I have been collecting random stuff since I was little. From pebbles to cardboard shapes. My mother used to cut hearts into colorful cardboard scraps from packages and i kept them in a biscuit box. I would then scatter them on the floor and pick them up, sorting them by color, size and all that. I used to do the same thing with other toys, such as Barbie dolls. I had absolutely no interest in the doll itself but rather in the items that came with it; then, I would put them in a box too and later play with those instead.
I used to collect porcelain and ceramic fragments from a really specific place, far away from home. I would bring them home and put them in my yard, next to my collection of fancy pebbles.

crystal_collection

One day, when I was around 8-9, my mother brought home an amethyst and a "citrin" quartz (did you know? they aren't real citrins, just artificially heated amethyst druse chunks). From that moment on, I wanted more crystals and stones in my freshly new collection.
Now I own around 260 of them. I am very proud of it.
My favorite piece is this piece of raw aquamarine, bought for 10€. I believe it's from Pakistan. There is some mica attached to it, that's why I love it even more.
Just as a disclaimer, I collect them because "ooga fancy crystalline compound i must collect". I am 100% against that healing bullshit, but I love reading about the cultural nuances regarding semi-precious gemstones, esotheric or not.