Collection Counting

[crimbot]

So if you don't count a minicon in your count, how do you deal with Aramda Mincons, Minicon 3 packs, 2 packs or 1 pack?

I understand the theory, but when the collection is set up, it's hard to look at a shelf of minicons and have 1 of them count toward the collection count, and one of them not count because he came as an accesory.

It's interesting to hear some of the differing opinions, and I don't necessarily think that any one of them is wrong. My count isn't really a reflection of how many complete toys that I have, more of a how many robots I have on display.

[Nomad]

... and this is why I don't really "count" my collection, at least not definitively. I mean if we're counting heads here, I have 6 Micromasters, which would equal 6 bots. However, I display them in alt mode, meaning I only have 3, and neither of those numbers really speaks a fair measurement compare to larger guys, especially since they were all packaged in one bubble or whatever it was back when I was 2 and are tiny as hell.

However, I use Nightstick as his own character in my display (accompanied by Thrust & Dark Skyfire), so I feel that he's his own bot. I count the PPC drones as part of Bombshock & Crankcasem and I dunno. I usually use a rough number, not including the questionable stuff, and then just have separate category for em.

[Badgertron]

I wouldn't consider duocons to be 2 characters, as they're actually 1 robot who splits into 2 vehicles, as opposed to 2 characters who combine into a different robot (ala TFA Safeguard).

[faustx]

Originally Posted by Nullray

I agree with this. If a bot is 100% complete as intended to originally be then that is one toy. If you consider the different personas of add-ons accessories to be individual bots is fine for display purposes but from a collectible point of view whatever MISB original released format is. That to me is considered one item.

Agreed for MISB collectors, and as you said makes sense to consider bots as distinct collectibles if you display loose.

[Shepp]

Personally, I count each individual Mini-Con, *Master, larger Transformer. So Spike, Cerebros, and Fortress Maximus count as individual Transformers. Cog is also a one figure while Gasket and Grommet (his components) are not. Duocons would count as one individual Transformer, as would the larger Overlord figure.

However, in the case of something like Slammer or Roller (or Pretender shells that don't transform), I don't count them individually, as they have no robot modes.

That being said, I also don't count Robot Heroes, Decoys, or 3" Titaniums as individual Transformers. They go into a whole other "collectible figure" section. They also make excellent game pieces when playing Monopoly.

edit: But this is all for my personal purposes. For sales and other stuff like that, I'd side with faustx and consider the original packages contents as complete, and the little bits and pieces (even *Masters) as parts or accessories.

[Omegatron]

I don’t know if anyone cares and I know I’m getting to this party late but there is actually an answer. At least there is an answer when it comes to other things that museums collect. Basically the problem is we are talking about two different things here, one is parts of the primary object, the other is accessories. Take the following two objects as an example: 1) a dinning room table and chairs 2) a jam jar with a lid.

In the first case the table and chairs are unbroken objects in their own right but are better considered part of a set. In the case of the jam jar and lid the object really is incomplete without both parts and both the jar and the lid can really be seen as two parts of one object.

So now consider a set of three mini-cons and a figure with a gun. The mini-cons are like the table and chairs while the figure and gun is like the jar and lid.

The way a museum would number this is to give everything the same overall number, subsidiary numbers to things which are like the chairs belonging to the dinning room set and part letters to the things which are like the jar lid. Look at how G1 Optimus Prime would be treated:

01.01 - The Prime figure itself
01.02 - Prime’s trailer (still a trailer without the Prime figure, just lacking in context).
01.03 - Roller (still works as a buggy)
01.01b - Prime’s gun (Same number as prime but a part letter is attached because without Prime the gun has no context)
01.01c - One of Prime’s fists
01.01d - Prime’s other fist
01.02b - The gas nozzle from Prime’s trailer.

Three Mini-cons would be:

02.01 - first mini-con (The first number is 02, because Prime is 01)
02.02 - second mini-con
02.03 - Third mini-con

Headmasters can probably go either way so long as this is done consistently, although I would probably treat them like the jar and lid because I would consider a headless robot incomplete.