Collector Spotlight: Filip Despic
How many years have you been collecting and what started your passion?
If I remember correct, I collect for around 5-6 years. But, I only count the last two. Mainly because I was lost in the hobby for the first 2-3 years, then made a break lasting almost one year when I went to university. I “officially” started collecting after buying a mineral magazine with a small mineral (amethyst) gifted with it for around 2$. Couldn’t believe it was real and still so cheap, had to buy more so I can check the authenticity of the pieces. But, I would say that the real and serious start of collecting was after the break I mentioned. After that, I finally realized what I want, what my goals are, how and when to collect, got a few mineral ‘role models’, etc.
What's the focus of your collection and has that changed through time? Why?
I don't have a real focus or a single mineral i adore. Keeping in mind that this hobby wasn’t so popular in Serbia, where i come from, i had to find and make my own focus and goal. Didn’t really have anyone close to look up to. I'd say that i mostly like aesthetic pieces (nice color, perfect or unusual shapes), usually up to 8cm in size. They have to be natural and not polished/tumbled for sure (a few really rare exceptions). I could maybe point out that there are actually some mineral species that draw my attention a little bit more: baryte especially, calcite, fluorite and feldspar minerals. Love thumbnail specimens, too! Recently, i started paying much more attention to mineral labels, their localities, and everything connected with their history and origin. With a currently limited budget, i have to make a lot of effort to get something i like. It's not too easy being a picky collector with a low budget, for sure! The collection focus has definitely changed through time. With less knowledge and proper goals/limits i was just “running” around and buying minerals I didn’t even know why and how. Ended up having too many and being satisfied with only a small part of these. So, to sum up, I’d say my main focus is to reduce the quantity of my collection and increase its quality.
What do you like to do outside of mineral collecting? (hobbies, job,music taste,etc.)
I'm pretty active outside the hobby, too. I’m studying about programming and web developing on my university. Trying to improve my programming skills and knowledge, and maybe one day connect it with the mineral world. Have a few other hobbies, but not attention consuming as this one. For example i collect fossils, but only the ones that really catch my eye. I am a sneakerhead too (collecting sneakers and reading a lot about them *laughing and crying emoji*), a beer/ beer production enthusiast, and recently started collecting some pocket knives (hopefully will be able to start collecting other weapons too). Besides some basic English and my mother language, i know some German and would like to learn at least one or two more languages (Probably Spanish and Italian). Like, watch and play lots of sports – football, basketball, tennis and volleyball especially. I could call myself a table-football advanced amateur too. Love swimming, travelling, attending music festivals and going to the gym.
Are you a stay-at-home collector or do you collect on the field too?
For some time, i was only buying minerals. Had no idea i can find nice pieces in my country too. Later, started exchanging pieces and getting some gifts. Eventually, i started researching certain locations, got in touch with a few people, then started going to field trips. Now i know and visit a lot of the locations around here. Planning on doing that much, much more frequent next few years. I run a few mineral pages and a group in my country, know almost every geologist, gemologist and mineral enthusiast in my country, which is a big plus for me. Also, i could say that i made a pretty strong bond with one of the mountains where i collect – the Cer mountain. It is well known for the hunders of snakes that live on it, but it's just so nice, so relaxing and has many nice pegmatite minerals. Famous for it's morions, beryls and aquamarines. Hope i'll get to buy a small house there when i grow up, and be able to search for days. My goal is to end up knowing most of the mineral locations in my country, organize, describe and make a map for them, so that I could finally raise enough interest and awareness regarding minerals.
Where do you see yourself as a collector in 5,10 or 20years?
I could say that i have a decent plan for every period. Not too strict. I hope i'll get to connect much more with people from YMC and meet many people i find cool. If possible, get included in as many manifestations as possible. Would like to establish a mineral organisation in my country, raise the awareness and possibly connect it with the YMC. Attending mineral shows and international mineral 'hunts'. My dream goal is probably having a small mineral museum, where i could sum up my whole passion and effort for minerals so that others can enjoy it too. I think my short-term plan is to finish university, get a job i like and be able to afford minerals i like and many field trips. I feel that the journey has just begun.
How many specimens do you have in your collection and do you have any bar set of how many you'd want to own?
I have somewhere between one and two thousand specimens. Considering the time i collect and the budget i have, i think that's too much. My plan is to exchange, sell , gift (get rid) of as many pieces as i can. And, I should do that until I finish university. That applies to those which are not in my focus, got no locality info and don't fit in my collection. I won't go too low with the numbers either. Like having a diverse and colorful collection. I'll try and put a limit on around 700-800 pieces, and always clear my collection to reach that number. Will try to increase the quality. Besides that, would like to gift many self-collected pieces and leave only the best ones.
If you could change anything regarding this hobby, what would that be?
Well, if we skip the wish that no man alive touches my mineral collection (“Yes man/woman, they are real. And, no, you can’t touch them. And, yes, they’ll break if you do”) i definitely have a few wishes and changes i would like to make. First of all, i would really like to have someone my age or close age who could share the mineral passion, field trips, rock talks, etc. with me. A cousin had potential, was ready to give him two full boxes of minerals, but the potential quickly vanished. Oh, if he knew that he would have a pretty nice collection right away, haha! Besides that, would like to meet every single person i had contact with regarding minerals. Would like to go on a few more exotic and remote mineral ‘hunts’. And at the end, would like to pass a law where people can’t treat minerals any way they like it. Attention, care and love only! That’s about it. ☺