In case you didn't know, Tuesdays rock now, ladies and gents This is another great one, bud! It's a topic that I've been discussing with my collecting friends on some level as well.
1984, remember the coats (not sure if starter or something else) that were pullover with a hood, had a large kangaroo pocket with a top zipper covered with velcro? Those coats could hold many beers. Around 1992-93(high school) my friends and I would get a case of beer into the movie theater in those kangaroo pockets. I also remember taking beer into Friendly's (yes, the family ice cream joint) and calmly drinking from the can. Needless to say, we were told to leave. Such jackassery. Ah, the good old days.
“Leave what you got as you got them; people age, so do toys, give it the chance to age gracefully too; accept the defects and imperfections that it picked up from its journey through time, just as you must have your own defects and imperfections that time saddled you with; that way, it’d always be YOUR piece, it’d be the only piece in the world with those quirks and is special that way.” Thanks, for all of your great articles!
Excellent points and full of truth, Rein. I may take you up on that offer when I come over for B.O.T.S. next year! Thank you guys, I started writing this and it didn't turn out how I was expecting, I actually felt completely lost at sea during the middle part of the article, it took a few revisions before it had any shape at all, so I really appreciate the praise I think you do need to, genuinely. I started buying multiples of things at one stage too, and if I really really took an honest look at what I was doing and why, I think as disgusting as it was, it might even have originated in some feeling of wanting to keep what I have more special by denying others the opportunity to have it. It was quite liberating to free myself of that baggage and ridiculous endeavour which was wrong on so many levels. I'll hold you to that if I ever make it to BotCon again, you're buying though. Snacks are on me Thanks dude Luckily I do feel happy now, I no longer compare my current coillection to the one I used to have and miss what I sold. Maybe that's because I have re-found most of what I felt I should never have sold. I do honestly feel I am happier with my collection and collecting today than I have ever been. In general the community is better than it was in the past too in many ways, which makes it all the more pleasurable to be a part of. The nature of the pieces I photographed in the article are incidental, it's the philosophy behind being content and satisfied versus comparing to others and what you have envisioned as your dream collection that is more the subject, so your 2 cents are more than relevant. I have no idea how one maintains a MISB collection. My whole enjoyment and continuing enthusiasm for the hobby stems entirely from being able to analyse, document, trace and identify figures from their features, packaging and stampings etc. I bought a MISB Classic gold box Optimus Prime and it feels like the most pointless thing in my collection at the moment. I do love MISB collectors though, they allow us the opportunity to look upon these toys in that condition, and I am more than happy to enjoy them in other people's galleries! Well said. Far too kind mate, thank you, great name you have there! Nope, still sitting in 4 separate pieces or so, I'm still waiting for the parts I exchanged for to be shipped out to me. Very sad really, a constant reminder of why it's good to be content! Who knows, if the parts do ever get sent to me, and the Tracks ends up looking like a million dollars, I may feel that it was worth the effort, but not worth losing respect for a fellow collector over. Notice how I got through the whole thing without even a picture of one! I am now so happy that there are things other than my Joustra that I can be proud of in my display. In the end I think my entire final collection will fit into 2 Detolf cabinets. In this day and age of ridiculous property prices in London and the cost of living and space, I think it's the best compromise taking into account all things collecting and family-related. That is absolutely the way I have settled on doing things too I'm really pleased it has struck a chord with a few people, it really didn't seem to be taking any sort of useful shape when I was writing it! Thanks for the kind words mate. Do it! DO IT! Aw... You and me both, thanks again bud. I think this subject comes up very often in some people's minds. I realised how much when I kept watching auctions for things I already owned. Thanks for your continued support Allen My pleasure mate, really it is. A great quote right? From the wise partner of another wise collector. All the best Maz
Oh I know that you've got a lot of great stuff apart from the Joustra. You should be proud of all of it! I just kind of think of the Joustra collection as your signature if you will. They're beautiful and rare and you have a lot of them. I think the real question at the end of it all is...Why is something important to us? For me personally it really isn't an issue of rarity or what something is worth. It is more a matter of nostalgia that takes my mind back to a happier, simpler time in my life. I loved playing with Transformers with my best friend in his grandparents' living room using styrofoam from anywhere we could get it as buildings. Some people want all of the loose figures from a particular year. Some are all about condition and want everything AFA 85 or 90. Some are all about rare Japanese figures. We all have our own reasons for collecting. The point of it all should be to make ourselves happy. Contentment is another matter entirely though. I think as collectors it is not in our nature to be content. No matter how great your collection is there is always going to be that next piece that you want to add or maybe you want to replace a piece within your existing collection with a nicer version. There is always something else to reach for. The key is appreciating what you have and remembering why it made you happy in the first place.
Actually in all honesty that's not the case, or it wasn't. A few recent additions have helped me feel as you have described. Thank you, I definitely am. The Joustra is by far my favourite and most comprehensive collecting thing, you're right about that Very well said mate. All the best Maz
As always Maz, this article is very thought-provoking. We might not all collect pre-Transformers or figures as expensive as the ones you mention, but I think we can all identify with the themes you mention. Bravo!
Perhaps that's why I've been dragging my feet on finishing my GoBots collection. It's no Diaclone or Microchange but Machine Robo isn't exactly a cheap pursuit either.
I'll just echo everyone else and say that was a beautiful article (as yours always are), enchanting prose and gorgeous pictures. You're such an asset to the community. Also, I think this is a very valuable read for any vetran collector, we all hit this point eventually. For me my grails were once the late-era Japanese exclusive toys (Liokaiser, Grandus, that sort of stuff), I had pretty much everything (never snagged a legit SkyGarry or Raiden, but otherwise I had some version or another of all the majors), eventually my situation changed, and I had to play the "Sell the toys, pay the rent" game. It hurt at first, but now I don't regret it or miss any of the pieces, my collection is working in another direction now, much more economically feasable, and just as satisfying. A good fit for my life as it is NOW. D/L
I remember something like that! I was on a mindless quest back then to obtain everything "cool". It started with me needing every Transformer from G1 season 1, including Shockwave, Reflector and the purple generic seekers who didn't even really exist in '84. I remember getting a grey Shackwave who I knew wasn't a Transformer, slapping a 'con symbol on him, getting his dick trigger cut off and taking him to school for kids to drool over. I was the man for a short while. No one could find Shockwave because the purple one wouldn't come out until '85. No one knew it, but I hated my fake grey Shockwave. The desire to be accepted or admired by others sometimes takes precedent over our true personal happiness. It was another reason I was saddened by Maz's article. If I never started collecting Transformers I would still have been controlled through the years by greed on a criminal level. It would have been something else to set it off. Fortunately as adults we can analyze and get a handle on things like tat.
Neat article! I had a friend who was big into Diaclone collecting but gave it up because it was always a source of irratation to him. Personally I've always followed the advice of collect what you love and love what you have. I also have a complete Web Diver and Daigunder collection, so there is that element too, the satisfaction from having complete collections that few if any Pre-TF fans can have with theirs.
It is this kind of article that takes collectors back to the basics, and invokes memories. Maz is human, as we all are. I certainly did not mean to hijack the thread with juvenile memories and silly adventures post G1 days. But that is why I enjoy being a part of the forums - toys, collecting habits, moving on, and then coming back, sharing stories. Grow older, start a family and priorities change, but you cannot change childhood and what you remember fondly about it. It is completely different as an adult collector, but my kids keep me feeling young.
Gotta chase that next high. They don't call it plastic (or die cast) crack for nothing. XD Neat article, good read.
Finally had an extra minute to sit down and read this article - really thought provoking. This should be required reading for those new to collecting. Really hits on the highs, lows, and different mentalities that go into collecting. Great job!
I think I'll never be content unless I have most of the variants of G1 Bumblebee, e.g. Antex orange, Estrela silver.
I have to pick my battles, or else my head will explode. Shit, I don't even think every variant has been documented on those yet.
I made a want list the other day, It isn't long, but it is expensive....and I need to be saving for a house (which I am). I think you should have goals, map them and be happy when you get there. I don't have 'every transformer ever made' on my list, it is some MPs and 3rd part combiners coming out. My problem right now is not buying multiples, which I would only keep in a dark closet. I open my stuff and display in a glass shelf. I am striving to convince myself that having only one, open, displayed figure, is what makes me happy. Difficult when I see people who want MISB items...that makes me want that too, but it doesn't make sense to me, so I'm trying not to do it
I have a trimmed down list of what would make me content and consider my Mini-bot collection complete. I have to really trim it down or I will go mad, get broke, or both, just trying to have a complete Mini-bot collection. My "contentment" list, not in any particular order: - Bumblejumper - Antex orange Bumblebee - Estrela silver Bumblebee - '85 red and yellow Cliffjumpers - '85 Gears My TF Prime list would be more easily attained, although it contains some hard to find Arms Microns.
