Vintage Star Wars collecting where are we at ?

[Ruby2511]

Glad its not just me who takes therapy from his collection, its been a rocky road for me these past few years, but star wars has gotten me through some dark times
Glad to chat if needed mate, good to have backup through the rough patches, send me a pm

Will do

 

[Gadders]

Great thread, and I totally agree with everything @peekaygee73 said, particularly the paragraph quoted below - as much as I love the original trilogy, the figures hold more nostalgia and love for me. Given the choice, I can live without the films, but not without the figures.

I've collected on and off over the years. I still have my childhood collection, and got back into collecting around 93. I finished the loose run (bar VCJ) in the 90s, picked up around 30 MOCs at that time, and got most of the ships, playsets and carry cases then too. I stopped collecting entirely around 2002 as I bought my first house and finances were needed for that.
It wasn't until TFA came out late 2016 that I re-ignited my collecting bug, big time, and over the past couple of years I've got to 95 out of 96 figures MOC (just need yak), added some of the rarer boxed items (ESB Jawa Sandcrawler, Ewok Battle Wagon), as well as broadening my collection slightly to include cardbacks and paperwork items.

I generally don't tend to buy anything non figure line related, with the odd exception of one or two lines I remember from childhood.

This year has been the quietest year for me since I got back into collecting, with only a handful of paperwork items being bought. The main reason being there aren't too many items I want for my collection now, and these are either hard to find and/or expensive.

I guess my collecting goal for next year is to actually have room to have some of my collection out on display, rather than boxed away.

Somewhat weirdly, I see the toys as slightly detached from the films too. Don't get me wrong, I love those films, but I can go for a relatively long period of time without watching them, but I need to have some of my toys displayed. I can't really explain it, other than thinking the toys are more a part of my childhood than the films, due to the films not being readily available till they were broadcast on TV. Anyone else feel like this, or is it just me?! :?

 

[Taffius]

Great thread, lots of good replies, for me I'm a child of the seventies, my father took me to see the first movie when I was little, still remember the feeling of awe watching the movie on the big screen
I collect both modern and vintage but vintage is my first love, I have a small collection of figures vehicles and a handful of MOC
My collection is great therapy for me, I'm disabled,plus various mental health problems, so now collecting on a small budget, but I do still get great enjoyment from it, have a loose figure run but I'm missing some of the last seventeen, which I doubt I'll ever complete with prices the way they are, but I'm happy with what I have, I often just sit in my room on my recliner and take it all in, its a great hobby, and I enjoy it immensely.
I also collect modern to, which is easier on the wallet, I don't have to have everything, i'm sticking to OT only buying for now, its a good sideline to have.

I agree Grinchy that sitting back and taking in your collection is great therapy, I too have struggled for some time and still do with my mental health and without sounding cheesy, can categorically say that if it wasn't for this forum and speaking with like minded people and also looking forward to finding the next bargain, and watching my collection grow (and others ), i dread to think about where I would be now???

I think such like minded people can align to a product as a link to some elements of life not being all bad. Its the light (beacon perhaps) that aligns a common interest and perhaps even an element of care for the figures and their collectors. Remember all, if gets dark out there, seek the light here!

 

[Ruby2511]

Great thread, lots of good replies, for me I'm a child of the seventies, my father took me to see the first movie when I was little, still remember the feeling of awe watching the movie on the big screen
I collect both modern and vintage but vintage is my first love, I have a small collection of figures vehicles and a handful of MOC
My collection is great therapy for me, I'm disabled,plus various mental health problems, so now collecting on a small budget, but I do still get great enjoyment from it, have a loose figure run but I'm missing some of the last seventeen, which I doubt I'll ever complete with prices the way they are, but I'm happy with what I have, I often just sit in my room on my recliner and take it all in, its a great hobby, and I enjoy it immensely.
I also collect modern to, which is easier on the wallet, I don't have to have everything, i'm sticking to OT only buying for now, its a good sideline to have.

I agree Grinchy that sitting back and taking in your collection is great therapy, I too have struggled for some time and still do with my mental health and without sounding cheesy, can categorically say that if it wasn't for this forum and speaking with like minded people and also looking forward to finding the next bargain, and watching my collection grow (and others ), i dread to think about where I would be now???

I think such like minded people can align to a product as a link to some elements of life not being all bad. Its the light (beacon perhaps) that aligns a common interest and perhaps even an element of care for the figures and their collectors. Remember all, if gets dark out there, seek the light here!

Lovely statement Taff, we all need something to focus on in life, collecting and being a part of this community of, as you quite rightly point out, like minded people, for me in particular, is an absolute privilege to be a part of.

It's interesting to swop stories, share new purchases and generally chat with you guys on a daily basis.

 

[Michael Sith]

Bumping this as it gives an insight in why we collect, in the main why we have the obsession we do.
Given the prices of items in this time what makes us be part of this hobby and obsession :lol:
There have been some great posts and I'm sure there will be more

What is it about vintage collecting that draws you in, is it the investment, or is it the sheer joy you have by doing it for memories, for re living your childhood, or whatever, post up as I find this a great read and also ensures my sanity is intact and I'm not the only nutter out there :lol:

 

[Ruby2511]

For me it's the sheer joy of collecting loose, played with, good, honest vintage figures, mini rigs and ships.

In a nutshell - collecting for nostalgic reasons and the love of SW in general

 

[Michael Sith]

For me it's the sheer joy of collecting loose, played with, good, honest vintage figures, mini rigs and ships.

In a nutshell - collecting for nostalgic reasons and the love of SW in general

As you say.. in a nutshell!

 

[poncho]

I collected purely for childhood nostalgia. The starwars films that came on every Christmas day the want to recreate those magic scenes. I have all I want now. It's in storage and should be on display. I enjoy the tactile feel of old played with toys as I now collect other lines ftom that era to quench that thirst of well built played with toys from a happier time when life was easier not being polluted by adult life or the want too grow up. Those toys brought imagination and play, the going out at 9am on Saturday and returning home at tea time parents were worry free the exploring and playing with my friends building dens no phones no smart no technology no wifi just pure fun!

 

[Ruby2511]

Those were the days Chris, remember them well, going out after breakfast on my Raleigh Burner with my mates. We lived in rural Nottinghamshire and stopped out all day just having fun. Happy times I wish I could go back to

 

[Nita Nitro]

Most of my reasons have been stated by other folk already but I guess I can add that I never stopped collecting the toys, just slowed down when they were no longer in shop shelves in the 80's and had to rely on collector shops in Glasgow in the 90's to find any stuff for sale. I go through peaks and troughs if activity and I am not a high end collector, by any means, but the enjoyment that is gotten from holding and looking at the toys never seems to diminish. There's an especially strong connection to the past when I hold my original childhood toys, which I'm fortunate to have most of to this day. Still need a couple of figures to complete the original run, but I can wait until I get rich or prices come down as I don't think I'd enjoy spending hundreds for a Yak Face, especially as I have no emotional connection to the figure because I never saw/held/played with one as a child

 

[Pomse2001]

Great thread michael as always :wink:

I collect only vintage star wars and disney the black hole, when we talk about toy :lol:

I collect because it makes me happy, because I remember the good times from my childhood when I look at the toy.

Because of the friends I get and I love the chat with many of the great collectors.

I do not collect because of the new movies or because of disney. I love some of the things they have made of tv series and movies. Something I missed when I was a kid in the 80s. But I am sure prices would have been lower on vintage star wars today if disney had not bought star wars and if lucas had not made episode 1,2 and 3.

a few years ago I also collected modern star wars, but since I had not looked at it in maybe 8 years then I choose to sell it. I still have maybe 1 moving box left of modern that is not sold yet, it does not sell as fast as vintage :lol:

 

[Palifan]

Great thread michael as always :wink:

I collect only vintage star wars and disney the black hole, when we talk about toy :lol:

I collect because it makes me happy, because I remember the good times from my childhood when I look at the toy.

Because of the friends I get and I love the chat with many of the great collectors.

I do not collect because of the new movies or because of disney. I love some of the things they have made of tv series and movies. Something I missed when I was a kid in the 80s. But I am sure prices would have been lower on vintage star wars today if disney had not bought star wars and if lucas had not made episode 1,2 and 3.

a few years ago I also collected modern star wars, but since I had not looked at it in maybe 8 years then I choose to sell it. I still have maybe 1 moving box left of modern that is not sold yet, it does not sell as fast as vintage :lol:

I know what you mean about having modern boxed up and not really looking at it that much, I'm in the same boat as you lars although I do have the odd thing on display.

More importantly though is your Black Hole collection, you should put some pictures up in the Other Vintage Collections section of Off Topic as I'd love to see what you have (as I'm sure many others would to).

Ian

 

[Pomse2001]

Great thread michael as always :wink:

I collect only vintage star wars and disney the black hole, when we talk about toy :lol:

I collect because it makes me happy, because I remember the good times from my childhood when I look at the toy.

Because of the friends I get and I love the chat with many of the great collectors.

I do not collect because of the new movies or because of disney. I love some of the things they have made of tv series and movies. Something I missed when I was a kid in the 80s. But I am sure prices would have been lower on vintage star wars today if disney had not bought star wars and if lucas had not made episode 1,2 and 3.

a few years ago I also collected modern star wars, but since I had not looked at it in maybe 8 years then I choose to sell it. I still have maybe 1 moving box left of modern that is not sold yet, it does not sell as fast as vintage :lol:

I know what you mean about having modern boxed up and not really looking at it that much, I'm in the same boat as you lars although I do have the odd thing on display.

More importantly though is your Black Hole collection, you should put some pictures up in the Other Vintage Collections section of Off Topic as I'd love to see what you have (as I'm sure many others would to).

Ian

Hi Ian, maybe it is also time for you to let the modern go and use the money on other things that make you more happy :wink: I do not miss it but I still have some boxes, moc and figures that is not sold yet. I sold a box today and 100 stands :lol:

Yes maybe I should share my black hole collection, it is not complete and it is 5 years or more since I bought an item for it, but I still love the things and I will never sell it

 

[Palifan]

Hi Ian, maybe it is also time for you to let the modern go and use the money on other things that make you more happy :wink: I do not miss it but I still have some boxes, moc and figures that is not sold yet. I sold a box today and 100 stands :lol:

Yes maybe I should share my black hole collection, it is not complete and it is 5 years or more since I bought an item for it, but I still love the things and I will never sell it
[/quote]

Can't wait to see some pictures when you've got a spare moment and even if you haven't bought anything for your BH collection in a while it would still be great to see what you managed to pick up over the years.

I know what you mean about letting the modern go and maybe I will start with some of the random items I have before moving onto other more focused parts of this I have. I have a bunch of the first run of Clone wars animated figures released (the 2D series) as well as the first waves of the 3D animated series on top of all of my ep 7,8 Rogue One, Solo figures just sitting in boxes although I do feel these might see the light of day at some point.

It can be hard letting things go at times but it's good to hear that it's not something that you miss.

Ian

 

[Michael Sith]

Yes Lars

Agree with Ian you need to get your Black Hole collection pics up on the other vintage thread, would love to see it, I think I have a very good condition black hole annual somewhere, I'll have to find it

 

[Pomse2001]

Can't wait to see some pictures when you've got a spare moment and even if you haven't bought anything for your BH collection in a while it would still be great to see what you managed to pick up over the years.

I know what you mean about letting the modern go and maybe I will start with some of the random items I have before moving onto other more focused parts of this I have. I have a bunch of the first run of Clone wars animated figures released (the 2D series) as well as the first waves of the 3D animated series on top of all of my ep 7,8 Rogue One, Solo figures just sitting in boxes although I do feel these might see the light of day at some point.

It can be hard letting things go at times but it's good to hear that it's not something that you miss.

Ian

Yes some things can be hard to let go. But normally I do not let things go that is hard for me to let go. But I have let go on things before that I thought was easy to let go and years later I regret it :roll: But I am very sure that I would not regret letting my modern star wars go

I wish you good luck to find out what to do with your modern stuff :wink: