Where Are The Mobile Phone Collectors?
by Darla Mack
I've often wondered if there are any mobile phone collectors out there. People collect everything from bottlecaps to Barbies... sometimes you have to wonder why people collect the things that they do.
Out of curiosity I decided to Google "nokia phone collectors" just to see what I'd find. Now in case I missed something, it doesn't seem that there are any collectors of mobile phones (nokia's at least) out there. Out of all the normal and somewhat oddities that people chose to collect, why aren't there any mobile phone collectors about? Lol, to be honest I would expect someone like Russell Beattie to have a collection stored somewhere (maybe he does).
My father in law is a fan of that travelling collections show (can't remember the name) but I've watched it a few times. Certain things such as stamps, furniture, even landline phones have been collected... but no mobile phones? I'm sure there are collectors out there somewhere and I'd be curious to see info on it. If anyone knows of something please let me know... in the meantime, I might just start my own collection!
I didn't find any either. I wonder if there is anything wrong with "nokia phone collectors" search phrase.
I found one collection though http://www.prezident.de/nokia/thumbs.php?collection=1
Unfortunatelly authors homepage is written in Russian.
I'm not collecting real phones (at least not yet) but
Nokia software version numbers: http://hunajatehdas.net/nokia/firmware/index_en.php
(To see nice charts you need browser with SVG support. Firefox 1.5 is good and for IE users there is ASV-plugin)
Posted by: Juha | February 18, 2006 at 10:56 AM
Hi,
I am a mobile phone collector, I never realized I was until lately when my girlfriend questioned why I had so many old phones ... most of them are top of line from the 1997-2002 period ... Maybe its because when these phones where new I wanted them so badly but was to young to afford one .. now that they have fallen in value due to there age they are in my reach ..
Just so you know what era im talking about these are my Top 3 fav in order ericsson T28 , Nokia 8910i and Nokia 8850 - gold & silver
over the last 10 years I have owned hundreds of handsets but am only just really starting to get my collection going .. so far its 25 .. but not every old model appeals to me
"They just dont design phones like they use to" :)
Posted by: Jesse V | March 07, 2006 at 08:40 AM
Hi iv just started i have a cubord full going rite back to the old analog bag phones [nokia&motorolla] mid 80s
Posted by: brendon | July 05, 2006 at 05:57 AM
Hehe, I'm starting to collect mobile phones and I reach here looking in Google from other collector on the net! It's true, looks it's not something very extended nowadays. But I'm sure in some years it's going to be more popular. It has happened before with other items such as Hand helds, video consoles, etc.
Posted by: Gunn | September 12, 2006 at 06:03 AM
Hi I have been collecting mobile phones for some time now and I have over 400 of all types from 1980s to present day. Im wanting to sell the lot so if anyone wants to have an instant large collection e-mail me and we will talk money . I know how much they are worth but I will take a sensible offer .Tony
Posted by: Tony Warrington | June 01, 2007 at 01:05 PM
Hi there!!!
I am an avid collector of mobile phones...and have about 170. Been collecting since the "old days"!!
Not sure if I can add a picture...but I would love too!!! Hope to hear from you about picture Darla.....
Kind regards,
Fiona Cale
Posted by: Fiona Cale | September 09, 2007 at 09:16 PM
I know this is an old blog, but I had to chime in- I have been collecting phones(and buying/selling) for about 12 years. I currently have somewhere between 350-500 handsets- ranging from the old motorola microtac 8888, to my latest greatest motorola droid. I have bag phones, brick phones, nokias, old,new, broken working, et al. not to mention the huge box of chargers, pagers, ipods, and randon old mp3 players. Its a weird new fetish. Thanks for the blog!
Posted by: Jere | November 05, 2009 at 08:12 AM
Who said there are no mobile phone collectors out there??? I have been collecting since 1998 and have over 700 ranging from 1983 suitcases to bag phones& satelite phones to your motorola flip phones. I know 11 other collectors personally all around the world from Japan, russia, czech republic, germany, UK, Ireland and USA and some of them have in excess of 1000 phones. One collector in germany has over 3000 (yes three thousand) different models and as far as i know held the world record a few years ago.
Us mobile phone collectors DO exist - you just have to know where to find us and as most collections are worth a fair amount of money collectors dont actively advertise their collection!!
(posted on behalf of Trooper with consent of Trooper by Kloner520
Posted by: Trooper | February 26, 2011 at 01:52 PM