I’ve always had the intention of finishing a collection and being done, but the goal posts have moved over the years, I went from just G1 season 1-3 Autobots to season 1-4 Decepticons, to JG1 to all G1 + a select amount of other continuity figures (Lugnut, Sideways, Tidal wave)

The point I’m at now is waiting for Hasbro to move on from G1, and hoping I can talk myself out of the figures they re-do like the upcoming SS Ultra Magnus.

I have a version of almost every character I want, be it official, 3P or customized. I’m basically trying to replace the customs with official as they slowly drip out and if I do want the new update of an official figure I have, I have to off load the earlier version but there’s also only a few that I’ll continue to do that with. For example I’m not going to get any new Sixshots or misfires but Ratchet, the mini bots and the first 5 combiners yeah I’ll probably replace. So to answer the question: I want to stop but need some help from Hasbro

 

I have a list of figures which I’m not replacing, but the reasons for not replacing them is never sentimental, it’s quite practical - I prefer the scale or colour-scheme over newer versions (30th Jetfire and Arcee), they form part of a group which I don’t want to break up (ER Ironhide and Ratchet), or I really don’t care about the character and refuse to buy yet another version (Wheelie). And in some cases where there are established repaints, it’s more interesting collection wise to have them on different molds (Selects G1 Seacons, BWII Seacons).

 

Wishful thinking. That's not gonna happen bruh. Because Hasbro will keep remaking G1 characters until the end of time.

I'm not yet at the point where I intend to stop collecting, but it has crossed my mind lately for a second as I look around my room and running out of space. I just try to keep my buying low, being selective on what I buy.

 

I plan to quit this year. Really, only question is if I will stick to my guns and go cold turkey or switch to a "favorites only" grace period.

I've been collecting since 2012 and been buying on and off since 2007. It's become clear that I can't really expect to wait and get the characters I want in the styles I want. Space is getting tighter too. I'll just take what characters that I can get at this point and otherwise fill out roles in my imaginary cast with what might come to be available, instead of hoping for a Lugnut and Strika on the horizon and spending more in the meantime. I don't dislike any of my "meantime" pick-ups and obviously liked the character enough, but I know I wouldn't have got them if I hadn't been waiting for a new Nightbeat, Bulkhead, etc. The guys I got I'll just have to be creative in my head with them instead of thinking about how that void could really use *insert bot here.* Health is also on decline; I've missed order windows because I was resting from arthritis pain.

Not to mention Hasbro is stuffing some most wanted of mine into Haslab which I never have the ability to scratch up the money for in time. Apparently Hasbro watches these forums and I see a lot of begging for certain Haslabs so... yeah. Can't count on having the opportunity to buy the bots I want when they do show.

 

Between the Prime Trilogy, WFC and Legacy a g1 season 1 to 4 collection is almost complete. Almost everyone has been remade. I have replaced some of the Prime Wars stuff with their newer versions, but even some of the Prime Wars stuff I won't replace, like the target and headmasters.

Also I only went in for Menasor because he was the worst CW toy. I have really no interest in further combiner hunting. Much like most of WFC I won't feel to replace. Ironhide and ratchet I am getting their new SS toys, already have Ironhide. I guess what I am saying is that I want to be done buying up all these mainline guys and just focus on either buying none, or just one offs I like.

 

HA never! Not with my mental state…

 

I remember a year or so back my Grandpa was talking to me about collecting as he thought he was going to kick the bucket soon (he thought a minor operation would go wrong but he predictably and fortunately turned out fine) and that I was the one in the family most likely not to sell his collection. He talked about how collecting is a more easily manageable kind, but it's an addiction, and some are better at managing it than others.

And I think that most of what he says rings true for me, that really unless you grow completely and totally disinterested or disdain for what it is you are collecting it the "rush" of it never truly go away. You may stop collecting for a time but sooner or later something will come up, that that odd thought of the collection being both incomplete and complete will be their, and that new version that you either didn't think you wanted or something you thought would never come out that will move the goal post again.

I had plenty of rules when starting collecting but nearly all but one or two have been broken, but at the same time just because I do continue either collecting new figures or different versions of the same character doesn't mean I'm not happy with what I have if it was all I could have if suddenly every company just closed it's doors, just the act of collecting I find to be almost as or just as fun as getting what I collect. I always make sure that what I spend on collecting is separate from the rest of my finances, and to only get characters I have sentimental attachment to, that way so far aside form 1 or 2 I don't see any as financial mistakes or issues, and unless they're completely totaled they all have the means to resell for something if needed. It's just that fun sense of having something to "complete" that isn't vital to yours or other peoples lives if it never is.

So I don't think I'll ever truly "stop" collecting. There may be times were I'm unable to and I have to wait, but I just find collecting and what I collect fun, and as long as I'm happy with the new added piece I just got I'm happy with the collection I have and will later have.

 

I'm trying to wind down since starting up again during Combiner Wars. At this point, I'm trying to only collect the "best" version of each character I have an interest in. For example, my Megatron is the Netflix Siege Megatron and my Optimus Prime is the Netflix War For Cybertron. If for some reason, a more definitive version comes out, I'll probably just replace them and either sell them cheap or give them away.

Although I'm a sucker for Combiners. I plan on keeping both Combiner Wars Menasor and Legacy Menasor.

 

Getting there..... every reveal pushes that decision forward.

My collection is fairly large with just about every figure/characters that I've always wanted and new ones that are just updated versions don't appeal to me at all (example: I love my Siege Ironhide/Ratchet, and skipped the ER version (but did get the DK black version) and the SS86 has zero appeal to me) as at some point it's a question of "is the new version that truly better or offers something that good to get it over the one I already have".

In other words, if I consider the one I have to be my definitive, odds are that I'm done with that figure/character. Considering that I do have a few versions of some characters because the versions differ that much, provides a "standard version" and an "upgraded/reformatted version" for those that the mold/engineering/design did appeal to me enough, but at some point, I consider it to reach a "I'm good" feel to it.

I'm already at the point that just a very few figures managed to pull me in in the last year, and right now, there's only a few incoming/pre-ordered left.

So as per other similar thread, I don't believe that I'll ever stop BUT I am slowing down A LOT as I do have just about everything that I can think about wanting, the few incoming will complete what I find is reaching the end of anymore "mass" purchases and it will really be a case of only those that knock my socks off will pull me in.

I've reached the point that I simply don't feel a need for anything more really and I could just end today and be fine with that, so anything that I would get in the future, as stated would need to impress me hard, but simply because I do stay open to something that would be good enough to get, and that it's been my passion all of the life and part of me... I've never really had any set aims or plans to what my goals were really, just that I enjoy/love my Science Fiction toys.

But then, as a kid I would play with winged seeds (maple trees and the likes) as being ships that a magnifying glass would be the "lasers" that would burn the wings during their battles, so it's very deep rooted in me to enjoy my toys.

 

I've definitely felt like I'm getting there. Modern releases do less and less for me, and I find I'm going back and filling holes in my collection more than I'm getting excited for new releases.

 

Mostly I'll know when I know. Sometimes it's just when I happen to run out of space for something on the shelves. My rule is, if I can't have a collection on display or in its own special space, then I've got too many.

I still have space for breyers stablemates, but I'm dreading the day I hafta pack them up n move. So many of my little beauties could get broken. I decided I won't buy anymore.

I have no more space for bigger horse toys, + the above fear, so I don't buy anymore.

I lost interest in Skylanders and it became a massive money sink.

Nintendo pissed me off something fierce, with their shitty distribution of amiibo, so I stopped buying quickly.

I have no more room on the shelves for my action figures, Mega Man, Transformers, McFarlane Mortal Kombat, so I stopped buying.

I'm still collecting MLP, sturdy and small model horses, and I only have a few more care bears left on my wishlist

 

My goal is to get one mainline representation, one MP representative and one legends representation of each character for G1 and JG1 characters and Beast Wars

After that I'm likely done except for unique characters like Nicee or a new release that absolutely makes the previous release look like garbage.

If by that time I have more than one representation, I will sell the extras. Only have so much space.

 

I will never quit collecting…

-with that said-

I do find myself buying less with each passing year… mainly because I am very satisfied with what I consider my core collection on Display..


Hoarding - not happening here-

My rule of thumb…if it is not on display - it is subject to being donated…(animated figures are the only exception)

I try to purge stuff every few months…dumping figures off at local thrift shops

 

Currently, my intention is to be done heavily collecting within the next ten years based on my "want list" for the various lines I collect (Transformers, GI Joe, Marvel, Power Rangers, TMNT, etc.). Given the current focus of most of these lines and the sheer amount of figures each brand puts out (particularly Marvel), I feel like it'll be easy to hit that mark and then only pick up the few remaining holes in my list. Also, something I mentioned in the Marvel Legends thread when this was brought up, I'm at a point where I'm not interested in upgrading anymore unless it's a major improvement over the older figure. You just have to get to a point eventually where you say "yeah, the version I've got is good enough".

As far as hoarding, that's never been an issue for me. I went full-on completionist at one point in my younger days, but that never got to hoarding levels and I eventually cured it by selling a bunch of things I simply no longer had room for rather than keeping stuff in tubs or whatever. I figured that if it wasn't actively on display then I must not like it very much considering I do have a large amount of space for my collection.

 

Yeah, when my collection was smashed last year with the flood, it was life changing.

That said, I sold 2/3 of my collection and only kept original G1s.
On the flip side, I decided to expand my G1 past 1987 Headmasters into the later years and man, they're so expensive for what they are.....

 

I'm very satisfied with what I have and if I never got another figure, that'd be fine.As it stands I can't truly spend that much time with all that I have already.

That said, as long as they keep putting out new figures with new transformation schemes that seem interesting, I'll keep getting them. And if Hasbro and Takara died tomorrow, there are hundreds of other robots from other companies.

 

I always wondered who collected those. I was on a hunting trip in Nebraska a few years ago and I went into a local car rental place. When we picked up the car, there were walls full of horses, all different colors, etc. It was a weird feeling to walk into a car dealership type place to pick up the rental and see toy horses everywhere. It was also a little weird that there were two office chairs for the customers and have one chair occupied by the owner's cat, who wasn't going to move for me.

 

The model horse collector community is HUGE and has been going on for decades.

Also, cats are cats, there shall be no chairs for you foolish mortal!

 

I've considered stopping long ago. And did!

Then a new figure comes out that pulls me in once more.

(mind you, this has been on repeat for more than 40+years now)