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Coins are one common type of collection, as are stamps, rocks, and trading cards.
Regardless of what you’re collecting or why, a lot goes into collecting — from starting, to growing, to maintaining. One problem that a lot of collectors face is the issue of a display.
They want to store their collection, specifically in a place where guests can see it. This raises the question of what kind of collection display should you go for. What are some of the best ways to show off a collection?
We’ll offer a few suggestions in the paragraphs below.
In This Post:
1. On the Wall
One possible way to display your collection is by sticking it onto the wall. This works for a lot of collections, especially small ones, like stamps or photographs. That being said, there are certain things you shouldn’t put on the wall.
Perhaps you have a collection of teddy bears. Finding a way to keep it on the wall would be difficult. You also shouldn’t stick things to the wall that you still have a use for, like vinyl records.
Sure, maybe you don’t get much use out of your old Pink Floyd records anymore, but the next owner might, so you should avoid doing anything that might render it dysfunctional.
2. Shelves
Another obvious but stylish solution is to put your collection on a shelf. Shelves offer plenty of advantages, like being easy to install. Some of your furniture may already have shelves built into them. Chances are, these won’t offer a lot of extra space, but they’re perfect if you happen to collect small items.
Again, they’re not great for everything. Your ornamental crystal plates may look good on a shelf, but it’s not the safest place to keep them. All it takes is for someone to knock it the wrong way and all at once, part of your collection is destroyed.
3. Cabinets
A little more compact than shelves, cabinets are another fine choice for a collection display. Some cabinets are built for this very purpose. A good example of this is a glass display cabinet.
This solution allows you to show off your possessions without exposing them to curious hands. If you want extra security, you could buy a wooden cabinet and keep it closed until you want to show people your treasures.
4. Picture Frames
Provided you have a collection of flat items you could use picture frames. Much like glueing or pinning things to the wall, picture frames do not have one focal point.
Instead of being tucked away in one cabinet or on a shelf, your postcard collection could extend from your living room, through your kitchen and into your bedroom. If you have enough of a collection to frame, it can even give your home the feeling of being in a museum, which, for history buffs, is a great feeling.
5. Shadow Boxes
Smaller and a lot more eye-catching than shelves, shadow boxes can be a creative way to display your valuables. Much like picture frames, you can use them to draw attention to multiple sites so that the viewer is required to take more than just a cursory glance at it.
The bad news is that shadow boxes are very limited in size. While a ceramic knickknack or a special figurine might fit into one, it probably couldn’t hold a vinyl record.
Some collections don’t lend themselves well to shadow boxes for different reasons. For instance, due to shape, they don’t lead themselves well to coin or stamp collections.
6. Jars and Other Containers
Some of the most interesting collections are the small ones, from Legos, to seashells, to coins, marbles, and stickers. These can also be some of the easiest to store. All you need is a few jars and a table to put them on.
While there is the potential risk of the jars getting knocked over, there is also the stunning image of several items of different shapes and colors stored together in the jar.
You can even go the extra mile and start using colored jars and bottles to display it all.
7. Use the Ceiling
Perhaps you have a collection of marionettes. One creative thing to do with them is to hand them from the ceiling. This should be easy since they already come with strings.
Marionettes aren’t the only things you can hang from the ceiling, though. You could hang beads, postcards, feathers or any number of small objects. Somebody actually stuck globes to their ceiling, so if you can find a creative way to hold it up, use whatever you like.
This whole thing may seem weird, but if it adds a personal touch to your home and makes you feel more comfortable, it’s worth it.
8. Mix and Match
It may seem obvious, but sometimes the best thing you can do is use different forms of display. It adds variety to the whole scene and can make for a more impressive picture overall.
One great example of this is a museum. In most cases, museums use mixed media to show their collections. A piece of jewelry might be in a case, while an old map or painting is mounted on the wall.
The best advice is to use your imagination. There are ways to make almost anything work. You just have to figure out how.
The Best Kind of Collection Display
While there isn’t one kind of collection display that’s better than all the others, there are methods that work better for certain types of collections. Photographs, insects, and even newspaper clippings look great on a wall.
Small items, like baseball caps, action figures, or bobbleheads, are good pieces to put on a shelf or in a shadow box. Cabinets help protect more delicate items and jars work well with small ones, like coins or rocks.
You can even use the ceiling if you figure out how, or mix and match multiple types of display. It’s all up to you.
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