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We all have that thing we simply have to have. For some, it begins with one simple item and that’s good enough. For others, one item turns into a collection of items, regardless of how ridiculous or bizarre it may seem. Celebrities are not immune to this; if anything, their personal collections are more interesting than that of the average person because they tend to have more disposable income.
Each one of their collections also tends to have an interesting story attached to it, making the even more valuable. You may be surprised to learn about some of these celebrity curations, many of which are downright bizarre.
Demi Moore - Dolls
Actress Demi Moore’s doll collecting days began with her ex-husband Bruce Willis. He reportedly gifted her a vintage porcelain doll with lifelike features - down to the human hair on its head!
Since that fateful gift, her collection has grown to include thousands of dolls. In fact, many of them had to be moved to her guest house because she ran out of room to store her prized collection. Dozens of dolls were kept in her bedroom as well, which put a bit of a strain on her relationship with Ashton Kutcher, who found her collection a bit creepy. Speaking of which, it’s insured for $2 million.
Jay-Z - Watches
Jay-Z may have 99 problems but his exclusive watch collection isn't one! He currently owns the most expensive watch in the world, the Hublot Big Bang. It was purchased for him as a birthday gift by none other than his wife, Beyonce. His love for fine wristwear is made obvious in many of his songs, where brand names are dropped in the lyrics.
The rest of his collection is not only unique in its value but in the array of customizations Jay-Z has had done. Many of his pieces are one-of-a-kind, not to be found anywhere else on the market.
Penelope Cruz - Coat Hangers
Okay, this one is pretty unique. It makes sense in a way; Penelope Cruz is a stylish actress who likely owns a lot of fancy clothing, most of which probably came on a variety of coat hangers. What comes as a bit unexpected is that her collection includes 500 different types of non-metal hangers. That’s not saying that she only has 500 in total, that’s only the number of non-plastic varieties.
That’s pretty mind-blowing, considering a coat hanger can only be shaped and styled so many ways before it’s just not functional. There must be a few fancy ones in there, too; gold plated, perhaps?
Ben Stiller - Star Trek Everything
A self-proclaimed Trekkie through and through, Ben Stiller has a collection of Star Trek memorabilia that would rival a museum collection. While it isn’t known exactly how much is in his hoard, it is confirmed that he owns at least two pairs of original Spock ears, one of which was sent to him by Leonard Nimoy himself.
His love for Star Trek is not limited to Dr. Spock, as his collection also includes a complete Gorn mask that he recently spent $27,500 on at an auction. It was even rumored that he had the 8-foot Enterprise model used in filming. While this was inaccurate, Stiller is definitely a Trekkie.
Rosie O’Donnell - Happy Meal Toys
Most of us can remember the sheer joy of opening up a Happy Meal from McDonald’s, and Rosie O’Donnell turned this occasional joy into a collection. She began collecting Happy Meal toys when she was touring as a stand-up comic in the mid-80s.
Since then, she has collected over 2,500 of the toys. It seems like a harmless enough hobby, but Rosie’s toy collection caused some controversy among paying parents when the chain would send her new toys directly as they came out. One particular instance was when they sent her the entire 101 Dalmatians toy collection at once - all 101!
Whoopi Goldberg - Shoes
Who doesn’t love a good pair of shoes? Whoopi Goldberg certainly does, and her collection contains some really unique soles. From Barbie doll heads encased in a clear stiletto heel to pumps made of porcelain, Goldberg is clearly not afraid to toe the line when it comes to shoe fashion.
Her collection is nothing short of exclusive and includes hand-painted pairs as well. Photos from her social media reveal what looks like an entire closet of shoes on shelves! Though we don’t know exactly how large her collection is, we can only assume it is because it is constantly growing.
Quentin Tarantino - Board Games
Being a big name director, it makes sense that Quentin Tarantino would collect something film related. A large part of his memorabilia collection is movie-related board games, which some may find surprising given his extensive wealth. Tarantino cited practicality as his reason for choosing to collect board games, stating that lunch boxes were too expensive when he began collecting, and you can’t really do anything with dolls.
So, he settled on collecting movie-themed board games, including a Milton Bradley Mr. T themed board game. His favorite pieces are the ones based on classic shows he grew up with, adding to the uniqueness of his collection.
Amanda Seyfried - Taxidermy
This may be the most surprising (and possibly disturbing) combination yet. Angel-faced actress Amanda Seyfried collects taxidermy animals. Yes, that’s right: dead animals, preserved, stuffed, and posed. In her eyes, taxidermy is artwork when done properly, and claims that many taxidermy animals adorn her walls at home.
She also may have mentioned that while she loves animals, dead ones are much easier to take care of than live ones. Her extensive collection includes an owl and a miniature horse, which she named Antoine. In a recent interview, she expressed her intentions to expand her owl collection so she can have an entire parliament.
Claudia Schiffer - Insects
Supermodel Claudia Schiffer may have all eyes on her on the runway, but keeps a surprising secret: she collects insects and keeps many of them in displays around her home. She began her collection at a very young age with spiders, but her collection has expanded from arachnids to include all types of insects and butterflies.
There are some on display that aren’t even whole bugs, but collages made from parts of bugs. One piece in particular is a centerpiece made from the bodies of various insects and sits on her living room coffee table. Definitely a good conversation starter!
Rod Stewart - Model Trains
Rod Stewart has a collection that has him in good company: he has a passion for collecting model trains. It certainly shows, as he recently revealed his 124-by-23-foot showpiece set in mid-20th century America. What makes his collection especially unique is that many of the pieces were built by hand by Rod himself.
While he was creating the masterpiece, it even came on tour with him, requiring a hotel room to itself to ensure proper climate control. It may seem high maintenance, but Stewart has called his hobby supreme relaxation, particularly enjoying the attention to detail and creativity the hobby requires.