The Energon Pub

So for reference, here's the last time my collection was on display, and photographed: **edit: link didn't work, so please just check the link in my sig. Thanks!**

That was some time ago. Since then I've moved into a smaller, in terms of available bookshelf-setting-up-space (but nicer!) place and thus haven't had the opportunity or reasonable accommodations to set everything back up. As a result, my entire collection has been sitting in boxes in the crawlspace, and anything new that I manage to pick up goes immediately to a box, since there's just nowhere else to put it.

It's depressing, and a place I'm sure many of you have been before. Which is why I bring this up.

Recently I've begun to contemplate on my collection, and specifically the merits of keeping something that, for all intents and purposes, only exists in pictures and memories. And the way my living situation is, unfortunately it doesn't seem like I'll really have the chance to put anything more than a couple of shelves' worth unless I were to move out, which at the moment I have no real reason to.

So, the question I have for all of you is this: is it worth it to keep a collection that stays boxed up in the closet? Or does it make more sense to go through what I have and sell anything I can part with, narrowing my collection's focus to something more specific and manageable for a small apartment?

Feel free to discuss, debate or just share your own experiences~

I'm sort of going through the same thing at the moment. My spare room is getting smaller with the amount of figures im adding to my collection and i need yet another shelf. Not to mention all the tools i'm buying to do my job that need to be stored in there and bikes, artwork, suufboards and the list goes on.

To be honest i'm not going to sell my collection for any reason. I'm starting to box some of my collection up but that's only a few figures so far......maybe 20? Anyways, The bottom line is i need to get a storage locker at a facility to house all my tools, bikes and stuff. Tools really shouldn't be kept in the house in my opinion and i have a lot. Either that or buy a trailer.

I'd rather have transformers on nice shelves along with my other collectibles and artwork in an office type space then a shitload of tools and "junk" looking like a scrap yard in there.

I guess what i'm trying to say is, don't sell your collection. You clearly like them very much and to find them and pay for them all over again is just a pain in the ass.IMO. I wouldn't do that to myself because i have vested a lot of time and effort getting most of my figures. My collection of vintage figures from a couple 'a' few toylines stokes me and i really appreciate them like artwork and i also have a reverence for history and pop culture. So to sell it off is not really an option.

Find another option other then selling them.

Consider this: where will you live in 20 years?

My parents wanted me to get rid of my G1 collection as it was taking up their valuable storage space. I held firm and it sat in their loft for around 15 years. About 5 years ago I got it all back and now it sits proud in a display case.

There are many people here who got rid of their childhood collection and had to pay many times the original price to get it back when they had the money and space for it. You say you have little need or chance of moving but how long term are you thinking?

I also have way too many figures for the display space available and while I dont want to lose my collection I am thinking about thinning the numbers a bit. Thing is, whenever I take pictures for Ebay or whatever I start to think that I dont want to get rid of anything, even the figures I dont really like!! So Im stuffed really.

First off great collection Hoitytoity, its nice looking at all (or most) of your history on display. But one thing I just can't comprehend and this goes to all other fans, why all the clutter busy look? I've seen many posted images of fans collections and when I see the close-together look, I picture one SNEEZE causing one or two shelves of TFs to just topple like dominoes or by some other cause making them fall over. How about when you want to reach for that certain TF? You risk knocking down the rest or choose to remove all those in the way to get to that TF. I plan on shelf use just not so busy, I can't. I guess if you have to display your entire collection it's the only way. I see my collection (only so many per shelf) on a decent size bookshelf on display in battles or solo poses in constant rotation every few months with one shelf for all time favs.

Now back to the subject, I see nothing wrong with having most of your collection boxed up Hoitytoity. I too have that current problem but it doesn't really get to me. I recently separated and boxed all my G1's (loose) for the first time so now they join the fold of tubs that store all my boxed/unopened TFs. My current housing situation prevents me from displaying my gems but in time I will and so will you.

I also don't see an issue with going through (now and again) your collection and doing a little process of elimination. I know this may be blasphemy to most fans but it's all a matter of "does this interest me anymore" and part ways. Example...Armada deluxe OP and Robotmasters Smokescreen. The great thing about Smokescreen is his OP like head. But both no longer hold interest for me anymore and it's not the first time and it won't be the last I think.

The next time you go through your TF and you find one that gives doubt ask yourself if it still holds interest with you. But the rest you gotta keep boxed up or not!

Don't sell it- you have an amazing collection. If you sold it I can imagine you'd regret it pretty quickly. Don't sell unless you absolutely need the money. Think about the future- when you are able to move into a bigger place wouldn't you rather have your collection?

Im in the same situation the majority of mine is boxed i have a few on the bookselfs and the tv unit shelves and i keep buying and putting the longest diplayed ones away to make room.

At the moment i feel a bit lost as to what i have it feels like a bit of a mess so i narrowed it down to keep all churg most movie then everything in g1 and trilogy i have to must keep pieces simply to clear my mind, make room and a bit of cash for up grades.

I'm going through the same thing with my upcoming move.

My answer is that yes, I do need to reduce my overall level of consumption, I do need to sell off toys that I don't intend to display. For the most part though, I plan to keep a lot of it. I did not acquire these items carelessly. Regret is a hell of a drug.

I would almost say you've answered your own question in your post.

Since you say you still get a few new figures as you can, but they go straight into the box shows you still enjoy them. They just have no room. So....it sounds like you wish to keep them.

However if this new place is permanent then perhaps it might be time to narrow it down.

I've kind of put a few here and there to ease my shelves collection. I have 4 in the living room on top of the book shelves. I have 3 on my night stand on my side of the room. I have 3 at work. So... I've kept em in small groups here and there to keep a few extra out. You could even look at different shelves that are set up a little different to allow more set up? keep or get rid of... Either way, it's your decision at the end of the day.

theres a simple solution to this

cut down EVERYTHING aside from 1 line you deffo love and depending on what else it is thats annoying you, cut that down to

for me its the fandom that annoys me in all honesty. The amount of morons and idiots pretty much ruins it for me. Theres alot of decent people out there but the mass of idiots kinda ruins the whole experience and whats even worse is when it turns out to be people you thourght were ok but turn out to be utter dicks

Pick maybe 1 or 2 lines you deffo love and focus on that. For me i only collect classics and nothing else anymore.

It saves you abit of money and also limiting yourself from what does annoy you ect helps to

You might consider breaking down your collection into manageable, displayable groups, then periodically rotate the ones that are on display and the ones that are in storage. Perhaps once a month or every other month take down the current ones and put up a new set.

I've been paring my collection down a lot over the last few years. I still love the hobby, but I'm becoming more selective of what I buy and how it fits into my collection. I found that the various series between Armada and the movie (Energon, Cybertron, Alternators) tended to be toys I bought more out of habit than interest. When I got into Animated, I actually started replacing a lot of my figures.

This weekend, I sold off some TF stuff for a combined $100. I used that money to buy an in-package Longrack figure and an original piece of Alex Milne art from the Reign of Starscream mini. And I was still up $25.

I would say keep them for now. Maybe someday who-knows-when you will move again and get all the space to put them back again. You and your toys will all be happy again instead of regret. If and only if you are even running out of storage space or there is really a certain line you don't care and want to get rid of. Otherwise keep them for now.

I've moved several times and many of my old Gundam models kept moving with me. They were in the box all the time and never got displayed again. Now since I don't care about Gundam anymore but I'm happy I kept them because I can use them for parts to my TFs. The only one who still survived is MG Sazabi and he is the only one I display, too.

I have two different displays going in my house. One is down in the living room on a nice shelf. The other is up on a shelving unit in the spare bedroom. I rotate the stuff periodically. I haven't had to box stuff up yet, but I am soon going to be out of display space. Once that happens I will be boxing up entire lines and rotating them when I feel the need.

There are some things that might not get displayed very often (movie stuff, I'm talking to you) but I won't be getting rid of it. Just storing it in a more convenient spot.

When my girlfriend/fiance moved in, I purged my collection of all the unwanted figures - the ones I didn't like and the ones I regretted buying. I only got rid of maybe 10% of my collection. The rest are now being stored in bins under a bed.

Right now, 80% of my collection is under that bed. But I'm not getting rid of any more because we plan to buy a bigger house in a couple years, and the new house will have either a basement or den or some sort of "man cave" where I'll be able to put the whole collection on display.

Will you miss them if/once you have more space? If no, get rid of it. If yes, then you have to weigh your situation. Whatever you do, it should be fun and something you enjoy. At the moment it sounds more like a burden. So the question is will it eventually lead to enjoyment or will it continue to be a burden until you just end up unloading it later?

Thanks for the replies, everyone - I actually got a much bigger response than I was expecting @_@

It seems like the overwhelming opinion is to hold on to my collection, for one reason or another, which honestly I'm pretty happy about; I think most of you are right in that once the opportunity arose for me to actually show these things again, I'd immediately regret anything I sold.

That being said though, I think there is still some room for thinning the herd a bit. I've already made my collection story-based (my own story ) as a way of enacting some population control: while there is the occasional erroneous figure I can justify into my collection by pulling something out of my ass story-wise, for the most part it prevents me from buying anything unnecessary since "it doesn't fit into the story". On the whole, my collection is primarily Classics/Universe/etc-focused, but in truth it's whatever-the-hell-I-damn-well-please-focused

So, I think I will be going through my collection to see what can be parted with anyway, but thank you all for helping me decide not to get rid of things just for the sake of getting rid of them :3

On a side note, G1 has always been an interesting line for me, collection-wise. I've never regretted anything I've bought, but when it comes time to display that's usually the first line that gets boxed, in favor of more recent/modern acquisitions. So, if I were to purge on the basis of displayability (which I'm not, just bringing up discussion) it would make sense that these would be the first to go. What about you guys, is there a specific line or set of figures you'd sooner part with than others? G1? G2? Movieverse? And why?