Your pen collection isn’t the same as mine. That’s because your reasons for collecting aren’t the same as mine. My collection probably appears rather scattershot: here an ED, there a “51”, everywhere something different. That’s because what trips my trigger is pens that are interesting because they’re classics, or examples of exciting technology, or — in some cases — just plain cool. The three pens here fall into these categories:
So. About choices. Let’s talk a moment about why I might pick one particular pen over another. Here’s a spectacular Jade Green first-model Chilton:
This pen is a technological masterpiece, and it’s also a classic. And it’s also cool, with that great color and the three-band cap crown treatment. Until recently, it was in my collection. It’s not there anymore, because I traded it away in exchange for this black Chilton:
Huh? Why would I trade away a gorgeous — and valuable — Chilton for a boring black one? Surely the black one is worth less.
Not to me, it isn’t. I don’t collect pens for investment purposes, so the cash value of a given pen doesn’t motivate me to choose it over another. There’s got to be something else. Here are the points that motivated this particular trade:
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✦ The green pen was in perfect working order. The black one wasn’t. There was hands-on fun to be had.
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✦ The green pen has a very nice, but ordinary, flex nib. The black one has a delicious stub.
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✦ The green pen is celluloid. The black one is black hard rubber and, consequently, older.
Did the value of my collection increase or decrease? The answer depends on what makes a collection valuable. Cash value? I probably lost money. Entertainment value? I won big time. And I made the new owner of the green pen very happy, which is definitely a worthwhile outcome.
Why do YOU choose one particular pen over another?