MATCHBOOK COVER COLLECTING
I started collecting matchbook covers over 28 years ago. I don't have the biggest collection, but it's fun collecting them, sorting through them, and displaying them.
WHY I COLLECT MATCHBOOK COVERS
When I tell people I collect matchbook covers, I generally hear, "Wow! Really? That's Neat!". I also get some asking how I got started and why I collect them. I got started during a trip to Niagara Falls with my parents and sister. Being 7 years old, I was fascinated with the observation towers, especially the Skylon Tower with the elevators on the outside. I thought the elevators looked like big yellow bugs. As we were walking around on the Canadian side, I found an empty matchbook with the Skylon Tower on it. I picked it up to show it to my parents, and dad told me that he used to collect matchbooks when he was a kid. The rest of the trip I kept looking for matchbooks. I still have that first matchbook, and keep it on the first page of my album in the upper-left spot. I continued collecting after that trip pretty much for the same reason people buy postcards, thimbles, little spoons, etc. of where they have been. They are souvenirs of places I've been and places my friends and family have been. The best part is that it's essentially a free hobby. In 28 years, I would guess I've spent less than $30. Almost all of that has been for ways to display them.
MY FIRST MATCHBOOK
DECEMBER 25, 1998
On of my co-workers gave me a GREAT Christmas present this year. She likes to go to flea markets and find things that would be really interesting to people she knows. She found a gallon jar of matchbooks. On the lid of the jar it says 'TRAVEL AMERICA - ST. LOUIS TO VEGAS-CALIF. STOPS ALL ALONG THE WAY.' I have estimated that there are about 150 in it. They look like they are from the mid 70s. I'm planning to sort through them soon. Santa brought a scanner, so I can start scanning some to put up a page of images.
MATCHBOOK COLLECTING LINKS
Rathkamp Matchcover Society.
Hobbymaster-sells albums and pages for displaying match covers. Also has a great links page.
American Matchcover Collecting Club.
E-mail me at [email protected]
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Info about me
My Great Lakes Page
My Great Outdoors Page
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