Featured Collections - under 100 toys.

[Towers_Spy]

Wow, that was really insightful! Totally gives another dimension to collecting.

I prefer MISB, coz I like opening the box, freeing the toy for the first time

Haha me too its kinda like < taking the toy's virginity > so to speak

Nice looking collection anyway, I do like the variety

[griffin]

extremely long, excessive read/reflective piece ahead

The more the better.

hope you guys don't think I’m weird

Too late, we're all weird here, so you fit right in...

[liegeprime]

NIiiice! Keep em coming guys, love seeing collections, good read as well. Its nice getting a background description of your collecting habits/opinionsand strategies

[christalcase]

thanks guys, was hesistant at first putting this up, and plus, before this topic came up, it felt overwhelming since most of the collection threads had (at least) hundreds of toys

Towers_Spy, ... I never thought of it that way before... arrghhh you've contaminated my mind!

It's hard to explain in words why I like to open Transformers figures for the first time, maybe it's like on the TFwiki page, and the only germs I want on my toys are MY germs, haha. I like the new plasticky smell of a new figure fresh out of the package (that has gotta be weird...), tried to keep Buster Optimus Prime MISB, but failed, it was too tempting, the whole point for me of buying these figures is to open them and fiddle around with them

Originally Posted by griffin

The more the better.

If I had known that before... it was originally longer, I cut 400 words from that post!

Originally Posted by griffin

Too late, we're all weird here, so you fit right in...

Afraid that I might be more weird than usual...

[GoktimusPrime]

Opening a mint toy is like being a 'pioneer' -- boldly going where noone has gone before. Like being the first to climb a mountain.

Originally Posted by christalcase

the whole point for me of buying these figures is to open them and fiddle around with them

+1 QFT!!

[klystron]

Well here is my humble collection.
I am another one those "selective" collectors. I tend to only hunt down and buy toys that appeal to me for very specific reasons.
Whether it be (examples) a love for the character, a nostalgic urge, a certain attribute, or just a fondness for the engineering/design of the figure.
From time to time I get an indescribable obsession for a certain figure. Sometimes I end up buying said figure, other times the more I think about it and research it, the less interested I get.
Its a bit hard to explain, but a recent example was Quickswitch.
I read every review I could find, looked at every picture, and generally spent a lot of time deliberating. The more I did, the more I really wanted this toy. I even watched a few of the
Japanese God-awful-Masterforce (or whatever) cartoons that had Sixknight in them, although these in no way reinforced my desire to buy Quickswitch.
It did however make me not want to ever own another headmaster or watch that show ever again. But I digress.

Like I said I will research a figure quite a bit before deciding to buy. I look at a lot of pictures, including tech-specs and Instructions.
I also research the character a bit as well. The "More Than Meets the Eye" Bios comics get a good going over, as do the BW Sourcebooks.
There are toys I will pass on due to the character alone. A good example of this is Movie Jazz.
The outcome of all this is that I rarely end up with a figure I don't love.

Physical attributes of a figure are a huge influence when making the decision to buy.
I have this mental checklist that the figure must be weighed against.
Things like:
+ weaponry (swords are super cool)
+ ability to store/use all parts in all modes (zero points G1; maximum points BW and modern lines).
+ how the robot mode looks (appeal, style, proportions, articulation, etc)
+ how convincing the alt mode is
+ purpose/function of the alt mode (inc "coolness" of alt mode)
+ nature of the transformation
+ special features / unique distinguishing features / gimmicks
+ known defects / QC issues
+ general attributes of the toy-line.

I don't like repaints and very rarely see the point of them (apart from $cha-ching$ for Hasbro).
Having said that, I did get both Classics Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, because I felt that the repaint worked given that they are supposed to be brothers, and the toys are slightly different.
And of course the other obvious exception to this -- the Classics seeker mold.
I stood in Target the other day with the red baron ROTF Ransack repaint (forget the name) and could not bring myself to drop $16 on it. Which was strange to me as I really love that mold.
I guess now would be a good time to mention my budget restrictions on TF collecting.
I have no problem spending over $100 on Sixshot, but could not justify $16 for a Ransack repaint.
I think that one statement says a lot about my collecting. Besides my wife does not agree with expensive TFs and says that buying $70 toys denies me the right to complain about paying bills.
I don't do double-ups either. Can't seem to justify the costs. I did get a Classics Treadbolt so I could rebox my Jetfire though. And I seem to have accumulated a 'spare' G1 Hun-Grrr.
Sometimes I will get a figure because of what it will contribute to my collection.
Henkei Megatron is an example of this (see below). Recently I found another hole in my collection: no BW Dinbot. Which is a bit of an oversight given how much I like the character.
To remedy this I got a MISB Hasbro 10th Anniversary re-release one (not pictured, cause it hasn't arrived yet).

Well, I don't want to go on an on, so maybe I'll just try to mention a few examples of items in my collection:
MAGMATRON: No other figure do I so simultaneously love and loathe.
A bot that can split into 3 separate beast = brilliant! Both from a toy and character POV.
Actual toy looks fantastic in both (?) modes, but OMG how frustrating is his
a) transformation, and
b) lack of posability and basics like being able to hold his weapon?
Still he has, as christalcase put it, that something special that really distinguishes it.
BRUTICUS: Strong nostalgia appeal to this guy because I had him as a kid.
Always been my favourite of the Scramble City teams. Blast Off is an all time fav toy.
SIXSHOT: People worship this guy for a reason. I never understood until I became completely obsessed with him and had to acquire one. And when I say obsessed I mean
Takara-had-to-take-out-a-restraining-order-against-me-cause-I-was-stalking-Sixshot kind of obsessed. But I understand the worship now. Awesome character too. It is one of those figures that has that certain
X-factor; bit different from your normal TF. One of my ten desert-island-transformers.
GALAVATRON: In my Top ten favourite G1 characters. Arguably one of the most powerful TFs ever, yet cant turn his head or touch his toes and stands taller than a gestalt. Gotta love G1.
Triple changer with electronics too. Bonus.
SKULLGRIN: Left over from childhood. Don't much care for Pretenders nowadays, but remember loving them as a kid. Astrotrain and Bluestreak also fall into this leftover from younger years
and probably wouldn't buy today, category.
G1 BLUDGEON: Surely no explaination is need here...
RiD BLUDGEON: Bought unopened and minty fresh off ebay. Only because its Bludgeon (character love; toy attributes be damned).
DINOBOTS: Complusory parts of my collection. Probably 5 of the best G1 toys, and definitely the best sub-group. Swoop was my fav childhood toy.
WHEELJACK (ALT): Ludicrously good looking robot and car. Worst. Transformation. Ever. In 20 years time people will still be selling these saying "...only ever transformed twice..."
PROWL (TFA): Best TFA character and simply awesome toy. Generally not a fan of the TFA toys. I find the quality to be lacking and figures fragile and floppy.
However, ARCEE is also brilliant, and I got GRIMLOCK too coz, well, its GRIMLOCK. Bit of a fan of the bike-formers, although seldom get done well. Movie Arcee is another fav of mine.
MAGNABOSS and TRIPREDICUS (BW): Nice bots with good beast modes that are also combiners! First combiners to not need "extra" clip on bits and instead use all bits of their component figures.
Awesome. And they have elbows and knees. Take that G1 gestalts!
OPTIMUS PRIMAL (Universe): Always wanted a proper Season 1 Primal, but kept getting outbid on ebay (curse you budget). Managed to grab this MISB for less that $40 delivered
and thought it an acceptable compromise. One of my fav toys.
One day I will get a minty BW S1 version. TM-05 version of Primal was also bought for the same reason. Got this for $28 off ebay which, considering how much I love this little toy, is a bargin.
(Think I watched a Goki review on youtube for this guy too). I cannot recommend both these figures enough.
MEGATRON (Classics/Henkei): Meggs is one of my favourite characters and probably one of the most interesting in TF fictiondom. Realised one day that there was a hole in my collection as I
owned no Megatrons. Bought a G2, but sold it after a while (didn't like it). Researched available figures and fell in love with this one. Brilliant mold and one of my ten desert-island-transformers.
SEEKERS (Classics): One of the most prolific and stunning molds of the modern era. I have the original three and Ramjet (although Tundercracker is a kitbash repaint I did myself).
ROTF BLUDGEON: No brainer. Ticks everybox on my checklist.
HUN-GRRR: One of my favourite G1 figures. This is my third Hun-Grrr figure. I aspire to one day have Abominus. This has been an aspiration now for around 20 years.

I could go on, but won't. Basically, I don't really own any figures that I don't really really like. With the possible exception of G1.5 Stalker and First Aid.
Not pictured is my Universe Masterpiece Starscream or BW Dinobot.
Also I have since sold Ramulus (never really liked that figure).
No KOs or reissues (although Springer and Sandstorm are the Chinese issue versions).
I would also like to point out that the photos do not represent how I display my collection. My figures are kinda spread out all over the place, and mixed up, so I just gathered them into groups for photos.

The views and opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine alone.

Movie toys


Beast Wars


Classics


G1 Autobots


G1 Decepticons


Others


StarWars TFs (for no particular reason)

[5FDP]

Nice collection klystron There's a few there that I would love to own.

[Autocon]

nice wouldnt mind a magmatron and that police lambo looks cool

[MV75]

Originally Posted by Autocon

nice wouldnt mind a magmatron and that police lambo looks cool

The blue lambo is RID: Prowl.

I've got it too, mosc. Looks better than the original release of it.

[Lint]

Originally Posted by klystron

I am another one those "selective" collectors. I tend to only hunt down and buy toys that appeal to me for very specific reasons.
Whether it be (examples) a love for the character, a nostalgic urge, a certain attribute, or just a fondness for the engineering/design of the figure...

...I read every review I could find, looked at every picture, and generally spent a lot of time deliberating. The more I did, the more I really wanted this toy...

...Like I said I will research a figure quite a bit before deciding to buy. I look at a lot of pictures, including tech-specs and Instructions.
I also research the character a bit as well....

...I have this mental checklist that the figure must be weighed against.
Things like:
+ weaponry (swords are super cool)
+ ability to store/use all parts in all modes (zero points G1; maximum points BW and modern lines).
+ how the robot mode looks (appeal, style, proportions, articulation, etc)
+ how convincing the alt mode is
+ purpose/function of the alt mode (inc "coolness" of alt mode)
+ nature of the transformation
+ special features / unique distinguishing features / gimmicks
+ known defects / QC issues
+ general attributes of the toy-line....

...And of course the other obvious exception to this -- the Classics seeker mold...

...I stood in Target the other day with the red baron ROTF Ransack repaint (forget the name) and could not bring myself to drop $16 on it. Which was strange to me as I really love that mold... but could not justify $16 for a Ransack repaint...
... I did get a Classics Treadbolt so I could rebox my Jetfire though....

....Well, I don't want to go on an on...

Had to abridge the quote for the sake of space efficiency but you are not alone

Nice collection btw!