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?
Patience is one of the virtues I do not possess 🙂 but I know myself and will pace myself in time. When I found my inner peace.
Good read as usual.
Haha Marco! Ironically I’m extremely hyperactive and impatient myself so I struggle to take things slow. But I have come to realise the advantages of being patient so I do my best…Meditation every day doesn’t hurt either!
It does raise a good point though. Not all collectors who rush their collections are necessarily doing so simply to earn respect and I hope my article didn’t come across as saying that. I guess some are just generally speedy in all aspects of their lives so their collecting is no different.
Great post, Christian. I have been back to collecting around the same amount of time as you, and I would have to say that I seem to have taken the same route that you seemed to indicate about yourself. The first year that I started out, I was getting anything and everything that my appetite and wallet could support, and sometimes even more of that. Occasionally I find myself falling back into the trap of being impulsive, and then I remind myself that I have seen XYZ piece several times before and it will come back again soon. But to be honest, sometimes it’s really hard to show restraint with so many wonderful items out there, just wanting to be had!!!! But I have learned, like you indicated, that the patient collector is the one that will be rewarded with the best deal, and so most of the time restraint is the best path.
I regret that the 12 back group may have been what you were referring to, in which it seemed for a while that newer collectors were posting new conquests several times daily, and those acquisitions were costly. Promotion of that type of “buying fever” was not what we intended when we started the group, but it does appear to have been an unfortunate byproduct. With that said, it seems as though that type of mentality has slowed, and hopefully articles by you and Joe will show others that patience and learning are key to this hobby.
Hey Ross, thanks for your well-thought out comment mate. You’re absolutely spot on that the right pieces always come back on the market. I used to grab a piece I wanted as soon as I saw it and was disappointed if I missed out but now I’m not so worried as I know these things almost always come back around, sometimes much cheaper than when we first saw them.
It’s funny that you mention your own buying habits because you were one of the collectors I had on my mind when I wrote “… 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.”
I wasn’t referring to your 12 back group (my favourite Facebook group by the way!), it was more of a general observation and it seems to happen in most groups. That said, I’m not necessarily saying there is anything wrong with showcasing items, I do it myself and I love seeing what others have, but it simply gave me some perspective.
Agreed, I too have seen a lot of new collectors fall into this trap. Maybe not always for kudos. I think it might have a lot more to do with seeing these items for the first time in years causes them to impulse buy, and unlike as Ross says “I have seen XYZ piece several times before and it will come back again soon” The New guys Haven’t seen the Piece before and scramble to get before its gone. I was guilty of this in the Variant collecting World when i was new and made lots of impulse buys that i know now that i could have gotten a better deal or a nicer example if i had patience. I realized what i was doing about 1 year in and slowed down. Take your time Guys the Pieces will still be coming up. I am only now getting in to buying MOC Figures, being wiser and more a experienced collector now, I took a decade of learning from others and watching before i started buying them 🙂
Hi Gary, thanks for your thoughts. I totally agree it’s not always for kudos, I guess though that’s just a particularly bugbear I have with some other new collectors. I kind of touched on what you said in my response to Ross’ comment. I do agree the whole impatience issue can also come down to the excitement at seeing these pieces for the first time and I guess also we are super pumped when we first start collecting so we want to buy EVERYTHING!!!! Actually I’m still super pumped but I’m a little wiser now…