How do you know it's time to move on from Transformers collecting

[janda the red]

When it's not fun anymore.... That's when I'll bail

Or financial difficulty... I'd cut off my hands for my wife and son, selling my collection would happen in a heartbeat if I needed money for them.

Let's hope it never comes to that! Lol

[Micktimus]

Friend of mine lost his job and now he wants to sell a majority of his collection. So yeah I think money would be a big motivator.

[GoktimusPrime]

Never.

Like many of us here, I've been collecting Transformers continuously since 1984. Never stopped before, don't intend to either. Even if the franchise itself were to perish (knock on wood), my passion for Transformers would live on (as it did during some of the weaker years of Transformers when my collecting significantly slowed down (but never actually stopped), e.g. early to mid 1990s))

[5FDP]

My buying has slowed to almost nothing but I still consider myself a collector, it's just that there's little product that interests me these days. I still get immense enjoyment from the collection that I have with no plans to EVER sell it off.

I guess my point here is that there are two kinds of collectors - those that are not actively purchasing and those that are mainly in it for the thrill of the hunt. The later are the ones most likely to sell off what they accumulated because they no longer feel the rush they once did.

Having been a fan for so long means that you get used to waiting patiently for toys to be released e.g. Generations Arcee, therefore there is always something to look forward to.

[Bidoofdude]

Since I have started collecting only 2 years ago, the amount of any form of regret or anything like that has diminished (it wasn't very big from the get go) to nothing. I just keep getting sucked in. I'll watch TFTM every now and then and bam, I go wanting all these figures, or I'll have a play with my MP Thundercracker and feel the need to get more Masterpiece figures. Just when you think you're out, you get sucked back in. And I like every bit of it.

[klystron]

I guess when the financial cost outweighs the derived enjoyment?
Or maybe when you find yourself packing your whole collection away into boxes, with none left on display? (This happened to me with Zoids).

Even if I quit collecting, I think I would probably only part with about 50% of my figures.

[Sinnertwin]

I'll be collecting as long as i can comfortably live & afford to. I'm not going to let my purchasing habits affect my way of life.
If i was faced with a situation where it was necessary to sell them, then so be it.

[Defcon]

I have considered selling off parts of my collection, and have done so. Its just normal part of collecting. Many of these were originally planned purchases, a desire to build a line and have most of the characters. But over time when I purchase new items, some need to get evicted its the perfect time to act and get rid of those figures which I feel are lacking. Im able to let go, cause its not impossible to buy again, or a 3rd party figure or masterpiece figure will come along, but these are expensive.

Besides this hobby is really a nasty habit at times, alot of time over the years has been invested in it. That worries me more than the expense. I have other interests which I want to invest time and money in, so eventually Im going to press the pause button and give it a rest.

[BigTransformerTrev]

I'll be collecting as long as i can comfortably live & afford to. I'm not going to let my purchasing habits affect my way of life.
If i was faced with a situation where it was necessary to sell them, then so be it.

Good answer

Never.

Also good

When it's not fun anymore.... That's when I'll bail

Or financial difficulty... I'd cut off my hands for my wife and son, selling my collection would happen in a heartbeat if I needed money for them.

Let's hope it never comes to that! Lol

Excellent Answer



Personally I took a decade off. G1 finished and I wasn't much interested in any of the toys after the Predator team came out - didn't think much of G2, and didn't like BW or BM at all. What I did collect at that time - believe it or not - was stuff from the Home Improvement sitcom. Ended up with nearly 100 bits of clothing (boxer shorts, ties, dressing gowns, socks etc) as well as posters, swap cards etc etc.

Anyway, that ended too, and I was more interested in my late teens and at Uni with hanging with friends, partying, getting laid etc etc. It wasn't until a friend gave me for my (first) wedding in 2001 a G1 Optimus, Chop Shop and Wreck-Gar that the TF collecting spark reignited within me. At the time I had one gross of figures (144), now I am only about 50 figures off having timesed that figure by 10

Like Janda, I'd sell the collection in a heartbeat if I needed the money for an operation for my wife or son, but otherwise I can't see me ever really stopping collecting - it's a hobby I love too much

[Omega Metro]

I've tried giving up collecting a while back. But you basically have to give them away so decided to keep collecting. But very selective in what I buy now.