When I was a child I collected baseball cards. As I got older I moved onto matches. I would collect match books from every restaurant, hotel, or place that had free matches that I could find. The collection is a reminder of places I’ve been and the memories I have in these places. Perhaps if I had the means I’d move up a notch and start collecting things like cars, expensive pens, watches, and other fun items.
But some people out there have extremely odd tastes. Some people have made it a point to collect items that you would never, ever think to collect. And because these people have the means to do it, the collections become as big as they are strange.
Here are 10 impressive, yet bizarre collections of the wealthy:
1. Todd Ray and His Two Headed Animals
Todd Ray is a former Grammy award-winning producer who has spent over $150,000 acquiring 22 different two-headed animals. From what we know, 22 are alive including a king snake, a goat, and a turtle named Myrtle, Squirtle, and Thirdle. Apparently it’s the only 3-headed creature currently living. He also has some “preserved” 2 headed specimens to go along with the live collection.
2. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah – 500 Rolls Royces and more
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei is believed to own around 500 Rolls-Royces – the largest private collection in the world. During the ‘90s, his family accounted for almost half of all Rolls-Royce purchases. His entire car collection is believed to contain over 7,000 cars and be worth around $4 billion. Other than the Rolls Royces, he also owns more than 550 Mercedes, 450 Ferraris, 380 Bentleys, 170 Porsches, and others like Lamborghinis, Koenigseggs, concept cars, and Formula One Race Cars.
3. Jacques Littlefield – Armored Vehicles
Jacques Littlefield owns the largest collection of privately-owned armored vehicles in the world. He apparently displays all 229 of them at his home in California. His collection includes 70 tanks. Don’t worry, all of them have been de-activated.
4. David Rockefeller Sr. — Beetle Collection
The oldest member of the Rockefeller family has a passion for beetles. The insect, that is, not the car. In fact, David Rockefeller Sr. has been collecting beetles since he was less than 10 years old (he’s now over 90) and has even discovered a few rare species. – via The Richest
5. Tom Hanks owns over 300 vintage typewriters
Models in his collection include an Olympia Model SM8 German typewriter from the 1960s, a 1946 Vintage LC Smith Corona (this is Tom’s favorite and he’s been known to take it along to hotels when he travels), and a Robin’s Egg Blue Royal Quiet De Luxe from 1955. Hanks is such a fan of typewriters that when podcast magazine The Nerdist was trying to land an interview with the star, the editor sent him a 1934 Smith Corona portable as a bribe. – via The Richest
6. Lisa Courtney – Pokemon Collection
Everyone has gone through a Pokemon phase, but Lisa Courtney from the UK is a Pokemon fanatic. Lisa has been collecting since 1997, and has about 14,000 Pokemon toys and rising. The Pokemon phrase “gotta catch ’em all” is what Lisa Courtney lives by. The collection alone makes her a a millionaire.
7. Dr. Lonnie Hammargan – The Vegas King
Dr. Lonnie Hammargren of Las Vegas, Nevada collects Las Vegas memorabilia. He’s turned his home into the ‘Hammargren Home of Nevada History’ and his treasures include Liberace’s piano and a roller coaster. The sale of Liberace’s piano alone could fetch Lonnie over $1 million.
8. Dr. Val Kolpakov’s Toothpaste Collection
Dr. Val Kolpakov is a practicing dentist in Saginaw, Michigan, so it’s only natural that he has an unnatural affinity to toothpaste. Starting in 2002, Dr. Val began collecting toothpaste from around the world. His website, Toothpaste World, categorizes toothpastes according to location, brand name, and year of production. Right now, he has over 1,400 items.
9. Johnny Depp collects bugs and skeletons
I’m almost not surprised that Depp has a collection of bugs and skeletons but it doesn’t stop there. One of the most expensive items in his collection is an old raincoat that once belonged to Jack Kerouac wich Depp paid $15,000 for. But yeah, he owns mounted bugs, a pigeon skeleton, stuffed bats and more. Creepy.
Jon Reznikoff The Celebrity Hair Collection
John Reznikoff collects hair of celebrities and historical figures. Reznikoff has the most expansive collection of famous locks in the world. His collection includes hair from Abraham Lincoln, Edgar Allan Poe, Albert Einstein and Marilyn Monroe. Reznikoff has been able to sell tiny pieces of his collection. In 2007, a company named LifeGem created a diamond from a lock of Ludwig van Beethoven’s hair that was in Reznikoff’s collection. What’s even more creepy is the amount of money these locks of hair can fetch. Collection wise, it’s in the millions. – via Source
