Death of the toy soldier collector. (1 Viewer)

[Rutledge]

The toy soldier business will survive, but there will be casualties.

I concur.

 

[GulfportEagle77]

Being new to the hobby (only collecting for about six months now), it almost depresses me to see how much farther my money would have went if I had only started a little sooner...

However, with that being said, I do believe these companies will survive this economic downturn (with a few casualties), just like all the others...

 

[redsoldiercollector]

As a school teacher, I had to really be on a budget when I began to serious collect about 10 years ago. After spending tons of money on figures and having nothing left to spend in the beginning, I came up with a few rules that I live by.
1. ADMIRE the K&C, except for Christmas and B-days to get an occasional figure
2. learned to paint myself. I am more into asthetics than investment
3. let my hobby pay for itself. I paint the time periods I do not collect and sell them with a few figures in the mix for my own collection. Money I make from selling, I reinvest
4. MOST IMPORTANT: I picked 3 time periods I collect and that is it for the most part. Other than the three time periods, I do like a certain make of figure. Fortunately as much as I would like it, all the major metal brands I cannot afford consistently, so I mostly collect plastic and paint them myself. To satisfy my armor craze, I buy the 21st century and classic armor stuff.

 

[Njja]

Being new to the hobby (only collecting for about six months now), it almost depresses me to see how much farther my money would have went if I had only started a little sooner...

However, with that being said, I do believe these companies will survive this economic downturn (with a few casualties), just like all the others...

Don't worry everyone had to start sometime, their will always be many ahead

of you......and just as many behind you!

A few years from now new collectors will be wishing they were around to

pick up the first releases of King & Countrys Luftwaffe Series!

I missed all the early wood pieces, so I'm always glad when I get the chance

to add something to my collection!

All of us are hunting from something......usually something we just missed!

 

[Louis Badolato]

Times are tough right now, but things will eventually get better. It is probably wise (or a least a reflection of common sense) to set and stick to an affordable budget for collecting, be very selective on your purchases for the time being. Over the 15 years I have been collecting K&C, I have had to change my philosophy to accomodate Andy Neilson's production. In the beginning, when there were maybe 15-20 new sets in a year, I was the ultimate completist - I wanted everything K&C produced, no matter what the subject matter. By the year 2000, when Andy was putting out so many different lines (various WWII, Ancient Rome & Barbarians, Napoleonics, American Revolution, U.S. Civil War, Streets of Old Hong King, the Old West, World of Dickens) I chose the lines I was interested in, and wanted everything from those lines. Then, with the rapid release of WWII stuff, especially vehicles, I limited myself to all vehicles, and only those figure sets I really liked. In recent times, with the addition of even more lines (Crusades and the Crescent, WWI, Sand Pebbles, New Warbirds, new Civil War, Ancient Egypt), the release of 15-30 new sets a month, the inevitable increase in prices, and the iffy economy, I have reached a point where I only purchase what I really like, maybe 1 in every 10 sets released. My days as a completist are over - frankly, unless you are a Rockefeller, I can't imagine anyone being a true completist with K&C anymore.

 

[maddadicus]

Times are tough right now, but things will eventually get better. It is probably wise (or a least a reflection of common sense) to set and stick to an affordable budget for collecting, be very selective on your purchases for the time being. Over the 15 years I have been collecting K&C, I have had to change my philosophy to accomodate Andy Neilson's production. In the beginning, when there were maybe 15-20 new sets in a year, I was the ultimate completist - I wanted everything K&C produced, no matter what the subject matter. By the year 2000, when Andy was putting out so many different lines (various WWII, Ancient Rome & Barbarians, Napoleonics, American Revolution, U.S. Civil War, Streets of Old Hong King, the Old West, World of Dickens) I chose the lines I was interested in, and wanted everything from those lines. Then, with the rapid release of WWII stuff, especially vehicles, I limited myself to all vehicles, and only those figure sets I really liked. In recent times, with the addition of even more lines (Crusades and the Crescent, WWI, Sand Pebbles, New Warbirds, new Civil War, Ancient Egypt), the release of 15-30 new sets a month, the inevitable increase in prices, and the iffy economy, I have reached a point where I only purchase what I really like, maybe 1 in every 10 sets released. My days as a completist are over - frankly, unless you are a Rockefeller, I can't imagine anyone being a true completist with K&C anymore.

As demanding as most K/C collectors are, would the base had been satisfied with a more restricted and measured output of figures and eras......? It seems a shame, with you having a near complete collection to now pick and choose ,because of a TOO MUCH marketing strategy.......Michael

 

[lancer]

All these problems, money and space, are common to all hobbies. It all goes back to the golden rule of collecting - buy what you like, which is ,of course, controlled by money and space and COMMON SENSE. I collect across many time periods and manufacturers. Painful decisions on what to buy occur every month but the budget MUST be adhered to. Will I miss out on some things I want? Sure will. But I realize I can't have it all. I just enjoy what I can get and hope JJD and KC stay keep up their amazing work. I will be collecting as long as I live and as long as quality product is available, and as long as my money holds out. One must pay for quality in whatever the field is. Long live our hobby! -- lancer

 

[Louis Badolato]

As demanding as most K/C collectors are, would the base had been satisfied with a more restricted and measured output of figures and eras......? It seems a shame, with you having a near complete collection to now pick and choose ,because of a TOO MUCH marketing strategy.......Michael

Actually, Michael, I would rather pick and chose what I want from a large selection than buy all of a limited selection, some of which I did not feel particularly interested in. Also, there are space limitations to consider - the museum is pretty much full. Unless I want to convince my wife to let me convert the garage into an annex (good luck!) I would not have a place to display that many new items.

 

[Njja]

As demanding as most K/C collectors are, would the base had been satisfied with a more restricted and measured output of figures and eras......? It seems a shame, with you having a near complete collection to now pick and choose ,because of a TOO MUCH marketing strategy.......Michael

Its not really a Too Much strategy, its more a protecting your market share strategy. As the market place grew Andy had to decide to either expand his
product line to protect his market share or limit it and slowly fall behind until perhaps all the growth and progress he had made was eliminated.

As more and more companies (perhaps many with deeper pockets) entered the market place and moved to the factories in China Andy might have found himself frozen right out of the production process he helped to form.

As Louis pointed out, we now have to make choices, and should be happy we have so many items to choose from. You have to come up with a new plan to keep up......its more fun to see new products. I remember when I would go into my favorite shop and see items I had passed over 6 months eariler as my only "New" options.

 

[kilted vampire]

There are some great lines of thought expressed here. The one I find most challenging is the one where I limit myself! I have tried this many times. Then a new line comes out, or the line is revamped. Or, it is just so pretty! My resolve crumples like a dollar bill in a four year olds' pocket! I mean some of the new Napoleonics are jncredable.

 

[debrito]

(Sorry for my English)
I think in my case, I am the poorest collector in the World of toy soldiers; I buy one or two sets per year no more than that…I think that even if I had more money I will stay in this pace. I like to take my time to choose (for now Berlin 1945 and Crusaders are the only I owed) what I want and then create a diorama for my new set; I don’t feel that I need to buy every month just because there are new releases….

Concerning my dioramas, I am luck to have developed a partnership with a K&C dealer in my region (Ottawa Canada) that allows me to borrow new sets when I create a new Diorama…

Rod.

 

[Wraith]

(Sorry for my English)
I think in my case, I am the poorest collector in the World of toy soldiers; I buy one or two sets per year no more than that…I think that even if I had more money I will stay in this pace. I like to take my time to choose (for now Berlin 1945 and Crusaders are the only I owed) what I want and then create a diorama for my new set; I don’t feel that I need to buy every month just because there are new releases….

Rod.

"Never, in the field of Toy Soldier Conflict, has so much been done, with so little, by so few"

Rod,
Your dios give the impression that you're swimming in sets.
To your credit and skill.

Simon

 

[The Templar]

Financial crisis or not!

I hope to be able to spend what I want -and if not! I´ll hope to spend it never the less!

But it will all depend of, what and which comes on (read - bring me Tempars, please)

Before I would sell out of my collections of toysoldiers, i´ll rather sell some of my ofher stuff - swords, helmets etc. !

My wife is planning to retire 2010 and then the income will go down. I´m stuck in imployment for another 13 years (yes - my wife is 14 years older than me - but we still in love) so
there might be a problem to collect as much as i do now! Still i hope to be able to buy what i want and still be able to give my children the support (my youngest son) he need. He is studing medicine and half way trhough! I have told him, when he is through - he will have to support his old dad!

 

[Simpson & his donkey.]

Hard times make you become more selective, but I doubt if they ever kill the true collector. Present economic circumstances have left me dead in the water as far as toy/model soldier purchases are concerned, but I also know that things will improve before long. I've been in these situations before. Also, being ill for years with congestive heart disease, before finally receiving a new heart in June, taught me further lessons in patience. While some of you will turn to painting your own figures, that is something that I cannot do, as my current anti-rejection meds give me the "shakes." Patience, in my case, truly is a virtue! Better days are coming ..... and no, I don't mean Saturday & Sunday!

Well what a response we have gotton with the start of my little thread.Maybe the word death was a little strong but it gets the mind thinking.I was amazed at how many collectors are in the same boat as I.It looks like we all will have a struggle over the next year and just have to ride out the storm.I recieved a privite email saying that K&C soldiers are a luxury item so I looked it up in the dictionary.LUXURY choice and costly things of a life of ease;desirable thing that can be done without.Makes alot of sence to me as there are far more important things in life.Sometimes we all forget this and I will just have to spend what I can when I can and stop whinning about what I can't get and be thankful for what I have.Health Wife Two children who love me and a small little toy soldier collection thats looks great.Simmo.

 

[Alex]

(Sorry for my English)
I think in my case, I am the poorest collector in the World of toy soldiers; I buy one or two sets per year no more than that…I think that even if I had more money I will stay in this pace. I like to take my time to choose (for now Berlin 1945 and Crusaders are the only I owed) what I want and then create a diorama for my new set; I don’t feel that I need to buy every month just because there are new releases….

Concerning my dioramas, I am luck to have developed a partnership with a K&C dealer in my region (Ottawa Canada) that allows me to borrow new sets when I create a new Diorama…

Rod.

Hi Rodrigo,

Saw your dios you made for Mr Canivet 2 weeks ago and 1 month ago when I made trips to Ottawa.. very nice !!! I like this store. We get excellent service there and the owner is very nice to talk with !

Cheers,

Alex

 

[OldDragon]

...

Sometimes we all forget this ... be thankful for what I have. Health Wife Two children who love me and a small little toy soldier collection thats looks great.Simmo.

Ditto to that .. couldn't have put it any better.

Best wishes

OD

 

[bromhead]

Shop and spend wisely,bargains are out there to be found,,fortunatly I have enough within the collection ,castings,restorables and the usual everything to last for 80 years,,unfortunatly,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[debrito]

"Never, in the field of Toy Soldier Conflict, has so much been done, with so little, by so few"

Rod,
Your dios give the impression that you're swimming in sets.
To your credit and skill.

Simon

Appreciated my friend.

Rod.

 

[Stickleback]

I am very lucky that Brett at the Military Workshop has helped me out many times with swaping things and doing deals to help me out and keeping things and letting me pay them off just to keep me in the game but there is only so much he can do as a bussiness to try to keep his collectors going .K&C should give him a VC for the amount of help he has given us collectors in Australia to try to expand sales and increase and bring new blood into toy soldier collecting.Maybe if he was able to sell off lines at discount to collectors who have been with him along time this may help in these times of troubles.Just a idea which mite help out some of us strugglers.Thanks Brett. Simmo.

Yep, have to agree with Simpson, Brett is a great ambassador for the hobby here in Australia. Thanks from me too!

 

[steel wheels]

I have about 14 WW-2 vehicles on display in mini diorama format. I have for the most part stopped purchasing any new product, as I am satisfied with my collection and have no desire to display anymore tanks, because I am running out of room. I will only buy a new tank, if I sell one of my existing pieces to make room for it. I will sell one of my three shermans to make room for a nice winter T-34 if it ever comes out from K&C. The combination of limited space and drastic price increases over the past few years has all but retired me from buying anymore new product.