good bye

 

Don't do it!!!! Say your saving them to pass onto your kids. If anything store them some place safe if she bitches about having to look at them all the time. If your hurting for money maybe sell a portion? My 2cents.

Animator you say? I graduated the AI with a bachelors in animation, altho I'm currently pursuing graphic design. Do you have a portfolio or anything online? Would love to check out your work.

 

Is it an "all or nothing" kind of thing? Have you considered selling only your ten most valuable pieces? Does your wife support your hobby or does she resent it, even slightly? Is your desire to start a family greater than your passion for Transformers?

The only really solid advice I can give you is, don't sell anything you think you might want again in the future, unless it would be easy and cheap to re-acquire. If selling the collection is a serious consideration, you may try making yourself comfortable with the idea of completely moving on, no longer following the franchise. I feel like it would be harder to try to remain a fan after selling the collection (and not continuing to buy new figures, I assume) than just putting it all in the past and not paying attention to any of it anymore.

 

When I decided to get married, I sold over 150 transformers. I regret about 5 the ones I sold. But, we moved into a very small apartment and I didn't want TM2 Primal MIB taking up a chunk of the closet. Knowing that I would never play with him I decided to sell him. The ones I sold were mostly leader and voyager size. Ones that were hard to Transform or to delicate. Transformers that I never looked at, went into a bin and sat there. I sold all e-hobbys, because I realized my collection was getting out of control. So I told myself I would not buy "exclusives" anymore. Like e-hobby, color schemes that were slightly different then a mold I already owned, etc. I had to narrow it down and it was really really hard.

 

Moving to TF Toy Discussion forum

 

Hey man, I'm 36 and I've quit collecting a couple of times, having started adult collecting of Transformers in 1998. I gave up for the first time, selling pretty much all of the stuff I'd bought in 2003 because life threw me a few very tough obstacles and I just thought the buying and having of toys was distracting me from some serious priorities. It was also swallowing an awful lot of my mental time and energy. I was running a forum, writing articles and spending so much time tracking down rarities that it became exhausting.

I found my way back to collecting about a year and a half later and went at it strong for another 4 years or so, amassing an even better collection but again selling a great deal of it when I decided to again call it quits. In 2011 I came back to the hobby and have been here since, probably having a more healthy relationship with it all and being more involved in a wholly positive way with the community and the hobby, and certainly more creatively and productively.

I can honestly say every time I have sold up, I have regretted many of the things I have sold, things I could no longer buy back for anything less than four figures. Things that cost me a tenth of what they would cost today. So what I would say is that if you are determined to sell, get rid of everything you can easily buy back and replace in future, but store the rarities away somewhere out of sight, out of mind. If a few years down the line, or months, you still feel the same way and are genuinely happier without TFs in your life, sell those last special ones too.

What I would suggest you ask yourself is whether Transformers are making you unhappy, taking too much time away from other important things, or whether they are the quickest and most obvious change you can make, the scapegoats for what might be other more fundamental issues, concerns or obstacles that you are encountering. Often with Transformers they are extremely visible and take up a lot of our energy and finances. Cutting them out can seem like a major life change and reinforce our idea that we are making strides towards that which makes us happier. Just make sure that really is the case, and it's not something far deeper or more fundamental that needs change. Something that the Transformers collecting and interest can survive.

All the best
Maz

 

For me I only have small amount of stuff, so it's a non-issue. While I'm 36 this year, I only started actively buying TF as an adult less than two years ago with the CW line, and from there branched out into the TR line, 3P oddities and the odd MP.
I've moved so many times in my life, and had mass culliings of comics, toys, marvel shit, furniture and just about everything I've given away or gotten rid of over the years. But I hung on to a few trinkets, and even left some stuff at my dads place for 10 years until I had space for it again.

The one TF (or 3) I will never part with, are the ones my grandfather and dad gave to me as a kid, that I've had for around 30 years (give or take).
I don't feel precious about anything I own, last time I moved I gave away about $600 worth of hardcover marvel trades, all my furniture, the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on in my life and other stuff.

At some point if you don't make a decision about what REALLY matters to you in life, what brings you the the most joy, while also serving the needs of others, then the things you own end up owning you. But that's my two cents.

If I had a 30 year collection of amazing TF toys I would not want to give it up. But I would at least downsize if space were the issue, keep my very fav fav stuff.

I would also ask my partner that if I kept a portion of my collection is that going to be a problem for them. My Mrs supports my kleptomania (toys and stuff) and even buys me the odd one. I'm getting yet another Prime for xmas.
She collects Kylie Minogue memoribilia, rare albums (like vinyl and that) and other bits and pieces. She picks up some cool stuff from ebay, and a couple times I drove here to spots for local pick ups from stuff she bought online. Whenever we browse the local shops, she never minds me taking too long to browse the toy section.

She knows nothing about Transformers, but recognises optimus prime (most of the time) like someone would recognise you know, Superman as a pop culture figure. I try not to bore her with random details about stuff she knows nothing about, that makes no sense to her, but sometime my excitement gets the better of me, and when I say it's my favourite blah blah blah she's like "John, EVERY one is your favourite one" and frankly she's right, every toy at some point is my favourite.

Long story short, where do YOU want to be 30 years from now, and WHO do you want to be enjoying life with?
Do you want to be with your partner and having kids and such? Or would you prefer to be single and living alone? both are quite valid choices, but you need to ask yourself that question, is this the person you want to be with for the rest of your life? Because that is far more important than any possessions, but as the same time, YOU need to make that decision, and some poeple have manipulative, controlling people they marry, who turn out to be bad eggs, they get divorced and then go "fuck, wish I had kept all my cool shit".
So yeah avoid those bad egg people! My fathers second partner after my mother was one of those types, but all his cool stuff was in the shed/garage and revolved around cars and automobiles, so his mancave was also a workspace, it's not like he had to get rid of anything, or make that kind of choice.

The choice is yours, nobody can make it for you, and you may here some alternative ideas from folks who have large collections, and partners and families, and have found ways to make things work.

Another idea is that if you have a friend who has a lot of space, give the collection to them for storage, with the option to retrieve it if the relationship goes sour, say you want to store it for like 5 years, and pay them something for it, much cheaper (and safer) than storage yards etc.
Yet another option, sell your collection to a friend, with the option to buy stuff back down the line if you want to.

If you do go for the selling method, usually higher prices for individual auctions, but takes longer, bulk lot would be too much for your collection, unless a really high end collector wanted it, but that also leaves selling in many lots/groups for a better overall price in perhaps shorter time. A few options to think about anyhow.

 

Just leaving thoughts on your conundrum. I'm about to hit 42, and have been in some tight spots where I sold off some of my TF treasures to resolve finances or to make an effort to think of family first (no kids though as I'm the eternal 12 year old).

I think I have under 100 TF and maybe 200 model kits not counting games, Legos, figures and other luxuries. Each time I sold off (not just my TF) I had some regrets and tried to re-buy but it ended up costing more. So what I needed to do is take that tough hour(s) to itemize what you'd keep, figure out the value $ of what you need to reach your family starting goals, and see if you could reach that amount from the pile you're willing to sell. If you're short of that, seek a financial planner or discuss with your wife what other kinds of sacrifices you can give up besides your collection, maybe cheaper meals, cutting out vices, or cancelling subscriptions to meet the mark.

I would take Maz's advice and separate the grails out of sight to refocus and then see down the road if it's okay to part and go separate ways.

Also, Batfan007's comment about keeping TF from grandparents/family. I would say keep them. I'll never give up my Starscream or Thrust. My copies are thoroughly paint chipped, worn, loose, but it's yours- it's your childhood and can't get that back ever. I can get rid of my current bots without batting an eyelid but those busted up old bots if they're gone, I'm gonna cry and then be a poster child for AA recovery.

 

I would absolutely second that sentiment, keep the childhood Transformers. I have always been incredibly grateful to my parents and my own resolve to never let go of them. They've survived every purge and they always will because I have never kept them for the sake of collecting or the sake of toys, I kept them because they remind me of my parents and my childhood and I could tell you where every single one came from.

All the best
Maz

 

I was married and when I got engaged, I stopped collecting and packed everything away. but I then started collecting Justice League Unlimited figures. My ex wife would randomly throw away figures of mine thinking I wouldn't notice because she hated I collected toys. When I was married, I collected a lot less because she had a shit job and I was supporting the both of us. After we split up, I sold most of the collection when I really needed money, but now I am more financially stable and in the last 2 years I bought back most of what I sold aside for pieces I didn't want anymore.

 

You say you want to start a family? You say you guys are struggling? You say that you can get somewhere around $25,000 for your collection? Time to make some hard choices. We as collectors tend to want them all or to have a complete collection. Get away from that mentality and decide what you really want to keep. You have an opportunity to sell half your stuff and put a nice down payment on a house. You have a chance to get ahead in life right now I suggest you take it. The mortgage rates are going up right now dude, better get in now while the getting is good.

 

Yes, I sold some choice g1 misb/mosc pieces back in 02-03 to finance the purchase of a house, the toys would be worth a fortune today if I kept them. Yes I regret it badly.

 

Ouch!!! It could be worse, you could have sold them and waisted the $$$ on crack and hookers.

 

I've considered selling alot of the non-G1 stuff that accumulated over the years but the realization that they'd go for pennies on the dollar in this economy puts a stop to that.

 

The best advice I can give as someone whose sold off a lot of figures over the years is take your time. You've read a lot of posts about people regretting the fact they sold certain figures. I'm quite the opposite, I don't miss a single figure I sold off (400+). The reason is that I sold them in waves. Each wave only contained figures that I did not care about any more. Any figure that I still had even the slightest interest in stayed in my collection. Some of those figures were sold during later waves, but others (Energon Prowl and Checkpoint two pack) are still part of my collection.

Unless you are in dire financial straights, do not make any hasty moves and sell off everything overnight. Take your time and make sure the figures your selling won't be missed.

 

I think you have to decide what is best for you and your family. I personally would sell a big chuck of my collection if I faced the situation that you are in but I also don't have many single pieces that would be hard for me to buy back if I had to. I think you will be a lot happier if you can prioritize your collection and sell the ones that aren't as important to you. It's made me happier as a collector to take a step back, sell off what I don't really want, and focus my collection to what I really like.

 

I also have 30+ years of collecting and considered selling everything except for the G1 stuff. But like Chillyn, I've found non G1 and especially loose non G1 does't get much to justify the time and effort.

If you can sell off a chunk of your collection and keep the ones you really want and pay of the animator debt that would be good. Esp credit rating wise if you need to apply for bank loans.

 

Tons of great advice on the emotional impact, and financial. Let me drop some change in here to consider as well, as far as if you sell:

25 grand? Be sure you figure out if that value matches up to real-world attainability. Lots of variables and things you need to consider here:

TAXES! - Even if you go to one of the few *good* dealers who pay out decent cash in hand, where you gonna put a theoretical 25K at without reporting it? Nowhere! So keep in mind if you based that on say, normal ebay selling numbers, that much money on the screen translates to around, on a great day, 50% with a generous dealer who has the ability to pay in 100 dollar bills.

Then consider the tax issues, as you'll likely end up paying taxes on the bulk amount, and maybe end up with another jump in your income taxes bracket. So that 25k can turn into 6k REALLY fast on you. 6k is fantastic to have laying around, but not if it *coulda woulda shoulda* been 25K.

If you piece it out slowly, you'll get more technical bang for your buck, but still run into figuring out where it all goes, and how much you lose in the next tax season. Can't forget about transaction fees for online sales, either!

Plus, you will have a new baby in the form of shipping, listing, answering emails/inquiries, resolving potential shipping or damage issues, buying supplies for all of this, and so on. Not many people can handle that kind of workload with a normal job to take care of already. Hell, lots of people can't handle shipping 2 items a week correctly lol. Selling online or at shows is a monster that only a small number can handle successfully, and will take a heavy toll on anyone not mentally prepared or with a serious plan and support in place.


I've sold for a few years online, and at shows like Botcon or shows in Ohio. But I'm always under the certain thresholds for certain rules, and cash in hand is always used on needed circumstances, such as car maintenance or parts, items for my home, and basically anything I need that I can go to a store and buy relatively soon. But what I fetch doing this isn't like getting the kind of money you're talking about all at once, so hopefully this at least helps you prep either way.

 

Certain thresholds for certain rules? In PA, you are at least required to collect sales tax. Especially if you work for Revenue; not doing so will cost you your job.

 

I sold my Marvel Legends collection a few years back and ended up buying a motorcycle for my current wife. The amount I made off of it wasn't really enough to make much of of a difference for what we needed the money. Is selling your Transformers collection really going to make that much of a difference when weighed against the cost of a family? Is attempting to forget about one of your passions worth the fleeting financial security?