Give the collection a short description that does not mention price or popularity. If your idea is botanical artwork or a restrained colour palette, you can judge each candidate against that statement. If the only reason an item fits is that people recognise its name, it may belong on a separate wish list. I would also arrange images of the proposed set before buying anything, so the gaps and repetitions become easier to see. The number of items is not the main issue. A smaller collection can suit you better, provided you are choosing its contents for reasons you can explain without referring to somebody else’s enthusiasm.
I am organising my AK-47 collection around designs with a clear visual theme, and Hydroponic seems like a possible centrepiece. My hesitation is that I already own several skins I bought because other collectors talked about them, not because they fit what I was building. This time I want a stronger reason than reputation. How would you decide whether one prominent item improves the collection or simply absorbs most of its budget? I would be happy owning fewer skins, but only if the remaining choices tell a more coherent story when I look through the inventory.
