MyDisneyCollection.com is a fan site that features Tom Chivers' personal collection of Disney books, postcards and trading cards. Although some of the content is similar to FindDisney.com the site feeling is very different. It's kind of like a fun Disney web page museum. The design is sleek and no frills and the scans make you want to read the books and wish you had collected the trading and post cards. Tom was gracious enough to answer a few of my questions.
What made you start collecting?
What made you start collecting?
I guess on some level, I've always been a collector. Even as a kid, I was a collector. I started collecting Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. I still have all my original 1967 Hot Wheels (the first year they were produced). And, lucky me, they're worth a bunch! But, for everything I've kept, there was something I threw away. I regret getting rid of my complete collection of Apollo 11 trading cards. The first Disney item I collected was the Disneyland wall map. My family purchased one during our first trip in 1969. It hung on the wall of my room for years. Luckily, I still have it.
and why postcards, books and trading cards?
-these three categories all happened by accident. At first, my Disney collection was an assortment of random stuff - just anything I thought was cool or unique. I remember going into an antique store and I saw a very early Disneyland postcard. I thought it was very interesting, but I didn't buy it. In that same week, I received my copy of The Nickel Tour in the mail. After I found out that the card I saw was the #1 Disneyland postcard, I ran back to the store and picked it up. I've been collecting postcards ever since. The nice thing about collecting postcards is that there's such variety. I can pick up a brand new postcard when I visit Disneyland or buy a 1955 card when I'm on eBay. And, when money is tight, there's always inexpensive cards available. Plus, postcards are easy to store. They don't take up a lot of room. Once eBay came around, my book collection exploded. And trading cards just kinda happened by accident too. I was searching for postcards on eBay and I came across a complete set of the 1965 Donruss trading cards. The price was right, so I picked it up. Then, once I had one series of trading cards, I had to get the other two.
I love how you organized the site. Tell us about how you decided to set things up the way that you did.
-My web site has been growing and changing since the first day it was set-up (May 2003). I primarily set it up just to keep track of my collection. Quite often I'd be surfing eBay at work; buy an item, then get home to only discover I already had it. My site has kept me from buying dupes numerous times.
What made you add a blog to your site?
-At first, the "What's New" section of my web site just included images. Then, I started adding a little bit of text. As blogging started becoming more and more popular, I found numerous other Disney blogs in which the owners talked about their Disney collections. Adding a blog just seemed like a natural progression of my site.
Do you have any favorites in your collection?
-I do have favorites, but they're not the pieces you'd think. As I mentioned, my 1968 map is one of my favorites. I also have the "I Was There" pin from July 17, 2005 (from the 50th anniversary), and I had the opportunity to assist on the photo shoot for Indiana Jones before it was open to the public. I have a few left-over items from that day.
Any special tips on how to obtain a copy of Nickel Tour?
-Patience. Considering the list price for the book was $75, you're probably not going to get one for less than $100. I have seen them sell on eBay in the $100-$125 range. I've also seen them sold at postcard shows, but I don't recall what they sold for.
Are you involved in any other Online communities or activities?
-Not really. I'm a pretty avid reader of about 10-12 different Disney web sites per day, but I rarely post in Message Boards.
Do you have a site/blog/community that has inspired you?
-Oh yeah. A really good friend of mine, Mike, created the site http://www.disneylandpostcards.com/ . Mike no longer owns this site, but he was the inspiration for creating mine. Mike and I worked together for years and quite often we bid against each other on eBay. We often go to postcard shows together too.
What sites do you read each day?
What impact has My Disney Collection had on your life?
-I'm always surprised when I get email to my web site. The majority of the questions are really fun to read. Quite often I've sparked some one's imagination to relive a portion of their childhood. Or, in some cases, I've been able to fill-in the blanks. I got an email from a woman who wanted to buy her husband a special Valentine's Day gift. He could remember of book from his childhood, but could only remember pictures from one or two pages. A couple of emails back and forth, and we were able to find the missing book. I love questions like that. I hate the "what's this worth" question.
Do your 'real world' friends know that you are a Disney geek?
-Oh yeah, I get teased about it all the time. But, they all know how much I enjoy it, so the comments are usually positive. Whenever I go to southern California, but don't go to Disneyland, people are shocked.
Thanks Tom!! When you have a bit of time this is a site to savor a bit. There are some real treasures here. When you're done I would love to hear what you think...leave a comment below.
Main Street Mom is the chief author of the popular Daily Dose of Disney emails sent to members of the 
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