the device wasn’t the only thing he developed a passion for.

“I came to realize that it wasn’t just the DSes that I liked — it was kind of the act of collecting that I enjoyed,” Do said. “Collecting is a hobby that a lot of people are involved in but don’t necessarily have a community that they can join just because of the variety of things that people collect.”

In the fall, the club will have a table at FallFest and host its first meeting.

Do plans on having club members attend auctions and host campus trade events for collectors of the same items. Developing a shared club collection — such as a collection of UNC items — is also a long-term goal.

First-year and club curator Karley Wheeler, who collects state coins and Starburst wrappers, said collectors often see something in an item that others might not see.

“You need to see the intrinsic value in items,” she said. “You need to have a passion for, I guess, the preservation of items.”

Wheeler came up with the idea of potentially putting a display case in the Student Union or Manning Hall to show a club member’s collection, which will rotate on a monthly basis. The club plans on doing this by the end of spring 2018.

First-year and public relations chairperson Sam Vinogradov, who collects shot glasses and Rubik’s cubes, said collecting is a low-pressure hobby for goal-oriented people.

“Collecting kind of gives people a way to satisfy goals without added pressure of things like GPA or working long hours,” Vinogradov said.

Do thinks collecting also improves practical skills, which he hopes to facilitate in club members. The business side of collecting involves learning about the collectors market and an item’s price based on condition and scarcity, while the organizational side involves arranging and maintaining a collection.

First-year and treasurer Elliot Melfi, who collects dice, said he hopes the club will make people more open about their hobbies.

“Maybe they feel their collection is a private thing — something that should be kept to themselves — but this club is hopefully going to turn it more into something they can be proud of,” Melfi said.

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