Rules of a Collector

Discussion in 'The Toyark' started by ParaChomp, Apr 25, 2016.

  1. Slave IV

    Slave IV more wealth than you can imagine!

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    Transformers is one line I actually am close to if not at 1:1. I don't like most the characters or designs that have come from the MP line so far and I don't care about official or 3P, just who makes the best versions of the characters I like. So far it just so happens that around the same amount of Autobots and Decepticons have been made to my liking.
     
  2. Drangleic

    Drangleic Banned

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    FO Hulk is still the best Hulk out of any that have been made. But even that one could be better (like his strange box abs).

    That's the thing, seemingly simple things to get right are often not. You hope it's corrected when the next version someone makes comes out but it's usually just traded for a different annoyance. So you keep right on buying the new iterations, chasing the rainbow.

    Why we can never get definitive versions of certain big name characters is really weird. And then we will get a near perfect version of some smaller name, b-lister. It's a damn conspiracy! (lol)
     
  3. drushing

    drushing Well-Known Member

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    I agree with everything here except the selling part. I never sell figures. I don't mind helping out someone that needs something I have because I will occasionally buy dupes to use for trade fodder. But, often I throw them in a box and let them collect dust.
    I have no problems with collecting multiple versions of toys. For instance Mirage is my favorite TF. I have a MISB graded Mirage, Sphinx, opened/complete G1 version, etc.
    Statues are different though. I never get dupes of the same character for statues. I try to find the one that I like the most. I am trying to get the Mythos Vader by Sideshow currently since I don't have a Vader statue. It is pricey, but it is the best looking vader sculpt to me. I have been waiting a long time to get one I really like.
     
  4. Slave IV

    Slave IV more wealth than you can imagine!

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    Yeah, you hooked me up with that Fett, thanks! As I explained later, I never buy anything with the intention of selling but I'm at the point where I actually have to sell or trade some stuff if I want anything else new. I know all about MISB figures sitting in storage (probably using more square footage than my family) and I'd rather have some of that space for new stuff to sit in storage or on display :D .
     
  5. drushing

    drushing Well-Known Member

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    I get it. My primary problem as a collector is that I am so flighty. I recently got out of MTG that I was collecting for a good number of years. Since I had that monkey off my back I went back to toys. I had not bought a toy in nearly 10 yrs. When the house burned and they all burned then I intended to never buy another one. Problem is I always need a hobby. And here I am again. So, you are probably right. At some point I will possibly sell some off to downgrade or use it to finance my next collection.
    I have the same issue with storage space and statues. I have started boxing some back up and putting them in storage. They take up so much space and it is easy for things to start looking cluttered. So, at this point I "retire" one every time a new shows up.
     
  6. transtrekkie

    transtrekkie On the level.

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    I have a few rules for myself, developed after years of collecting and not ever really having the stuff I want. After the last purge, I sold almost everything, so getting to start from scratch was great. It means I can control the collection a lot better.

    So, rule #1: No "placeholders". Before my last purge, I had every version of the Classics Rodimus mold, except the Henkei one, which is the one I really wanted. This time, I have Henkei Hot Rod and I'm a happy camper. Also, Classics Skeletor was a good example of this. And yes, I now have only one of him too.

    Rule 2: I only buy figures from lines that I currently have and will not start any new collections until either space or money warrant. The exception to this is if it winds up being my "go to" version of a character. Example, I didn't really intend to start collecting MP figures. But, I bought MP-10 as my "G1" Prime and then, when they made the blue Diaclone Bluestreak, then BBTS had a sale for Bumblebee and well, I wasn't going to miss out on Shockwave... yeah, it kind of snowballed, but those are my only versions of those characters.

    The exception to these rules is for favorite characters. Like "I use this as my online username" kind of favorite. Shockwave fits that as does Bumblebee (except for the username bit. But I do drive a car painted to resemble him). So I have no problem having multiple Shockwaves or Bumblebees.
     
  7. joebot.

    joebot. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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    My rule has always been I'll just buy what I like. Lately that hasn't been much of anything I'm the Transformers/ action figure department.
     
  8. Starscream 91

    Starscream 91 Mech With A Mouth

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    If I like it and if I have the money I buy it. That is the only rule for me.

    Of course recently with Titans Return coming out I've had to toss out any notion of liking a Marvel Legends and focus on collecting Transformers again since I'm not made of money sadly. And I really want the upcoming Rogue and Deadpool!
     
  9. Slave IV

    Slave IV more wealth than you can imagine!

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    Haha, I think there's one rule all collectors follow knowingly or not and it's that we will all be collecting something sooner or later. When I quit toys for a while, it was cars and parts to make them better. Thinking about how much those parts cost in comparison with toys makes me feel a lot better about focusing back on toys.
     
  10. ABH1979

    ABH1979 Veteran

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    My one rule: If I want it, and can convince my wife that I need it, then I gets it.
     
  11. Sylent

    Sylent Making Cybertron great again

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    I'd never get anything if I had to do that. Her purses and shoes would outweigh my toy collecting. LOL
     
  12. Slave IV

    Slave IV more wealth than you can imagine!

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    I'm lucky...my wife said she put off her major purse desire because of my collection spending. I really need to take that hint though it is so hard to stop or slow down even.
     
  13. Drangleic

    Drangleic Banned

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    I actually got my wife into figure collecting. She has much less enthusiasm for it than me but she likes Hot Toys, anything Ninja Turtles and the fembots from MMC. She likes the girly stuff too though, like shoes and purses. And she's not all that happy with my level of enthusiasm/tendency to go overboard.
     
  14. drushing

    drushing Well-Known Member

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    I tried to get my wife into any kind of hobby. I don't see her ever getting into toy collecting, but I think she can appreciate the look/desigs/aesthetics of things I like. But, that is how she is. She is more focused on our daughter. But, she enjoys when we go to the Cons because she likes to watch people and see the costumes. She will get frustrated at times, but will never put stipulations on how much I spend. Actually, at Botcon she was trying to get me to spend more money and get a couple of G1 pieces I wanted. But, at that point I figured I could wait or I did not need it that badly.
     
  15. ABH1979

    ABH1979 Veteran

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    I'm envious.

    My wife just isn't into "things" enough to want to collect anything, really.

    She's all about vacations and trips, so whenever I start getting a bunch of things, she asks "where are we going for vacation?" and it sucks, because I generally don't want to go anywhere. :lol 
     
  16. drushing

    drushing Well-Known Member

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    I agree. I like the idea of going somewhere, but not the execution. I get really excited and then when it comes time to get in the car I just want to stay home. I have not taken a week off of work in 5 years. I will take 3-4 day weekends, but I don't like being away from home for extended periods of time. We had a house at the beach for years and that gave me no excuse, but to go down there 2-3 times a year. I have been considering looking into this again, but that might might require I leave the house.
     
  17. supervir2

    supervir2 Feels like the kid in Big everyday.

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    My wife is pretty accepting. She doesn't really care about TF's, but I've totally corrupted her when it comes to superheroes. We watch arrow, supergirl, the flash, the marvel shows, JLU, BTAS, etc together. Helps with the support.
     
  18. Sylent

    Sylent Making Cybertron great again

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    My wife watches Flash and AoS with me, but the only thing she really pays attention to is Total Divas. I suppose if I came home with the Bellas 2-pack, she wouldn't have a problem with it. :D 
     
  19. Slave IV

    Slave IV more wealth than you can imagine!

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    My wife really likes the MCU movies but not into collecting anything. She was really impressed when she saw HT figures. Hope she doesn't freak when HT Deluxe Boba Fett shows up and I tell her how much it was (even though she knows how much these things cost). She did initiate us going out last night to hunt for Disney Lego Minifigs though...

    As for another rule...It's not something I'm able to follow anymore and it was difficult to do because it was a thing for me before I did online shopping and had to find everything in the wild...The rule of 3. One to open and display, one to keep MISB and one as a backup (also misb) just in case. I only did this to things I really liked and again, it was often very hard to get my hands on three of everything I wanted. Space and money make that an impossible rule for me to keep up with now and I'm even having to sell some of my extras just to maintain.
     
  20. LigerPrime

    LigerPrime Well-Known Member

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    Wow! I'm so envious of you dude! My wife will literally give me the 'look of death' if I bring back anything new. However, things have gotten better since I have cut down on my spending.

    Same here. Its a very common 'issue' or 'problem' among my peers and I. Our wives simply love to travel but we prefer just to stay at home. At times, we simply tell our wives that can bring the kids and their mothers and just leave us back home! LOL!