Why do we collect?

[SAB]

So I could fit in with the folks on this forum.

So I could fit in with Lejuan.

 

[Rotfish]

It's great art. Like Pilky, I, too, am an artist and this is the kind of stuff that gets me going. Plus I never really grew out of the action figure phase. Or maybe... there was always more to toys for me than for other kids.

 

[Kamandi]

Some people point at toys and say "I wish they had that when I was a kid".

F--k that! If it's cool and I want it I don't care about my age.

Kevin Smith is my age and he's not growing up, why should I?

 

[FriendlySamurai]

started as souvenirs from my trip to Japan. Turned into collecting memories from childhood. Developed into artistic appreciation. Is really just food for my obsessive compulsions and positive endorphin addiction.

Statues are neato

 

[notoriousuli]

I've collected a variety of stuff over the years. As a kid, I collected role-playing game rule books, starting with good old D&D. As a teen and young adult, comic books. As an older collector, a variety of toys but mostly Transformers and superhero stuff. Now, my main interest is 1:6.

The superhero stuff is a direct link to my childhood, I've always enjoyed comics and cartoons. These figures are iconic representations of my heroic ideal, so I like to be surrounded by them. Also, I think collectors are subconsciously seeking to impose order on a disordered universe. Those RPG books? All carefully in order and annotated. The comics? In order, boxed and bagged, and in later years catalogued in a database. The toys? Well, the boxes that I've kept are nicely sorted on shelves, and all the loose bits are in bags and bins. The toy room itself is divided between DC and Marvel. I know not everyone is like this but I think many collectors have their collection displayed and organized in a way that makes sense to them, ergo order out of chaos.

 

[batman232]

Same here my parents bought me toys when I was a kid, but not many. I always loved action figures always took care of them. I can't blame my parents they did whatever they could to get us almost anything we wanted, whenever they could. Now that I'm older I could get them by my self, plus looking at them reminds me of a time in my life where I didn't have to worry about Paying bills rent etc. Gets me away from reality I guess. Either way If I have the money I will Always collect, Even if it's a figure from the local $.99 cent store or swap meets if its nice it's mine lol.

 

[Mike86]

Honestly I've always been a collector of various things. To me it's just fun to do. I've always loved films and comics/superhero stuff and am a fairly geeky person by nature not so much in that I can't turn it off in public but my true nature has always included a love for those types of things. I liked toys when I was younger obviously, either playing with them or just setting them up to look cool and I guess 1/6th collecting is an extension of that.

 

[dxdave]

When I was a young boy of 7 years old, my dad (the oldest of 7 siblings), asked me for my money (kept in a Parkay butter tub)--all of 45 cents, I think...and he presented me four Star Wars figures that were on cards from behind his back. At this age, I noticed a "gleam" in my dad's eyes that lasted through 1983 with Return of The Jedi. You see, he never had many toys as a kid being the oldest of 7 to an abusive, alcoholic father. He and his brothers closest in age to him couldn't wait to get out of the house and join the military.
Fast forward many years later, I get adopted and somewhat spoiled (to include baseball card collecting too); well, at least as best as my parents could afford. I never had the AT-AT or the Imperial Shuttle, but I did have most other Star Wars vehicles and playsets and I did get all of the 117 figures including Droids and Ewoks cartoon figures. By the time 1983 came around, I was more interested in chasing skirts, so I have many of those figures still carded. However, my attention shifted with the Star Wars saga on a long hiatus and I got into comics heavily. In the mid-90's, many of the Marvel figures came out that weren't out when I was a kid...so I had to get every Toy Biz figure.
Hit my 30's and really didn't have time for comics, but stayed true to Star Wars and bought up all I could with my job switching from a "job" to a "career".
Now, I have too much stuff and have parted with all duplicates and have focused on 1/6 scale stuff - choosing quality over quantity.
All in all, it is an addiction for me with no cure.
It is tougher nowadays to collect more so than the 90's with many pieces costing much more (I am only imagining due to quality).
I am happy to collect for the most part and becoming more particular on what to keep and what to get part with from the heavier 90's collecting habit that formed.

 

[GE 7]

I also find that I'm able to tap into the 'inner kid' in me, esp in collecting figures that help trigger associations with my childhood.

^ That's it for me, memories on a shelf.
It's like a reminder of good times, movies, TV shows.. etc.

 

[Kaze]

For me, maybe because I want my favourite characters to be on my shelves. Also, I love art and sculpture

 

[shells075]

Because I'm a

 

[gardehusar30]

Just reviving this a bit

I collect 6 inch TMNT and Star wars figures. It started last year when I saw they rereleased the old TMNT figures, so I had to have them, totally nostalgic.
Then they were out with the Star wars 6 inch. Then I got in to the Clone wars series, witch lead me to now pre-ordering Rex, Fives and Echo from Sideshow.

Why did I start??? I had a dad that was more concerned with having money in the bank than use them on his family, so I did not have much. Why do I keep collecting? Well, I found out that the figures are a Symptom release. I'm diagnosed with Combat PTSD (Afghanistan) so some days it's hard to live in the world, and it's hard to walk out the door. Collecting, setting them up and resetting them gives me a state of flow, where I forget all the crap I wish I never was a part of.

 

[Boba Ben]

Because I'm stupid.

 

[obsidian7]

Because I love film - the worlds they create and the characters that inhabit those worlds. Having the statues brings a bit out of the movie and into my home. And collecting Dinosauria pieces is like having your own little museum! High end Collectibles just increases the realism and wow factor. They're also pieces of artwork and make for interesting conversation when people come over