Everything You Need to Know About Collecting in Sims 3

Written by: R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen • Edited by: M.S. Smith
Updated May 20, 2011 • Related Guides: Butterfly

Collecting in the Sims 3 is a skill that many Sims enjoy pursuing. This guide will tell you everything you need to know to excel at this skill.

Collecting in the Sims 3 is different than the other skills because Sims do not advance to new levels. However, they will have access to several different challenges in the skill journal. Sims are also able to begin making money without having to join a career or invest in any objects. Those who have Sims 3 World Adventures will notice that they are able to collect many more items, such as new ores, insects, and gems, and a new gem cut.

Necessary Traits

There really aren't any traits that benefit Sims who enjoy collecting. However, the loves outdoors trait may help because Sims will have a better time when they are collecting out in the world. If they love the outdoors they will get a mood increase when they are outside collecting things.

The Collection Helper

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The collection helper will cost Sims 40,000 lifetime reward points. It does exactly what its name implies, it helps Sims collect what they are looking for. Once they purchase it, it will be in their inventory. When they want to use it, they will click on it, then they will either select “none”, “rocks and gems”, “insects”, “seeds”, and “fish”. When selecting any other but “none” the collectibles of that type will be able to be seen from afar because they will glow. In map view, icons will appear showing Sims where every item of the type they chose is.

Collecting Basics

Sims 3 Guide to Collecting - stonehenge carlsims

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There are many places to find collectibles throughout town. These include the mine and Stonehenge in Sunset Valley, near buildings, within the graveyard, along roads, and behind the science facility. Most collectibles can be seen from a distance so searching a large area is fairly easy. Be sure to remember where Sims have previously found things because they will be able to go back a few days later and find them, and other things, again.

Transfiguring

The Sims 3 World Adventures brings transfiguration to Sims who purchase the Carter's Display Case XL Edition for $1,250.00 simoleons. The process of transfiguration in the Sims 3 will cost $500.00 simoleons. This display case will only work with smelted metals and cut gems.

Bugs

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Beetles are the hardest bugs to see and there are many beetles to find and collect in the Sims 3. They can often be found in small wooded areas, and near water in the park. The Beetle Collector is a collecting challenge in which a Sim must collect all ten types of beetles. The list of Beetles that can be collected include the cockroach, the rainbow beetle, the ladybug, the trilobite beetle, the Japanese beetle, the spotted beetle, the water beetle, the stag beetle, and light beetle, and the rhinocerous beetle. The Sims 3 World Adventures brings three new beetles that can only be collected in one location. The red assassin bug can be collected in China, the cerambyx beetle can be collected in France, and the scarab beetle can be found in Egypt.

Butterflies

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Butterflies can be found in the parks, the graveyard, fishing spots, and a few more places. The Butterfly Collector is a collecting challenge in which a Sim must collect all ten types of butterflies. The list of Butterflies that can be collected include the moth, the rainbow butterfly, the monarch butterfly, the zebra butterfly, the zephyr metalmark butterfly, the silver-spotted skipper butterfly, the red admiral butterfly, the royal purple butterfly, the mission blue butterfly, and the green shallowtail butterfly. The Sims 3 World Adventures brings six new butterflies that can only be located in one location. The yellow band dart butterfly and the bamboo straight swift butterfly can be collected in China. The glowy fly and the two-tailed pasha butterfly can be collected in France. The Cleopatra butterfly and the crypt moth can be found in Egypt.

Metals

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Metal ores can be profitable in the Sims 3. They can be found throughout the world and sometimes in the catacombs. The Metal Collector challenge is a collecting challenge in which a Sim must collect all five types of metal. The list of metal ores that can be collected in the Sims 3 include iron, plutonium, silver, palladium, and gold. The Sims 3 World Adventures brings six new metal ores that can only be collected in one located. Platinum and mercury can be collected in China. Titanium and iridium can be collected in France. Mummitomium and copper can be collected in Egypt.

Space Rocks

Space rocks can be found with the telescope or by simply walking around and looking for them. Sims who are serious about finding space rocks are better off not using the telescope. There are three different sizes of space rocks: tiny, large, and gigantic. The Amateur Rock Finder challenge is completed after a Sim finds sixteen different types of meteorite and the Awesomest Rock Collector in the Universe challenge is completed after a Sim finds every kind of rock in the Sims 3. There are 32 different space rocks a Sim can find. These include acapulcoite, winonaite, angrite, ureilite, ataxite, unusual sporecite, aubrite, shergottite, unusual bellacite, rumuritie, branchinite, rodiekceous, carbonaceous chrondrite, pearsonite, chassignite, pallasite, unusual custerous gossticite, ordinary chondrite, diogenite, oetahedrite, unusual dukedite, nakalite, enstratite chondrite, mesosiderite, eucrite, unusual mazzadrayte, hexahedrite, lunar, unusual holmberic, londranite, howardite, unusual llamatite, and kamasite.

Gems

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Collecting gems in the Sims 3 is the most popular collecting activity. When gems are found they are in quite a rough state so those wishing to sell them or display them will need to pay a fee for a jeweler to cut them. The Gem Collector challenge is completed after a Sim finds every kind of gem in the Sims 3. Once this challenge is complete Sims will have access to the heart-shaped cut which can result in certain gems being worth a lot of money when cut into a heart shaped cut. In addition to the heart-shaped cut, the other cuts a Sim can choose include emerald, brilliant, oval, crystal ball, pear, marquis, and plumbbob. Sims must have a certain amount of cuts to have access to new types of cuts. The Sims 3 World Adventures brings a few new gem cuts. These include the spire cut, the polished split cut, and the skull cut (created through transfiguration).

Gems can be found as Sims explore their world, but some can also be found under the graveyard in the catacombs.

There are several different gems a Sim can find and collect. These include blue topaz, pink diamond, smoky quartz, rainbow gem, emerald, luminous gem, ruby, diamond, yellow sapphire, and tanzanite. The Sims 3 World Adventures brings with it new gems to collect. The gems that can be found in all travel destinations: geode, septarian nodule, soulpeace gem, quartz,and tiberium. When in China Sims can find lapis lazuli and jade. When Sims are in Egypt they can find turquoise and alabaster. When Sims are in France they can find citrine, amethyst, and opal.