Hi guys,

Did everyone get a chance to read the fantastic article from Trilogo.info that we shared a couple of days ago? Well here it is again:

http://vintagestarwarscollectors.com/fantastic-new-article-from-trilogo-info/

Joe’s article definitely provoked a lot of conversation, mainly in regards to his opinions on trilogo prices and the role of the AFA in relation to price inflation. While these were excellent points, I focussed more on what Joe’s had to say about the virtues of being a patient collector and there are a few thoughts I’d like to share briefly.

Everyone is free to collect in whatever style they like, however I feel sometimes that some newer collectors are buying cabinets of expensive pieces in order to gain respect/kudos from other collectors. One thing that I’ve learnt though is that collectors, particularly those who have contributed so significantly to our hobby, couldn’t care less how much your collection is worth or how rare your pieces are. Rather, you’ll gain respect if you seek to learn about the actual pieces you are collecting. I also think a bit of modesty about your collection also goes a long way….

How about my own collecting habits? I’ve only been collecting a bit under two years. I started off pretty slow, buying an MOC here and there until I learnt more about how to spot a reseal, repro etc. I also took some time to work out exactly what I wanted to collect (Luke Skywalker!). But I must admit that I then went a bit mental with my spending in trying to get as many Luke MOCs and loose variants as I could in such a short time. I’ve now taken my pedal off the metal and I’m really taking my time to target what I want to buy. Collecting for me is a long game and I don’t want to burn out after only two years. So why did my attitude change? I know I’m saying this at the risk of offending some readers but it was actually my becoming more active on the Facebook groups that gave me some perspective on my collecting habits. I was a bit tired of witnessing the hourly cavalcade of high-grade and extremely expensive MOCs being posted one after another in the Facebook groups by collectors who had pretty much just joined the hobby and did not seem to have a lot knowledge about the pieces they were collecting. Now I sincerely do not mean offence to these collectors and I don’t feel the way I do out of misplaced jealousy or envy. Anyway who am I to tell you what to buy and when to buy? It’s just not how I want to collect anymore. To be honest I think I’ve always enjoyed the social side of collecting more than the actual collecting aspect so I’m fine with being patient.

I want to add to the above that although I do have my views on patience in collecting, the situation is not always black and white. There are collectors that are in a hurry because they want to gain respect in the hobby, but I also know several collectors who are quite new to the hobby and have massive collections already but I don’t get the feeling they are doing it for validation from others. They don’t seem to care what anyone else thinks and they simply just love collecting, have the financial means to support their habit and have boundless energy.

So what kind of collector are you? Are any of you as patient as this guy?