Anyone here ever lose his or her "toy collecting spirit"?

[z3zep]

I definitely don't have the passion that I had a few years ago. I used to be on e-bay every second possible. I used to buy anything I thought was cool, so I had no clear toy focus. Now, I am selling off some stuff I purchased and don't display or bought on impulse. I still love my Megos, Tomlands and AHIs and other vintage toys but I am not really getting any modern toys. I still love to look but I am much more selective in what I buy. At times I feel like I want to simplify my life and get rid of everything, but haven't gotten there just yet. lol

[hobub]

Several times but it comes back once I see something like that new star trek continues or an episode of spongebob that features an aquaman knockoff.

[Splitty]

NEVAH!! Much like a mold, it spreads and grows in new unexpected directions every year.

Only thing stopping me is money.
..or no money.

[Boshek]

Since it started I had every Master of the Universe Classic. I had their subscriptions and ordered their exclusive figures. But last year I got into some financial woes and my subscriptions ended because my credit cards were maxed. It hurt me so that for all those years I kept up with it but couldn't stay with it. But part of me was okay with it.

I use to buy many figures from many lines, from WWE, Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Dc Universe, Transformers, MOTU and more. With their prices more than doubling, toy stores closing and toy aisles shrinking my interest is constantly getting lower.

When I go away to college again I only plan on taking a box of toys and keep them in my room. Maybe put a few on my desk.

Will I always go online to read about toys past and present? Sure. Will I take a trip down the toy asisle? You bet. Will I spend thousands of dollars a year on toys. Nope, never again.

Right now I am looking forward to some things coming out this year. My subscription has been going through for MOTU and I made a list of who I missed. Slowly I will try to get them but at double their old price, probably about $40 each, it is hard. I am really looking forward to Barney Hiller and an improved SMDM head sculpt. And also new Action Jackson figures.

If toys were cheaper and I had more money I might buy more. However, what I do buy know is really special to me.

[Gorn Captain]

The only modern toy still on my list is the upcoming Sideshow Snake Plissken.
That is a childhood dream come true, something I just can't refuse...

[beartex2000]

For me , divorce, separation from my kids, having to move out and start over really put and end to my collecting and I sold off a large portion last year. The "real world" can really snap you out of collecting in a hurry sometimes! What I have left is in storage and I may down size again this summer. Strangely enough I was just looking around on eBay the other day and came across the Action Jackson raincoat that I had been seeking for years. It was super beat up and not worth much....but I still jumped on it! So who knows? Maybe when I'm completely resettled the collecting bug will hit me again. A salute to all of you keeping the good fight going!

[Gorn Captain]

It's always been our wish to travel, maybe buy a van and see the world, settle down somewhere else.
Something tells me that I won't be able to put a whole toy collection in that van anyway.

But you can store a pretty decent (loose) Mego collection in one suitcase, so that might work...

[kisstour03]

Hoo boy can I relate to a lot of what has been said in this thread. I collected toys off and on from my late teens onward. Not anything focused. Just picked up stuff here and there. Funny thing was I never thought of it as "collecting". If that makes sense. It was just picking up something because I thought it was neat. Then several years ago I got bitten by the Star Wars bug and started picking up stuff left right and center. Then got sucked into the vintage Star Wars world. Then got sucked into the sub-section of the vintage Star Wars world known as bootleg collecting. Then I hit a wall and the interest just died. Partly because it got stale and partly because it got stale because of all the drama involved in that world of collecting. Constant bickering and wars over what I considered silly issues. More non-issues really.

Thankfully a couple of things happened together to ease being out of collecting toys for that period. First my wife and I bought our first house. So I had that to take up my time and finances. Secondly I rediscovered a true passion of mine that never gets old. Comic collecting/reading. With comics collecting the last two years I slowly came back to toys and it was sorta fun again. But still didn't feel like a total fit right away. Then I decided to focus on my Hulk collection more. That felt better. Hulk was a big connection to my childhood. The last year was comics and Hulk and a bit of a sideline into some other characters. Which finally brought me to Mego. And for now I'm content.

Burnout on a hobby is almost like being lost. You're disoriented and almost a little panicked because you miss that fire of the hunt. My best advice is to take a break. Rearrange some toys. Maybe sell some stuff that you won't miss. Do something else you like for awhile. Then see where you're at. I bet you'll find a way to remake your hobby and find that spark again.

[Mr.Marion]

I'm there right now. I mostly just picking up wgsh and vintage Batman these days. I'm getting rid of all the mego lines i dont collect. I feel guilty spending what items are going for when I have such a supportive girlfriend I could be spoiling more.

[rykerw1701]

An old thread that will always be relevant. I collected stuff as a kid, and picked it back up again in my late 20's. My collecting focus changes, from comics to football cards to toys to statues. And then within toys at statues it's Star Trek or DC/Marvel, with a smattering of other properties like Star Wars thrown in. Things like kids, buying a house, and divorce all play a huge role in collecting anything. Interest ebbs and flows. But turning 50 this year made me start to reevaluate. What am I going to do with all this stuff? Do I want to stick someone with trying to sort through all this crap when...you know. A couple of recent deaths of those close to me got me going down that ugly road. Anyway, 90% of my collection is in bins in the basement. Much of it, like the Playmates Star Trek stuff, isn't worth anything, and other stuff is worth a lot less than I paid. So I get rid of some stuff each year and buy a bit, but it's pretty much a zero sum game.

In the short term, Batman '66 FTC figures, and the select DC Bombshells statues are about all I'm really into these days. I'm overdue for a big purge. I'd like things at home to be less cluttered and complicated.

[Mr.Marion]

An old thread that will always be relevant. I collected stuff as a kid, and picked it back up again in my late 20's. My collecting focus changes, from comics to football cards to toys to statues. And then within toys at statues it's Star Trek or DC/Marvel, with a smattering of other properties like Star Wars thrown in. Things like kids, buying a house, and divorce all play a huge role in collecting anything. Interest ebbs and flows. But turning 50 this year made me start to reevaluate. What am I going to do with all this stuff? Do I want to stick someone with trying to sort through all this crap when...you know. A couple of recent deaths of those close to me got me going down that ugly road. Anyway, 90% of my collection is in bins in the basement. Much of it, like the Playmates Star Trek stuff, isn't worth anything, and other stuff is worth a lot less than I paid. So I get rid of some stuff each year and buy a bit, but it's pretty much a zero sum game.

In the short term, Batman '66 FTC figures, and the select DC Bombshells statues are about all I'm really into these days. I'm overdue for a big purge. I'd like things at home to be less cluttered and complicated.

I completely understand. I have alot less stuff now but more rarer items. Example I'd rather have a mint Aqualad on display than 20 loose kenner Star Wars in a bin even though the price is around the same. My mistake was buying too many lines I wasn't passionate about because I wanted to buy stuff at antique and toy shows. If its not going on display or I can't resell it for a good return I don't have any business buying it.

[Hector]

Yeah, I'm in a toy collecting funk as well...have no bought anything except a couple of binders with Superman cards, and that was a few months ago. But no action figures in about two years or so.

Doesn't mean I'm saving though, still spending a ton on my Mustang, ammo for my guns (I target shoot quite a bit)...and just forked out on an Apple Mini with all the bells and whistles (meaning, Im customizing it)...

20 years ago, it happened to me with comics...after decades of collecting...sold off all the expensive ones, placed the cheaper ones in the basement...and have not bought on single comic book since.

But that's not going to happen with action figures...it has just simply slowed down a bit...

[Nostalgiabuff]

same here. I have not bought anything in almost 2 years. started selling some stuff, but I am kind of lazy when it comes to selling so most of it went into storage bins in my closet. I keep looking at what I have still on display and thinking I should pack it up and put it away too.

[cjefferys]

I always take toy buying breaks from time to time and I'm currently in one now (haven't bought any since Mego Meet). I still greatly enjoy the ones I have and they are still proudly on display, I just haven't felt like buying any recently, I've been on a comic/art book buying kick instead (like I need more books!)

[Apositive]

Yes. Lost it. Totally.

Force Friday disgusted me- lack of quality products, overpriced figures and immature fans.


Figures Toy Company and ReAction have interesting products but I just can't afford to buy things that will sit around and collect dust.

Lost It.....