Action Figure Knowing when to quit collecting

[Brainiac]

Just stop collecting. It's really that simple. Self-control isn't hard to learn and practice.

They're good figures but I'm pretty sure your life has other priorities.

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I agree completely, on the first point, when it comes to addiction its easy for some to find the willpower to stop, for others its possible, everyone can do it. With regards to your other point if there are other aspects of your life financial or otherwise then I would hope they take priority if necessary because after all this is a hobby, not a necessity

That being said I think the OP is talking about quitting when you feel you are done or you have gone far enough in the hobby where you can be satisfied. Its quitting something you love doing, not so easy imho, but you recognise that theres not much more for you to gain from it

 

[Jaymas]

I have limited space and I think when figures are overcrowded they kind of disappear into the masses and it's harder to appreciate what each figure has to offer. I have a Marvel shelf, DC shelf, a star Wars shelf, and a smaller shelf with Indiana Jones and another smaller one with Kirk and Spock. When the shelves are "full" I am done and I have a plan about what I am going to fill them with anticipating what may be coming in the future.

I have a list of things I am looking for to put in the remaining spots I have left, some of these things are announced and pre-ordered, others I am just anticipating like a Jedi Luke. My shelves are almost "done" but I have another few years of collecting as I wait for the last few pieces to come out. I have, IM Mk VI, Dr Strange, and Falcon on Preorder, and War Machine Mk3 waitlisted to replace my WM Mk2 if it converts. I plan to order netflix Daredevil and I will get Luke Cage and Iron Fist from Netflix if they ever make those. After that I am only waiting on a Black Panther from his solo movie and I will be done unless a good Fantastic Four Movie ever comes out and we get figures. For Star Wars I am waiting on a Jedi Luke, and Stormtrooper Han and will probably get Yoda- then I am done. My DC shelf is "done", but I have room for 2 or 3 figures if something comes out in the future I like, but I am not anticipating it. i don't like the current DC movie franchise at the moment. After that I am only waiting on classic Dr Mcoy to go with Kirk and Spock.

After this I am full, and will have to sell something before buying something else, but there is very little I can imagine wanting to part with.

 

[tekmunk]

I feel as though everyone probably has a certain stopping point, but people also collect for different reasons. I started collecting in 2014 and I've only got two 1/6 scale figures (TWS Winter Soldier and CW Cap), with CW Black Widow needing one more flex payment. I usually spend months deciding on a purchase. There's also some figures I just wouldn't buy because I either don't like the character or just don't know much about them. I'm not a fan of Iron-Man, but I think the 1/6 scale figures look amazing.

 

[bmarz1000]

For the first time in my collecting career I don't have a single figure on preorder. I simply don't have the room or money to add any additional figures. I had a binge-buying last year with all the HT Star Wars releases. Plus I have practically every character I'd want to collect. There's only one figure I consider a "grail" and that's Luke Snowspeeder pilot. I've been collecting rewards points for him from Spook and eventually Cyber Monday to take the sting away.

Not to mention, with the price hikes on figures it's hard to "collect them all" like back in the day. Figures like AT AT Drivers and Tie Fighter Pilots would have been an easy purchase but not for $200 plus.

 

[Craig Walker]

1) Power shut off

2) You have to sleep outside due to space


Other than that, you're good.

 

[ImABarRoomHero]

1) Power shut off

2) You have to sleep outside due to space


Other than that, you're good.

^ This, I mean, I'm sorry but saying "I've collected all I want" is just an empty statement. I guarantee you that Hot Toys or Asmus or 3A or whatever is going to suddenly pick up a license or release a new figure where you'll be like "well.... nevermind". Don't worry though, you're in good company. Now, if suddenly you have a medical emergency or you're going into bankruptcy then I highly recommend to turn tail and quit/sell.

 

[yacobschlomo]

I don't think I'll ever stop collecting. I don't think many people ever stop. They just move on to collecting something else. just 4-5 years ago, when I started collecting Neca/Marvel Legends/Marvel Select I thought paying $50 for a figure what outrageous. Now I'm regularly shelling out $300 for Hot Toys figures every month. I can't keep that up for long so I'm starting to really focus on certain IPs. But even when I think I'm done with a certain IP, something will come out that I just have to have (for example, I thought I was done collecting Masterpiece transformers - but the FansToys Galvatron looks like a must have).

 

[Jaymas]

^ This, I mean, I'm sorry but saying "I've collected all I want" is just an empty statement. I guarantee you that Hot Toys or Asmus or 3A or whatever is going to suddenly pick up a license or release a new figure where you'll be like "well.... nevermind". Don't worry though, you're in good company. Now, if suddenly you have a medical emergency or you're going into bankruptcy then I highly recommend to turn tail and quit/sell.

I have collected action figures for years and over the years after getting rid of so much stuff I thought I would always want I have become far more selective in what I buy in the first place. So now that I am into high end 1/6 collecting I can tell you that I have already passed on so many figures and figure lines a younger version of myself wouldn't have been able to resist. I have learned to be really particular about what I want and have a better idea of what I will still want down the road. Not perfectly, there are a few figures I can see myself parting with in order to simplify my collection in the future, but over all I have been disciplined in what I buy.

One reason I like this forum is so I can enjoy what I passed on vicariously, to appreciate the craftsmanship of figures I would love to have if money were no option, but because I have limits, I have decided those figures, as cool as they are, aren't a priority compared to other things I want. I have a plan and I have stuck with it passing on some really cool things already, so I feel pretty confident I will be able to stop once I have what I have determined to "need" in order for my collection to be "complete" (as far as I am concerned).

 

[GeneralZodLives]

I don't think I'll ever stop collecting either. I've been collecting for decades, either toys, comics, or statues, and the only thing that's changed is the amount of money I'm willing to spend. Even if I had to sell my collection for whatever reason, at some point I'd get back into the hobby at whatever price point my finances would allow. I don't think I know another collector that just completely stopped collecting and never bought anything again.

 

[Johnny Utah]

I haven't gotten a HT since Star Lord. I'm really hoping somehow HT manages to get the rights to Blade Runner for the anniversary. All would be bought.

 

[medicomsucks]

I don't think I will ever stop, but the price and influx of product have limited what I'll buy. I think I may stop the marvel collecting after infinity war, but I also don't collect fringe characters like scarlet witch, quicksilver, Hawkeye etc. As far as star wars, I really only work on OT main characters and I don't army build anymore. I still buy the occasional one-off. I buy maybe 10 1/6 figures a year. It used to be in the 30-40 range.

 

[ZombieGuy13]

When I'm running out of space and money...then I'll quit. All kidding aside....I'm slowly getting out. This hobby will only get expensive and I have other priority.

 

[thedopefreshness]

I haven't quit yet but I've got a collection of three figures and I've been on the boards a while. I'm just very, very particular about what figures I want. This year alone I've had MAYBE three figures I'd considering buying and I skipped out on all but one.

 

[Cammo]

I can't imagine keeping collecting although I have a lot pre-ordered right now. I will not get duplicates (except for The Joker) and the franchises I'm interested in don't have that many figures to be released in the next few years. I can already say that 2016 will be the most expensive year for me in terms of collecting.

 

[CTO15]

I've been slowing down a lot recently, I've been appreciating the smaller collection others have. Makes each figure a little more special. Also I guess my priorities have shifted, and now I'm saving up for a wedding and a house afterwards

I was collecting HT Iron Man pretty heavily, and I realized having different characters is more important than different armors. So sold all the HP armors, I'm keeping MK 1-7.

I only have 2 figures on PO right now, Hulkbuster (its a centerpiece by itself) and CW Falcon ( I really liked him in CW)

 

[mguozzo]

I'm planning on quitting after the ghost busters 4 pack due to space issues. My plan is to focus more on making displays for what I already have. Like scene accurate lighting and maybe some background pics and props. That's the plan anyway!

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[**16k**]

I keep saying that I have all the characters I've ever wanted and I'm gonna stop... Then somebody releases something I realize I absolutely need, and I fall for it again. I've been making that little dance for almost two years now, and I really, really hope that one day, I'll have the courage of my conviction.

 

[matmurdock]

I switched for 1/12 scale to 1/6 two years ago....almost three. I am only grabbing the HT MCU line. I feel I am almost to the point where I can be happy with what I have after next year. I have a definitive figure of each of the Avengers and GOTG and feel pretty good aboot where they will be once my pre-orders are released. I may pick up the random new release here and there but yup I can see the end coming. Unless they do the Defenders or the Inhumans and well then I will be back.

 

[BagginsOfBagEnd]

I don't think I'll ever stop collecting either. I've been collecting for decades, either toys, comics, or statues, and the only thing that's changed is the amount of money I'm willing to spend. Even if I had to sell my collection for whatever reason, at some point I'd get back into the hobby at whatever price point my finances would allow. I don't think I know another collector that just completely stopped collecting and never bought anything again.

I've been collecting various things from quite a young age too.

I did slow down from collecting considerably though a few years back due to job uncertainty, but now that is all sorted thankfully, so I was able to get back into it. As interests change, I sold off a lot of my Star Wars collection and switched from Lord of the Rings statues (felt the collection was complete) to 1/6 scale figures. Whilst I can't see myself stopping anytime soon, I am having to get more choosy about what I order due to space issues and rising prices.

 

[troy_story]

Wow this is a fascinating discussion thread... in fact, it's the only thread on this forum that I've ever read every single post.
I started collecting in June 2015 with Star Lord as my first 1/6 figure... and in just 17 months I've amassed over 70 figures... 71 to be precise... if you think about it, that's one a week... I obviously started the collecting late so I felt as a newcomer that I needed as many figures as I could... but even after such a short period of collecting I'm starting to figure out that a collection is a called a collection and is special because of the passion you have for what's in that collection. It's only in the past few months where I've realised that early on especially, I went for quantity over quality and was sucked in to the whole "I need this" thought process. But whilst I don't anticipate selling anything in the near future, I can see over time that I may further cone down on what I consider a necessary addition to my collection. I want to be proud of my collection and love every character that I have, so I'm starting to use that as a baseline for what I decide I need. Gone are the days of trying to collect everything because, well, we all know we just can't keep up with that financially or space-wise (which seems a big factor for many). So what I'm trying to say is... I've now moved past the early, exciting phase of collecting into the more relaxed, picky collector on the basis of what I'm actually passionate about.