The Magic Number

[agonistes86]

I've always liked your collection as it always struck me as casual and idiosyncratic.

Agonistes pics and updates are always worth checking out, I really dig the aesthetic. ‘Casual and idiosyncratic’ sums it up perfectly.

Thanks, guys! It's funny - when I look at my collection, everything makes perfect "sense", as I have hundreds of experiences and memories linked to all of them, mostly from my childhood and teenage years. I've never truly thought about what it looks like from an outside perspective who doesn't know me, so that's quite nice to read.

First off, thanks for taking the time to write such an in-depth response. Second, I love the display and admire the restraint.

But yeah, I think we approach things differently. Me, I always need to plan things ahead. Get a feel for it, come up with alternative routes, the lot. And the same goes down here. The biggest difference is that whereas you approach it as a pleasure, I see it a bit as a "need", as I've explained above. I "neet" to "close the chapters", so I tend to go down some roads that I wouldn't have were I focused simply on what brought me joy.

I agree on the bit about the figures; I'm not tied to the objects themselves, but what they represent. However, since I don't like doubles and selling them is a bit of a chore, I prefer to wait about something that's near perfect or good enough before I pull the trigger in a rather definitive fashion. However, I can't detach myself from all things that I've stopped enjoying; sometimes nostalgia gets the better of me. A comic book I was really into for half a year I don't need to represent 5 years later. But a character I've stopped liking for a while now, but nevertheless own a great deal of merch from already, I can't just bypass; I need a figure of them.

At the end of the day I think that people like me need rules so that we won't fly off the rails. Maybe it's too much greed in me. Regardless, while I do long for a more minimalistic approach, I know that I'll not reach that state, at least anytime soon. So I have to admire displays like yours from afar, while I try to make sure mine won't turn into the 1/6th equivalent of the Hasbro collectors'...

It probably didn't come across much in my post, but I'm actually quite the planner as well. At work, I'm actually considered *the* planner, who thinks about potential forks in the road, alternative solutions, etc., so I'm somebody to consult when you work out a project. There's a lot of value in it, and I still enjoy doing it. For instance, when I work on a custom, I compile dozens to hundreds of reference images, study them to a great extent, write down long detailed lists of to-dos, and update that list along the way as I work on and complete parts, find new things to do, and ultimately make sure I don't forget something.
But over the last few years, particularly as I started reading more philosophy instead of just coming up with my own, one of my main realizations was that because of all the planning, I'm living too much in the future, and not paying enough attention to simply enjoying the now. So now it's a constant recalibration for me how much I plan, because it increases the chance of enjoying the future now, but not overdoing it, because that future may never come and then you never actually experience and enjoy the present to its fullest extent.

 

[Victοr]

It probably didn't come across much in my post, but I'm actually quite the planner as well. At work, I'm actually considered *the* planner, who thinks about potential forks in the road, alternative solutions, etc., so I'm somebody to consult when you work out a project. There's a lot of value in it, and I still enjoy doing it. For instance, when I work on a custom, I compile dozens to hundreds of reference images, study them to a great extent, write down long detailed lists of to-dos, and update that list along the way as I work on and complete parts, find new things to do, and ultimately make sure I don't forget something.
But over the last few years, particularly as I started reading more philosophy instead of just coming up with my own, one of my main realizations was that because of all the planning, I'm living too much in the future, and not paying enough attention to simply enjoying the now. So now it's a constant recalibration for me how much I plan, because it increases the chance of enjoying the future now, but not overdoing it, because that future may never come and then you never actually experience and enjoy the present to its fullest extent.

Oh, I get you now, yeah.

You're right, certainly. Too much planning can eventually turn into a self-imposed yoke and act as a detriment to yourself. The problem I think arises when it becomes a sort of compulsion rather than a way to be "safe", and it veers off into a different kind of behaviour. In my case, I think I that I can give into hoarding and avarice at times, so by setting some limitations and planning I try to control those impulses. Which is why I figured that maybe setting a certain numerical limit would help more than just a theoretical plan.

 

[potato]

really depends on your real estate. am how often you move.

 

[potato]

We're all lucky we were into real action figures and didn't start with the Funko Pop thing. (I know there's some people that like them, but man, those dead glassy eyes freak me out.)

Collecting any subset of that line almost demands completionism, and they're relatively cheap except for the exclusives, so it can certainly lead to a lot of harmful overspending.

I only own three (Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff) and I intend to keep it that way. But that's a perfect example....wouldn't Axl have been enough? No....gotta have Slash too. Well hey, I have Slash and Axl, what would it hurt to just add Duff? And before you know it, I now own THREE Funko Pops.

i have 2 funkos, pink shirt vegeta and cola bear. u dont think there are many completionist coz theres too many of them adding exclusives etc but collection can go real big, just like nendoroids or legos, bearbricks, they arent cheap either but you need to remember if the 1/6 and statue companies can they would too release as many products they can to sell as much figure as they can, just like hasbro, mattel etc have always been doing with their license. Look at how many star wars or transformers hasbro released, they are going to milk as much as they can, if it werent for the difficulty and cost to make new 1/6 figures the market would too be flooded with them and people would still overbuy statues and dolls.

being a completionist is a real challenge, i would only do so if there arent many products to collect, and so far i have yet completed any sets. even trying to complete all gran turismo games isnt easy despite theres only less than 10 games so far.

 

[DParga21]

No set number for me, but the wife recently said that I'm gonna have to curtail it soon due to space issues. Fortunately, I think I've got about what I want now that they've put out a 1/6 Moon Knight, my favorite comics guys are all covered.
Jesus Christ, I think when I count it up I've got about 200 1/6 scale all told. But it's pretty much gonna be all Star Trek from Exo6 now, especially since Hot Toys now seems to be averaging 285 a figure. F that. Star Trek was always my first, best love, and once Exo6 runs through my favorites I think I'll be done collecting.

 

[Victοr]

i have 2 funkos, pink shirt vegeta and cola bear. u dont think there are many completionist coz theres too many of them adding exclusives etc but collection can go real big, just like nendoroids or legos, bearbricks, they arent cheap either but you need to remember if the 1/6 and statue companies can they would too release as many products they can to sell as much figure as they can, just like hasbro, mattel etc have always been doing with their license. Look at how many star wars or transformers hasbro released, they are going to milk as much as they can, if it werent for the difficulty and cost to make new 1/6 figures the market would too be flooded with them and people would still overbuy statues and dolls.

being a completionist is a real challenge, i would only do so if there arent many products to collect, and so far i have yet completed any sets. even trying to complete all gran turismo games isnt easy despite theres only less than 10 games so far.

Ain't that the truth. Honestly, I feel that you should be a completionist with very, very few things in general. Otherwise you're just setting yourself up for cluterring and wasted money when you look back a couple of years later. I tried to plug some holes in my videogame collection a while back, and when all was said and done I was upwards of 500€ deep. Some of them got lost and I have to rebuy them too, so there's that as well...

I had a completionist attitude in a much smaller scale years back, and when I got done and looked back, it was a waste of money. I'm trying to avoid it here.

No set number for me, but the wife recently said that I'm gonna have to curtail it soon due to space issues. Fortunately, I think I've got about what I want now that they've put out a 1/6 Moon Knight, my favorite comics guys are all covered.
Jesus Christ, I think when I count it up I've got about 200 1/6 scale all told. But it's pretty much gonna be all Star Trek from Exo6 now, especially since Hot Toys now seems to be averaging 285 a figure. F that. Star Trek was always my first, best love, and once Exo6 runs through my favorites I think I'll be done collecting.

Wew! I imagine it's not all HTs, there's troop builders in there and the such, right? I have neither the space nor the cash for such an extensive collection, but I'm trying to keep my expectations and wishful thinkings bellow the 100 mark. With the rising prices, it's going to be even tougher, so I don't want to overextend myself with things that aren't absolutely "necessary".

In such hobbies it's all about finding what you really like and sticking with them, if not exclusively at least mostly.

 

[DParga21]

Wew! I imagine it's not all HTs, there's troop builders in there and the such, right? I have neither the space nor the cash for such an extensive collection, but I'm trying to keep my expectations and wishful thinkings bellow the 100 mark. With the rising prices, it's going to be even tougher, so I don't want to overextend myself with things that aren't absolutely "necessary".

In such hobbies it's all about finding what you really like and sticking with them, if not exclusively at least mostly.

I'm fortunate to have space. Although I don't have much more, I'll say that much. Or at least, not more that my wife is willing to give me, lol.

This is a picture of my display from a few years ago. The square cabinet is missing its shelves right now, broken when we moved, but once I get then replaced I'll be able to put out my full display once more.

 

[DeltaForceChung]

I'm past 1K based on boxed/loose figures at my residence.

I'm past 2K and beyond based on boxed/loose figures held in storage.

There is no magic number. The number continues to increase in intervals (when I acquire new stuff).

 

[Dave_W]

There's no number for me, my limit is more about the space I have left. I'm up to around 75 HT including the handful of pre-orders I have. Everything else is nostalgia action figures. Super7 Thundercats, Neca Cartoon and Movie TMNT, vintage TMNT, vintage He-Man, 40th Anniversary Black Series, Retro and DS Ghostbusters. I already haven't got room to display any of the action figures and probably have 10 spots left for more 1/6.

That's when the stress will start. Having to decide what stays and what goes if I want more stuff. Wanting some 1:1 SW helmets has also got me stressing.

Sometimes I feel like offloading everything apart from a handful of key pieces, just so I don't have to worry about any of it.

 

[Mondragon]

You should be able to personify any worthy franchise with 3.

Star Wars
Heroes; Luke, Leia, Han
or the symbolic trinity; Luke, Vader, Emperor.

Sta Trek
Kirk, Spock, McCoy

LoTR
The Three Hunters: Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli.

Avengers
Captain America, Iron-Man, Thor

Justice League: DC Trinity:Superman, WonderWoman, Batman

Any variation on the Planner, the Fighter, & the Romantic, or: a Good, a Bad & an Ugly

Athos, Porthos, Aramis
Groucho, Harpo, Chico,
Mickey, Donald, Goofy
Donald, Panchito, José
Wesley, Fezzik, Inigo


etc...
Lee, Kelly, Saxon
Brody, Hooper, Quint
Harry, Hermione, Ron
Rey, Fin & Poe sorry I mean Julie, Linc & Pete.

Hogun the Grim, Fandral the Dashing, Volstaff the Lion
Batman, Robin, Batgirl

Bokko, Nokko, Pukko
Yakko, Wakko, and Dot
Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup
Freddy, Franklin, & Phineas
Jenkins, Brian & Scarface,
Marvels:

Defenders:

etc, etc, etc...

 

[Victοr]

I'm fortunate to have space. Although I don't have much more, I'll say that much. Or at least, not more that my wife is willing to give me, lol.

This is a picture of my display from a few years ago. The square cabinet is missing its shelves right now, broken when we moved, but once I get then replaced I'll be able to put out my full display once more.

Great display cases! I really like the semi-circular style, it pops.

I'm past 1K based on boxed/loose figures at my residence.

I'm past 2K and beyond based on boxed/loose figures held in storage.

There is no magic number. The number continues to increase in intervals (when I acquire new stuff).

I assume that's all scales and collectibles... right?

There's no number for me, my limit is more about the space I have left. I'm up to around 75 HT including the handful of pre-orders I have. Everything else is nostalgia action figures. Super7 Thundercats, Neca Cartoon and Movie TMNT, vintage TMNT, vintage He-Man, 40th Anniversary Black Series, Retro and DS Ghostbusters. I already haven't got room to display any of the action figures and probably have 10 spots left for more 1/6.

That's when the stress will start. Having to decide what stays and what goes if I want more stuff. Wanting some 1:1 SW helmets has also got me stressing.

Sometimes I feel like offloading everything apart from a handful of key pieces, just so I don't have to worry about any of it.

I feel you. It's much easier when you can represent a thing with one or two figures, then move on. You end up with a tidier collection too, not to mention the minimised stress of trying to keep up with it all.

You should be able to personify any worthy franchise with 3.

SW
Heroes; Luke, Leia, Han
or the symbolic Luke, Vader, Emperor trinity

ST
Kirk, Spock, McCoy

LoTR
The Three Hunters: Aragorn, Legolas Gimli.

Avengers: Captain America, Iron-Man, Thor

DC Trinity

Or any varaiation on The Good, The Bad & The Brut/Ugly

Or the Planer the Fighter, the Romatic.
Athos, Porthos, Aramis
Groucho, Harpo, Chico,
Mickey, Goofy Donald
Donald, Panchito, José
Wesley, Fezzik, Inigo


etc...


Lee, Kelly, Saxon
Brody, Hooper, Quint
Harry, Ron, Hermione
Hogun the Grim, Fandral the Dashing, Volstaff the Lion
Batman, Robin, Batgirl

That's a pretty good rule in general. I follow something similar, but the problem arises when you like something enough to want more; much more.

 

[DeltaForceChung]

I assume that's all scales and collectibles... right?

--

No.

Just 1:6.

1:4 < 25
1:12 < 20
1:18 < 125

 

[matticus]

By that I mean the amount of figures you're allowing your collection to contain. Some may collect without thinking of such a limitation, but I believe most who get into the hobby seriously, do set a number, in rough terms, in order to have a gameplan. Granted, others decide to focus on one specific license, so they sidestep that by not really needing it, as they're just getting a bit of everything that revolves around that one thing.

But to those of you who are 1/6th-only (or at least mainly) and have a broader range of interests; in which "zone" are you ? The Justin types who buy anything and everything I think are few and far between. The rest of us have to choose. However, for some that means 10 to 30 figures of their all-time classics, while others blow it up to ~100. Some stick to that "Magic Number" by selling and replacing figures, while others are more likely to bend the rules a bit, and add some extra slots if something comes about.

But let's say you have a number in mind. Do different costumes/looks of the same character count as a different figure (Civil War Cap for you Cap Dislay & Endgame Cap for your Avengers Display) ? Do different incarnations (Baleman & Battfleck, Tobey-Man & Iron Boy, etc) count as different figures and take up a spot ? In that magic number, do you factor in pipe dreams and whishlists ? For example, even if it takes a long while, I think the vast majority of Star Wars characters will eventually at some point be made. But a cult classic film from 30 years ago which you love might never see any merch, let alone a 1/6th figure. Do you pass on an extra Trooper or hot new Flavour Of The Month because you're keeping a spot open for that pipedream ? What happens when/if you get into a new thing and suddenly you need ~4 figures from it ? Does somebody else get bumped from the list, or at they simply added ?

So, do you have a "Magic Number" ? If you do, what's the ballpark ? And ultimately, how do you work with it ?

 

[BACON!]

I have a sprawling collection that is in 2 separate phases: 1997-2008 and 2015-present. The first phase contains lots of carded figures like Spawn and Simpsons. Stored in double bankers boxes in my basement for now. My 1/6 collecting started around 2015 for me and easily tops 100 figures by now, most still in the shipper and packed carefully.

I moved cross country last year and had an aspiration of tightening up my collection. However, that was contingent on the size of the house we would buy in our new town, which holds my collection better than before, but is pretty much at capacity now, and no real space to display any figures.

In retrospect, I aways collected for the future, thinking "one day I will have space for this" or "II need to find the perfect spot for X figure" or"If I don't buy this now, the prices will soon make it unobtainable". Actually, I think now is the perfect time to take stock of one's collection, as the market seems to be at a lull, shipping prices will only be going up, etc

 

[Victοr]

--

No.

Just 1:6.

1:4 < 25
1:12 < 20
1:18 < 125

Wew. I didn't think there even were 2K different 1/6th figures around.

I knew a guy who had so many toys and collectibles he kept them in a cottage+barn combo.

It's a shame they never made a TDW Odin. And it's a shame they won't make a L&T Crowe Zeus too. A God Squad type of shelf would look pretty nice I think. Meanwhile I'm still waiting for the perfect Loki myself...

I have a sprawling collection that is in 2 separate phases: 1997-2008 and 2015-present. The first phase contains lots of carded figures like Spawn and Simpsons. Stored in double bankers boxes in my basement for now. My 1/6 collecting started around 2015 for me and easily tops 100 figures by now, most still in the shipper and packed carefully.

I moved cross country last year and had an aspiration of tightening up my collection. However, that was contingent on the size of the house we would buy in our new town, which holds my collection better than before, but is pretty much at capacity now, and no real space to display any figures.

In retrospect, I aways collected for the future, thinking "one day I will have space for this" or "II need to find the perfect spot for X figure" or"If I don't buy this now, the prices will soon make it unobtainable". Actually, I think now is the perfect time to take stock of one's collection, as the market seems to be at a lull, shipping prices will only be going up, etc

I'm guilty of that as well. I buy and dream of that perfect display. But lately I'm wondering if that's a faulty approach. You become so focused on the idea that you get detached from the physical limitations.

And yeah, with how things are going, some choices will have to be made.

 

[choombaz]

Wew. I didn't think there even were 2K different 1/6th figures around.

I knew a guy who had so many toys and collectibles he kept them in a cottage+barn combo.

Guillermo Del Toro has a second house for all of his collection and Michael Crawford built his own collection building which is pretty amazing …

http://www.mwctoys.com/ciopcc-home.htm

 

[Astropin]

Personally, I'd rather have fewer large pieces than a ton of small pieces. But that's just me. Then again, what's small to me might be larger to someone else.

I'm aiming to have a smaller number of 1/4 scale vs many 1/10. A select few 1/3 scale, and a decent # of 1/6 scale. So my focus will be 1/4 and 1/6. I'm also a "statue" guy and not into the "action figures" so much.

 

[Victοr]

Guillermo Del Toro has a second house for all of his collection and Michael Crawford built his own collection building which is pretty amazing …

http://www.mwctoys.com/ciopcc-home.htm

I knew that about Del Toro and his horror collection, but it's the first time I'm seeing Crawfod's "Museum". Pretty cool. Not for me, but pretty cool just for the undertaking.

Personally, I'd rather have fewer large pieces than a ton of small pieces. But that's just me. Then again, what's small to me might be larger to someone else.

I'm aiming to have a smaller number of 1/4 scale vs many 1/10. A select few 1/3 scale, and a decent # of 1/6 scale. So my focus will be 1/4 and 1/6. I'm also a "statue" guy and not into the "action figures" so much.

I try to keep it all 1/6th these days. Misc collectibles are just "around", just to have them, but I have no idea if I'll ever properly display them.

But I get your point on "less larger vs more fewer". They start to clutter too much. But even with bigger scales, the more you get, the more they clutter, so you have to find that balance.

 

[choombaz]

I knew that about Del Toro and his horror collection, but it's the first time I'm seeing Crawfod's "Museum". Pretty cool. Not for me, but pretty cool just for the undertaking.

Yeah to be honest I was excited to see it after hearing about it for so long, but was a bit let down but it, the way he’s displaying most of it, it’s really crammed and hard to get a good sense of it. Other than he has a lot of stuff! If it was me I would either cull or literally turn it into a full on museum!

 

[Victοr]

Yeah to be honest I was excited to see it after hearing about it for so long, but was a bit let down but it, the way he’s displaying most of it, it’s really crammed and hard to get a good sense of it. Other than he has a lot of stuff! If it was me I would either cull or literally turn it into a full on museum!

Yeah, when you don't display them properly the appeal is lost. Having a bunch of Hot Toys cornered next to a shelf with cheap figures and props really hurts. It's a massive undertaking and he has a ton, but unless he wants it to be a true pop culture merch museum, then I don't much see them point in leaving it like that. Maybe he'll continue upgrading it.

I'm pretty greedy and have that sick completionist mindset, but even if I had all the money in the world something like that wouldn't interest me. I'd just curate my perfect collection and then spend ungodly amounts of money on custom dioramas and figures. Hey, we are operating on the assumption of infinite money...