You are able to time travel for the purpose of bringing historical items to the present, what category do you choose?
A non-tricksy genie grants you the power to time travel, but only for a limited purpose. To bring a category of historical items back to the present for your collecting enjoyment.
It can be any category of historical item. Dinosaur bones, ancient pottery, silent film reels, pulp scifi books, classic cars, old radios, etc. Don't be too broad. Ex. All films, ok. All media of any kind, not ok.
You can sell the items, but the category can't be monetary assets in themselves (no gold, stocks, cash/coin beyond rare collectible amounts). The purpose is your collecting enjoyment, wealth attained should not go beyond good salary purposes, don't game it to become filthy rich.
No side venturing to visit lost family, view historical events, etc. You see only what you see during the collection process. But your collection category can be chosen in a way to experience such things, but not as a side venture.
You can't bring living organisms, nor DNA beyond its usual decay time.
Items will age accordingly, but under the ideal conditions you select. I.e. a book will still age, but won't go through the actual damaging 3k years of exchanging hands, fire, flood, etc.
Don't worry about butterfly effect, you can't and won't change history/future.
You won't get injured or die while collecting, but the collecting still has to be managed by you. I.e. you can't just choose to collect warships without a manageable way of acquiring one.
You don't have to worry about storing the item in a safe place to dig up later, it comes with you.
You can benefit humanity, but it still has to be a collection you enjoy for that purpose as well.
Posted Dec 13, 2025, 10:40 AM UTC