What do you find the most rewarding about collecting?

[Aqua Prime]

So just wondering what peoples answers will be to:
What do you find the most rewarding thing/s about collecting Transformers?

Here's a few things I love.
* The high you get when you've finally tracked down a TF you've been searching for ages for in the shops.
* When you manage to get a TF you've wanted to have since you were a kid or wanted for a long time
* Opening a new TF, transforming, posing and placing them into the collection
* Meeting people along the way. I've been pretty happy meeting the forum members I've met so far. For those I've met and dealt with you guys ALL rock

I've had so many awesome memories along the way from collecting. I still vaguely remember winning my first TF (G2 Slag) back in 2001 which kick started my collection/ collecting. Receiving a parcel in the mail which contained G1 Snarl and Sludge (my first ever dinobots, again back in 2001) and feeling like I was a kid on Christmas. I remember just playing with them in Dinosaur mode for about 15mins talking in "Dinobot Voices"... I was 18 at the time and one more. After watching Galaxy Force for ages to FINALLY see and hold Super Starscream (Supreme Class Cybertron Starscream) and being such a SS fan, especially of his in GF for the first time. Despite all the crap that was written about him at the time (The next great shelfwarmer and he'll shelfwarm just like Supreme BM Cheetor etc) none of it mattered. I had the KING of all Starscreams

I'd love to hear some of your collecting memories too.

[LordCyrusOmega]

The most rewarding thing about collecting. That's a hard one.
I like the hunt, though liking it less nowdays then in the past as the success of hunts is going down. I also like seeing the physical representation of the hard work i do. Makes it worthwhile.
Escaping into another world for a while where I don't have to think and embracing my childhood again. It was a simpler time.
Although the most rewarding thing is that it makes me happy.

[Zeratron]

I'd have to agree with LordCyrus, I do love the hunt for figures.

I think what I've found most rewarding was how my love for playing with the toys in mock battles across a bedroom evolved into a greater appreciation for the series then into the collectable stage that I see them in now.

That and being able to own some favorites that we couldn't afford when I was much younger (like my G1 Omega Supreme and Megatron reissues )!

[JuzMel]

I kinda like the hunt part where it's the first sighting of something you've found.

And I just like standing in the middle of the room, looking at them and picturing them all coming alive at night and having a battle of some sort.

[UltraMarginal]

Tough question.

there are many things I like about it.

I do enjoy the hunt but I hate going to 5 shops out of habit and walking home empty handed. this is happening more often as I am tending to do bulk orders online these days.

I like taking the time to go up to my cabinet and pick one out, transform it, pose it, pose it with a couple other figures.

I've started designing my own add ons for them, I am truly enjoying that. quite fulfilling when it works.

The meet ups from the board are good too. especially my one Botcon Trip this year. that was an incredible experience.

I like studying the engineering adn design principles behind each figure as well, soo much goes into them these days.


Of all of the above, I can't really pick a favorite, call it a top five if you will, in no particular order.

[Prowl]

That first transformation is what gets me. I am not a fan of difficult transformations like the Masterpiece ones I like nice simpleish ones where I can do it quickly & enjoy the process not get frustrated by it.

[Verno]

The hunt is fun. I haven't physically bought a Transformers figure (for my collection) from a shop since 2000, but there is a thrill of seeing it on the shelf having only seen pictures of it before. (For those interested, it was a TM2 Blackarachnia )

The thing I enjoy most now is completing incomplete figures. Finding parts to fix a good figure, then selling it on to someone who has been searching for a complete one.

[liegeprime]

Hmmm tough question indeed for there are a lot of factors that I find rewarding in my collecting. It's hard to quantify/qualify which is on the topmost when it comes to "most rewarding" category.

I guess the most rewarding for me is the "high", adrenaline rush, excitement... call it what you will but that good feeling when you get a toy you wanted. That would be prolly the most rewarding for me.

Whether it's completing a series to a certain extent, getting a much sought after figure or completing a figure by finding that missing weapon or accessory, yep that high, excitement and good feeling you get IS the most rewarding ever. You can't top that, very positive emotion, for me.

[Decepticon]

I only generally collect 1 of each character so it's a real buzz to be able to add another name to the army that I have. I keep all the Autobots separate from the Decepticons incase they start fighting! Lol. it's just so cool to admire the engineering that goes into the toys.

[5FDP]

A lot of my collecting is premeditated in that I've already made a 'spot' for a toy in my collection before it even comes out. Once I have acquired it, it's like completing a puzzle and that gives me the greatest satisfaction. I very rarely buy toys on an impulse.

For this reason, I almost never post items for sale unless I have the option of replacing it with another toy of the same size and/or meaningfulness.