RDR2 Collectibles Guide: Every Type and How Many There Are

Red Dead Redemption 2 has seven main collectible sets: 20 Dreamcatchers, 30 Dinosaur Bones, 10 Rock Carvings, 144 Cigarette Cards, 14 Legendary Fish, the Exotics requests and 9 graves. Most are tied to a stranger mission that starts in Chapter 2, none of them are missable, and a few can only be finished after the story because they reach into New Austin. Below are the totals, who starts each set, and what the game's 100% checklist actually asks for.

Totals are cross-checked between PowerPyx and rdr2.org.

RDR2 collectibles at a glance

Collectible	Total	Linked stranger mission	Earliest start	Needed for 100%
Dreamcatchers	20	None	Chapter 2	All 20
Dinosaur Bones	30	A Test of Faith	Chapter 2 (last 8 after the story)	Yes, finish the mission
Rock Carvings	10	Geology for Beginners	Chapter 2	Yes, finish the mission
Cigarette Cards	144 (12 sets of 12)	Smoking and Other Hobbies	Chapter 2	At least one full set
Legendary Fish	14 (13 for the mission)	A Fisher of Fish	Early story (finish in the Epilogue)	Yes, finish the mission
Exotics	5 rounds of requests	Duchesses and Other Animals	Chapter 4	Yes, finish the mission
Graves	9	None	After the story	All 9
Legendary Animals	16	None	Chapter 2	5
Treasure hunts	3, plus 1 edition bonus	Varies	Chapter 2	At least 1

You can track progress at any time from the pause menu under Progress > Total Completion, which lists each category and ticks it off when you're done.

Dreamcatchers (20)

Dreamcatchers hang in specific trees, mostly in New Hanover, with the rest in Lemoyne and Ambarino. You can collect them from Chapter 2 in any order. Walk up to the tree and inspect the dreamcatcher to log it.

They're small and easy to miss, so use Eagle Eye when you're close. It highlights collectibles in yellow.

Reward: after all 20, the marked spots form a pattern on Arthur's map that points to a cave behind the waterfall at Elysian Pool. Inside you'll find the Ancient Arrowhead, a permanent perk that cuts stamina drain when you use a bow. Bring a lantern, because the cave is dark.

Dinosaur Bones (30)

Dinosaur Bones belong to A Test of Faith, given by Deborah MacGuiness, an amateur paleontologist camped in The Heartlands, New Hanover. You can start it from Chapter 2.

The bones are large and usually sit on high ground or near cliffs. The catch is that the last eight are in New Austin, which you can't safely enter until the Epilogue. Collecting the bones alone isn't enough for 100%: the stranger mission has to be completed too. Once all 30 are found, a letter at the post office invites you to see the rebuilt skeleton.

Rock Carvings (10)

Rock Carvings belong to Geology for Beginners, started by Francis Sinclair at his cabin north-west of Strawberry. It's available from Chapter 2.

Each carving is an image cut into stone, often near a mountain peak. Inspect it, then mail the locations to Sinclair from any post office. Once all ten are sent, you get a letter asking you back to his cabin for the final reward.

Cigarette Cards (144)

There are 12 sets of 12 cards, 144 in all. They're tied to Smoking and Other Hobbies, given by Phineas T. Ramsbottom, who becomes available in Chapter 2 after the story mission "Who Is Not Without Sin". Each set has one card that only appears after you've accepted his mission.

You can find cards in fixed spots, mostly inside buildings, or get them at random from Premium Cigarettes bought at general stores. Buying packs is faster if you're willing to deal with duplicates.

For 100% completion you only need one complete set. The full 144 is only for finishing Ramsbottom's mission, which you complete by mailing the cards to him.

Legendary Fish (14)

Legendary fish belong to A Fisher of Fish, from Jeremy Gill at his cabin by the water in The Heartlands, available early in the story. He gives you a rough map and asks for 13 fish, which you mail to him from a post office. Small fish go straight into your satchel, while big ones have to ride on the back of your horse.

You need Special Lures (lake, river and swamp), sold for $10 each at the bait shop near Lagras. Normal bait won't hook a legendary fish. Some fish are in the south of the map, so the mission can't be finished before the Epilogue. The 14th, the Legendary Channel Catfish, comes from a fishing trip with Gill after you've mailed the other 13.

Exotics (Duchesses and Other Animals)

Exotics are a shopping list rather than a fixed set. Algernon Wasp, in a greenhouse north of Saint Denis, starts Duchesses and Other Animals in Chapter 4, after the story mission "The Gilded Cage". He asks for five rounds of bird plumes, orchids and other items, mostly from the bayou around Saint Denis.

The birds, such as egrets and herons, respawn, so you can farm them. The orchids grow in a handful of specific spots and are easy to see with Eagle Eye. He pays cash after each round.

Graves (9)

Graves are a post-story collectible. They mark where fallen gang members rest, so they only appear after you finish the story. Visit and pay respects at all nine for 100% completion. Expect story spoilers in any grave guide.

Legendary Animals, treasure hunts and points of interest

These also show up in the checklist:

Legendary animals: 16 in total, 5 needed for 100%. See our legendary animals guide for every location.
Treasure hunts: the Jack Hall Gang, Poisonous Trail and High Stakes hunts, plus Le Trésor des Morts for Special and Ultimate Edition owners. At least one is needed for the Collectibles category, and they pay out in gold bars. Our money guide covers how to start each one.
Points of interest: you need to find and sketch at least one.

How to collect everything efficiently

Accept the collectible stranger missions early. Deborah MacGuiness, Francis Sinclair and Phineas T. Ramsbottom are available from Chapter 2, and Jeremy Gill soon after. Some cards only spawn once you've met Ramsbottom.
Collect by region, not by type. Many dreamcatchers, bones and carvings sit close together, so sweep an area for everything at once.
Use Eagle Eye constantly. It highlights collectibles from a distance.
Leave New Austin for the Epilogue. Several bones and fish are there, and you can't safely reach it before then.
Mail as you go. Rock carving locations and legendary fish only count once you've mailed them to the quest giver.

All of this is a big part of why 100% takes so long. For time estimates, see how long RDR2 takes to beat.

Frequently asked questions

How many collectibles are in RDR2?

The main sets are 20 Dreamcatchers, 30 Dinosaur Bones, 10 Rock Carvings, 144 Cigarette Cards, 14 Legendary Fish, 9 graves and five rounds of Exotics. Legendary animals, treasure hunts and points of interest are tracked alongside them.

Are any RDR2 collectibles missable?

No. All of them can still be collected after the story, and some, like the graves and the New Austin dinosaur bones, can only be finished after it.

How many cigarette cards do you need for 100%?

You need one complete set of 12 cards for 100% completion. All 144 cards are only required to finish the Smoking and Other Hobbies stranger mission.

What do you get for finding all 20 dreamcatchers?

You unlock the Ancient Arrowhead in a hidden cave behind the waterfall at Elysian Pool. It's a permanent perk that reduces stamina drain when you use a bow.

Where do you start the dinosaur bones mission?

Find Deborah MacGuiness in The Heartlands, New Hanover, from Chapter 2 on. Her stranger mission, A Test of Faith, asks for 30 bone locations, and the last eight are in New Austin.

Can you collect legendary fish before the Epilogue?

You can catch most of them, but you can't finish A Fisher of Fish until the Epilogue, because some fish are in the south of the map. Buy Special Lures at the bait shop near Lagras first.