The Energon Pub

Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:25 pm

haha life is for having fun, if your toys make you happy, keep them. anyone who tells you you're too old is an unhappy grump who hasn't found anything in life to love yet =P

News Credits: 1 · Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:13 pm

The way I see it, why does there have to be an age limit? Adults collected toy carousel's and other merry-go-round memorabilia for years (there still are collectors out there but I dunno how popular it is anymore) and Tin Toys are still something of a hit (actually their boxes say something along the lines of "not for children. Adult collectors only." Lol). Model trains too! Adults collect them as much as kids do and, really, it's the adults who have the nicer, more expensive ones.

So why should Transformers be any different?

My uncle used to get on my case about collecting them because I'm not a kid and his children (who are 10+ years younger than me) ditched Transformers years ago. I eventually got him to lay off when I grew irritable and attacked his desk at work when he was out (ie: I printed out a ton of Autobot insignias and taped them EVEYWHERE on his desk. Even in hidden spots ;P He found one nearly a month after the fact xD It now sits on my monitor at work

)

Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:53 am

The box? Throw it away. You're collecting not selling. A few extra bucks in a few years spent make up for lost storage space. Sorry, I used to keep all my transformers boxes, but ended up throwing them away. I don't regret doing it. In fact, I regretted keeing them when I had no room in the house...and I'm 36. Had almost every transformers ever made. Still buying and collecting. Very happy still.

Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:23 am

President-prime wrote:The box? Throw it away. You're collecting not selling. A few extra bucks in a few years spent make up for lost storage space. Sorry, I used to keep all my transformers boxes, but ended up throwing them away. I don't regret doing it. In fact, I regretted keeing them when I had no room in the house...and I'm 36. Had almost every transformers ever made. Still buying and collecting. Very happy still.

I keep the boxes, not for selling, but the art is good (except DOTM, the faces are not concept art or cgi, they are a copy from the toy face

), and look at them as part of the toy. When i have time enough, I will cut all the plastic bubbles, and put them flat within an album....

Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:32 am

I have an album too. Keep all the articles and pictures from toyfares and toy reviews. You're right, they are good memories. I cut out boxes for their pictures and tech specs

News Credits: 1 · Fri Oct 21, 2011 4:26 am

President-prime wrote:The box? Throw it away. You're collecting not selling. A few extra bucks in a few years spent make up for lost storage space. Sorry, I used to keep all my transformers boxes, but ended up throwing them away. I don't regret doing it. In fact, I regretted keeing them when I had no room in the house...and I'm 36. Had almost every transformers ever made. Still buying and collecting. Very happy still.

The one issue I have with hearing that is, you never know what's going to happen down the line. Having the box can make a big different in value (seeing some of the G1 prices with and without box is a little boggling). You mightn't think you want to sell them now, but in 20 or 30 years you might *have* to for one reason or another or when you die and your kids don't want to deal with it they'll either throw 'em away or sell 'em.

A little bit of paper can be worth a lot.

ex: a guy I know who's collected designer watches for years found out the instruction manual (just the instruction manual) made a watch he had worth 20-25k more. Just a manual!

Obviously toy boxes aren't going to be worth that kind of dough but the concept is there. When you go to antique malls and what not, toys with their boxes tend to have different values than those without them and I bet many of their original owners didn't think they'd sell them either... though in terms of vintage toys, I don't think they generally came in boxes you have to rip apart to get the toy out of either (ie: the typical modern TF deluxe class box). Those packages I think are worthless to save.

Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:38 pm

Erailea wrote:
....when you die and your kids don't want to deal with it they'll either throw 'em away or sell 'em.....

Yikes. Should you have any clue that ANY of your kids/grnadkids/wife/husband, etc. will make a "stinky old (wo)man is finally dead" sale, for the love that you put on your collection, you better make sure that someone who really deserves it, gets it BEFORE you die (right now i´m thinking about the dumpster scene of toy story 3)....

Fri Oct 21, 2011 11:00 pm

im 31 right now and over the years its been on and off. but recently ive started collecting hard core again. i think its one of the few hobbies that i will keep going for the rest of my life. i stopped collecting for the past couple years because i just dont dig the movie transformers too much(is it just me on this issue?)but the 3rd party stuff has really gotten my attention lately.

News Credits: 2 · Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:18 pm

my reply

News Credits: 2 · Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:08 pm

I'll be too old when my G1 prime is removed from my cold, dead hands. I had an accident recently and it made me think, apart from the fact that being dead would suck, what the hell would happen to my transformers? I'm 33 by the way.

I forget loads of things that I should remember, like birthdays, anniversaries, not drinking excessively etc. but I can pick up a TF I last transformed 20 years ago and instantly remember what to do. Let's not forget how damn clever these toys are.

I am a bit snobbish in that I consider Transformers to be more intellectually challenging that any other toy that I have ever seen. Just take a step back, divorce yourself from all the rich fiction that supports the brand and you still have toys that are absolute marvels. Even the Bayformers. And Ihope to never stop collecting after a 20-year hiatus. :-B

Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:13 am

You are never too old!

Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:22 am

Many people collect things, some are considered cooler or strange.

Transformers I do not think has an age limit considered they are things adults now, watched when they were young.

I think it all depends on how you do your collecting.

Are you obsessively weird about it? Or do you just have a few stage up somewhere?
Do you let your collecting affect your personal life?
Does it tank your bank account?

News Credits: 3 · Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:44 pm

Are you obsessively weird about it? Yes
Or do you just have a few stage up somewhere? Huh?
Do you let your collecting affect your personal life? Yes
Does it tank your bank account? Yes

I think I got most of them...what do I win?

Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:48 am

Kibble wrote:Are you obsessively weird about it? Yes
Or do you just have a few stage up somewhere? Huh?
Do you let your collecting affect your personal life? Yes
Does it tank your bank account? Yes

I think I got most of them...what do I win?

I hope your joking if not...

You win my hopes that you are at genuinely happy that way and a good for you!
Otherwise I feel sorry for you and I hope you things pick up.

lol

News Credits: 3 · Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:35 pm

chonosmoon wrote:I hope your joking if not...

You win my hopes that you are at genuinely happy that way and a good for you!
Otherwise I feel sorry for you and I hope you things pick up.

lol

I was mostly joking, but if you actually take a look at it: obsessively weird…well, we’re adults posting on a forum about toys. That could easily fall under obsessively weird. Affect your personal life…I have a room in my house largely dedicated to TFs and I walk through the toy aisle 90% of my trips to department stores. Sounds like it’s affected, even if not negatively.

But then we come to the tanking bank account…I actually was just joking about that, but as I started to explain this in a manner similar to above, I began adding up money spent over the last 6 months and it really is far more than one should be pissing away on toys. No, it hasn’t been problematic by any means, and Hercules REALLY skews those numbers, but either way, it’s still a significant amount and deserves a closer look. I think it’s probably time once again to reevaluate the collection, start unloading more of the unnecessary parts, further widen what’s considered unnecessary, as well as do an even better job of narrowing what comes in. Too often I buy things I know I don’t ‘need’ in my collection just because it reaches a price where it’s seemingly ‘too good to pass up’.

Anyhow, yeah, I was kidding, but it did lead to an unintentional mini-intervention of sorts… :lol:

Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:23 am

I think as long as it doesn't affect your personal life in a negative way it is fine.

For "pissing" money away, on toys i don't think it is bad as long as it doesn't put you in financial trouble. Since it is a hooby, I don't think the term pissing away is a good way to put it. There are people who spend millions on yachts, or thousands on cars, just because that is their hobby.

Writing on this forum is no different then writing on a car forum, gun forum, or whatever hobby you may have so I do not think is weird.

For shopping and going to the toy aisle 90% of time, isn't weird. It is like an athlete going to the sports/exercise section 90%.

Anyways, if you like collecting toys as long as it doesn't affect your life in negative way and makes you happy then by all means go for it. You are never too old.

Every man collects toys in the end, whether it's cars, guns, yachts, outdoor equipment, motorcycles etc... it is natural.

News Credits: 3 · Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:47 am

Yeah, but your hobby doesn't need to be putting you in the hole before you take a step back and evaluate it. That's all. I knew I spent a good deal on TFs (hence joking about it tanking the bank account,) but when I actually took a closer look and started adding up the numbers, I didn't like what I saw. It's too much, even if I can afford it. I don't intend to quit collecting, but I do intend to tighten up my habits.

News Credits: 23 · Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:03 pm

*may not be suitable for child under 3 years*
*looks at drivers license*
carry the 3...
:KREMZEEK:

Looks like I pass!! There's no age limit for over 3 Whoooo!!

Well I'll be collecting as long as I can, I just found out not to long ago that the wifey and I are having a baby, and it's a boy! So now I have an heir to the plastic goodness. I'm no longer collecting for me. I'm collecting for my son's future collection. :grin:

News Credits: 273 · Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:09 pm

Prime Evil wrote:*may not be suitable for child under 3 years*
*looks at drivers license*
carry the 3...

Looks like I pass!! There's no age limit for over 3 Whoooo!!

Well I'll be collecting as long as I can, I just found out not to long ago that the wifey and I are having a baby, and it's a boy! So now I have an heir to the plastic goodness. I'm no longer collecting for me. I'm collecting for my son's future collection.

So while the rest of us are searching desperately for our rare, expensive pieces at BotCon, you'll be scoping out the RescueBots?

News Credits: 23 · Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:14 pm

Delicon wrote:So while the rest of us are searching desperately for our rare, expensive pieces at BotCon, you'll be scoping out the RescueBots?

Yeah, right...I'm looking at those for the baby. :WHISTLE:

News Credits: 6 · Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:40 pm

I'll stop when I'm dead >:oP

News Credits: 1 · Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:14 pm

I'm 35, and my girlfriend is fairly supportive, even if she doesn't understand it. I got back into Transformers (as if I ever truly got out) in 1996 when Beast Wars started, and never looked back.

I'm more of a main line collector though, not many expensive imports and no real exclusives.

My family on the other hand is constantly annoyed that I ask them to store a box or two, and have hated my passion and hobby for as long as I can remember. They have told me for years that they refuse to buy anything toy or Transformer related for birthdays or holidays, so don't bother asking.

But, I guess I am old. Never stop collecting!

News Credits: 2 · Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:50 am

worldsgreatest wrote:They have told me for years that they refuse to buy anything toy or Transformer related for birthdays or holidays, so don't bother asking.

But, I guess I am old. Never stop collecting!

I do the old Amazon or Ebay vouchers trick, and then splurge it all on plasticky robot goodness. Luckily my long-suffering wife is reasonably happy to buy me transformers for anniversary and birthday presents. Last year she bought me Masterpiece Black Convoy

. She draws the line at Valentine's day though, so I ask for XBox games instead

News Credits: 101 · Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:02 am

Thred is tl;dr, but I'll add my 2¢ anyway.

You are too old for toy collecting when you are too senile to remember your own name.

Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:55 am

I'm 32, married and have two kids of my own, and I'm still collecting. When we bought a house last year, I was lucky enough to get my man-cave, so I have a good sized wall display going. My wife doesn't mind my collecting (she got used to living with a huge geek a long time ago), and she even got me DotM Leader Class Sentinel Prime for this years Valentine's Day.

Point being, you're never too old