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Old 12-31-2018, 12:52 AM   #11
MapleMegatron
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

While I did venture outside of it, now I mainly stay with CHUG and similarly priced figures. They are affordable enough for you to have fun and get a nice variety of characters and designs and seeing the evolution of the hobby. As for MPs, I dont go out of my way aside from the Beast Wars MPs which dont come out frequently enough to become a budget issue.
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Old 12-31-2018, 01:58 AM   #12
OldOfflineMan
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

I agree with many of the posters here. It's never ending and all of us have limited funds, so it's impossible to have everything. I knew when I started collecting that it would be challenging (wife, kids, mortgage, kids' tuition, RRSP, RESP, TFSA, rainy day stash, etc.). So I had to clearly define what I hoped to accomplish with my collection and how I should accomplish it given the limited resource (funds and space).

Similar to the other posters, my objectives for my collection were to:
1) Relieve my childhood fantasy of having toys of my favourite Transformers characters that I can actually pose and move.
2) Able to share my joy of Transformers with my kids (currently 3 and 6 years old), should they show any interest.

The above means that any figure making the collection would:
1) Be of a character I have emotional attachment to,
2) Be played with at some point,
3) Run the risk of being lost/broken,
4) Encourage intellectual property holders to create more of what I like,
5) Significantly add to my enjoyment of the collection as a whole.

So from the above criteria:
- No multiple versions of the same figure,
- No MP grade figures,
- No 3rd party or KO,
- No MISB figures (no point if I'm going to play with them),
- No figures that have only 2 forms (get more mileage out of each figure),
- No buying figures just for the sake of completing a set or that everyone else says it's a good buy (I do fall for this once in a while, but am disciplined enough to immediately sell/return it),

Essentially, I'm limiting my collection largely to used CW Combiners, TR Multi-changers and POTP Combiner figures that I can buy off of members on this board, Kijiji, Ebay, or when Amazon is giving them away like this past Christmas.

I follow that criteria pretty much religiously though I have made two exceptions where I bought a used LG-EX God Ginrai (I'd cry if my kids lose/break it) and a used CW Megatron (only 2 forms, but can stand toe-to-toe with God Ginrai). I think it's understandable given I have so much emotional attachment to those two characters.

I keep a running tally on the money I spent on the collection and also regularly prune my collection to ensure everything in it meet the criteria I set. The collection will also naturally close if I no longer derive any enjoyment from it.

For the rest, I'm like the other posters where I look at pictures of collections and day-dream about having something like that.

TLDR: I suggest you decide what you want your collection to accomplish, set a strategy on how to grow and maintain your collection within the available resources and religiously follow that strategy. That way, I think your collection would grow and naturally come to a close once it's no longer accomplishing what you want it to do.
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Old 12-31-2018, 09:54 AM   #13
Mega-Prime 316
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

I began collecting again back with the first release of the Generations line. On a whim I picked up Starscream and Bumblebee to have on my computer desk...next thing I knew I was running out to complete the 1st wave and then the second..ect...Then I ventured into the MP line with the TRU release of MP-01 Optimus Prime...That set the bar for me..as time went on and the different lines came out with all the 3rd party companies jumping in I had to make a few decisions as to what to collect..in the end I have kinda been disappointed with a lot of the official Hasbro stuff lately, cheap plastics, hollow gaps with no covers and increased price for less of a figure...so recently I have been focused on more of the MP/3rd party figures..I still occasionally will pick up a cool Hasbro figure, but the MP stuff has caught my eye...Although the new siege line looks kinda promising...have to wait and see..lol
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Old 01-02-2019, 08:45 PM   #14
Chigimus
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

To answer OP's question of when do we reach that point when we start questioning ourselves about the value of collecting, I think most of us reach that point eventually, but when we reach it will vary greatly with each individual's allowances, whether that means financially or physically. A very small handful might be lucky enough to be ballers with stacks like Mayweather and the spare square footage of a mansion, but most of us will generally be limited by our income or space, or both.

Which is why I would say rather than trying to find focus by setting goals and limits, approach your collection from the other side by looking at things that you don't have control of. By realizing, then coming to terms with those limitations such as limited space within the place you live or simply just limited income due to other obligations, the pieces that will fit your collection needs will fall into place.

Forcing a focus on yourself by setting goals and limits for means you'll be arbitrarily holding yourself back and may never be truly content with your collection which effectively ruins the fun and joy of collecting altogether. Instead, once you know how much space you have to work with, you can then envision how you can optimize that space. If you don't like where you live, you may have the means to improve that for yourself. Money will usually be a bit harder to come by as it is for most people, but again, once you know how much you have to spare and compare that with how much you can fit in your home, it will eventually help you decide on which items you'll like that fits your livelihood more suitably. Once you let that happen, you'll become less concerned about falling behind. Being a completionist becomes less of a priority because you get to enjoy more about what you already have and the pokemon attitude eventually just fades away.

Have a look at the annual threads where we post a list of our purchases. I've been maintaining my lists in those threads for about the last 3 years. You probably might be able to tell I have almost no focus at all. I collect official and 3rd party CHUG, MP, legends scale and outside of that I have interests in 6" Marvel Legends figures, Dragonball Z Figuarts figures, as well as select comic covers and prints by my favorite artists. I spend thousands every year, but I'm by no means rich. I'm simply in a DINK relationship living in a 4-bedroom home and have the freedom of entirety of a fully finished basement to myself. If anything, I've come to learn that I'm done with MP because the size of that scale and the cost of continuing to build out that scale quite simply isn't feasible, financially nor physically. I would make better use of my space and money by fleshing out a legends collection now and filling in holes in my CHUG collection or the odd upgrade/replacement of an existing character I already own. My MP's stop at G1 Season 1 and I'm pretty much almost there with the exception of a handful of characters. I do have some stray outliers like Magnus, Galvatron and Cyclonus, but will never probably bother filling in slots for Kup, Arcee, Blurr, etc. Maybe Rodimus depending on how Hoodlum turns out, but otherwise, I'm done with MP because the money just isn't worth taking up that space. I'm content with Season 1 because it's the season I watched the most reruns of. For every other size class, it's more feasible to spend the money fleshing out those collections.
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Old 01-02-2019, 10:24 PM   #15
alternatorfan
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

Keep collecting you will never stop.
Its an addiction like drugs.
Lol
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Old 01-03-2019, 01:28 AM   #16
imfallenangel
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mega-Prime 316 View Post
I began collecting again back with the first release of the Generations line. On a whim I picked up Starscream and Bumblebee to have on my computer desk...next thing I knew I was running out to complete the 1st wave and then the second..ect...Then I ventured into the MP line with the TRU release of MP-01 Optimus Prime...That set the bar for me..as time went on and the different lines came out with all the 3rd party companies jumping in I had to make a few decisions as to what to collect..in the end I have kinda been disappointed with a lot of the official Hasbro stuff lately, cheap plastics, hollow gaps with no covers and increased price for less of a figure...so recently I have been focused on more of the MP/3rd party figures..I still occasionally will pick up a cool Hasbro figure, but the MP stuff has caught my eye...Although the new siege line looks kinda promising...have to wait and see..lol
While I'm more of a "robot" collector (for over 40 years), Transformers have been a huge part of it for the last 10+years simply because I like the design of many of them, and that I can afford them at the lower end of 5$-50$ on average per figure (and higher for the special larger ones) compared to the other series that are 300$+ (up to 500$+), and I simply cannot justify nor afford such amounts over what are, after all, toys.

I've started getting many of the Lost Planet series (MFT) as again, they are much more affordable than the Bandai "originals", and some other third party figures (non-transformers).

Like you I find that the prices and quality have been getting worse, with thinner and more brittle plastics, emptiness of parts and larger price tags, regardless of what certain people say in defense of such approaches from Hasbro (in their constant passive-aggressive comments/attacks, which lead me to put some member on ignore).

That said, I am guilty of getting every Siege figure that is out at this time, and while they are overpriced, at least, the plastic is much better than the regular fare we've been seeing, the larger figures are actually "closed" with almost no emptiness syndrome, the transformations are somewhat complex but leaves very little kibble... this is the first of any series that I actually went and got every figure, as normally, I tend to concentrate more on individual figures, mostly planes and tanks (or such vehicles that would be more prone to being "piloted"). I look forward (but my wallet isn't) to see the leaders and Omega, and hope that the TrU winter coupons come out soon.

But as per the main question... my collection has grown a LOT and I can no longer even display but a fraction of it (heck I can't even count how many are in my office at this very moment, but it's a few hundreds), and I am considering sorting and selling part of it, but it'll be hard to do, and it comes down that I didn't buy any to resell, but because I enjoyed them.

Picture of the new shelves I put in a few days ago, which holds the Siege figures.
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Old 01-03-2019, 10:01 AM   #17
wervenom
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

Well I guess I'll chime in as I was just having this discussion with some friends not too long ago and probably right after I updated pics of my collection. When I first started it was all CHUG and a few MP's. Then it got to the point of if it was on sale I just bought it, cause it was on sale (mostly movie figs). I go through that "what the hell am I doing?" thing at least once a year and usually I'll purge a line to say I need to refocus. I ditched all my movie bots (put the money into Detolfs). Next line that went was everything associated with the FOC/WFC line be it 3P or Hasbro (except Megatron and Prime). 3 weeks ago I was debating dumping all CHUGS that I have an MP for. E.G. If I have MP Bee why do I need the CHUG? I still think that all the time and maybe one day I will. It's a hard thing to give advice on because it's all about personal preference. I don't think I can dump CHUG until I have the entire cast. They are getting closer now and I'm hoping to be done. To finish that part all I want is the Fembots, a Scorponok and the Aubot Targetmasters. Maybe at that point I'll be satisfied, at least I hope I will. MP's there is only a few that I want so that I can say I'm done with that but someone always does soemthing to draw me back in. Seine to a certain extent is doing that but I won't be doing the whole line. Soundwave and Shockwave are must haves to replace the "space" fillers I have now for them. Will any of us ever be done. I always hope to be. Sorry it doesn't help the OP much with his question but at the end of the day the only person that can answer that is you but I'm sure we all feel the same as you at some point.
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Old 01-05-2019, 01:20 PM   #18
Landstander
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

I was supposed to be done this year, but I’m not. I was only going to buy the partners for the titans, but decided to get the other deluxes as well. Then I thought I should also get the new Optimus prime and Megatron from siege and the micro masters, why not? One of my friends got me G1 outback for Christmas, so of course I had to buy the rest of the exclusives. I have started to sell some figures, but that is only to make room for new ones lol. I do have some rules for purchasing but they all have huge loopholes. I guess none of us have a clear answer for the op, but at least you know you are not alone lol.
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Old 01-16-2019, 01:15 AM   #19
Klee
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

I'm not sure if you were just referring to figures part of your collection, but if not, perhaps look at branching outside of just figures if you haven't already done so?

For example, you could branch into the trading card game, or you could build the metal models (eg: https://www.reddit.com/r/metalearth/...z_by_mu_model/ ) or ones from Metal Earth.

I know the MU line has Optimus Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, Jazz and Bumblebee (and in that reddit thread, they say starscream is coming 2019).

Metal Earth has (non-coloured / anodized) versions of the above, minus Jazz, I think.

Variety is the spice of life, so they say.
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Old 01-16-2019, 07:55 AM   #20
protoform_ironhide
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Re: Collecting Dilemma...Where to go from here?

You don't need to go anywhere. Collecting doesn't mean you need to buy every single Transformers that you don't have. Just buy the ones you like. One day when you look back, you will see there are many that isn't worth in your collection.
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