A Collection of Collectors

I can understand collecting things--matchbooks, stamps, 18th century snuffboxes.  You can hold them in your hands and admire them.  As a young boy, I had a mineral collection of stones that I gathered myself or purchased at mineral shows.  At various times in my life, I've also collected shells, tropical fish and china patterns. 

So, I shouldn't be surprised that there are people who collect counties they have visited, currency they have handled and highways they have driven and websites where members can keep databases of their collections.  There is even an organization for county collectors to compare notes called The Extra Miler's Club.  There are people like Dave Schul and Charlie Zeb who have websites where they keep meticulous track, with color-coded maps of all the counties they have visited.  Being something of a compulsive listmaker myself, I stand in awe of the effort these people have put into their hobbies.  Needless to say, I ran out and joined a bunch of these sites and started entering my counties and currency. I may not be quite the afficianado that Dave and Charlie are, but it's still a lot of fun!