If you lost all of your Transformers collection, where would you start again?

[Paulbot]

If for whatever reason you lost all of your Transformers collection tomorrow, what figure would you buy back first? That excellent question was asked by Alex Kirk at a UK Transformers meet recently and created some fascinating discussion and introspective analysis. After the initial wave of “Nothing, I’d be free!” responses, everyone who was asked the question gave some very interesting answers. I’ve expanded Alex’s question to include the first three toys one would buy back, for whatever purpose that might be: rebuilding, three and done, nostalgia or a blank slate with the benefit of experience.

If You Lost It All… (Part 1) | Source Blog (http://tfsource.com/blog/if-you-lost-it-all-part-1/) <- CLICK TO READ


All the best
Maz

I thought this article's question was an interesting topic for discussion among the young and old here.

For every member here that's never stopped collecting, there's at least 10-15 who did and came back in often with nothing. So I'm very interested to hear from the who range of fellow Ozformers, what would do?

I'm not sure and need to think about it some more. There's toys I could never part with, but if I doubt they'd be the first ones I'd get back. There's sentiment attached to the ones I have that make them treasured, not because they are ideal TF specimens. A replacement just wouldn't be the same.

There's also momentum for me, if I lost them all I might indeed not get back on the horse. I'd want to have some toys but I'd never build up such a big collection from scratch.

If you lost all of your Transformers collection tomorrow, what figure(s) would you buy back first?

[1AZRAEL1]

I think I'd be in the boat of probably not collecting again. I think I'd lose the passion for collecting. Maybe the Masterpieces, definitely Soundwave, and classicverse figures. I don't think I'd start on G1/G2 again. I'd likely get the few figures I have from BW and Tidal Wave too.

[i_amtrunks]

I'd be done. Tracking down the classics would be too expensive now, getting all the animated and BW figures, let alone the G1 stuff would be both time consuming and potentially financially impossible.

Plus the passion has worn thin due to the movies and the lack of product available locally.

I'd recollect the IDW comics though.

[Skullcruncher]

That would be me done. Maybe I'd collect GI Joe or something less burdensome on the bank account :D

[CoRDS]

i would move to collecting detailed jpg's or png's of master piece transformers in the poses i want. then i would print them out and put them on my self.
may even branch out in to pics of 3rd party figures as well ;)

[5FDP]

I came into this thread thinking I would be the only person to say 'I wouldn't'... I got to admit I was quite surprised.

Put me down also as someone who wouldn't take collecting back up. Now that I know how expensive the hobby can be, especially since I would be tracking down past toys, I'd rather save my cash. I have two kids aged 4 and 7 that are dependent on me and it would be irresponsible parenting to spend money on building a collection from scratch. I'd rather spend that money on giving them an education.

[GoktimusPrime]

I wouldn't stop, but I wouldn't back collect either; I would just keep collecting the way I've always done since 1984; by buying current stuff. Even if I could afford to re-purchase the toys that I lost, the fact of the matter is that they would never be MY toys. IMHO back-collecting a lost collection would be futile because the new toys simply would not be the toys that I grew up with. They wouldn't be part of my childhood. Even toys that I've collected in adulthood still represent different stages of my life, e.g. 9 years ago I was burgled and some of my TFs were stolen, including my original G1 Optimus Prime. Someone generously gave me a free 1984 G1 Optimus Prime, which I am forever grateful for, but ultimately that toy will never hold the same personal value for me as the toy that I've lost. It's actually in physically better condition than the toy that was stolen, but the stolen toy was the one that I grew up with. It was the Optimus Prime of my childhood. When I get reissues, I actually still hang onto my original G1s, no matter how worn and damaged they may be. The reissues are the toys that I will play with now, but I keep the originals because they are ambassadors of my childhood. No reissue can ever replace that.

So considering that what I would lose would really be irreplacable, I wouldn't bother back-collecting. I'd most likely continue collecting current and future stuff, but I wouldn't hunt down old toys from the aftermarket.

[BigTransformerTrev]

There's also momentum for me, if I lost them all I might indeed not get back on the horse. I'd want to have some toys but I'd never build up such a big collection from scratch.




This ^

No way after taking 30 years to get 1500 figures I'd start again. Maybe get the odd one of my fav characters (Grimlock, Swindle, Shockwave, Optimus, Starscream) but that would be it. I think I'd get them more for my son and enjoy playing with his along with him.

[Sinnertwin]

i couldn't be bothered spending all that time, energy & money buying them back again.

[Paulbot]

So the overwhelming response so far is: would not start collecting again.

But, are there particular figures you would get again, even if you weren't collecting, a personal favourite or two you'd want to have?

I don't know my answer yet. Some of the recent MPs probably (Prime, Prowl, Sideswipe) which is a pretty cliche answer.

[liegeprime]

Prolly just the MPs, probably.....but yeah, I wouldn't restart G1. too hard, too expensive. Even ChUGUR would be the same.... so at most MPs.... though Prime 's gonna be difficult. I'd strat with Soundwave. or I may even just stop after Soundwave.

[Deonasis]

I would collect again but mostly the new stuff.

But what three items would i recollect? Hrmm.. an impossible question


Micron Legend Starscream
DotM Ultimate Optimus Prime
Classics (gun) Megatron

Other figures are sentimental but these got picked because i think they are fun but ultimately flawed. That makes me pick them up, check out their engineering and begin dreaming up improvements for them. I can happily do that for hours :o

[Sky Shadow]

I agree with almost all of the above - it would be a massive load off my back and I wouldn't plan to start again. That said, I'm sure that even if I wan't paying attention to the fandom I'd find out that something like an Encore Powerdasher and Reflector box set or Generations Botanica or Masterpiece Lugnut would come out and it will start me up again.

[Golden Phoenix]

I'd start agian. And I think I'd start with what I could find for a decent price and what was available now.

But that is my way of collecting older figures now. I don't really hunt things down, I am more opportunistic. That would just continue I guess.

[Megatran]

Having only a small collection (around 250 & shrinking), this wouldn't be too much of a financial burden in relative terms compared to some members here.

However, I'll be very selective:
The colour variants of the the G1 Optimus Prime cab moulds. It doesn't matter if your black or white (or red or green or grey or yellow or blue or orange or touch of gold).
JP Collectors Edition reissues (luv the packaging).

[theshape]

Id probably just buy a few expensive afa g1 figures of my favorite toys and keep the collection tiny

[UltraMarginal]

If for some reason I lost everything, I'd be devastated as it would probably mean the loss of our home and my parents home....
Like Mentioned above, a lot of my earlier collection and even my more recent acquisitions have fond memories related to them, that meaning can't be replaced, but a likeness of the item that jogs that memory, maybe.

I'd be very upset and initially I'd probably quit. pick up my bat and ball and leave.

In the long run though I'd probably work my way back in. I enjoy Transformers too much.

what would I get first, my initial 3?

*Probably an encore/reissue skids. G1 skids was my first.
*Maybe MP-04 Prime. Still in my mind the best incarnation of Optimus Prime ever.
*A jazz, not sure if it would be an encore/Reissue or the Generations Deluxe. if there was an MP Jazz, then it would be that.

I highly doubt I'd be able to stop there. I'd probably end up with most Masterpieces and some G1 items, thundercracker at least.

[MayzaPrime]

If I lost my entire collection, I would just pick a few of the more recent MP's and that would be it.

Its taken me 28yrs to collect over 1800 I dont think that I could start again.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Same as most people here, also surprised to hear it.

I'd pick up a few favourites, and other than that cut my losses. I've picked up a lot of the TFs I was after over the past few years, and while my collection is quite modest by OTCA standards I doubt I'd want to put in the time, money, and effort to track them down again.
That said, I would pick up a few favourite pieces. Beast Wars Transmetal 2 Megatron, Voyager Bludgeon (with the 3rd party upgrades), a G1 Predaking of some description (probably MMC's Feralcons), and maybe MP10 Optimus Prime Mk 2 are must-haves - the latter is a bit tricky since my own MP10 has a lot of personal significance/symbolism for me, but it is a nice piece and definitely 'iconic'. There's a few other TFs I'd want to get as well, somewhere around 10 to 30-odd.

[autobreadticon]

Once I'm done its done, wont be repurchasing anything again, that is a lot of effort and time you could spend on something new in yo life

But if I got back into TFs I would definitely only repurchase Masterpiece Soundwave,Maketoys Green Giant and G1 Jetfire.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I think I'd just get the recent MPs and leave it at that.

If I ended up getting some Animated bargain lots, maaaaybe. But unlikely.

Interesting topic! I couldn't be bothered finding them all again and dread to think of the cost of recovering what I have.

[Sharky]

i imagine there would be some sort of finacial compensation from loosing my collection from a house fire or a Sharknado.. as its not as simple as misplacing a box.

where i would start would be replacing the fondest childhood memories, Optimus Prime, Sludge, Skywarp, Ratchet, Jetfire, Soundwave, Blaster, Galvatron and Scourge, and then over time i think i would just replace the G1 everything else in between i would be disapointed that it is all gone but i could not be bothered to track down.. 100's of toys to replace

[Soundwarp]

Simple:

G1 Soundwave

[Jhiaxus]

It's an odd question.

So, I think about it... and I guess it depends on how I lost everything. If I lost it in a fire, for example... that's very different to, say, having to sell everything because of a huge financial loss that required me to quickly get money back.

IF you have to sell it all, then you can see it go. It's stupid, it's silly, but you say goodbye. It would probably be the end.

But a catastrophic loss? Well... let me paint the picture.

Imagine a fire, a fire that rips through your house. Everything is gone. You got out safe, your family too. But that night isn't one you'll soon forget. You'll always remember standing in your driveway watching as everything burns -- as everything you'd spent your life building was consumed in fire.

After that you couldn't even THINK About collecting. Your life now was about rebuilding. You had to find shelter, to get you and your family safe. You had to work harder at your job. Sure there was insurance -- but it was never enough, barely enough to get some solid ground under your feet.

When you bought the new house there was an idea in the corner of your mind that you should get some extra rooms, just in case. And when you've started to really build your life back -- your furniture is back in place, you have a TV and a computer again, your family is settling back in... well... it doesn't really feel like your house yet.

There's something lonely about everything being new and unfamiliar. So of course you get a poster of something you like -- a band or something. You get some DVDs of movies you love. Then... just the one. You get yourself an Optimus Prime. Just the one to make your house feel like a home again.

And it feels good. It feels right to see Prime sitting on that new shelf next to your TV. It feels like things have settled down -- like your life is getting back into place properly again. Maybe you'll never get back the thousands of toys you had once before...

But it couldn't hurt to buy a Megatron or a Soundwave, right? And Skywarp's always been a favourite, and he's getting a new toy too, right?

And that's why I think I'd start collecting again.

Because collecting isn't about the objects themselves. It's about how they make me feel.

--Andrew S.
(Sorry... got a little wordy there.)

[CBratron]

I'm barely collecting as I am now. Just picking and choosing masterpieces, CHUG and 3rd party as I see fit.

If I were ever to lose my Transformers Prime, Animated Movie classics or Giant-scale combiner sets, I could take a hit to the wallet and replace them. I think I'd more likely continue picking and choosing from current and future releases

[Paulbot]

Well I don't think the question is meant to make you think about a traumatic loss, but rather just starting from a clean state, but a few have taken it that way. Maybe you sold them all to buy a new house or you decided you'd had enough and sold them all and invested in another sort of collection; and then thought 'I want some TFs'. And we have new members with such stories all the time.

I'm intrigued how much a momentum of collecting is implied by the answers. Do you keep collecting now because of that momentum? I think in my case it has a big role to play. Or maybe it's just if you have a big collection the thought of getting back to the same size seems daunting/expensive/time consuming.

[drifand]

My transformers are in two major categories
Binaltech and alternators
And masterpieces only.

My priority would be getting all my favourite mps only.
I may skip things like soundwaves other cassette and just him with laser beak .
Optimus will be mp-10 alone.

Basically skip here and there.
My collection of toys consist of more expensive toys than transformers. So recovering those will be more important as some are vintage.

However my collection is not in one location so I won't loose everything at one go.

[Magnus]

I wouldn't make a point of recollecting everything I had prior. Rather than start over, I'd go ahead with my current 'plan' for collecting - MPs and the odd movieverse figure.

That said, the figures I'd definitely try to get back are:

HFTD Leader/MPM1 Starscream
DotM Jetwing Optimus
MP Sideswipe

[drifand]

I would think is not the end of the world. All the mps are definitely obtainable for the right price. I would still like a mp-1 as a centre piece .

My vintage toys on the other hand might be a big problem. Money cannot buy everything as some of these pieces don't even come by any more.

[octopunchshotfisrt]

Start with my G1 Shockwave, and work my way back up. Collecting transformers is the only thing I've successfully done repeatedly, and I'm not going to screw that up now, no matter the expenses.


It would sure be a pain, though.

[SMHFConvoy]

Cybertron, animated and some prime.