In The Wrath of Kahn (TWOK), there are at least 2 references to Kirk's fondness for antiques. Spock states that he's aware of this fondness when he gives him an old edition of A Tale of Two Cities; McCoy tells him to get away from his antiques and get his command back, and I think there's a reference to this as well when McCoy gives Kirk his reading glasses (along with a reference to Kirk's medication allergy).

I grew up watching the original series (some during the original run and all, many times, in reruns) and had seen all of the animated series when TWOK came out — and had endured Star Trek: The Motion Picture several times as well. I remember when I was watching TWOK in the movie theater for the first time being "jarred" by the lines about antiques. While it was not out of place, I don't remember any reference to such an interest in any preceding Trek at that time.

It's quite believable that, as he aged, and was no longer on a ship, that Kirk had time on his hands and needed a hobby or to become drawn to out-of-date objects — since he may have felt past his usefulness, so it's not that such a reference is wrong or out of place. But I have long wondered if I missed something along the way.

Excluding books (which the producers rarely counted as canon), was this interest of Kirk's ever mentioned before TWOK? And, as long as I'm asking, was it in any of the very few Trek books that had been published before TWOK either?