The Future of (Your) Collecting.

[icruise]

So now I know to stay away from any used figures, despite how pristine they claim they are. I'm still looking for a few older figures, but I'll wait til there's a good deal and make sure they're NRFB mint.

First of all, welcome to the hobby. But there's no guarantee that just because a figure is new in the box it will be perfect or have tight joints. You're also going to have a lot of trouble finding older figures in that condition, so unless you want to write off all of those characters, you'll probably have to get some used things. I bought most of my Sideshow Star Wars stuff second hand and had no problems at all (actually, I've had more problems with the stuff I got direct from Sideshow, but that's just a coincidence).

 

[KBA]

Don't care about resale value. I don't plan on selling anything. For prop replica collecting I've always had the mind set of buying only what I really love, and at that, waiting for a steal on the grails. Now that I've migrated into 1/6 collecting I hope that same mind set serves me just as well.

 

[Mooncat]

When I buy at retail and to a certain extent 2nd hand I dont consider re-sale values

If Im buying 2nd hand Ive usually waited a while trying to snag one in the first place so I know what the going rate is for that piece on re-sale

Retail Ive found that rule of thumb Hot Toys retains it value

SSC doesnt

SSC Im more inclined to wait and see if I cant pick it up on the secondary cheaper no more burning desire for mediocre at best exclusives on mediocre at best figures

as for expense

My top 2 most expensive pieces were bought 2nd hand

Trinity Ducatti GG
Storm Blaster MR

After that its SSC Jabba and throne

and then all my HT figures

If I had the money Id buy collectables that were £500 to £1000 and move away from 1/6th and more into other scales as well as 1:1

But if Im honest I dont have the money for the stuff Ive bought now, Ill be moving CC balances for years to come, trying to whittle it down.

Im not sure what my collecting future holds but probably

selling some stuff off
buying less
earning more

Ill have to do all of the above before this collecting addiction puts me in the poor house

 

[Alice Adrenochrome]

A lot of people said that they didn't care about the re-sale value. If you really want a collectible, I can understand that you're not concerned about that, at the time you buy it, but... if you bought something at retail, doesn't it bother you that you've spend to much money if it's available cheaper down the road??? Just an example: I bought a brand new and sealed cigarette smoking man for $7.50 !!! about a month ago. They also had several female Bond characters available for that price. I bought the cigarette smoking man, because I wanted the suit, otherwise I'm not interested in the X-files at all.
But what I'm trying to say, it's strange to see that some things go for so cheap.

 

[Mooncat]

A lot of people said that they didn't care about the re-sale value. If you really want a collectible, I can understand that you're not concerned about that, at the time you buy it, but... if you bought something at retail, doesn't it bother you that you've spend to much money if it's available cheaper down the road??? Just an example: I bought a brand new and sealed cigarette smoking man for $7.50 !!! about a month ago. They also had several female Bond characters available for that price. I bought the cigarette smoking man, because I wanted the suit, otherwise I'm not interested in the X-files at all.
But what I'm trying to say, it's strange to see that some things go for so cheap.

I understand what your saying, but thats the roll of the dice, take nazi kroenen though complete opposite to cigerette man. Its just a pity that the majority of 1/6th SSC seem to go cigerette man as opposed to the other way round.

But I am not interested in Xfiles I like Hellboy its just the way it panned out.

I think you can bare this kind of thing in mind when you purchase but I think most people make purchase decisions with their hearts not their wallets.

But understanding that its the wallet that pays for it all not the heart, is good advice.

Ive so over spent in the past 12 months its untrue, but I doubt Id wanna sell anything, atm anyway, well not to try and recoup monies

Id rather find the money through other means, and I think that makes you appreciate the figures more, knowing that you had to make sacrfices to keep em

 

[EVILFACE]

What is the item worth to you when you bought it?

I paid $110 for Sidious/Palpatine 2 pack. Now days you can see people selling him for much less. But at the time the figure were worth that price to me, so I paid it and don't feel a bit bad about it.

Some things you just don't need to worry about. How much did you pay for your car? Your TV? Your computer? All can be gotten now for far less than you paid.

 

[SimFeliz]

A lot of people said that they didn't care about the re-sale value. If you really want a collectible, I can understand that you're not concerned about that, at the time you buy it, but... if you bought something at retail, doesn't it bother you that you've spend to much money if it's available cheaper down the road???

Usually it doesn't really bother me. Sure if I paid several hundred dollars for something and later on saw it for under $50 I might be a bit disappointed. Most of the time when I do see something sell for cheaper I just think oh well I've got it now. I'm like that with everything, I buy though even groceries.

 

[Mooncat]

What is the item worth to you when you bought it?

I paid $110 for Sidious/Palpatine 2 pack. Now days you can see people selling him for much less. But at the time the figure were worth that price to me, so I paid it and don't feel a bit bad about it.

Some things you just don't need to worry about. How much did you pay for your car? Your TV? Your computer? All can be gotten now for far less than you paid.

Yep but you try and buy a Volkswagon Camper Van now, 58 years since its inception, over that time the price has gone up and down


Currently theres a VW Camper on sale online for £14,500 it was made in 1965 (and theres alot of them around that price and year)

In 1975 you could have probably bought that for £1500 yet 33 years later its gone up £12,000

There in fashion atm

But whod want to have a VW camper sat in their garage for 33 years ? A collector probably !

 

[KBA]

A lot of people said that they didn't care about the re-sale value. If you really want a collectible, I can understand that you're not concerned about that, at the time you buy it, but... if you bought something at retail, doesn't it bother you that you've spend to much money if it's available cheaper down the road??? Just an example: I bought a brand new and sealed cigarette smoking man for $7.50 !!! about a month ago. They also had several female Bond characters available for that price. I bought the cigarette smoking man, because I wanted the suit, otherwise I'm not interested in the X-files at all.
But what I'm trying to say, it's strange to see that some things go for so cheap.

I never pay above what I deem an item to be worth. If it's cheaper down the road? Then congrats to whoever pays for less than the item is worth. That's always a great feeling.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

like everyone else i'm becoming extremely selective with stuff. a few months ago i paid a pretty penny for the Darth Maul bust, but it is completely worth it IMO so i'm not upset about it. the only other item i think i won't mind paying a premium for is the cinemaquette predator that is on the horizon-- only reason i'm not buying now is because i hope he actually goes down in price after a couple months. IMO right now the best company for the buck is Hot Toys. almost all of their recent 12" figures are masterpieces.

 

[SOLIDSNAKE]

I try to buy the collectibles I want at retail value before they skyrocket in price. If I want something I will get it at any cost.
I never buy my collectibles thinking i am going to make a dollar later.
I will never sale my collection EVER !! I take too much pride in the stuff I buy.
With our new baby comming my collecting will stop for a while.