I was wondering if anyone has an age or point in life where they've decided that it will mark the end of collecting. I'm not talking about situations where you stop liking collecting, or get fed up, etc.. I mean just saying to yourself that once you hit "X" or once you "have to pay for college" that you'll sell up and not look back.

I've been imagining myself collecting at 50 and frankly I don't see it. Granted it's 11yrs out but still I think I'll be done. But hey, that's my thinking now. Who know what'll happen.

So anyone else ponder this?

For me, much as I love buying vintage now I have two kids the interest is starting to wain,
partly because all my stuff is now stored away in the loft and doesn't see the light of day.
I'm starting to slim down my collection but I'll still be keeping half an eye on the game
looking out for that must have grail piece but I think the bulk of it will go this year

I don't think I'll ever stop collecting till I die. But I thankfully also don't have kids to think about "collage and stuff" about. 50 seems too young to think about quitting collecting. Not saying I won't change focus a hundred times. But collecting something will be in my blood till I'm gone.

Darthberizing wrote:

I've been imagining myself collecting at 50 and frankly I don't see it. Granted it's 11yrs out but still I think I'll be done. But hey, that's my thinking now. Who know what'll happen

I can imagine myself still collecting when I'm 50. The number of purchases will be fewer (hopefully), but having collected the vintage figures for 34 years, I can't see myself stopping through choice. However, as you say, who knows what'll happen in the future.

I'm just going to enjoy this hobby for as long as I can.

The passion comes & goes for me but has never really left me if you get what I mean, I think I will be collecting till I die TBH but have little breaks from the hobby to focus on other interests & hobbies I have, but I think of my SW collecting as a little something I can leave the kids, as my son who is 7 & my youngest daughter 10 are both SW enthusiasts already - long live the collecting bug.

It really all depends on the situation. With me, Ive had 3 SW collections over the years and each time I said never again. I think it really all depends on an individuals tastes at the time. Right now, Im more into other areas, so Ill probally be like Paul, collecting something (even if its dust ) till I cant afford it no more. But for SW in general, the passion has to be there to collect it for me, and Im pondering if I still have it still at this point.

Interesting topic...

This is my second time collecting vintage SW. I began collecting in 1995 at the ripe old age of ten. I vividly remember thinking about how great my collection would be one day when I had the financial means to not only afford the pieces I desired, but have a place to display them (my bedroom was nearly out of space).

With that being said, time elapsed and by 2000 my focus had changed..... cars and girls. In 2001 I packaged up my entire collection and sold every last piece so I could purchase my first car. The vehicle turned out to be a great a hobby for the remainder of my high school career. I never regretted that decision.

It wasn't until I graduated university, began my career and settled down with my lady that vintage collecting appeared enticing yet again. I really can't see myself forfeiting the hobby anytime soon, not to say it can't happen. I remember laughing at myself in college when thinking of my childhood dream of owning a man cave dedicated to this hobby. I guess you could say I was preoccupied at the time and didn't realize that I would indeed follow up on my childhood goal in a few short years.

I can't predict the future, but I do see vintage collecting having a place in my life for the foreseeable future. I enjoy the community and endless amount of focuses this hobby provides. I enjoy learning new things and this hobby provides plenty of that along with a nice hedge against inflation. :wink:

I think i've mentioned this before. I'll sell up when i hit 40. I'll be far too mature to collect old toys!

I'll collect/hoard until I die. Tim then has to sort & sell my Star Wars

Uh-huh AJ. Other way round dude, if you remember.

Tank1252 wrote:

I think i've mentioned this before. I'll sell up when i hit 40. I'll be far too mature to collect old toys!

Your not lying about your age are you?

I love to collect and hate to sell stuff so i think i will collect until i cant afford the things i want.
Then i put this collection on hold and start up another one,maybe motu but those guys need lot of display space

I feel ill if I can't collect something

seriously, it's like a disease. I've always collected stuff since childhood and at the moment it's vintage Star Wars as the main, followed by Doctor Who action figures and memorabilia, comics and annuals, and die cast vehicles.

I can't even begin to imagine a life for me without collecting. When I'm a pensioner I'll be like the crazy old guy you see on the news with his house full of old newspapers, broken radios and cats - except for me it'll be X-Wing fighter toys comics and Daleks

I had a spell about 5 years ago where I really lost interest and didn't buy anything for almost a year. My advice would not to sell up when you lose interest but just box it up and hang on to it all. I think i would have really regretted selling my collection when my interest reignited.



Jason

Rawlin wrote:

Tank1252 wrote:

I think i've mentioned this before. I'll sell up when i hit 40. I'll be far too mature to collect old toys!

Your not lying about your age are you?

Yhea he is. He went to school with Moses.

Chris_J wrote:

Rawlin wrote:

Tank1252 wrote:

I think i've mentioned this before. I'll sell up when i hit 40. I'll be far too mature to collect old toys!

Your not lying about your age are you?

Yhea he is. He went to school with Moses.

I thought so lol

At the subject though I will probably never stop collecting. What I collect though might be different.

Chris_J wrote:

Rawlin wrote:

Tank1252 wrote:

I think i've mentioned this before. I'll sell up when i hit 40. I'll be far too mature to collect old toys!

Your not lying about your age are you?

Yhea he is. He went to school with Moses.

I think he was a couple of years behind me...

Tank1252 wrote:

Chris_J wrote:

Rawlin wrote:

Tank1252 wrote:

I think i've mentioned this before. I'll sell up when i hit 40. I'll be far too mature to collect old toys!

Your not lying about your age are you?

Yhea he is. He went to school with Moses.

I think he was a couple of years behind me...

Just remember me when your gonna sell your stuff off cheap You are 41 now after all!

Its a good question that I have pondered myself a few times already.

My father is a collector and judging by him the desire to collect does not diminish the older you get. I think the older you get the more time and disposable income you have - the collecting urge becomes stronger and so does the urge to revisit the things from your childhood past.

I think that when you start questioning the longevity of your collecting then maybe its time for some new inspiration.

Its also common for collector type people to change the focus of their collecting completely. Especially if they have achieved all or most of what they intended.

Once again to use my father as an example he has been a big collector of coins, stamps, wine, cork screws and finally books.

Darthberizing wrote:

I was wondering if anyone has an age or point in life where they've decided that it will mark the end of collecting. I'm not talking about situations where you stop liking collecting, or get fed up, etc.. I mean just saying to yourself that once you hit "X" or once you "have to pay for college" that you'll sell up and not look back.

I've been imagining myself collecting at 50 and frankly I don't see it. Granted it's 11yrs out but still I think I'll be done. But hey, that's my thinking now. Who know what'll happen.

So anyone else ponder this?

Hmmm interesting question. I have alway thought I would collect until I die. I still think that.

However I'm going though a complete shut down at the moment. I really want to get us a house before we get married and so I had to stop buying. My plans have even got one step further as the Landlord has decided to sell the one we rent a year earlier than I planned, so I have needed to sell off pieces too.

Many of the pieces that I took ages to buy/find I have had to part with. It is really a gutting feeling to see them go. 20 years of collecting then selling off is not easy. My only concellation is that once I have got me and and the wifey a house, I can start the hunt to refind them...

Hopefully a fifty-something guy recollecting the stuff he had to sell for a pop at the property ladder isn't a too bad thought, but at least I have another 20 years before I need to worry about that.

I've only been collecting as an adult for the past 4 years. But the trend I notice is that I'm slowing my acquisition activity the further I get into it.

The reasons are two:

1) I'm getting selective about what I buy. When I started out I was buying vintage, modern(!), marvel, posters, books... anything that tripped my trigger in the slightest. Now I'm doing a good job of focusing on higher end items, mostly MOC vintage. Although a slower process this feels better for me.

2) Time is an issue. My daughter arrived 2 years ago. During her first year it was mostly just diapers and naps... now she's really turning into a firecracker of a young person. I'm happy to put my time and attention towards her wherever possible, and that means away from hunting/gathering toys.

Bottom line: collecting makes me genuinely happy, so I foresee never stopping completely. But for me the right balance going forward will be fewer but nicer acquisitions.

Good question.
I have been collecting since more than 20 years now. StarWars only since 1 year and I realize it is quite late as prices are very high and I rarely find Star Wars on fleamarkets and garage sale...making my budget very tight at the end of the month!
It all started with collecting Die Cast VW beetles in the late 80ies, then vintage 12" Action Man and Gi Joes with other collections in parralell (Timpo & Starlux Roman soldiers, Die cast Shogun Mazinger and Grendizer, Vintage WWII Britains die cast Vehicles, early VW Lego sets from the 50ies., not talking about Belgian comics .. ..) so the question for me is not when I will stopping but what will I collect once I will be "fed up" with vintage Star Wars.

As I have read in the posts most of us are infected with the collection-virus and there is not a cure to it, thanks God!

Craig T wrote:

Hmmm interesting question. I have alway thought I would collect until I die. I still think that.

However I'm going though a complete shut down at the moment. I really want to get us a house before we get married and so I had to stop buying. My plans have even got one step further as the Landlord has decided to sell the one we rent a year earlier than I planned, so I have needed to sell off pieces too.

Many of the pieces that I took ages to buy/find I have had to part with. It is really a gutting feeling to see them go. 20 years of collecting then selling off is not easy. My only concellation is that once I have got me and and the wifey a house, I can start the hunt to refind them...

Hopefully a fifty-something guy recollecting the stuff he had to sell for a pop at the property ladder isn't a too bad thought, but at least I have another 20 years before I need to worry about that.

Hi Craig,

It is great to see you posting here!!

I can imagine how tough it must be to sell off your collection. But you set your priorities in the right order, the wife, the house, kids, it is all far more important than 30 year old plastic and cardboard.

Don't worry, Collector's Karma will come for you one day!!

Great question!!:.....

For me , it comes and goes, I will not buy anything in 3 months and suddenly in one month I buy everything.

I already finished the kenner loose collection ( and sold it ) , I finish the MOC kenner collection ( and sold it) , I was going for the complete Kenner AFA graded collection ( I still have it) but suddenly I changed it for one of the toughest to complete .. the MOC Ledy Ledy, so I guess I will be collecting for the next couple of years until I finish it!! ...after that i will be done!!

merlin wrote:

...after that i will be done!!

Yeah sure.

If i would get a $ for each time someone said that....