| Sand
Collecting Themes Many sand collectors collect
their sand based on one or more specific themes with
perhaps the most common theme being the countries of the
world - they seek to collect at least one sample from every
country. Most do this my trading sand with other collectors,
although it is possible that a select few might have the
financial resources and the free time to physically collect
themselves. Another common theme is collecting sand from all
the 50 states of the United States of America. Just about
any theme is suitable for sand collecting. You might only
collect sand from the beaches of your own country or from
locations within easy travelling distance. Many collectors
content themselves with collecting samples while on holiday
to such places as the Mediterranean or Caribbean. In fact,
the number of themes is almost endless and only restricted
by the desires of the collector. My own collecting theme,
is that of the British Isles, particularly Scotland,
essentially because that's where I live and don't like
travelling abroad. I also only collect sand (and similar
materials) that I can physically collect myself. As to the types of
sand collected, I'm happy with just about anything from
anywhere, from beaches, quarries, roadside excavations and
even caves and mines, just so long as it can be categorised
as sand by passing through a 2.00 mm sieve. Collecting sand
based on geographical themes is not the only way collectors
base their collection, some are more interested in the
colours of the sand, seeking to gather as wide a range of
colours as possible, from the purist white to the deepest
black, and every shade in between. Another popular theme, if
it can be called that, is no theme at all. Collectors are happy
with sand from anywhere, either traded or collected
themselves. Just so long as it's approximately sand - and
even small gravel will count - it can be collected. One
collector based his collecting on whether the sample would
fit inside the display container or not. The great thing
about sand collecting is that there are no rules, no fixed
themes you have to adhere to - you can please yourself what
you collect and where you collect it from. If you feel like
only collecting sand when the moon if full that's entirely
up to you! No-one is going
to point out that any given sample is not strictly sand and
even if they do what does it matter! |
