Do You Collect for Aesthetics or Source Material?

[darksheep]

Hey guys, I was wondering what motivates you to collect expensive toys- aesthetics or the fondness to the source material?

There was a very similar question asked "Which do you prefer: Design or a Specific Character?" You might want to also look there for opinions.

I have collected stuff from my child hood and stuff I love today . I also collect some figures just because I find their aesthetics really appealing .

I have figures from Games , Anima , Figures and Movies . I have then got a few figures that I picked up just because I love the way they look and can appreciate them for their artistic value .

Some examples from my collection

• I have a few Iron man figures because I loved Iron Man as a kid and still do as an adult.
• There are even a few highly selective Anima characters in my 1/6 collection from shows I love , Naruto and Bleach.
• Batman figures are in my collection as well because they where movies my dad and I both enjoyed.
• The Bandai : Metal Structure RX-93 Nu Gundam is in my collection as I love Gundam and mechs and its a really unique figure. I also like its factuality and look.
• Pre ordered the Blitzway : Dr.BB as I just loved how it looked , did not care about the story , it detail and the fact the robots head was like a terminator Lego man hooked me right in.
• I also recently got the Black 13 Park : Bear figure , I have always admired the figures from this company the craftsmanship, the innovation, modularity and imagination that has gone into them .

I limit my self to getting what I love and generally take 3 months to make a decision about a figure, I pre order to make sure I don't miss out and have to pay crazy after market prices. If the figure comes out and I don't want it for any reason I just sell my pre order on for what I paid for it to a few people I know . So I am also budget smart . One example is the Gundam I pre ordered it day one , by the time it shipped people where selling it for double the price and now its quadrupled. So I am also carful with my purchases .

 

[Zurdo95D]

I collect for both the aesthetics and my love for the source material.

 

[Victοr]

The most important part of collecting for me is to have an emotional attachment with the source material. There have been a few instances where I was tempted by something random just because it looked cool. In even fewer instances I was intrigued enough to check the source material and familiarise myself with it. I can't remember any times where I did end up buying said merch though. Other things came first. I always wait a fair bit before putting down a PO, just to make sure I really want it. I'm not made of money and space. And I don't much want a cluttered collection of plastic.

However, aesthetics play a large role as well. If the costume/outfit/look is not good enough, unless it's a "now or never" case, I always opt to wait for a latter version. For example, I'm a pretty big Iron Man fan. He's in my Top 5 Comic Book Characters, easily. However, until the Endgame suit rolled around, I didn't own a single outfit. The reason is that none of the armours ever clicked with me. The early ones were a bit before I started collecting, and thus outdated. By the time the Avengers version rolled around, and the IM2 Reissue, I had limited funds and gave them elsewhere. The suits, after all, while good enough, weren't close to what I was looking for. My favourite looks at the time were the Modular, the Bleeding Edge and the Extremis. None of the figures were what I was looking for. The IM3, A2 and so on looks kept getting worse and worse. The IW version was good enough, a take on the Bleeding Edge, but... In the end, I needed an Iron Man and thankfully the Endgame look was close to the Modular, so I bit the bullet and got him. So, as you can see, while I'm a big enough Ironfan to have read stuff like The Crossing and enjoy Heroes Reborn, I had to wait until a version that I truly liked to pay the 400 euros. Someone like the Punisher, that I again like, but found his Netflix look boring, I passed on and am waiting for another version. Aesthetics play a great role as well, even when you already have an affinity for the source.

In the end, as time goes on I try and limit my purchases to what I really, truly have some attachment to. I fear that otherwise you end up a hoarder and your collection has no meaning. Worse, it just looks disjointed and ugly. Space, money and time are all finite, so buying things you don't care about just because you're high on that property at that point is a bad strategy. Only go with things that have stayed with you over the years. Yeah, sometimes you'll come across something new that'll click with you instantly because it pushes a lot of your buttons, but such instances are rare and far between.

 

[potato]

The most important part of collecting for me is to have an emotional attachment with the source material. There have been a few instances where I was tempted by something random just because it looked cool. In even fewer instances I was intrigued enough to check the source material and familiarise myself with it. I can't remember any times where I did end up buying said merch though. Other things came first. I always wait a fair bit before putting down a PO, just to make sure I really want it. I'm not made of money and space. And I don't much want a cluttered collection of plastic.

However, aesthetics play a large role as well. If the costume/outfit/look is not good enough, unless it's a "now or never" case, I always opt to wait for a latter version. For example, I'm a pretty big Iron Man fan. He's in my Top 5 Comic Book Characters, easily. However, until the Endgame suit rolled around, I didn't own a single outfit. The reason is that none of the armours ever clicked with me. The early ones were a bit before I started collecting, and thus outdated. By the time the Avengers version rolled around, and the IM2 Reissue, I had limited funds and gave them elsewhere. The suits, after all, while good enough, weren't close to what I was looking for. My favourite looks at the time were the Modular, the Bleeding Edge and the Extremis. None of the figures were what I was looking for. The IM3, A2 and so on looks kept getting worse and worse. The IW version was good enough, a take on the Bleeding Edge, but... In the end, I needed an Iron Man and thankfully the Endgame look was close to the Modular, so I bit the bullet and got him. So, as you can see, while I'm a big enough Ironfan to have read stuff like The Crossing and enjoy Heroes Reborn, I had to wait until a version that I truly liked to pay the 400 euros. Someone like the Punisher, that I again like, but found his Netflix look boring, I passed on and am waiting for another version. Aesthetics play a great role as well, even when you already have an affinity for the source.

In the end, as time goes on I try and limit my purchases to what I really, truly have some attachment to. I fear that otherwise you end up a hoarder and your collection has no meaning. Worse, it just looks disjointed and ugly. Space, money and time are all finite, so buying things you don't care about just because you're high on that property at that point is a bad strategy. Only go with things that have stayed with you over the years. Yeah, sometimes you'll come across something new that'll click with you instantly because it pushes a lot of your buttons, but such instances are rare and far between.

Most people collect based on fact, after the hobby became main stream, you have the old collectors vs new bandwagoners (some do collect what they love), most of the scalpers are bandwagoners just like any collectibles, they ruin the fun and when the market dies because of them they move on to their next target. It was toys, then Sneakers, then Watches, it will never end as long as collecting is still a thing.

 

[Victοr]

Most people collect based on fact, after the hobby became main stream, you have the old collectors vs new bandwagoners (some do collect what they love), most of the scalpers are bandwagoners just like any collectibles, they ruin the fun and when the market dies because of them they move on to their next target. It was toys, then Sneakers, then Watches, it will never end as long as collecting is still a thing.

Bandwagoners ruin everything. They're different from newcomers who come into a hobby and assimilate. Instead they twist it to fit their own notions of it. In collecting, they run it to the gound every time. Apart from the hoarding and the scalping, they also inflate the prices. They're whales who buy everything in bulk. When some company gets cheeky and ties to raise the prices to see how many will take the bait, then those whales come in and buy them by the truckload, the company sees that there's a demand in the market, and they're willing to pay the raised prices, so they march on. And the normal collectors are the ones who get screwed.

 

[potato]

Bandwagoners ruin everything. They're different from newcomers who come into a hobby and assimilate. Instead they twist it to fit their own notions of it. In collecting, they run it to the gound every time. Apart from the hoarding and the scalping, they also inflate the prices. They're whales who buy everything in bulk. When some company gets cheeky and ties to raise the prices to see how many will take the bait, then those whales come in and buy them by the truckload, the company sees that there's a demand in the market, and they're willing to pay the raised prices, so they march on. And the normal collectors are the ones who get screwed.

yea but isn't it the same in the world of economy? if there is an opportunity people take it, that is what investors do. when the market dries up they move on to the next market. if there is no market, they create one by using hype and lies. this is a signs where times are bad, and people aren't making enough out of their full time job, and they don't have enough money to invest in the big boys games, so they find investments that they can afford to play, collectibles suits them. if you ask them to hoard JDM cars as investment it might be too much for them, but for a $200 Hot Toys, sure.

Notice this happened around post 2007, where the hobby started to die down due to economy hit, but at the same time you see the market shrinking and people only buy selected few brands and series like Hot Toys Marvels, and they increased the pricing yet they are usually sold out thanks to both collectors and scalpers. Post 2007 this was rarely the case because most people had enough money from their paycheck.

 

[Victοr]

yea but isn't it the same in the world of economy? if there is an opportunity people take it, that is what investors do. when the market dries up they move on to the next market. if there is no market, they create one by using hype and lies. this is a signs where times are bad, and people aren't making enough out of their full time job, and they don't have enough money to invest in the big boys games, so they find investments that they can afford to play, collectibles suits them. if you ask them to hoard JDM cars as investment it might be too much for them, but for a $200 Hot Toys, sure.

Notice this happened around post 2007, where the hobby started to die down due to economy hit, but at the same time you see the market shrinking and people only buy selected few brands and series like Hot Toys Marvels, and they increased the pricing yet they are usually sold out thanks to both collectors and scalpers. Post 2007 this was rarely the case because most people had enough money from their paycheck.

You're right on how the whole thing operates. People find a way to make money and they go for it, simple as. The thing with scalpers isn't that they're Joe McShucks trying to make an extra buck. They're people who already have money. They don't get into stocks because reselling dollies is safer and nets you a good enough return. But these guys already have the tons of cash to drop. You don't clean out Mezco POs, or buy 10 HTs at once, to resell at triple the price, when you're just a guy making the best out of a situation. Even collecting 1/6th and above in the first place is divorced from most toy collectors, who are sticking with the 6" scale. We've reached a point the last few years where those figures, who are supposed to be for kids, sell out before they even make it to the stores. Toy collecting is being propped up by 40 YOs who need every 6" version of Han Solo.

The bad thing in this case is that it wrecks the market. It's not just missing out on a item and paying aftermarket prices for it. It's that the more whales jump on the bandwagon, and the more the regular collectors try to keep up, the more the prices increase and the quality goes down because the demand is getting hysterical. There's other factors, inflations and all, but I'm getting increasingly tired as time goes on. Games Workshop is literally trying to sell a plasti-no, wait, uh, "diecast", Bandai 8" Spesh Mauhreen, with literally just a sword, for 240 Euros, minus taxes and whatever. And the scalpers and whales will buy as much as they can so that they can later flip them on eBay for 500 because "made to order" and all. Which will give GW the message that there's suckers willing to pay those prices, and they'll keep raising them until it collapses and we go back to no 40K merch. There's got to be a balance.

I've never liked bandwagoners in general. Back in the day you had to put in the work to get into something new. Now it's all become too meaningless.

 

[potato]

You're right on how the whole thing operates. People find a way to make money and they go for it, simple as. The thing with scalpers isn't that they're Joe McShucks trying to make an extra buck. They're people who already have money. They don't get into stocks because reselling dollies is safer and nets you a good enough return. But these guys already have the tons of cash to drop. You don't clean out Mezco POs, or buy 10 HTs at once, to resell at triple the price, when you're just a guy making the best out of a situation. Even collecting 1/6th and above in the first place is divorced from most toy collectors, who are sticking with the 6" scale. We've reached a point the last few years where those figures, who are supposed to be for kids, sell out before they even make it to the stores. Toy collecting is being propped up by 40 YOs who need every 6" version of Han Solo.

The bad thing in this case is that it wrecks the market. It's not just missing out on a item and paying aftermarket prices for it. It's that the more whales jump on the bandwagon, and the more the regular collectors try to keep up, the more the prices increase and the quality goes down because the demand is getting hysterical. There's other factors, inflations and all, but I'm getting increasingly tired as time goes on. Games Workshop is literally trying to sell a plasti-no, wait, uh, "diecast", Bandai 8" Spesh Mauhreen, with literally just a sword, for 240 Euros, minus taxes and whatever. And the scalpers and whales will buy as much as they can so that they can later flip them on eBay for 500 because "made to order" and all. Which will give GW the message that there's suckers willing to pay those prices, and they'll keep raising them until it collapses and we go back to no 40K merch. There's got to be a balance.

I've never liked bandwagoners in general. Back in the day you had to put in the work to get into something new. Now it's all become too meaningless.

think it this way, if the scalpers aren't doing it, the retailers will soon figure it out and do the same thing. notice makers are only making sufficient amount that can fulfill PO's plus a few more for shelf retails? they know by doing so buyers know the productions are limited and they either take the dive and PO them or risk paying for them in resell market. By limiting the numbers this also drives up their value, and demand, just like Rolex.

 

[Victοr]

think it this way, if the scalpers aren't doing it, the retailers will soon figure it out and do the same thing. notice makers are only making sufficient amount that can fulfill PO's plus a few more for shelf retails? they know by doing so buyers know the productions are limited and they either take the dive and PO them or risk paying for them in resell market. By limiting the numbers this also drives up their value, and demand, just like Rolex.

Fair point, someone's bound to take advantage of the situation. Still, it's a bad trend. I've wanted 40K merch forever, but I'm not paying 240 euros for an 8" Bandai. I'd rather 400, even 500, for a diecast 12-14"er.

 

[Gipetto0812]

The older I get, the more I find I
mostly only like to collect things that have a major connection to my childhood. At the same time, it has to be aesthetically pleasing in one way or another.

This is definitely me as well. I definitely used to be the guy who HAD to have nearly every HT figure released just b/c they looked so good, but I ended up not really caring for my collection at all. Now, I go for items that actually mean something to me. It has to look good to my eyes obviously, but also have connection to my childhood (when it comes to geeky things at least) or a film that really hit with me. It's why I stopped collecting movie based comic characters and started getting the Sideshow figures (which I know is blasphemous on this board ). While I like the movies, I have more of a connection with the source material i.e. comics, so I prefer to have a comic interpretation now. And for childhood stuff, it's why I still collect transformers, but the masterpiece kind that focus more on the adult collector as well as the old Sideshow GI Joe figures.

 

[potato]

This is definitely me as well. I definitely used to be the guy who HAD to have nearly every HT figure released just b/c they looked so good, but I ended up not really caring for my collection at all. Now, I go for items that actually mean something to me. It has to look good to my eyes obviously, but also have connection to my childhood (when it comes to geeky things at least) or a film that really hit with me. It's why I stopped collecting movie based comic characters and started getting the Sideshow figures (which I know is blasphemous on this board ). While I like the movies, I have more of a connection with the source material i.e. comics, so I prefer to have a comic interpretation now. And for childhood stuff, it's why I still collect transformers, but the masterpiece kind that focus more on the adult collector as well as the old Sideshow GI Joe figures.

the more i realize this, the more i felt people are just chasing the past, and giving up the present and future. now i ask myself do i really like these stuffs now, or did i really like them? maybe by chasing the nostalgia i might have overlooked stuffs that i might really like now? it's rare to buy gems that you really love, especially you bought it because it caught your eyes but didn't think much about it and down the road you grow more fond of them even though they may not be the best version.

 

[The Brown Knight]

Source material 100% personally. These figures are made for fans more so than for collecting's sake like other collectable items which can represent more than just a character. That's the main difference for me. Personally, I have to like the film, the actor, the outfit etc., or at least most of those points. It would not sit right with me if I had something in my collection that I had little interest in, in the sense that the character means nothing to me. But different strokes for different folks.

 

[aussiebottt]

Source material 100% that has a strong connection to my childhood. That leaves only Star Wars and Transformers.