When Samuel Davis VIII was in grade school in Cincinnati’s Hartwell neighborhood, his best friend gave him a marble. Davis took it to the playground and started playing against the other kids. He won. And won again. And again. “At that time,” he says, “having marbles meant owning respect. The more marbles you had the more popular you were.”

Davis became highly popular. His collection grew from one to 6,000, most of which he won, although he did receive one bag at Christmas and more from a neighbor.

“She gave me six boxes that her grandfather’s mother gave him,” he says. “I’ve put them away because I know they’re really valuable.” As for the rest, they’re at home, and he doesn’t plan on losing them anytime soon. “I cherish them. I don’t intend to sell them or give them away.”