How Do You Pay For K&C? (1 Viewer)

[gk5717]

I,m not trying to be to personal, but since K&C is not cheap, just wondering if you do anything in particular to pay for these luxuries.
I work a part time job just to pay for my toy soldier habit. I also sold a large baseball & hockey card collection to get my K&C collection started.
I also work every holiday to get the extra time and a half which I use to buy K&C.
After reading what I just posted I,m one sick individuel.
Gary

 

[CannonFodder1971]

Gary,

I wasn't in at the start either, so I don't have a rare lava-encrusted wood chipping from the Philippines factory to sell for $100,000,000 either. In fact my collection has remained roughly the same size over the past few years, ie about 50-60 sets, with a rotation between storage and display. I found that this was largely self-financing, but I did let quite a few pieces go for swap or sale which are now worth many multiples of what they went for then, and the self-financing element has now largely disappeared given that the bulk of my collection is now post-2002.

I didn't have a baseball or hockey card collection to sell but I have a reasonable euro coin collection, as in the years preceding the abolition of various European currencies and the introduction of the euro I managed to get onto the mailing lists for the rare production from Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican. (I only sell Vatican coins for charities, but for the other two I have a reasonably good appreciation in value for items which are incredibly cheap to ship, unlike K&C boxes, and they are a "cash cow" each year).

If I were you, unless you've decided to build an extension to your house to accommodate the annual production of 50 new releases each year, I'd think about what can actually be enjoyed as a collection. (A heap of boxes somewhere incurring ownership costs on a credit card isn't enjoyment of a collectible). Leaving aside the single-figure production items, just adding 15 standard 4-figure sets and one or two vehicles each year would set you back $ 1,500 and so think about at what point the sense of enjoyment or achievement is reached and/or is exceeded by the sacrifice undertaken to get there. I'd think perhaps $2,500 to ramp up to a nice collection size, perhaps another $500-$750 on a few key "trophy" retired pieces to add something extra to a diorama, and then perhaps $500-$750 a year on current production would be the most the average collector would be spending. Now I could be totally wrong on those ballpark figures but realistically I can't see someone getting every last Afrika Korps piece (including the rare AK01-AK09) and then spending a similar or greater amount on an Eastern Front diorama. Not unless they've a huge display area. These aren't butterflies or stamps and they do take up a lot of space, and this as much as the financial hit can sometimes cause people to reflect on how realistic they can be about the size of their collection.

 

[binder001]

It gets tricky, doesn't it. Fortunately I am currently able to afford my research books (I buy the technical stuff on US armor that the libraries won't get, then I read the general histories and memoirs from them), the model trains (just adding the occaisional new item as I have WAY too many currently) the 1/35th models and then to be able to dabble in K&C. That's another reason I buy only US stuff, and occaisionally have to "Pass" on some items. I have been fortunate to be treated well by George Guirerrro to buy the new K&C stuff. For the DUKW I have been putting aside a few bucks out of each paycheck, then when the invoice comes the "sticker shock" won't be so bad. It also sounds like I better keep setting some money aside for fall when the next round of BBA's come out. Fortunately I have been blessed with a wife with a high tolerance level. She doesn't like the soldiers, but she tolerates them (until I tell her what they cost!).

An extra job just to pay for the soldiers, you are a fanatic! Back when I was younger I was getting into model trains in a big way and I worked part time for HobbyTown (before Merl and Tom went into the national franchise business). That was a good experience for a hobbyist to see the other side of the counter. I appreciate what any hobby dealer has to go through.

 

[Doug Stork]

Gary
One Dollar At A Time
Doug

 

[victory]

I have budgeted this hobby into my paycheck. Unfortunately K&C production rate is greater than the sets I can purchase on a monthly basis. I probably shouldn't have expanded my collection into anything other than WWII. Apart from WWII, I collect the Amer. Rev., Egyptians and have picked up a few Silk Road sets as well. Space is also an issue and has reached its maximum capacity. I have compounded the problem by purchasing some 1/6 tanks. As for K&C, I know I can't collect everything because of the coin it takes and space. One positive aspect of K&C is that the sets are generally available for awhile before they are retired. So if I am not financially ready, there is no urgency and feeling of despair when new sets come out.

 

[Alexdakar]

Recently my main source of income is ebay. I sell K&C items, 1/35 scale tanks and painted plastic Conte figures. Basically anything WWII hobby related.

 

[jazzeum]

I have to go along with Alex on this one. I've been trying to pay for K & C out of ebay sales but I have to be honest and admit that doesn't cover everything. Unfortunately, that is the way it's going to have to be in the future. I have sold basically what's not tied down including the residue of my train collection, some jazz cds that I don't contemplate listening to that had some value (with around 2,000 it's hard to listen to everything) and my baseball periodical collection. When I first started in K & C, some of those yearbooks paid for a lot, especially the 60s material I had laying around. Unfortunately, I'm into the 70s material and that just won't fetch enough. But you'd be surprised what you have around the house. I sold some soccer jerseys and those did ok; no complaints.

 

[Peter Reuss]

Don't sell EVERYTHING from your house! When I see the wife and kids on eBay I'll start to worry ....

 

[Doug Stork]

Don't sell EVERYTHING from your house! When I see the wife and kids on eBay I'll start to worry ....

PETE
IN SOME CASES THE WIFE MIGHT BE THE FIRST THING LISTED ON EBAY
DOUG S

 

[jazzeum]

Hmm, hadn't thought of that. Does Shannon know she's been sold

 

[Rob]

I really want that new DUKW,what can i sell?.Hey i really don't need TWO Lungs!!