What's your current "collecting state of mind"?

[SAB]

Just boredom really.
I still like the hobby in theory but its sort of got to be absurd to peak my interest.

Ironman, Terminator, Predator, Avengers, DC .......yawn.....
Even 1/6 Bruce Lee .....been there done that ....but wait? 1/3 scale Bruce Lee statue from Blitzway. Gimme!
1/6 Dennis Rodman? That's ridiculous. I must have on my shelf.
Dual BCS Sherlock and Watson signed editions. Yes.

My collection is now very small and fairly odd

 

[choopie]

I've been in the collecting game for a long time. Ive dabbled in just about every major high end company from Bowen to Gentle Giant to Medicom to Sideshow. Ive specifically been collecting Sideshow for about 10 years and have gone through two major refocuses in my collection. I started off with a comprehensive SS/Weta LOTR collection, then sold every thing off and switched to a general PF collection. I had amassed about 20 pieces before sliming the collection down yet again. I sold off all my PFs except for 2 and started over, cherry picking some of my favorite movie characters. At the same time I built a sizable Indiana Jones collection. Then Hot Toys came on the scene and I have been busy buying their Captain America figures.

While it's been fun, space is driving me to wrap things up. Higher prices come in at a distant second. But with what I currenly have plus what I have on preorder, my collection is everything I could have hoped for. Pinhead PF could very well be my last preorder from Sideshow.

 

[Collectorcol]

If it's Predator buy it...

 

[space ace]

I've been collecting for over 30 years-started with the original Star Wars Action Figures (which I still have in two vintage ESB cases). Slacked off in the mid to late 80's because there was nothing that caught my interst. By the mid 90's, I went full boar-the new Hasbro Star Wars line, BatMan figures, DC Statues, Warner Brothers Studio Stores (remember those?)-cells, Maquette's, prop-replicas-the list goes on. Got married and had a daughter and moved-it was then I realized my collection became obscene! Sold most of it off-then BAM! Master Replicas & Sideshow show up. Went nuts & bought a bunch of PF's & prop replicas. Recently re-evaluated my collection again due to a cross country move-half of the 18' moving truck was my collection boxes. To make a long story short, I have streamlined my collection and am being EXTREMELY selective on current purchases. I've sold 9 PF's in the last year, have cancelled at least 7 PO's and am passing on upcoming product that I would have surely been all over a couple of years ago. It almost feels like being liberated from an addiction-that first new piece that I didn't PO or purchase when it was in stock was rough-but it gets easier as you start to condition yourself-I started realizing that the hobby was controlling me to a certain extent-crazy, right?

 

[ambasah]

I've been collecting for over 30 years-started with the original Star Wars Action Figures (which I still have in two vintage ESB cases). Slacked off in the mid to late 80's because there was nothing that caught my interst. By the mid 90's, I went full boar-the new Hasbro Star Wars line, BatMan figures, DC Statues, Warner Brothers Studio Stores (remember those?)-cells, Maquette's, prop-replicas-the list goes on. Got married and had a daughter and moved-it was then I realized my collection became obscene! Sold most of it off-then BAM! Master Replicas & Sideshow show up. Went nuts & bought a bunch of PF's & prop replicas. Recently re-evaluated my collection again due to a cross country move-half of the 18' moving truck was my collection boxes. To make a long story short, I have streamlined my collection and am being EXTREMELY selective on current purchases. I've sold 9 PF's in the last year, have cancelled at least 7 PO's and am passing on upcoming product that I would have surely been all over a couple of years ago. It almost feels like being liberated from an addiction-that first new piece that I didn't PO or purchase when it was in stock was rough-but it gets easier as you start to condition yourself-I started realizing that the hobby was controlling me to a certain extent-crazy, right?

you sound like my twin, but my self-control is not as good as yours. I have sold a lot (and have a lot more to sell) but my pre-order list right now is sitting at 30-something.

 

[Mr Quimper]

I graduated from Star Wars 1/6 statues by Gentle Giant.
Got a bit narked with the quality and scale so plumped for Sideshows 1/4 premium format.
Sold all my GG stuff and never looked back.

But.....now at the point where I'm things don't really hype me up like they used to.
Boba Fett PF should be a major win for me but I'm distinctly unmotivated to purchase him.
A few more key characters for me and I'm happy with what I've got.

 

[space ace]

you sound like my twin, but my self-control is not as good as yours. I have sold a lot (and have a lot more to sell) but my pre-order list right now is sitting at 30-something.

lol-initially it was tough-but setting up my new collection room was an eye-opener-it wasn't as much fun as it was in the past. Then started thinking about my PO's.."do I really need another Big Chap? Do I really need another Superman or Batman?...etc". I have the first Boba Fett PF and still like it, so the new PO is a pass for me-if this was a couple of years ago, it would have been a day 1 PO for me.

 

[J3D1_KN1GHT]

I'm kind of lost. Art, Metal Gear, 3A, Movie props and figures are just not doing for me at the moment.
But I did see some cool Destiny like figures from a new company that got me groin a twitching!

 

[flankster117]

I think my story is crazy, never collected anything in my life, last February, my bro and I talked about DBZ then how it would be cool to get a Vegeta figurine, he showed me a small figuarts vegeta. I saw the price of $30 and it was hard for me to do it, but i bought it. I was extremly frugal at the time. Then I searched Ebay for DBZ statues, saw all of these chinese custom made DBZ 1/6 scale statues much bigger then that $30 figuarts 5 in figure. I liked them all but was turned down by the absurd price of $100-$300 depending on the piece. I then decided to buy a SSJ 3 goku and shenron dragon. 4 weeks later I fell in love. That started this huge addiction. I then no longer thought of money and bought every DBZ statue I liked, then got into Mortal Kombat, then Avengers, Transformers, Zelda, LOTR, Marvel. Now just 8 months later I own easily over 100 pieces. (21 mk statues, 38 dbz, 11 zelda, 20 lotr, 26 other movie/video game statues ) Gone way over board. Im trying to sell off some now, have no luck doing that though. Still I wish I never got into this. But I am only getting DBZ/Zelda/MK and a few select movie statues. Not buying everything i like.

Everyday I feel this joy seeing my collection, I feel like i need to look at them before I go to bed. I love the feeling of getting a new statue, the new statue smell and completing a line. More then ever DBZ/MK statues excite me the most.

seeing the new PCS lui kang and 1/3 scale scorpion was awesome

I have on pre order

PCS-Goro EX/REG, Subzero mk 9 EX, Baraka, Melinna, and will preorder lui kang EX and 1/3 scorpion, world box kung lao
DBZ ssj4 goku customer from china, 1/4 scale custom vegeta, imperfect cell 1st form from kenneth ho, and any future kenneth ho products will preorder

Avengers-Gentle giant black widow, Sideshow thor / capt america WS EX both

Transformers- Grimlock with optimus, optimus/megetran battle damaged bust

Gaming heads- Kratos EX, sly cooper, rachet and clank, jak 2 and will preorder evil within keeper ex

also have ordered waiting on shipping -kratos fighting cyclops custom from china/sideshow kratos replica chinese version, syco subzero 18 in to go with my syco scorpion 18 in. And skull kid on moon custom

 

[Butttornado]

I think my story is crazy, never collected anything in my life, last February, my bro and I talked about DBZ then how it would be cool to get a Vegeta figurine, he showed me a small figuarts vegeta. I saw the price of $30 and it was hard for me to do it, but i bought it. I was extremly frugal at the time. Then I searched Ebay for DBZ statues, saw all of these chinese custom made DBZ 1/6 scale statues much bigger then that $30 figuarts 5 in figure. I liked them all but was turned down by the absurd price of $100-$300 depending on the piece. I then decided to buy a SSJ 3 goku and shenron dragon. 4 weeks later I fell in love. That started this huge addiction. I then no longer thought of money and bought every DBZ statue I liked, then got into Mortal Kombat, then Avengers, Transformers, Zelda, LOTR, Marvel. Now just 8 months later I own easily over 100 pieces. (21 mk statues, 38 dbz, 11 zelda, 20 lotr, 26 other movie/video game statues ) Gone way over board. Im trying to sell off some now, have no luck doing that though. Still I wish I never got into this. But I am only getting DBZ/Zelda/MK and a few select movie statues. Not buying everything i like.

Everyday I feel this joy seeing my collection, I feel like i need to look at them before I go to bed. I love the feeling of getting a new statue, the new statue smell and completing a line. More then ever DBZ/MK statues excite me the most.

seeing the new PCS lui kang and 1/3 scale scorpion was awesome

I have on pre order

PCS-Goro EX/REG, Subzero mk 9 EX, Baraka, Melinna, and will preorder lui kang EX and 1/3 scorpion, world box kung lao
DBZ ssj4 goku customer from china, 1/4 scale custom vegeta, imperfect cell 1st form from kenneth ho, and any future kenneth ho products will preorder

Avengers-Gentle giant black widow, Sideshow thor / capt america WS EX both

Transformers- Grimlock with optimus, optimus/megetran battle damaged bust

Gaming heads- Kratos EX, sly cooper, rachet and clank, jak 2 and will preorder evil within keeper ex

also have ordered waiting on shipping -kratos fighting cyclops custom from china/sideshow kratos replica chinese version, syco subzero 18 in to go with my syco scorpion 18 in. And skull kid on moon custom

Holy crap! 100 pieces lol. I was in the same boat though when it comes to the price tag. I started collecting hellboy and street fighter figures. I would think so hard about spending $30 for a figure, and would pass one up if it were $5 over my budget lol. Then once you buy thAt first expensive statue, it's like a landslide. Now I'm willing to pay $1k for a piece... Craziness.

 

[nemenforcer]

I was horrified as a kid when I would go to my friends house and all his GI Joe stuff was just thrown in a toy bin and broken and missing parts. My Vehichles sat neatly on shelves. Everyone single one accounted for. The shelf on the other wall had all my SW vehicles and the book shelf had my turtle stuff and lets not forget my legos. They were neatly stored in bins by color and purpose. Other kids would come over and I would be so nervous. I wouldn't let anyone in my room. I would actually have a few choice "play" items and bring them to the living room where we would play.

Then the 90's happened and I saw comics nearly die. I also saw the value of the GI Joe and SW market fall apart. Also, my comic and sports card collections crashed. I kept my stuff secured and stopped reading comics. Then LOTR came out and I bumped into a Sideshow Weta Ring Wraith in a collectible store in London while on vacation. I talked with the shop owner, bought it and brought it back to the US. Then I went online and over the next few years basically bought them all. I also built up a collection of Master Replicas props and cool Lego setups. Then SS did the 1/4 Captain America and never looked back. I loved that scale.

I have about 40 SS PF's and comq. I sold off all my childhood collections but have upgraded to some premium Lego kits. I also really like hunting down original comic art from my favorite artist. I'v learned over the years fads come and go and I worry SS is losing its edge and Im nervous about holding another collectible assets that's at a loss so I'm slimming down the collection to all my favorites and focusing on SW, X Men, Avengers and DC. I have been disappointed with SS for a while because I hate the poses on most of their male statues. They insist on these odd twist at the hips and bloated stomachs. XM Studios is where my focus is now but I still have PO's with SS. I love what XM is doing because I feel they have passion about the Marvel license right now. Im really worried SS is losing its edge. Their marvel license is a huge disappointment for me. Its like they don't care. I know they really care about the COTD line but I think it will flop. I love the looks but I wont drop a dollar on them with all the competing companies right now. Its like SS isn't trying to compete, their in a bubble. I had 10k on pre order, then it went to 6k and now its 4k and I'm looking to drop it more. In the meantime I have about 8 XM items in que right now and those are dollars taken directly from SS. I would prefer to give money to SS but it seems like they don't want it. I mean we got ARH and XM reps commenting on here from time to time. Where is SS? After COTD fails they might just become a distributor. Anyway, I guess that's my state of mind.

Current Interest
SS: Catwoman, Sinestro, Jean Grey, Thor, Wonder Woman, Iron man 42 Bust, Iron Patriot
XM: Magneto, Wolverine, Hawkeye, Ant Man, Phoenix, Thanos, Iron Man, Mrs Marvel
LEGO: Going to pick up the new Batmobile
ARH: Ares
PS4: Playing Destiny
Comics: Subscribed to X Men titles

 

[duckman]

I started out raiding the clearance bins at toys r us in the 90's. Any hot chick figure was game, half the time I had no clue who the character was. star trek, turtles, and Xena was my focus. Friends would score me Xena figures when they found them,(I even have xena's horse, It's glorious). It was mostly closeout or at least reasonable $$. I think that horse might have been $40, easily the most expensive piece. Then I got on ebay. And got into spice girl figures, (did I just admit that out loud?) It got ugly, I was on there constantly, scheming for the next deal, even if I already had that figure. They made a LOT of Spice girl dolls,(there, I said it-dolls), and I have them all, several times over, except for the one rare one I never got. My display space looked like a toy store shelf, it was bad, and no longer cheap. I had more stuff than I could ever display, properly or not. I finally packed all of it away except for a 3" counselor troi on my nightstand. That was 10 yrs ago. Last spring I stumbled onto a review of the hot toys avengers black widow. It took a while to convince myself to splurge "just this once" on a $200+ figure, but the im2 black widow came more quickly. Then the pf's . I now have 5 pf's and another 8 or 9 on po. Somewhere in the pickup load of stuff from the old days I have a wb store catwoman I'd like to display, found the ww, but not cw. I have told no one about the new stuff, they would just crap. I'm gonna try to score the xm ms marvel, and then it's time to chill for a while. What I have on po will be hard enough to display as it is.

 

[tcollector]

I only collect top tier characters from the DC and Marvel Universe in 1/4 scale statue form (Bats, Supes, Capt. America, Hulk). Favorite movie characters from Lotr and Indy, Jack Sparrow. Also I keep it to a single representation of each character. Any scale Predator and Alien statues. Just getting into ARH statues and their new lines. ARH is interesting to me as at this stage their pieces are different and they don't seem to just pump out variations of the same characters. There is just too much out there to buy it all. Not enough $$ nor space. I've also tried to limit my yearly amount to spend on this hobby which also keeps me in check. Must say that HT got me into this site and collecting but the best thing I did was to drop out of them as there's just too much coming out from them. It seems there is always a "newer" and "better" version of the characters with them. That's my two cents.

 

[TheFiend]

Dolls are getting to a price point that's hard to justify imo, no mater how good they're getting.

Thats about it.

But other than that I'm moving more towards WWII/historical figures. Paint and tailoring as good as HT, with loads of extras like outfits, sculpts and accessories and about $100 cheaper. Besides, I'm having more fun bashing, modifying, creating etc. WWII than anything elsewhere. Hot Toys can keep their dolls.

And the prices will continue to rise with them. I cant count how many times I've heard fellow bodies say, "this is it, I'm done with HT, their getting too expensive, $250? Pffft!" Then a month later, "Oooh, Robocop! Gimme!"

Or when people intone, " Hot Toys is flooding the market with their dolls, and the prices are outrageous! This will be their ultimate demise!"

Haven't people been saying that for like 4 years now?

Rant over.

 

[Irvy]

I'm starting to sell myself and get out, at least for a while. Prices are getting crazy and I have bigger priorities.

 

[epitaph04]

Basically I only keep pieces that truly blow me away. Anything less than that, and it's gone. These things are too expensive to be less than satisfied with them.

I too have also gone down to only collecting characters that are iconic to me. One per license, no duplicates. Looking forward to completing my collection soon...i hope.

 

[Butttornado]

I don't ever want to complete my collection. I enjoy the aspect of opening something new. I don't ever want to lose that. I think that's why I look forward to the COTD stuff. Hopefully they turn out well, but it should be fun to get those coming in a few times a year.

I agree prices are getting pretty insane. Every one is buying XM pieces like toys lol. They are dropping 800 bucks a pop and more on those things. I want the days of 300 or even 350 for a statue.

 

[Bgnyc007]

I've been collecting since January this year. 89 batmobile got me into this, It was all downhill from there. I now have 11 figures with 4 more on the way, and about 12 on my wish/maybe list. The cool thing I could support the hobby I have an awesome career. But the cost if collecting without discipline can get out of hand. I read a post on here earlier this year "advice for new collectors" "ONLY stick to the figure lines that have most significance to you otherwise it will be a disaster" so I follow about 3 lines and got 1 or 2 misc. As far as the 11 figures I have, many were back catalog to initially build my collection, but the PO for next year is literally a handful or less.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chargersfan57]

I didn't start collecting until I met Sideshow. Back towards the end of 2008 I was on the IGN website when I came across an article entitled: "The top10 Indiana Jones collectibles in anticipation of the new movie". And what collectible do you think sat proudly at the #1 spot? It was Sideshow's very own Raiders PF.

I had never heard of Sideshow before but the Statue lloked like an incredible piece of art! A hand painted/numbered limited addition statue wearing a REAL authentic miniature Indy outfiit! COOL!

I found the Sideshow site and I saw "toy" after "toy" after "toy" of marvel, predator, terminator etc just on their front page alone. And I'm not gonna lie, it made me think of the 40 year old virgin and I almost left the side just as quick as I had found it. Almost...

But I decided to make an account and order Indy. I told myself that I wasn't going to go down this path and instead decided to order Indy as a lone piece I'd have him and him alone and I could still be cool. I didn't want to turn into some sort of geek...lol.

As you can tell this story didn't end well, an just like reaching into a cookie jar I couldn't just grab one.

I saw the Mystique PF EX and I fell in love and put myself on the waitlist. Shortly after it converted.

Then in January 2009 I stumbled onto this forum and my first post was a thread I started asking I PFs were nice in person and that they were woth $300. At that time I had 8+ PFs on PO with Sideshow.

Indy brought me to this world but Mystique arrived first and I was blown away. And of course everything went downhill from their.

I've had quite a few PF's in my collection: Mystique, Indy, Lara Croft, Cammy, Ken, Zangief, LotR Berserker, Patient Zero, Scar predator mask and a few others. And I've ordered and cancelled many others.

Today my collection consists of ZERO pieces. I got tired of Sideshow's BS and wanted to pursue other collecting avenues so I sold my entire collection and retired.

But the CotD line has temporarily brought me out of my retirement and if any of those pieces fail to be stellar than I'm out for good. It will be retirement for good. This is Sideshow's last chance to keep me as a costumer cause I don't see me hanging around for anything else if the court line goes belly up.

I was horrified as a kid when I would go to my friends house and all his GI Joe stuff was just thrown in a toy bin and broken and missing parts. My Vehichles sat neatly on shelves. Everyone single one accounted for. The shelf on the other wall had all my SW vehicles and the book shelf had my turtle stuff and lets not forget my legos. They were neatly stored in bins by color and purpose. Other kids would come over and I would be so nervous. I wouldn't let anyone in my room. I would actually have a few choice "play" items and bring them to the living room where we would play.

Then the 90's happened and I saw comics nearly die. I also saw the value of the GI Joe and SW market fall apart. Also, my comic and sports card collections crashed. I kept my stuff secured and stopped reading comics. Then LOTR came out and I bumped into a Sideshow Weta Ring Wraith in a collectible store in London while on vacation. I talked with the shop owner, bought it a I know they really care about the COTD line but I think it will flop. I love the looks but I wont drop a dollar on them with all the competing companies right now. Its like SS isn't trying to compete, their in a bubble. I had 10k on pre order, then it went to 6k and now its 4k and I'm looking to drop it more. In the meantime I have about 8 XM items in que right now and those are dollars taken directly from SS. I would prefer to give money to SS but it seems like they don't want it. I mean we got ARH and XM reps commenting on here from time to time. Where is SS? After COTD fails they might just become a distributor. Anyway, I guess that's my state of mind.

Current Interest
SS: Catwoman, Sinestro, Jean Grey, Thor, Wonder Woman, Iron man 42 Bust, Iron Patriot
XM: Magneto, Wolverine, Hawkeye, Ant Man, Phoenix, Thanos, Iron Man, Mrs Marvel
LEGO: Going to pick up the new Batmobile
ARH: Ares
PS4: Playing Destiny
Comics: Subscribed to X Men titles

I was just curious, why do you think the CotD line will fail?

 

[INFECDEAD]

I've got a house now and can't afford to collect like I used to, I'm trying to use flex pay and cut back but it's futile and I'm going to stuggle to swing more than half a dozen purchases a year. I still love collecting though, been doing it since 05 and I'm only jaded by the **** quality and poor design choices. Current 1/4 or larger statue count is about 150. Life size busts are at 45. I doubt I can even display it all once I start to unpack lol but I love this hobby or addiction or disease whatever it is