Why do we collect?

[ayoldguy1]

Hello, all-
I was just thinking this the other day. What exactly is it about action figures/statues that make us collect them? What is it that draws us to certain items rather than others within the figure/statue realm?

For me, it's a number of things - I find action figures very cool and am amazed by their detail, so owning these things makes me happy. I also find that collecting and involving myself in something that I love reduces stress and helps me get through the day. Among other things, I also find that I'm able to tap into the 'inner kid' in me, esp in collecting figures that help trigger associations with my childhood, such as Star Wars figures.

So, why do you collect? Why specifically certain lines, or themes, and not others?

Thanks.

 

[King Darkness]

So, why do you collect?

I have nothing better to do

 

[ayoldguy1]

I have nothing better to do

LOL, as good a reason as any...

 

[karamazov80]

A distraction from focusing on the great cosmic mysteries that lead only to despair.

 

[ApeManRyan]

I collect for the soul reason that Film,Movies,TV, Comics are my life. These collectibles show my passion for them in so many ways. I hope to one day move onto screen used props and display them with all my collectibles but for now 1:6 scale rules my life and I have a passion for it still. I've been collecting for over 6 years and I varied in different things. I never will stop or leave this hobby.

 

[creature4000]

Because I hate money!

Seriously... Though I really have no clue, I guess it's because toys entertained my youth and these entertain me now. Plus it keeps me from getting bored with life.

 

[HODLr]

For myself, being an artist since I was a child, having statutes around helps spark my own creativity. They're also pretty cool.

 

[pixletwin]

I read somewhere that collecting stems from issues with absent fathers.

 

[Taibhse]

I got Gene sequenced.. turns out I'm 90% Pack rat:

 

[Pork Chop Express]

Almost everyone collects something, just depends on what your interests are. I guess you could put all your money into a bank account and just save it but it's not like you gonna take it with you when your expiration date comes up. Then again not all collections require large sums of money...
Sell everything and travel.

 

[AIR]

Because I hate money!

Seriously... Though I really have no clue, I guess it's because toys entertained my youth and these entertain me now. Plus it keeps me from getting bored with life.

Pretty much

 

[CallMeTheDoctor]

Lived in an average (slightly above poor) home. So I never got to get cool toys and stuff unless it was from a garage sale

Now I'd say I collect because I love the characters or symbolic meaning for me (as a kid I'd watch a ton of Rambo with my dad, so it's a thing to remember family and stuff by); and also because since I couldn't get that stuff as a kid, I compensate with badass statues. Weird I know.


I'm sure I have other reasons, but I just enjoy the hunt, trying to find a good, debate if it's worth it and so forth. It's a mini adventure in my books.

 

[Mister Ski]

To feed my OCD fix.

 

[Lejuan]

So I could fit in with the folks on this forum.

 

[MaddHappy]

I have been thinking about this for a while, I just starting collecting myself. And for me not getting the Green Ranger Dagger might have been why I ended up in this place right now. Growing up I never got the Green Ranger Dagger, but since it was recently release I bought it threw a website called Big Bad toys. From there I was introduced to the forums of Statue Forum and Side Show Freaks, and to the Threads of Showing your collection. So many people have beautiful collections, which made me want to follow and get my own.

 

[potato]

started with collecting for fun, now i just buy anything that i have slight interest in as long as the price is low enough and there's some demand on the market, once i receive it i will open it up & play around it, take some photos, then depend on how much i like it, if i really really like it i'd keep it, if it's anything less than that i will try to sell it off, and depends on the level of fondness i have with them & the rarity, i set a price on them, for those that's really rare & i like them but not very very like them, i'd purposely put a higher price tag in hope that nobody will buy them in such short period of time so i can actually keep them longer. the money from the sales can then help me fund the items that i really really like. it's becoming like half hobby half trading thing because if you just collect as hobby, it really takes alot of money and one day it loses it's fun.

 

[RJMacReady16]

It's art, man. And a link to our lost childhood.

 

[Snobbles]

I kept well away from collectibles - more money then I was willing to spend. Then my partner got me a SS Clone Trooper (Commander Ganche) for my birthday last year. It just didn't seem right to keep him all alone...

 

[potato]

so you sold Commander Ganche and nobody was alone since then.

I kept well away from collectibles - more money then I was willing to spend. Then my partner got me a SS Clone Trooper (Commander Ganche) for my birthday last year. It just didn't seem right to keep him all alone...

 

[abubakarhimself]

Beacuse i am a slave to the man.