We kinda did this topic already--for seven pages:

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=123583

But since I didn't post anything of merit to that thread, I'll mention that my collection inspires awe from my nephews ("Uncle Craig's bedroom is like a museum!" is what one of them said when I moved back home after college years ago.)

But I haven't had much opportunity to show my collection off since I got married. My wife only gave me a couple shelves over the computer to display stuff in our 1-bedroom apt during the two years we were there, so I only had select pieces on display like My Alts, a few G1 items, Unicron, and my 20-inch Iron Giant figure. Everything else was in storage.

Now that we finally have our own house, I'm working on turning part of the garage into my personal TF Mecca (or would that be "Mecha"?   ).

My wife's initial reaction to my collection when we first started dating wasn't a big deal then. I saw her room first, and she seemed embarrassed that she had so much vintage Care Bears, Cabbage Patch, Barbie, and Elvis stuff on display. I said, "That's okay, I have all kinds of Transformers, and Pinky & The Brain stuff in my room." It's when we discovered that we had geekdom in common.

 

Most people who have seen my collection are amazed by how many pieces I have ... I have never had any "fans" over who remember the show or the toys.

People that find out about my toys usually wonder why I don't have "expensive toys" like guns, cars, ATV's or anything like that. The only reason I say that is b/c it happened to my last night. My sister-inlaws father said I needed to "upgrade" ....

 

  I had someone tell me once that I should collect "Men's" toys as well. Except I collect all the other stuff you listed too. I like to show people my collection for the first time, then scare the crap out of them with a blast in my 10 second cars. Then I show them the gun collection. My gun collection usually gets the most polar reactions. Fear or Awe.

 

SWEEEET!!! 

 

Freakin AWESOME, dude!!!  (Not quite Holy S#*T but same result)

 

I get mostly positive reactions to my collection. First of all, I don't display it all. Just a few Alts and MPs in a glass display case in my living room.

Funny thing happened a few weeks ago, when my new insurance reps came to visit to have me sign some stuff. It was a married couple, and the husband spent most of the time drooling over my collection. I jokingly said he didn't have to pretend he liked those, but then he started naming them, so I knew he was legit.

 

I hear ya... my gf knows of course and a few of my friends, but nobody else  

 

I always get the "It looks like a toy store in here"

 

Mostly my friends are just surprised at how many I have. Some of them can remember G1 Optimus Prime, Starscream or Soundwave and start pointing out all the different ones from different eras in my collection. Then they call me a nerd, to which I have to agree and we leave it at that  

 

Wow...5 pages and NO ONE has gottten the 40 year old virgin line. WE (my fiancee, her sister, and I ) rented it (I saw thw comments coming)..when he gets to his house...they are rolling..."Hey thats you" lmao

 

Most of my friends are shocked, and they can't believe the abundance of G1 I have, as many of them haven't seen that many in one place since they were kids. I friend of mine who is also a member of this board came over to my house for the first time during the summer and had to pick his jaw off the floor,lol...it depends on the person though.

My mom likes it, my dad thinks, "hey whatever", as long as you pay your other bills..I live with my GF anyway...but I sometimes shock myself when I consider that have spent over $15,000 in a year and half on these damn things  , BUT they look so cool!

Peace

 

my parents cant stand the fact that i have such a collection, and yet, never have money... i mean, they know B-day and christmas goes on them... and i jokingly blame them, for giving me my first ones, way back when.

my ladyfriend, likes my collection, she collects unicorns, and her collection rivals mine. she gave me about 5 that she had when she was young... plus a lot of her family members have given me old ones, and bought for holidays.

my ex, wouldnt let them in her apartment... they were in my dads shed for a few years.

my ladyfriend's daughter(18 and into anime) jokingly says, they come alive at night and may attack her in her sleep... and i agree

one of her friends saw my collection (around energon) and made fun of it... i had a 5 shelf bookshelf and the top of my entertainment center, then... he came in my room the other day, and saw my 3 shelf bookcase on my entertainment center, and says 'looks like you have more sice i saw them last' he turns to leave, and sees my double bookshelf, with most of them on... and says 'god, addictive much?'

another one of her friends was here yesterday, and saw my collection. 'wow, you must have all the transformers...' i say not really, this is just about how many there is in g1... he liked my pepsi prime, and asked me if i saw the movie...

 

Most everyone thinks that my collection is cool.

 

My parents aren't so pleased at the extent of my collection ("How much money did you waste on these?" etc etc)... Friends for the most part are taken aback at the extent of the collection - reactions are generally positive, and 20th Anniv OP draws the most attention and comments as most visitors recognise him right away. My brother thinks I've raided TRU, and my 3-year-old nephew loves seeing the collection. Every time my sister visits he comes running up to take a look. He'll just stand in the doorway in awe before wondering which one he can grab.  

 

My wife: Wishes I wouldn't spend so much to replace the G1s that I lost over the years.

My son: Loves them and has started collecting his own.

My parents: Don't know about them because most of them are stored away in Rubbermaid totes

Friends: Most of them collect something also so they're cool with it.

 

But the funny thing is that many of these same people who roll their eyes or otherwise despair of collecting Transformers seem to have no problems with people who collect other "childish" things like Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels cars and teddy bears!

Actually my mom was, for a time, collecting teddy bears! Kinda the pot calling the kettle black...she also thinks it is a waste of time as well....but I would have to say the same for some of the stuff that she finds amusing. The only other person who is aware of my growing collection is the lady who rents a room from my mother and I, and she simply has no comment and apparently no opinion one way or another. Seems that is a very rare reaction to a Transformers collection - total apathy!

But I really don't care - I'm seen as an eccentric artist anyway, so lots of things I do surprise people.

 

Funny story, a few months back when we were getting a quote on home insurance the agent was in the basement where I keep my collection and my wife said that the guy flipped out! (I was at work at the time unfortunately.) She said the guy looked at my Optimus Primes (which are grouped together.) and started asking her how much I'd spent on all of them and would I be interested in selling them? She told him I'd be more likely to sell HER than part with my collection. 

 

My house was broken into last year and strangely enough, they broke in through the office which is where I display my collection. It is honestly, rather massive. The police came in to clear the house and one of the officers exclaims, "The 40 year old virgin!" I explained that I was getting married the following year and was not a virgin. Most of the reactions I get are along the lines of "OMG" when they see it.
Just so you know, luckily, nothing was taken. I should also mention I'm a 31 year old restaurant manager(casual dining, not fast food) I own a car, the aforementioned house, and I spend more time in the toy section of Wal Mart than the grocery or elctronics section. I respect all of you and admire some of your collections. My family is pretty ambivalent, about my collecting, but my nephews think it's awesome. I only worry when the younger ones simply see a room full of toys.

 

I get mixed reactions.. Some people are like.. ohh.. thats nice.. Some people say wow those are awesome...

I have the whole movie line that I used to display in their alt mode, but now I just have voyager megatron in robot mode, classic voyager jetfire, movie voyager starscream and target repaint ss and ramjet on my entertainment center with voyager blackout in alt mode on top of my stereo. I dont think it looks as gawdy as it did up there with all those vehicles in alt mode, but I may bring them back out in all their glory...

I dont give two shits about what people say when they find out I collect transformers but I dont talk about it a lot..