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Why Do People Collect Things?


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#1 Soupie

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Posted 21 October 2010 - 09:35 AM

Why do people collect things?

If you've just done an Internet search and are now reading this article, chances are that you're an individual who has been collecting for a while and has amassed a large collection of items. Perhaps you have recently taken stock of the items you've collected, as well as the time, energy, and money you've put into collecting them, and you're having mixed feelings about it all - maybe even negative feelings such as guilt, sadness, embarrassment, and disgust. You might be asking yourself, "What's the point of all this?"

Before you get too down on yourself, consider this: According to Susan Pearce, author of the book "Interpreting Objects and Collections," one out of every three people living in the US and Canada collects something! It's probable that these numbers would be similar in other developed countries as well. Furthermore, there are many happy and healthy collectors who have been in the hobby for years, sometimes decades.

Maybe you have a friend, family member, or spouse who collects things, and you're looking for some insight into why they do what they do. Or perhaps you are the rare individual who has been feeling the urge to collect, and you want to investigate this urge before you indulge it. I say this is rare because in my experience, most people engage in collecting first and do the questioning and reflecting only much later, if at all.

Finally, perhaps you're simply a person who is curious about collecting and would like to learn more about it and perhaps why people do it. Whatever the case may be, you should find the following thoughts and ideas interesting if not helpful.

No one knows for sure, not even psychologists.

Many explanations for why people engage in collecting have been offered. Here is a list, in no particular order, of explanations I have encountered over the years. Some of these may be related.

People collect items...

  • because it gives them a feeling of control.
  • in an effort to achieve a feeling of completion. (Marjorie Akin)
  • because doing so allows them to recapture positive feelings associated with the items. This is otherwise known as "nostalgia."
  • because it allows them to escape from reality. (Kim A. Herzinger)
  • because they find the items aesthetically pleasing.
  • as a form of individual expression.
  • because they enjoy the challenge of finding the items.
  • because of a rush of excitement felt when ownership of an item is achieved.
  • because of a feeling of satisfaction when a newly acquired item is joined with a collection.
  • to relieve feelings of anxiety. (Werner Muensterberger)
  • because the urge to collect and stockpile items is innate in humans. (Dr. Steve Anderson)
  • because it enables them to achieve a sensory transcendence not unlike that achieved in religious worship or when in love. (Kim A. Herzinger)
  • as a financial investment.
  • because they find the items interesting.
  • because the items serve an emotional and/or practical purpose to the individual. (Jimmy Rommel)

A collector's activity may be driven by any one of these reasons or, in many cases, a combination of these reasons. For instance, they may start out collecting an item for nostalgic purposes but continue or accelerate their collecting due to a rush of excitement they feel when they acquire an item for which they've been searching. Perhaps after some time has passed, they find that they are only a few pieces away from completing an entire set of the items, and thus their collecting behavior becomes driven by the challenge of completing the set.

While researching this question, "Why do people collect," you might have encountered people asking similar questions such as "Why do people collect coins?," or "Why do people collect guitars?," or "Why do people collect comic books?" In an effort to answer these questions, well-meaning people will often conclude that it must be the final reason given in the list above: Because they like the item. They may say "because coins are historic," or they'll say "because guitars have such beautiful craftsmanship," or "because I had those comics as a child." Indeed, liking an item is certainly a factor in why people collect it. However, there are people who feel that coins are historic but do not feel the urge to collect them. Likewise, there are people who are reminded of their childhood when they see certain comic books, and yet they do not feel any desire to collect them. What is going on here?

Why someone collects and what someone collects, while certainly intertwined, are also distinct. For instance, many people love to read Science Fiction books. If we were to ask someone why they read Sci-fi books, they might say, "because I love the concepts of space, space travel, and alien worlds." While all that may be true, it doesn't tell us why they love to read books. There are many people who also love the concepts of "space, space travel, and alien worlds," but would never consider reading a book.

Likewise with collecting, say, Garbage Pail Kids cards. A collector of Garbage Pail Kids cards will have reasons why they like the cards but this doesn't tell is why they collect them. There will be additional reasons that motivate the individual to collect the cards. The important thing is to recognize that the two are distinct. Just because an individual likes something doesn't mean the individual will collect it. This distinction is important, and we'll talk more about it later.

In many ways, as we've said, collecting is similar to other hobbies that people have. Like playing video games, scrap booking, mountain biking, or geocaching, collecting is simply an activity that is enjoyable to do during one's leisure time. What is it then about the collecting hobby that so often leads to collectors asking themselves, "What's the point of all this?"

Collecting is a unique hobby consisting of two phases.

While the collecting hobby is similar in many ways to other hobbies, it is also unique. The hobby of collecting consists of two phases: The active phase and the passive phase.

Phase One:

The active phase of collecting is when the hobbyist is searching for and acquiring the items she collects. This might involve visiting yard sales, flea markets, auctions and retail stores. It may also involve searching classifieds in the newspaper or online, checking Internet message boards, and online auction sites like eBay. When a collector locates an item he has been looking for, he then has to gain ownership of it. This might involve buying the item for a set price; negotiating with the seller to determine a mutually agreeable price; negotiating a trade with the seller, or some combination of a sale and trade; bidding on the item in an auction; or simply retrieving the item if it is buried in the ground, in the case of bottles or coins, or some other circumstance.

In many cases, acquired items are sent through the mail. The collector anxiously awaits the arrival of newly acquired items and then opens the package to inspect the item for the first time. The collector then adds the newly acquired item to her corresponding collection of items.

Finally, the collector must maintain their collection. This may involve organizing, displaying, photographing, and some how documenting their collection of items. In some cases, the collector simply places their newly acquired items into a box never to be seen again.

Phase Two:

The passive phase of collecting is the accumulation of items the hobbyist collects. In other words, having or owning the items.

It is the passive phase of the collecting hobby that makes it unique.

Most other hobbies that people engage in do not have a passive phase like the collecting hobby does. While it's true that many other hobbies do require hobbyists to purchase and maintain gear for engaging in the hobby, it is not equivalent to the accumulation of items that occurs during collecting.

For example, someone who enjoys dancing as a hobby may be required to obtain special clothing and shoes. However, these items are a one time acquisition and, more importantly, are used while actively engaged in dancing. The same could be said for other hobbies like basketball, mountain biking, skiing, and gardening. Contrastingly, collecting involves the ongoing acquisition of items.

Burnout and the Collecting Crisis

There are two unfortunate experiences that all too many collecting hobbyists have as they engage in the collecting hobby: Burnout and the "Collecting Crisis."
Burnout is simply when a collector loses interest in the item(s) she's collecting. It's not uncommon for new collectors to enter a collecting community - be it the bottle collecting community, the toy collecting community, or the oil can collecting community, etc. - and become quickly and deeply involved. Their collection may grow astronomically overnight as they acquire large quantities of pieces at every given opportunity. And then just as suddenly as the individual popped onto the scene, they may leave the hobby. Typically they sell all the items they had just acquired at a reduced price to veteran collectors.

Burnout is not always so quick. It's just easier to identify when it happens quickly. Many times someone who has been collecting for years will grow bored with the items they had been collecting. The same sell off occurs, but typically in a more systemic, controlled manner. Often times, these veteran collectors will sell of the lesser pieces of their collection and keep the more special pieces, even though they no longer actively engage in the hobby.

Burnout is natural and normal. It happens in other hobbies as well. For instance, an individual may develop a keen interest in Texas Hold'em poker. The individual may get deeply involved in the hobby for a span of a few months, and then suddenly or gradually lose interest. Why some people lose interest sooner than others and vice versa is beyond the scope of this article.

It's important to consider burnout when entering the hobby of collecting.

How can new collectors avoid burnout? Avoiding burnout may be impossible. We all get bored with hobbies and activities at times and/or simply move on to bigger and better things. However, I do feel that it is possible to minimize many of the negatives that so often accompany burnout. If you are new to the collecting hobby, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What's my history of experiencing burnout?
  • Have I entered other hobbies throughout my life only to soon abandon them a few months later?
  • When I get involved in a new hobby or activity do I typically stick with it for long periods of time?

The answers to these questions can help a new collector determine the rate at which they begin to build their collection. Considering my history of burnout:

  • Should I start acquiring as many pieces as I can, or should I take it slow?
  • Is there a benefit to being moderate?
  • Should I narrow my focus? Am I trying to collect too many types of things at once?
  • Should I start by acquiring the most expensive pieces or the least expensive?
  • How much time, energy, and money should I invest in this new hobby?

The "Collecting Crisis" phenomena is a little more complex than burnout. The Collecting Crisis typically involves a collector whose been collecting for an extended period of time. One seemingly random afternoon, the collector may survey his collection of accumulated items and ask himself, "What's the point of all this!?" Often, this questioning is accompanied with uncomfortable feelings such as guilt, embarrassment, and sadness.

The Collecting Crisis occurs for two reasons.

The first reason it occurs is because collectors engage in collecting behavior without reflecting on why they are engaging in collecting behaviors. They're acting without (meta) thinking. In fact, the only thing the collector may have been thinking was that they "needed" to acquire as many of the items as possible, in whatever manner possible.

The second reason it occurs - and this second reason overlaps with the first - is because collectors fail to realize that collecting consists of two phases, the active and the passive. The collector experiencing the crisis is focusing only on the second phase of collecting, the passive phase. The collector is looking at her, perhaps vast, collection of items and is thinking, "Why do I have all this stuff!? What is the point of having all this stuff!?"

Earlier, it was mentioned that this crisis is unique to the collecting hobby. This is because the passive phase of collecting - the accumulation of stuff - is unique to collecting. The accumulation of stuff and the collecting crisis go hand-in-hand.

For instance, someone who is involved in mountain biking is not going to experience a similar crisis. They will not awake one morning, see their mountain bike in the garage, and think to themselves, "Why do I have this mountain bike!? Why have I been spending my time mountain biking!?" The answer is simple: Because they have been enjoying the active behavior of riding a bike outdoors. There is no passive phase to confuse and confound mountain biking hobbyists.

How can a collector avoid the Collecting Crisis?

Collecting is about more than simply being interested in the items collected. This point cannot be emphasized enough. We know this is the case because not everyone who is interested in items collects them. Individuals who engage in collecting must be honest with themselves and do a bit of reflecting. The items we collect obviously interest us in some way, but why are we accumulating them? To avoid the Collecting Crisis, the collector must be aware of both phases of the hobby.

Disregard for a moment the characteristics if the items you collect. What they look like. How big they are. What color they are. Instead, take a look at the first phase of collecting above. Is there a step or two in that first phase that brings you a lot of enjoyment? Do you enjoy discovering new items at yard sales? Do you enjoy orchestrating huge deals with fellow collectors that leave both of you pleased? Do you enjoy getting new packages in the mail in the middle of the week that make it feel like Christmas? Do you savor the satisfaction of finally acquiring that piece you've been hunting for 3 years? Does it bring you comfort to see your collection sitting neatly and quietly on a display shelf? Do you like nothing better than cleaning newly received items and placing them proudly among your collection? Are you filled with positive emotions when you look at the items in your collection? Do you love photographing items in your collection and sharing those photos with other collectors? Do love sharing your knowledge of the items you collect with other collectors?

If you've answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may have also answered the question, "Why do I have all this stuff?"

The answer is not, "because glass marbles are beautiful." That's certainly part of it, but the real reasons you collect have less to do with the characteristics of the items you collect and more to do with the active phase of the collecting hobby.

Think carefully about the items you choose to collect.

Not only can this understanding help hobbyists avoid the Collecting Crisis and feelings of confusion, disgust, embarrassment, and anger, it can help them engage in the hobby in a manner that provides the maximum level of satisfaction.
For instance, let's say someone has an interest in antique cars and considers collecting them. Unless she is a rich television host such as Jay Leno who is well known for his large collection of cars and other vehicles, maintaining such a collection will be impossible. In this case, the individual might consider collecting antique, factory photographs of cars.

Things to consider when choosing an item:
  • Can I afford to collect these items?
  • Do I have room to accumulate a collection of these items?
  • How available are these items? Will they be too hard or too easy to collect?
  • Are there other people who collect these items? How do I feel about that?
  • What would be the social ramifications of collecting these items?

What if none of the facets of phase one are enjoyable?

If you find that you have a large collection of stuff, but you take no pleasure in the act of acquiring it, organizing it, looking at it, and/or interacting with other collectors, then it's possible that your motivation for accumulating items stems from deeper psychological needs. If upon reflection you find that phase two, having ownership of a large collection of items, is the main driving force behind your behavior, then I think an argument could be made that for you, collecting items is not a hobby. It is something else.

What is hoarding?

The excellent, free online resource WebMD defines hoarding thusly:

"When your junkaholic behaviors involve acquiring and keeping objects that appear to have limited if any value, and they begin to take over your living space, you meet the definition of a hoarder. Such people can't make a decision about the worth of anything, from food tins to tattered receipts, and over a period of years, they may accumulate mountains of "stuff" that can eventually leave them isolated and almost incapacitated in their own homes. Their possessions may cover their floors, couches, chairs, tables, and beds. They may have to wade through knee-deep piles of debris just to get to the bathroom. ...
In most cases, hoarders rarely look at the possessions they've saved, according to Fred Penzel, PhD, a Huntington, N.Y., psychologist and author of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders. Nevertheless, they feel some sense of security knowing that these items are there "just in case."

Hoarding is not a hobby one engages in because it is fun and enjoyable. It is a symptom of some form of (mental) illness. Ownership of things has become paramount. If you or someone you know is hoarding, get help. Start by talking to your family doctor.

As a long time collector, I know collecting things can be a fun and enjoyable past time, just like any hobby. People who enjoy collecting are also susceptible to burnout and getting carried away, just like with any other hobby. Taking some time to think about the collecting hobby can have huge benefits. I hope you choose to do so.
If you have any questions or comments about this article or collecting in general, please contact me at soupiestoyarchives@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Soupie
Toypedia webmaster

Resources:

http://clarity2010.b...ect-things.html ; Relax Max

http://ezinearticles...h...&id=2950472 ; MaryLou Driedger

http://www.horizonli.../why/index.html ; Diane Fricke

"Why Do We Like Old Things? Some Ruminations on History and Memory" ; Terry Shoptaugh

"Passionate Possession: The Formation of Private Collections" ; Marjorie Akin

http://www.webmd.com...le-hoard?page=2 ; 2003 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.

Edited by Soupie, 08 February 2013 - 07:26 AM.

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#2 Daxel101uk

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Posted 21 October 2010 - 12:53 PM

Very interesting and insightful read Soupie, I think something like this topic has come up before but I reckon now that I have read this I understand more why I do what im doing, funny how you can relate to many points raised. I agree that the aquiring of the items you choose to collect is a big part for me also I think you're more likely to stick to a collection if you grew up with the said LRG's. Like a connection to my past you could say (Nostagia) reminising times gone by with old friends, maybe trying to keep hold of some of my youth :p Cheers
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#3 Soupie

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Posted 21 October 2010 - 02:39 PM

I think you're more likely to stick to a collection if you grew up with the said LRG's. Like a connection to my past you could say (Nostagia) reminising times gone by with old friends, maybe trying to keep hold of some of my youth :p Cheers

Yeah, there's a show on the History channel called American Pickers. There are two guys who travel around America picking through peoples' stuff/junk looking for items that collectors would want. Often they find people with acres and buildings filled with stuff, but they won't sell any of it. Often they'll say "that belonged to my father" etc. The guys always say the reason these people have so much stuff/junk is because they're emotionally attached to it, and never get rid of any of it.
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#4 TheOrgg

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Posted 23 October 2010 - 12:23 PM

Soupie, you have such an intense interest in this subject and have such a fluid and coherent writing style. Why don't you start working on a book about the collecting phenomina? After the introductory chapters, you could have a chapter devoted to different kinds of collections, and interview collectors who collect those items.
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And you are here, with them, as so many specks of sand.

#5 Soupie

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Posted 23 October 2010 - 02:14 PM

Soupie, you have such an intense interest in this subject and have such a fluid and coherent writing style. Why don't you start working on a book about the collecting phenomina? After the introductory chapters, you could have a chapter devoted to different kinds of collections, and interview collectors who collect those items.

Thanks Theorgg. I don't writing a book on the topic is in my future though. I am just pleased that I finally wrote this article. It's something I've wanted to do for years now.

I want to make some edits - I'll be adding a bit more about nostalgia/emotional attachment and toy collecting in particular - and then I'll be posting this to Toypedia. If this article helps even one other collector, I'll be happy.

:)
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#6 Soupie

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 06:50 AM

bump
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#7 ironmask

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 07:00 AM

It's a good thread to necrobump.
I still assert that my collecting habits are equal parts nostalgia, and me not forgetting about how to play with toys. I have some display pieces, but I also have three MUSCLE figures that I keep in my pocket at all times. If things get too tense, stressful, or I get too angry, they serve as a decent reminder that the entire world isn't trash.
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#8 Soupie

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 07:17 AM

I have some display pieces, but I also have three MUSCLE figures that I keep in my pocket at all times. If things get too tense, stressful, or I get too angry, they serve as a decent reminder that the entire world isn't trash.

I'll add that to the list: "...because the items serve an emotional and/or practical purpose to the individual."

My own personal reasons for collecting minifigures lately has focused on the pleasure gained from appreciating the artistic craftsmanship of the sculpts. They inspire me to create my own. My actual "accumulation" of minifigures has really slowed over the past three years (oddly since writing this article).

I would also have to say that accumulating and organizing minifigures (and other things) gives me warm fuzzy feelings. (I love my glass jars filled with minifigures and books filled with cards.) It's probably related to "control" but not in a malicious way. On the OCD scale, I'm closer to a 10 than a 1.

Edited by Soupie, 08 February 2013 - 07:39 AM.

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#9 walker13.1

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 07:17 AM

because it gives them a feeling of control. That defintely applies to some people and they're collecting for the wrong reasons IMO.

because doing so allows them to recapture positive feelings associated with the items. This is otherwise known as "nostalgia." Yup, M.U.S.C.L.E. does that for me. I got back into it when I Googled M.U.S.C.L.E. for the heck of it one day, and Marty directed me to this board. LRG makes it even more fun.

because they enjoy the challenge of finding the items. The only hard to find item I found on my own was the Nestle Quik Can. I will never forget the "WTF is that, No it can't be, Holy S**T it is" moment I had.


because they find the items interesting. This to me applies to me buying The Walking Dead figures. They're really not big on this board, but I still like these figures a lot. Can't wait till the end of March for series 3 figures to come out, and then I'll focus on getting the few other figures I want.

Edited by vette88, 08 February 2013 - 07:17 AM.

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#10 Bagface

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 07:22 AM

That was an amazing read! With me it started out as M.U.S.C.L.E nostalgia, but with the way prices are right now Im having a fun time buying peoples original figures and castings. Its something cool that i can proudly display and i figure its helping the community, or at least helping people fund their sculpting/casting hobbies
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#11 ironmask

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 07:40 AM

I'll add that to the list: "...because the items serve an emotional and/or practical purpose to the individual."

My own personal reasons for collecting minifigures lately has focused on the pleasure gained from appreciating the artistic craftsmanship of the sculpts. They inspire me to create my own. My actual "accumulation" of minifigures has really slowed over the past three years (oddly since writing this article).


Well, it stands to reason, that once you've accumulated so much information about your field, that you'd want to then create within that field.
Honestly, a large part of my toy purchases in the past couple of years involve pieces with construction or textures that I wanted to have in hand for reference, when doing my own pieces. I suppose that files under "practical purposes", but perhaps as your collection has slowed down your interest in the technical acumen has grown.
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#12 fkro6784

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 07:44 AM

Great topic/article! I think about this every once in a while, especially whenever I drop a lot of money on LRGs, haha.

I've been a major collector for as long as I can remember. Not just LRGs (which I started collecting when I was really young, probably like 5 years old), there have been many things over the years--trading cards, action figures, books, records, etc. I've always had a strong desire to collect and am sure I always will. For me I think it's a few things:

- The thrill of collecting; it's a great feeling when I find something I really want. I think this is why many people start to lose interest once they've completed a collection of something in particular--they are no longer able to get that thrill from hunting it down
- The coolness factor of the stuff I collect and the feeling it gives me; it sounds kind of dumb, but I probably get the same feeling from looking at little rubber/plastic figures as fine art collectors get when they look at the art they've collected
- Sense of completion/happiness--the world can be a sucky place and I think everyone looks for things to serve as diversions and make them feel happier or more complete; collecting can do that. Someone who suffers from depression might have a more extreme addiction to buying things, but I think almost everyone experiences it to some degree

I also have this thing about cataloging which goes hand-in-hand with my collecting. Ever since I was a kid I've felt the need to document and catalog everything. I don't like the idea of information getting lost in time or being unavailable. Photographing stuff I collect, creating websites with info on stuff I collect, documenting all of it. It is a big part of the collecting experience for me and definitely helps fuel my interest in all of it.

Edited by fkro6784, 08 February 2013 - 07:45 AM.

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#13 DDR

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 07:47 AM

Thanks Soupie!

An exceptional piece for self reflection and exactly what I was looking for...

You should be very proud of this well thought & organized article.

Edited by DDR, 09 February 2013 - 07:16 AM.

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#14 iwao

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 10:21 AM

[*]as a form of individual expression.

Good read and I can relate to at least a few of the reasons for collecting. I wouldn't say the one I quoted is the main reason for me, but I know it applies to me and I'm not sure how many others collect for this reason.

I've got over 800 CDs that I've collected since high school. My buying of them has slowed, but just because I've reached an age where I'm not introduced to new music I like all that often, so I pretty much only get new stuff by bands that I've liked for many years. I've got an ipod and listen to that much more than the CDs, but I never think about getting rid of them. The music I like is part of who I am, and my wall of CDs tell people about me. Not the collection as a whole, but the artists and bands that I listen to. Anytime I've had a big group of people at my house, the ones I don't know well are the ones that always look through my CDs, and it's never just a quick glance. They look at everything, and somewhere in there is usually a common interest or a group we have both seen live that we can talk about.

My toys on display serve a similar function of telling people what I like, even if a lot of it is stuff they've never seen or heard of before.

I only got back into toy collecting early last year. Some lines have been a shared interest with my kids, like SLUG Zombies and they have a few OMFG sets each mixed in with the MUSCLEs I gave them. I've tried not to accumulate too much too fast or get into every toy line that interests me. I'm trying to avoid filling totes full of toys that I never look at. Anything that isn't on display or I don't take out to look at regularly gets offered up in trade or sold to help fund collecting whatever I'm currently really into. My last couple months of toy buying has been all from paypal funds from toy sales. My wife is cool about my collecting, but I do explain to her that I'm not just pumping a continuous stream of new money into it. She sees me selling or trading as much as buying.

One collection I experienced burnout with was baseball cards. I collected in the late 80s/early 90s. I got out when the hobby seemed to be all about rare insert cards and PSA grading. A great player's rookie card felt important to me. A 1-of-5 card with a piece of game jersey imbedded just seemed weird, but was suddenly a much bigger deal than rookie cards to most collectors.
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#15 Soupie

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 12:18 PM

- The thrill of collecting; it's a great feeling when I find something I really want. I think this is why many people start to lose interest once they've completed a collection of something in particular--they are no longer able to get that thrill from hunting it down.

Excellent point. I think this dovetails with the "collecting behavior without reflection" concept. For instance, someone re-discovers MUSCLE toys and begins buying them up on eBay. They have an "unconscious" goal of completing a flesh set. Once the flesh set is completed however, they continue to randomly buy MUSCLE stuff: colored figures, the ring, MOC stuff, etc. However, the same passion isn't there. They've already reached their unconscious goal of completing a full flesh set, or once they hit the milestone of the flesh set, the passion began to die.

When the passion driving the collecting behavior begins to cool that's when the person begins to reflect on what they've been doing. They reflect on all the time, money, and energy they've been spending over the past several weeks/months. In front of them sits a pile of toy figures, and they think, "What's this all about?"

I'll never forget one member who years ago listed his full MUSCLE flesh set for sale after having spent weeks acquiring it. He said all of a sudden they just looked like tiny naked men staring at him from his shelf (or something like that).


One collection I experienced burnout with was baseball cards. I collected in the late 80s/early 90s. I got out when the hobby seemed to be all about rare insert cards and PSA grading. A great player's rookie card felt important to me. A 1-of-5 card with a piece of game jersey imbedded just seemed weird, but was suddenly a much bigger deal than rookie cards to most collectors.

That's definitely a facet of the collecting hobby that is unique. I'm working on another long piece right now about "The Value of Vintage Minifigures."

Edited by Soupie, 08 February 2013 - 12:20 PM.

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#16 iwao

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Posted 08 February 2013 - 12:48 PM

I didn't think about it on my last post, but there is a part of toy collecting that is like what I said about baseball cards. Some collectors will be interested in a piece because it's a 1-of-20, not because of the piece itself. They value the rarity more than anything else about the toy.
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#17 Matlock

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Posted 09 February 2013 - 07:11 AM

So they can "Catch um ALL" or at least that's why I do it.
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#18 Soupie

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Posted 17 March 2019 - 08:53 AM

I have been away from the minfigure collecting community for about 5-6 years. The time and money I had been spending on minifigures was now being spent on Magic the Gathering. Collecting cards, building decks, consuming podcasts, and playing w/ friends. Although I never let time or money get out of hand, my behavior could definitely be described as "obsessive." An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind.

 

Recently and inexplicably, about 2 weeks ago, I woke up revolted by MTG. I couldn't look at my cards, think about my cards, or consume any MTG content, articles, podcasts, or videos.

 

It was the oddest thing!

 

Well, here I am on a toy forum again, so you know what happened. My interest in minifigs--always there in the background--became rekindled. Strongly. One could say obsessively.

 

Then it dawned on me that what happened with my MTG "obsession" going from 60 to zero in a one inexplicable day is JUST what many toy collectors have described over and over again over the years. Guys/gals waking up, looking at their cherished collection that they had worked on for 2-3 years, and feeling revulsion toward it, and feeling disgust at themselves for the time and money they put into it (completely ignoring all the fun and joy they had/felt putting it together in the first place).

 

I realized this is the point when many collectors sell their collection(s). Get them out of my sight, they're thinking, as quickly as possible. We typically call this "burnout" but I don't know if that's really what's going on.

 

As we all know, or have experienced ourselves, many people--but probably not the majority--may even start collecting the same toyline(s) a few months later! I realized that I've acquired and sold MTG card collections three times in my life.

 

What is going on here!?

 

I'll tell you, it was only a chance discussion with Meatcutta on IG that helped me realize that I was doing/experience was part of a pattern that many of us have experienced or witnessed.

 

I need to do some research. This phenomena is too common. One thing I'm wondering about is the arrival of Sporing weather (I'm based in the NE US). I also suffer from mild Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'm wondering if my collecting habits are seasonal/cyclical and my sudden, catastrophic loss of interest in MTG is related to the ending of Winter and onset of Spring.

 

A causal and/or new collector may think I'm over-analyzing this (and I may be) but veteran collectors will certainly have experience with this themselves or know of this happening to a collecting buddy or two.

 

One thing is for certain, I won't be selling off my MTG collection. Although the revulsion/disgust sensation is still present, it has already lessened over the past several days. It's very weird but also very concrete atm.


Edited by Soupie, 17 March 2019 - 08:58 AM.

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#19 Sydot

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Posted 17 March 2019 - 10:30 AM

i think we all go through this in a sense. Years ago I sold a large chunk of my MTG collection because I was young and needed money for a new car. It had to be done but it sucks knowing all the duel lands and such have skyrocket in price in the 10 years since I sold them.

I have been a lifelong collector and lucky for me I have been into the same sort of stuff all my life. I have my childhood garbage pail kid collection, vhs horror movies from when mom and pop video stores were closing down, 20+ years of on and off mtg playing, 15 years of record collecting, etc....

Now I live in archive of what I consider to be cool stuff and now I’m more at the point where I enjoy the experience of the hunt for weird stuff, meeting friends at flea markets, Striking gold at thrift stores. Also meeting people through it. For example I’m going to Ohio and Chicago next month with people I met on here and Instagram through toy collecting.

More and more collecting about the experiences for me than the stuff.
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#20 Soupie

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Posted 17 March 2019 - 12:00 PM

Good stuff, Sydot.

The more I’ve read about “why people collect” the more I realize that, in most healthy cases, it’s simply a hobby like any other. There are a lot of people who collect bc there are a lot of reasons why people collect.

Other than exploring why people collect, ive been interested in why some people burnout and/or why some people seem to cycle in and out of collecting. Selling collections only to start right back up again in a few months.

There’s probably lots of reasons this happens with some collectors. But one thing is for certain, this isn’t just a collecting phenomenon. People go through phases with all hobbies. Exploring different hobbies over the years, dropping some, sticking with others, or taking breaks.

The issue with collecting, especially collecting vintage things, is if one loses interest in collecting and sells their collection that took years to put together, you may never be able to reassemble it. If one loses interest in, say, brewing beer, sells their stuff. They can pretty easily get back into it. Also, vintage toy collecting communities tend to be very, very small. So when a collector loses interest and sells a collection it’s more noticeable.

https://www.reddit.c...bbies_and_then/
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#21 BaltanII

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Posted 17 March 2019 - 07:30 PM

One thing is for certain, I won't be selling off my MTG collection.

 

Drats, foiled again!

 

Fascinating consideration of seasonal changes or SAD being a potential factor in opting to want out of a hobby. Was there any impact within the MTG community you might have also felt revolving around wanting out of the game?


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#22 Soupie

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Posted 18 March 2019 - 05:23 AM

Drats, foiled again!

Fascinating consideration of seasonal changes or SAD being a potential factor in opting to want out of a hobby. Was there any impact within the MTG community you might have also felt revolving around wanting out of the game?

Haha yeah I’ve learned the hard way not to (impulsively) sell a collection when interest wanes, because for me the interest has always returned. It seems this is the case with many others, but of course there will always be exceptions. People who pursue a hobby for months or years, lose interest, and never return.

As far as I am consciously aware, there is nothing in the Mtg community that upset me or turned me off. My playgroup is great and active. I had just built a fun Eldrazi deck that was working really well. And then poof.

My interest is already returning (for lack of better words) but where it had been a consistent 10 out of 10 for several years, it’s now a 3-4. Very odd. :shrug:

So, one thing I’d suggest to new collectors is that if/when the collecting bug fades, hold onto your collection(s) for a few months before selling them. Pack them up, store them away. Take a peak at them a few months later. If they still look like meaningless lumps of plastic, then by all means sell them.

But don’t impulsively sell a collection that you enjoyed putting together over a span of 4-5 years on a moments whim due to a natural and potentially temporary fading of interest in the collectible or collecting in general. As turned off by the collectible or collecting as you may be in the moment, the interest may return in a few weeks or months.
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#23 greyeagle06

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Posted 19 September 2020 - 07:55 AM

Sometimes for me It's almost about preserving it.... like someday I'm going to send my collection of 40 M.u.s.c.l.e. figures to a museum!

 

Really nice article!  :good:  


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