End Game for collectors (1 Viewer)

[Combat]

As my house has filled up with soldiers over the last ten years it makes me wonder what are collector strategies or expectations in this hobby over the longer term. Even if you are buying a set or two each month it doesn't seem possible for most to collect at that pace forever (that's about 70+ new figures a year). I see that a few here sell items to make room for new sets, but that is a bit too circular to me. I also don't buy something unless I intend to display it. Otherwise it seems pointless. I suppose you could rotate displays. My guess is that collectors become more selective as their collection grows - maybe some lose interest or their interest wanes a bit over time and the number of purchases decrease. I'm not exactly sure. Does anyone intend to say "no mas" at some point or take a break from the hobby? I have curtailed my buying a bit over the last couple of years to John Jenkins and cherry picking a few other things that catch my eye (the "must haves"). Even so that's about 100 new figures and maybe three or four larger vehicles a year.

 

[theBaron]

I keep promising myself that I won't buy any more figures, until I finish painting all of the unfinished figures on my workbench. But then some dirty SOB has to go and put up an auction on eBay, with some figure that is exactly what I've been looking for for 10 years, and every good intention goes right out the window.

Same thing for scale model kits. Every scale modeler could be called a kit collector, too. Some guys have stashes with upwards of 1000 kits, new in the box.

When I die, I'll let my survivors worry about what to do with my collection. Sometimes I think about leaving it to my club, if they're still around when the time comes, or to a museum. Chance are, it'll get broken up and sold off.

Better not to think about it....

 

[Alexdakar]

Yeah I have about 50 plastic kits in my closet and that's because I made myself stop or it could have been worse. I don't open them because I have 5 unfinished kits in various stages that need to be completed first.

 

[noli-poli]

I have no more time to build plastic kits. They were stacking up in the attic. So I sold all my plastic kits to a local hobby shop for $100 ( market value about $1000+).
It's good to have Honor Bound, Figarti, and KC around
N-P

 

[vandilay]

I have a core of my collection that has remained intact since I started
Collecting again [almost exclusively glossys] with the high rate of
Releases in matte figures I roll them over as new stuff comes in ,I
Only have ltd display space and it keeps my mad collector gene in check.
I,m now looking to being more selective in my purchasers but it is a little
tougher without seeing it first hand .
My Vague goal is to have a mid life crisis at 40 flick most of it and
use the proceeds on a muscle car/holiday.

 

[Leadmen]

Yeah I have about 50 plastic kits in my closet and that's because I made myself stop or it could have been worse. I don't open them because I have 5 unfinished kits in various stages that need to be completed first.

I gave up trying to build all the kits I acculmated. The Hobby shop bought all my kits a couple of years ago and came back last year and bought more. Now all I have are figure kits and 1/72 scale plastic figure kits which they did not want. It seemed easy at the time to be "out of control". Anyway, I knew I would never get them all built. Now the thirty mounted Napoleonic Historex kits Kits replaced by other figures and tanks. John

 

[Leadmen]

Last picture. The demise of my modelling career. John

 

[chiefs70]

Last picture. The demise of my modelling career. John

So, John - are you demonstrating the look your wife was giving you in the last picture.

I haven't built models in years but everytime I see a Tamiya kit I get the itch. Fortunately, I was never any good at building them so I know it would be a waste of a perfectly good kit.

 

[The Lt.]

Once again John you've brought back alot of fond memories. What a classic set of photos.....The Lt.

 

[Alexdakar]

Hey John I still haven't built that German 8 ton truck that I bought from you.

 

[Dickbuttons]

As my house has filled up with soldiers over the last ten years it makes me wonder what are collector strategies or expectations in this hobby over the longer term. Even if you are buying a set or two each month it doesn't seem possible for most to collect at that pace forever (that's about 70+ new figures a year). I see that a few here sell items to make room for new sets, but that is a bit too circular to me. I also don't buy something unless I intend to display it. Otherwise it seems pointless. I suppose you could rotate displays. My guess is that collectors become more selective as their collection grows - maybe some lose interest or their interest wanes a bit over time and the number of purchases decrease. I'm not exactly sure. Does anyone intend to say "no mas" at some point or take a break from the hobby? I have curtailed my buying a bit over the last couple of years to John Jenkins and cherry picking a few other things that catch my eye (the "must haves"). Even so that's about 100 new figures and maybe three or four larger vehicles a year.

A important constraint on the amount of collecting, which you fail to note is perhaps more important than space limitations, is the economic limitations. Believe it or not, there is a limit to the amount of resources one can devote to this hobby each month -- for it seems that the bank, car company, utilities and credit cards also wish to collect something ( and its not soldiers) every month.

Dick

 

[maloyalo]

I have learned more over time about what I actually enjoy having & have found the extra stuff that piles up pretty annoying ultimately. But with patience you can sell it off and use it for other things, or to buy things you would still like. But I have found I was thankful that I kept some unbuilt or unpainted things around in lean times, when $ is short.

 

[marco55]

I started in the nineties collecting 25mm FFL by Redoubt.Then I saw that they had a large Sudan collection well I had to get every figure and all the ships and scenery and books and on and on.Then I saw Last of the Mohicans and here I went again.I had so much stuff I had boxes and boxes of this stuff and I didn't paint ONE figure.Finally I sold this stuff ,Then I got collecting Star Trek ships from the Franklin Mint.Then I bought all these Star Trek model kits and as you probably already guessed I didn't build one kit.Then it was Don Troiani ACW sets,Conte ACW,Conte Romans,Conte Vikings.Kingdom of Heaven came out and it was K&C Crusades and I bought This hugh Crusader diorama from Andrea Miniatures.I do have a curio cabinet full of Historical figure kits of Vikings done by a professional.When I seen Jenkins FIW sets I knew I had to have them as the FIW is my passion.As you can see I have spent a small fortune on this stuff.Hopefully this is the end of it.I hope to God nobody else does FIW for a long while.
Mark