Collector Profile: Atomic City Pop’s excellent eclectic collection

I’ve had the privilege of showing many collections on this site, but when Atomic City Pop sent me his photos recently, it was as if I was looking at my own collection, rearranged on someone else’s shelves. We share almost identical interests, and just knowing there is another collector seeking out a fabled blue AJ Renzi King Kong bank, makes me feel a little less crazy. Check out the amazing items found on Atomic City Pop’s shelves…

How did your collection start? What was the first item in your collection?
I started collecting when I was a kid. I went antique shopping with my mom and helped her find the items she was looking for…my first collection consisted of old shot glasses and pocket knives.

Approximately how many items are in your collection?
I have no idea…well over 1,000 I guess.

Do you have a favorite item in your collection?
I have many favorites but off the top of my head I would have to say one item I would never sell would be my 1957 3-sheet movie poster of Robby the Robot in The Invisible Boy.

How do you store/display your collection?
My collection spans my entire house from the living room as well as the kitchen. But a majority of my collection is in one big room just off of the living room.

Is there a “holy grail” item that you would love to add to your collection?
Since my collection is so very broad, I have many holy grails but a couple items have eluded me over the years — a haunted house target game made in the 50s or 60s (I’ve seen it in only one other person’s collection), and the infamous AJ Renzi corps “King Koin” banks in the blue, green and brown (Argentina bootleg) colors. The smile would never leave my face if I could add any of those to my collection!

Do you collect other things?
I often say I collect anything I think is cool…which is everything from toys, movie posters, old advertising signs,vintage photos, cameras, radios, tobacco tins… and so much more… its’ an addiction!

Do you have any advice for new collectors who are just starting a collection?
Collect for the love not the money… and learn everything you can about your collection. Knowledge is the first thing I gain when I find an item I know nothing about!

Do you have any interesting stories or memories about collecting?
Last year i bought a 1980s Dracula game called “I vant to bite your finger” off of eBay. About a week later, I get a box with broken parts and pieces of my game with a letter from the post office that basically said, “your package didnt have any address or returned address so the bomb squad blew it up!” In the debris, they found a little sliver of paper from the invoice that had had my address on it so they packed it all up and delivered it to me. I still have the letter and one mostly complete piece of the game… but since then I got one that wasn’t blown up!

Where can you be found on the internet?
Instagram @atomic_city_pop
And I just started a blog at: http://atomiccitypop.wordpress.com/

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