How "Social" Is Collecting For You?

[Wee67]

Mike, you're one of the most social guys here! But clearly you would be a collector if you had no social system with wich to share it. I guees I still need to tlak about my new old toys I don't know how enthusiastic I would be or how much I would enjoy collecting if I didn't have friends to share it with.

One end of the spectrum would be a person who would collect Megos even if they never, ever talked about it to anyone else while the other end is someone who really wouldn't enjoy it unless they could share every piece and every detail of their hunt and finds with everyone they knew.

I'd put myself somewhere between the middle of that scale and the latter guy, but hopefuly more to the middle.

[Mikey]

Before the Museum when I was collecting from the mid 80's all the way to 2001, I basically had no collecting social action whatsoever.

My biggest contact to the collecting world was reading Lee's letters to the editor section.... and that was about it.

That and reading books and collecting publications.

It was a lonely time, but strangely I almost miss it.
I was more intense back then.

[Werewolf]

I first came to the Museum because of the toys. I stayed all these years because I like the people here. That pretty much sums it up for me.

[Wee67]

An interaction with a co-worker about 10 years ago led me to do an internet search for some long lost toys by a company called Mego. I came across the Museum, but it wasn't until I picked up my first "new" Mego that the rush of nostalgia and the collector bug overtook me.

Now I love my Megos and enjoy collecting 'em all, BUT...

A really big part of why I am a collector has got to do with the social aspect of collecting. I've made new friends, shared minor finds/victories, been driven on seeing other toys that I suddenly "have to have" and unconvered new areas of geekdom I didn't even know I had. I'm pretty sure I would still have begun collecting Megos again, but I honestly don't know if I would have had the same dedication if it were not for the social circles I've joined.

Now clearly if you are here, there is a social aspect to your collecting. But just how of collecting is social for you? If I am honest, I have to say its pretty big for me.