Phil Collins donates Alamo artifacts collection to Texas

Phil Collins has donated his extensive collection of Alamo memorabilia to the Battle of the Alamo historic site in San Antonio, Texas.

Phil Collins, 63, said he had amassed more than 200 artifacts after becoming fascinated with the 1836 battle as a child.

The former Genesis star said he was donating the collection – thought to be the largest in private hands – to ensure it was better cared for in the future.

It includes items such as a rifle owned by folk hero Davy Crockett.

At an event announcing the donation in San Antonio, Phil Collins joked he had spent “all the money I made from music” on his collection related to the battle where 1,500 Mexican troops laid siege to 200 Texans fighting for Texas independence.

“Some people would buy Ferraris, some people would buy houses, I bought old bits of metal and old bits of paper,” he said.

Phil Collins explained he first became interested in the Alamo after watching the 1950s TV series Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.

“I’ve had a love affair with this place since I was about 5 years old. It’s [all] at my home, in my basement in Switzerland. I look at it every day, but no one else was enjoying it.”

The collection also includes Davy Crockett’s leather shot pouch, a pair of powder horns which the soldier is believed to have given to a Mexican officer before his death, muskets belonging to Mexican soldiers and one of the original Bowie knives, made famous by Alamo defender Jim Bowie.

Texas land commissioner Jerry Patterson said Phil Collins would pay to ship the collection to Texas with the understanding the state would use public funding and private donations to redevelop the Alamo site – including a new building to house the collection.

The collection will begin arriving in Texas in the next few months and will be displayed on a rotating basis at the museum.

Phil Collins said he would continue buying Alamo memorabilia and “once I’ve lived with whatever I buy for a month, I’ll ship it over here”.