ASD Hoarders or Really Clever Marketing Strategies

I'm sure if you look into any home where there is a child with ASD you will find a lot of stuff.  Not necessarily typical stuff but stuff that excites the child.  Could be can openers, magnets, twistable crayons, scraps of paper, Barbies, random bits of this and that... doesn't really matter what it is... there's stuff!
My son loves stuff and some of his favorites are Pokemon cards and figurines, Angry Bird figurines and stuffed animals, baseball and football cards, balls, rocks, small scraps of wood, things that sparkle... He is a certifiable hoarder and I am not sure if he would be naturally or if I have enabled him in this TV-worthy venture.  Like most ASD parents, when I know that my son has an interest in something, I run with it and make sure he has access to it and all of its cousins, aunts, uncles, once/twice removed and so on until our home is overrun with James' obsession.
With the ASD numbers on the rise, toy marketers must be taking this into consideration with production.  They must be giddy with glee knowing that our kids spend time on smart phones and tablets playing games that naturally translate into little trinkets that we will snatch up by the millions to see the hint of love on our kids' faces.  I get more random hugs from James when I present him with a new trinket than I do any other time.
James loves crystals and he carries them with him.  They sparkle in the sun and make cool images on the ground.  He hunts for these treasures in the back yard at my father-in-law's house.  I don't know for sure if they are a natural find or a planted pleasure my father-in-law places where he knows James will look.  All I know is that when one is found, there is great happiness!
James is under strict orders not to bring stuff into school as it distracts him from his work.  This has been a really hard lesson for him and we have had many meltdowns over it.  I have had to frisk him, email his teacher and give her a heads up to have him empty his pockets before entering the class and threaten to toss his treasures in the trash if he takes them into school.
This morning, James shared a very special moment with me.  They don't happen often because James can be very sneaky with his stuff.  I dropped James off at the curb and started to drive away.  I just happened to look back and saw him heading back towards the car with his hand in his pocket.  I rolled down the window, and he deposited his beloved crystal into my hand!  I couldn't have be more proud of him at that moment.  He gave a piece of himself to me that I wasn't entitled to and yet it was given.  So today James' two most special things, Rodger and his beloved crystal will spend time together until it is time to get him from school at 2:22.  Chances are there will also be a very special something that James isn't expecting.  I am such a sucker when it comes to my little man "manning up" and following the most difficult rules in the book!