The age old question when was or is the best time to be collecting statues?

[comicbookguy]

I was wondering in this hobby there's so much good stuff that came out a few years back like hulk, Thor, capt, red skull, spiderman PF and comiquettes, Iron man, war machine, venom, boba fett, vader, ms marvel, carnage, talon, punisher, many so called low ES grails etc. You get my point. I have started collecting for almost a year now. back collecting is no fun but then since I started I got great statues like vampi PF, lady death PF, storm, baby doll, rhino, skaar, Freddy, malgus, joker, Shaak Ti, Droids, galactus, etc. Then now the beggingnof the great DC line like ivy, bats, supes, WW, harley, catwoman, coming etc. these all mostly have no ES or super high ES statues. As a collector not for value but for the fun of collecting and how hard it was or will be to get these new pieces later on included to complete your own collection. So what was or will be your best time to collect statues in your own opinion? Older grails? New onslaught of the new grails? What time period is your most wanted statues from? To me I was going to say all the ones I missed about 5 years ago the marvel grails. But now in 2013 seems to be my year with so many of my most wanted statues coming out. The new DC line with bats, ivy, Harley, WW, joker as well included, cat woman, malgus, Shaak Ti, baby doll, grey hulk maquette, spider woman, and so many heavy hitters this year. So for me the best time would be right now. I'm not saying this because I missed the marvel grails. I'm saying this because there's even so many more of the great sculpts and statues I wanted now more so then 5 years back all coming out this year or so. I'm so glad I'm in this time to get many of my most wanted characters from DC, marvel, movies, and star wars. What was or is your best collection year or period?

 

[ProgMatinee]

Use a line break once in a while.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Holy run on sentence Batman

 

[bigb888]

I'm only fairly new to the hobby and I'm having a lot of fun hunting down long sold out items! I don't think there's a 'best time' for collecting. Even if all the grails were released in the same year, they would not suit everyone's tastes. It's all personal preference

 

[comicbookguy]

I'm only fairly new to the hobby and I'm having a lot of fun hunting down long sold out items! I don't think there's a 'best time' for collecting. Even if all the grails were released in the same year, they would not suit everyone's tastes. It's all personal preference

Welcome to the boards my frien, wow I see you just join. Happy collecting and you made it in time for the DC line

 

[VS1976]

Ive been lucky getting sone past grail statues even at premium prices. For now, i'm set. However, at some point, i will need to be very selective due to space becoming an issue. Those boxes takes up a lot of room.

 

[skillet]

You've got a great collection, CBG, sans the dust. I don't know how you do it all in 1 year's time. I try to get the things coming out now and splurge on a few grail hunts with bonuses or tax refunds.

Once in a while you get lucky and a piece comes along that make you able to live w/o the grail, like the Medusa Rattle or the Hulk Maquette. They may not be grails but good enough for the money. The new Ironman and Spiderman may do the same. Then again, if a new version comes out and it is crappy it really makes you want that grail even more.

 

[Skywalker(OG)Kush]

As long as items hold the value u paid for them its really no different then holding money in a bank account. If they lose value that's a whole different story. However, they also have the potential to appreciate a lot faster then the dollar and the inflation rate.

While the potential for value increases is greater with figures and statues, you also have to maintain and take care of them to preserve that value. With money, a bank does that for u, although if its not invested or is just sitting in an account u are losing value and wealth on that as well due to inflation. Ironically, holding money is not a good investment either. It should be invested and earning rates of return greater then the inflation rate to increase wealth.

Diversification is key: buy some collectibles, some mutual funds/stocks, CD's and short term investments and hold cash in checking account for liquidity.

Ultimately, anytime is a good time to collect as long as u exercise restraint and diversify

 

[comicbookguy]

Ive been lucky getting sone past grail statues even at premium prices. For now, i'm set. However, at some point, i will need to be very selective due to space becoming an issue. Those boxes takes up a lot of room.

Yes what can we do with those brown boxes? It's the foam inside that makes me not able to flatten then down. Errr too much space..

You've got a great collection, CBG, sans the dust. I don't know how you do it all in 1 year's time. I try to get the things coming out now and splurge on a few grail hunts with bonuses or tax refunds.

Once in a while you get lucky and a piece comes along that make you able to live w/o the grail, like the Medusa Rattle or the Hulk Maquette. They may not be grails but good enough for the money. The new Ironman and Spiderman may do the same. Then again, if a new version comes out and it is crappy it really makes you want that grail even more.

Thanks bro, it's coming too fast and space is getting jam up. But as you know I display them all tightly as possible. The boxes is a huge issue now. They take up a entire room.

As long as items hold the value u paid for them its really no different then holding money in a bank account. If they lose value that's a whole different story. However, they also have the potential to appreciate a lot faster then the dollar and the inflation rate.

While the potential for value increases is greater with figures and statues, you also have to maintain and take care of them to preserve that value. With money, a bank does that for u, although if its not invested or is just sitting in an account u are losing value and wealth on that as well due to inflation. Ironically, holding money is not a good investment either. It should be invested and earning rates of return greater then the inflation rate to increase wealth.

Diversification is key: buy some collectibles, some mutual funds/stocks, CD's and short term investments and hold cash in checking account for liquidity.

Ultimately, anytime is a good time to collect as long as u exercise restraint and diversify

It's good they hold most of it's value. But now with prices so high to start out with like 450.00 to 900.00 a statue. Don't expect any returns. After fees etc it's not worth looking for anything except to not loose money.

 

[Skywalker(OG)Kush]

Yes what can we do with those brown boxes? It's the foam inside that makes me not able to flatten then down. Errr too much space..




Thanks bro, it's coming too fast and space is getting jam up. But as you know I display them all tightly as possible. The boxes is a huge issue now. They take up a entire room.



It's good they hold most of it's value. But now with prices so high to start out with like 450.00 to 900.00 a statue. Don't expect any returns. After fees etc it's not worth looking for anything except to not loose money.

Ya I only collect hot toys so far and only splurged on a few older/rare ones, but for the most part dont cost nearly that much yet and hopefully never do. They allow for a little more wiggle room in profit/appreciation. The problem is the manufacture is getting gready and is raising prices to effectively take away our profit and keep it for themselves. They don't like seeing after market sales that triple or quadruple their own profits. This greed will destroy the industry just as it did with baseball/football cards. However the pieces we have now are pop culture art pieces that should continue to hold value and if taken care of appreciate due to rarity over time. Just hide it from the government they love taxing art/collectible fair market value increases. Unlike baseball cards which are just card board pictures/ pieces of crap that were free with bubble gum- these are modern day works of art and shouldn't suffer the same fate even if industry itself collapses

 

[CriterionCollector]

I'd say like sometime during Ancient Greece or Roman times.

 

[Irvy]

Xmas 97 was good for me.

 

[SAB]

The best time is always the future.

Because this stuff is always getting remade and the quality keeps going up ....along with the price ....while QC remains at the same level

 

[comicbookguy]

The best time is always the future.

Because this stuff is always getting remade and the quality keeps going up ....along with the price ....while QC remains at the same level

True, the time will come when a better version of the big guys come out! Come on SS spidey, Thor, capt, wolverine, venom! I like those but the scuplts can use an upgrade in my opinion!

Xmas 97 was good for me.

Ya I only collect hot toys so far and only splurged on a few older/rare ones, but for the most part dont cost nearly that much yet and hopefully never do. They allow for a little more wiggle room in profit/appreciation. The problem is the manufacture is getting gready and is raising prices to effectively take away our profit and keep it for themselves. They don't like seeing after market sales that triple or quadruple their own profits. This greed will destroy the industry just as it did with baseball/football cards. However the pieces we have now are pop culture art pieces that should continue to hold value and if taken care of appreciate due to rarity over time. Just hide it from the government they love taxing art/collectible fair market value increases. Unlike baseball cards which are just card board pictures/ pieces of crap that were free with bubble gum- these are modern day works of art and shouldn't suffer the same fate even if industry itself collapses

need I say more? You are exactly right.

 

[Boba Ben]

Unless you have limitless amounts of money, you'll always miss out on some of the things you want no matter when you start collecting and this will even happen when you're actively collecting. Additionally, life changes usually cause people to slow down their collecting of this kind of stuff eventually anyhow, so no matter when you start or when you stop, you'll miss out on some great pieces. It's best to just enjoy what you have.

 

[RagingBull]

Depends what your collecting. The best time is to start at the beginning of a line. I would much prefer to pay retail than after market prices. If your a big DC fan then now is a great time to be collecting. If your a Marvel fan then your missed out on great statues like the Spiderman Com, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Wolverine & Dr Doom PF's to name a few & would need to pay a high amount of money to get them now but I guess if your patient SS will revisit all of them characters in time but like what Boba mentioned you probably won't be able to collect everything you want anyway. For me its all about having a focus on your collection. When I was into 1/6 figures I was into everything but since I moved over to 1/4 I'm just focused on my favourite line which is comic statues.

 

[comicbookguy]

Depends what your collecting. The best time is to start at the beginning of a line. I would much prefer to pay retail than after market prices. If your a big DC fan then now is a great time to be collecting. If your a Marvel fan then your missed out on great statues like the Spiderman Com, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Wolverine & Dr Doom PF's to name a few & would need to pay a high amount of money to get them now but I guess if your patient SS will revisit all of them characters in time but like what Boba mentioned you probably won't be able to collect everything you want anyway. For me its all about having a focus on your collection. When I was into 1/6 figures I was into everything but since I moved over to 1/4 I'm just focused on my favourite line which is comic statues.

Just curious do you regret not collecting hot toys? I saw my first HT last summer they looked awesome. But I can't collect PF and HT too much space and money.

 

[Mr Quimper]

I think it's all relative to your funds. I remember when I didn't have a lot of money and I was into the Gentle Giant 1/6 line of Star Wars.

Along come Talon, sculpts from both Sideshow and Gentle Giant. What was a poor boy to do? The Gentle Giant statue was half the price and had a pose reminicent of Vampirella. Living in Europe basically priced me out of the SS edition. It was no contest.

Looking back, had I been able to afford it I should have jumped all over SS Talon. One of many tiny regrets but although we are getting amazing sculpts, the price is ever increasing. If you think this is an expensive hobby, you try adding international shipping costs and custom tax on top.

At first, eBay was my friend and I've managed to pick up some great scores. But I was a bit like a kid in a sweetshop, shooting for things that I wanted with no thought of direction, display...or savings. With baby no 2 on it's way I've severly had to curb my spending and it's heart breaking having to see some fine statues pass by (Batman and Ivy have both been cancelled).

Still, like you say with the sky high ES I shouldn't have a problem picking these up later on down the line. I just gotta pray for a price crash some time soon.

Why oh why did they close their European warehouse?

For me, now is the best time to be collecting. The Star Wars line is awesome (the early PFs of Luke/Han/Leia look awful in comparison). The new DC line has had a great start. Although I love the Marvel characters, there hasn't been a statue that I can't live without. Yes, even Dr Doom doesn't push my buttons. It's just not my thing.

I just wish the prices would come down.

 

[Vitus]

When it came time to sell Darth Talon was the best time to be collecting PFs for me lol

 

[RagingBull]

Just curious do you regret not collecting hot toys? I saw my first HT last summer they looked awesome. But I can't collect PF and HT too much space and money.

No I don't miss them but that's just me. I obviously used to really like them but since I got into 1/4 Comic PF's I just much prefer them. It's just down to personal taste so I'm definitely not knocking them. Some of the 1/4 figures HT & EB have been making have been really impressive. I'm waiting for HT to make a 1/4 Pred, that I will buy but other than that I'm completely focused on 1/4 Comic statues.