The first scratch-off lottery ticket he collected from China has now become a "rarity" in Xiong Like's collection.
According to the Urban Evening News, spending money on lottery tickets is not for the sake of winning prizes. In Changchun, there is such an unusual person. Over nearly 20 years, he spent more than 200,000 yuan buying lottery tickets but never scratched them; instead, he carefully collected them. The tens of thousands of different lottery tickets he has collected date back to as early as 1993 and include the first officially issued scratch-off lottery ticket in the country. Yesterday, at Xiong Like's home in Changchun, he showcased his collection of lottery tickets, so many that they dazzled the eyes.
Over 20 Years, Collecting 50,000 Lottery Tickets
"I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't play mahjong; I'm this 'three-good man' with just one hobby." Yesterday noon, Xiong Like warmly invited the reporter into his house. On the living room sofa, variously colored lottery tickets were already spread out. Xiong Like's passion for lottery tickets was extraordinary. He began collecting them in junior high school, and it has been nearly 20 years since then. When asked how many he had collected, Xiong Like closed his eyes and calculated for a while: "There must be four or five ten-thousands."
With patterns representing all 56 ethnic groups, various flowers, and animals, the reporter observed that Xiong Like's lottery tickets spanned a wide time period and included a full range of types. Xiong Like said that the predecessor of lottery tickets was called prize coupons, which only became "lottery tickets" in 1994. The methods of winning prizes were also interesting. For instance, in 1995, poker lottery tickets were issued. After opening the packaging, if the card inside was below "10," there was no prize; cards "J" and above had prizes, with the highest award being the big and little jokers.
Xiong Like proudly pointed to a lottery ticket printed with a dragon pattern and said, "This is my most cherished one, the first officially issued scratch-off lottery ticket in the country, printed by Guangzhou Dongfanghong Printing Factory. It is extremely rare on the market today."
Spending over 200,000 Yuan, with the Most Expensive Costing 5,000 Yuan
These lottery tickets were either bought from the collectors' market or newly purchased from the market. Xiong Like never thought about winning prizes; many of the lottery tickets he collected were brand new, with their coating still unscratched.
To buy a long-desired lottery ticket, Xiong Like once stayed up overnight in front of his computer waiting to place a bid. After successfully acquiring it, he was so happy that he couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night. He said that even though his income was ordinary, when he encountered valuable lottery tickets, he would still buy them. Once, he spent 5,000 yuan on an old lottery ticket, and the joy after obtaining it was indescribable.
In nearly 20 years, Xiong Like has spent over 200,000 yuan on lottery tickets, yet he has gained immense happiness in the process.
Intends to Donate Lottery Tickets to the Lottery Association
Qu Kaishan, Vice President of the Changchun City Lottery Association, after seeing Xiong Like's collection, said that lottery tickets recorded many significant events in China and held great value for preservation. In recent years, the number of collectors has increased, causing the value of lottery tickets to rise rapidly.
Many of the lottery tickets in Xiong Like's home have become rare items, worth a considerable amount, yet he rarely sells them. He said that his daughter had just passed her hundredth day, and he did not yet know if she shared his love for lottery tickets. If she did, they would continue the collection indefinitely. "If my daughter isn't interested, I will donate these lottery tickets free of charge to the lottery association," Xiong Like said.
(Reported by Ma Xiaopeng, Photographed by Qian Wenbo)