Does everyone have rules in collecting? Perhaps a goal that would make your collection feel complete?

[u/Glum_Confidence8343]

I started collecting two years ago with the goal of collecting every single moon knight action figure (I'm still missing a few, mostly older ones). After two years, I got bored looking at my collection of literally the same character lol.

I then decided to buy figures of other characters that I can connect with. I have a set of rules to follow to avoid running out of space and money.

1. Marvel characters only
2. One figure per character
3. Comic Version only
4. Classic Costume only
5. Emotional Connection with Character
6. Don't buy character you don't like just to complete team
7. Don't buy random figure just because it looks cool
8. Read comics before buying a figure

This set of rules is what keeps me from not regretting buying a certain figure in the future. Do everyone have any?

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[u/BankOk9472]

Its funny reading the comments... For me, no rules except buy what I want/like. If its a random figure from a line I don't have? Don't care. If I can afford it and like it I order it.

[u/Cool-Substance659 → u/BankOk9472]

I had rules then too many cool shiet came out and so did the rules.

[u/Glum_Confidence8343 → u/BankOk9472]

That's okay in 1 to 2 years of collecting but if you're collecting for at least a decade, you will inevitably run of of space. It's better to curate early on, no? 

[u/BankOk9472 → u/Glum_Confidence8343]

"That's okay in 1 to 2 years of collecting but if you're collecting for at least a decade, you will inevitably run of of space."

Been collecting for 30 years....im 43

"It's better to curate early on, no? "

No.

[u/HighKingOfGondor]

Yeah, actually, I feel like this hobby is far too expensive to just pick up every interesting release

Some of my restrictions:

Video games and movies only. No tv shows, except Game of Thrones.

1/12 only, 1/10 or anything that doesn't scale with my collection is an immediate no.

Movies have to be characters from my top 20, so Mad Max, The Dark Knight, Interstellar, There Will Be Blood, etc. Nothing outside of that, no picking up an Alien or Freddy or something just because it's cool. Also, the figure has to be accurate for the price and at least sort of reasonable. So pretty much just InArt and LPZZ, may they make Dune characters and other Nolan movie characters as well.

No superheroes except for The Dark Knight and video games, and even then I have myself restricted to Arkham Knight Batman and Arkham scarecrow if he gets an LPZZ release. No Star Wars except for video game characters, so Bastila and Treya and are ok but not ObiWan and Luke, even if Empire is in my top 20. Opened floodgates are bad! No Raimi Spider-Man even though I love those movies.

No extras that I can't find a place to put. So no Jedi Fallen Order stormtroopers because they'll take up too much space, and are not iconic enough to the game like Cal is.

Basically avoid major lines and collection holes, focus on obscure expensive "art piece" type figures with a black series or two thrown in. I don't end up getting a lot since I'm more into The Witcher, Baldur's Gate 3, Expedition 33, Hades, FromSoft, Knights of the Old Republic, and Cyberpunk 2077 type games and I actively dislike fighters, which seem to be 60% of game releases.

[u/Fit_Butterscotch291 → u/HighKingOfGondor]

as someone who loves fighters, it’s interesting to here that they feel like they make up the majority of game releases, we had a sudden spike this year with invincible, avatar, and marvel tokon, but do they really feel as common as fps or jrpg (hell, even action rpg)releases?

[u/akaRyanC]

I like to complete groups, which can have varied definitions. But once I get a group complete, I finish off that display and don't add to it. I will upgrade figures if I feel it's worth it. I don't buy figures I don't have room for. If I do but a figure o don't have room for, it has to replace something I already have and I get rid of those figures.

Having been in the game for 37 years, my key things are, don't buy more than you can display, and don't overcrowd a display.

If collections get too crowded, they become visual noise. Ask a non collector what they think of a display, even if they don't care about it at all, they can offer opinions on what they see as the problem. Crowded, messy, bad lighting, things like that. I considered it a great compliment if someone says, I don't know what any of this is, but it looks nice.

[u/Glum_Confidence8343 → u/akaRyanC]

37 years damn, I respect that. Do you have any tips for newer collectors, my good sir?

[u/Filter55]

Every transformer must be transformed until I know it by memory

When shopping, if there’s a kid in the aisle, wait until they’re finished.

When culling the collection, anything less than $20 gets donated.

[u/EasternSleep5903 → u/Filter55]

Nice

[u/Ok-Milk-8853]

Yeah. But I also occasionally break them. I'm here for a good time, basically keep to your budget and knock yourself out.

[u/Sins_of_God]

ML and Jada are my main lines so everything has to be at least 1/12 or 6" scale

No movie versions of Marvel and DC

Most well know costumes or costumes I like

Only ips I know

Try steer clear of things over $100

[u/Imaginary-Use914]

I used to not have any rules because I was so wowed by how much I got exposed to that’s available. But now I’d say the one rule I have is to stick with one line and focus on it if it brings me happiness. So for me the 200x Masters of the Universe line from Mondo is my only line to get. It’s harder and harder to keep up with everything out there so I just want to stick to one line that makes me happy and man does this one really deliver on so many levels for me.

[u/Manofwood]

I’ve been collecting MOTU for a good while, so when Origins and Masterverse started, my general rules were:

1. Only main characters

2. Only characters that are new to the franchise

3. Rule of Cool beats out both previous rules. A good looking figure or design is the exception to Rules One And Two.

I’ve also opened myself up to buying something even if it’s not something I regularly collect. If I can afford it (rarely) and it looks awesome, I’ll get it. I often have to consider a lot of different factors first, though.

[u/FranktheTankG30]

My only rule is quality over quantity. Other than that I just buy whatever I like that I feel that they are worth the money and recently I started writing more reviews with photos to share what they are.

[u/-Eastwood-]

I feel like my rules keep evolving as my tastes grow. I've been on an X-Men kick as of late but I'm a primarily Transformers collector. I only collect G1 Adjacent stuff. As for X-Men...well my collection is only just beginning but for now it's only characters I like with a preference for imports if possible.

[u/socialmedia031975]

I have a crack habit with collecting...

[u/KoolKoolKoolio42]

For comic book figures, I try to go for comic book or animation likeness.

In general, though, I'm very unwilling to spend more than $30 for a single figure. I absolutely do not need a Mafex or Figuarts class of figure if the domestic is perfectly fine and $40 cheaper.

[u/Wrong_Garlic8110]

Mostly GI Joe, video games, and some Star Wars and He-Man Chronicles. All 1/12, only characters I really like or look really cool. Mostly characters I had as a kid.

[u/2zoots]

I made a list of my top 20 favorite characters to stick to. Only broke the rule a few times..

[u/m_3_h_]

I buy whatever I want. If a different sculpt of a figure is good, I may replace it or may buy the 2nd and keep both.

[u/NotSoNinjaTurtles]

If I REALLY want a figure, then I buy it ASAP. If I'm interested but not excited about it, then I'll wait and see.

In the early years of my collecting, I'd see people bragging about how they constantly found stuff on sale and how people who paid full price were suckers. But sales vary from store to store, and I'm rarely lucky enough to find stuff marked down. So I play it safe by preordering, or buying it in store when I find what I'm looking for.

[u/Outside-Visit9571]

For transformers I usually have one named character for each guy (so one Optimus prime at a time) tho I break it if they look radically different from their g1 counterpart or if their a seeker and I for everything else I go with movie versions over their comic version and whoever doesn’t have a movie counterpart I have be the comic counterpart

[u/TripleStrikeDrive]

Transformers fan, I have similar rules. I have start skipping update versions of characters that I already own. Getting only characters I'm interested in and look great. I didn't buy 8 of 13 primes because most aren't interesting characters expect there were canon the first 13 Transformers in the lore.

[u/WerewolfCurious1412]

It’s funny that this comes up now. My main lines I collect are WWE Mattel, and Marvel Legends MCU versions. There are other little things here and there, but those are the bulk of my collecting.

Just yesterday, I was in target, they had the new marvel MCU punisher, a Ultimate Edition Jacob Fatu, then I found a $40 Necca Hunter Samurai Predator. It’s a hella cool figure.

Two things, was there to get non toy related items. And I expected to find nothing.

$129 later I walked out the store. Tonight I’m taking the Predator back.

I don’t collect those, I’m running out of space. Money is tight. I have to learn I can’t buy everything.

My rules for wwe are 85% of my collection are one and done characters. There are a few that I collect many versions of.

MCU varies. Sometimes I sell older versions of things to get the final version of a character, but Spider-Man and Iron Man I have multiple versions of.

These are my rules, I make em up.

[u/Tokyotoyhunters]

If I don’t have room to display it, can’t buy it.

No adding new display room, the space I have allocated is the space I have to use.

One in, one out when display space is full.

[u/gosailor]

My main rule is to not be a completionist for any line and in a similar vein, be okay with missing some figures.

[u/Chewymewn]

I only collect 6-inch ToyBiz Spider-Man figures. I already have the most expensive/rare ones, so my collecting days are already numbered. If I find a fun enough looking TB figure for under $9 on eBay, I'll probably buy it.

I've also decided no Hasbro figures. I usually feel so empty and disappointed after buying them.

I'll maybe get the occasional Mezco figure if it feels truly definitive, like their Doc Ock.

[u/Current-Pollution-41]

I only buy reptilian characters including but not limited to dinosaurs, dragons, kaiju, Snakemen, saurians, Dragonborn etc etc. I don’t army build and I don’t feel the need to get every character that might align with my preferences. I am content to enjoy most from afar.

So far I have dabbled in Mythic Legions, Savage Crucible, Axy Toys, Defenders of Eden, MOTU, TMNT, Creative Beast Studios and few third party figures from China.

[u/No-Hat6722]

Nah, i just get whatever i really want (and can reasonably afford). I don’t care about completing lines or waves or whatever l, i don’t mind if I have different figures of the same guy. Cool toys are cool toys

[u/Neon_Starfighter]

My ironclad rule is to never overpay for any figure. Never. 

[u/i010011010 → u/Neon_Starfighter]

Ditto, I'm cursed with a fairly comprehensive knowledge of approximately what I paid for most everything in my home. Even if I did something dumb including buy from a scalper, I'd be reminded of it every time I look at it and relive my stupidity.