Lost the bug...

Not been here for a while...was trying to keep away!
I had a good run and bought quite alot of new stuff from the bay and on here...I had to stop
Christmas was looming and my money situation wasn't great.We were hoping to move house but nothing is happening and I have nowhere to display anything so it's back in the loft
Now I seem to have lost the bug altogether,anyone else had this?? Do you think it's only temporary?

I 'lost the bug' twice since starting collecting in 1994. I didn't buy anything between about 1998 and 2002 (although never sold anything) and now I haven't really bought anything for a couple of years, and did sell up what I had left. The first time was because I wanted to spend all my money on partying, and we all know what happened the second time. I only have 3 MOCs now which are ones with sentimental attachment.

I think it's perfectly normal, these things are bloody expensive even if you collect loose figures, so unless it's your main focus, occasionally it has to go on the back burner. Despite only buying a handful of figures in the last 5 years I still check the various forums a few times a day and get involved in the conversation.

So I'm sure it will come back, and don't make any hasty decisions regarding selling it all. If you don't buy anything for the next 5 years, it really doesn't matter.

edd_jedi said:

I 'lost the bug' twice since starting collecting in 1994. I didn't buy anything between about 1998 and 2002 (although never sold anything) and now I haven't really bought anything for a couple of years, and did sell up what I had left. The first time was because I wanted to spend all my money on partying, and we all know what happened the second time. I only have 3 MOCs now which are ones with sentimental attachment.

I think it's perfectly normal, these things are bloody expensive even if you collect loose figures, so unless it's your main focus, occasionally it has to go on the back burner. Despite only buying a handful of figures in the last 5 years I still check the various forums a few times a day and get involved in the conversation.

So I'm sure it will come back, and don't make any hasty decisions regarding selling it all. If you don't buy anything for the next 5 years, it really doesn't matter.

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I suppose these things just happen! I have no desire to sell at all...one day they will be displayed again and until then they will remain safe in the loft.

I lost the bug but now got it back, just a pity I dont have the money to get what I want now though.

I often think to myself "why do I need all this crap". Then I spot something else I want to buy ...

flycasual said:

I often think to myself "why do I need all this crap". Then I spot something else I want to buy ...

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Ha ha I love it - :lol:

You have room to display at least one item. Even just a loose figure on the fridge. Keeps the bug alive.

aussiejames said:

You have room to display at least one item. Even just a loose figure on the fridge. Keeps the bug alive.

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Never even thought about doing that, like it!!!

aussiejames said:

You have room to display at least one item. Even just a loose figure on the fridge. Keeps the bug alive.

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Awesome advice AJ....i'm gonna go dig out a figure right now.

I know that feeling. Got into collecting when I discovered eBay in 2000 and dug out all the childhood toys from the attic - bought and sold up till about 2004 and then just stopped. Sold off my complete loose collection circa 2005 and then the rest of it in dribs and drabs over the next 7 years and only just got back into this year. Think I am hitting the wall re collecting the MOC - mainly due to space, all the star case ones are stuck on top of a bookshelff, the rest in a plastic storage box! Still, this didn't stop me from trawling eBay tonight for ones I haven't got!

I've found that I tend to get into something really hard for a while and as soon as I've completed the focus I start to loose interest in it. It's what happened when I bought the first 12 sealed MOC Kenner's and then decided to let them all go and focus on Palitoys. This has happened for me with several things I've focused on, and not just Star Wars although everything I've collected over the years is pretty much what I used to own as a child so I guess I've just been putting my childhood memories back together.

I really do think it's all about the thrill of the hunt for me although I know I'll keep a complete set of the Palitoys as in the grand scheme of things it's not going to make me that rich selling them. I plan to sell all the multiples of the card backs I have as a man only really needs the best example of each each one. It's kind of pointless to me to own 3 or 4 copies of some of these figures and I'm never going to have a whole room dedicated to my collection so I'd rather some of it went to someone else to enjoy. It's just me and my cabinet and once it's full I try not to go beyond it. It's a good way to keep things contained and means that now and again I can get things out of storage and have a change around in there. In fact I've found by doing this it tends to keep me interested as I forget about things I have so it's always enjoyable to route through my boxes to see what I've stashed away.

For a long time I used to have everything in the cabinet and then I focused on just action figures. The nest time I set it up I'll probably line the walls with the Palitoys (like in my focus pictures) and maybe just have other Star Wars items in front of them. It's all about having a change around every now and then to keep things fresh.

aussiejames said:

You have room to display at least one item. Even just a loose figure on the fridge. Keeps the bug alive.

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Great Idea AJ 8)

I think its natural for a collecting hobby to go up and down depending on other things happening in life.

I collected like crazy back in the days before online shopping and such, the hunt was alot harder back then, but I had a pretty decent collection of loose figures and ships.. I sold off most of it to finance cars, beer and such.

Got back into collecting last year, and as some said, its the hunt. Thats probably why I got a little bored with collecting the full first 77 loose ones this year and sold it off, it was really not hard at all getting the 77 common ones with ebay and all. So, took a break, but everytime I saw my empty shelf and Ikea cabinet I felt I wanted to fill it up with vintage goodness again. So I reset my goals and chose a more disiplined route this time, instead of buying like a drunk sailor everything I could find. I now have an achievable but not too easy goal with my collecting and the hunt for stuff is harder and gives me more satisfaction

I agree that everyone do have room for atleast one loose figure and in time the collector bug comes back to most people

Peaks and Dips buddy.

I was hardcore from 94-02, Then nothing from 02-09, Then hardcore from 10-12

There are other thing in life that are important and things fade. I'm so glad i never sold anything from when I lost interest, and believe me, i thought i was the one guy who would never lose interest, so.......just go with the flow man, and make decsions slowly, it would suck to sell up only to get a rageing bug the next week.

Good luck.

Maulster79 said:

Peaks and Dips buddy.

I was hardcore from 94-02, Then nothing from 02-09, Then hardcore from 10-12

There are other thing in life that are important and things fade. I'm so glad i never sold anything from when I lost interest, and believe me, i thought i was the one guy who would never lose interest, so.......just go with the flow man, and make decsions slowly, it would suck to sell up only to get a rageing bug the next week.

Good luck.

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Thanks for all the great advise guys

With Christmas coming I had to stop or my Daughter would have nothing to open on the day and that would probs result in my other half opening my MOC collection instead :lol:

Not planning on selling any of it and I am sure it will all start again as soon as I get some spare cash.I think what really did it was looking forward to a new hose and a spare bedroom to display them all in again but I'm still waiting for the frigging thing to sell!!

Thanks again all,will dig out my fave MOC and put somewhere just to keep it alive.

Same here, i started in 2004, then nothing between Jan 2009 - Oct 2011, now since Aug 2012 i'm on fire and i can't stop and my pocket hurts more then ever!!!

I lost the bug probably 2 years ao. I think i've bought 1 thing in that time. I sold off a few odds and ends that didnt fit in with my collecting focus mainly loose vehicles and a few ESB+tri logos. About a year ago i decided to sell off a few more MOC's, mainly the easier to replace ones. Gradually i've sold off or have up for sale, probably two thirds of my MOC's. i've kept the graded vehicles and foreign stuff but the rest i will probably flog eventually.

As Edd says real life and the fact we have some proper money tied up in 30 year old cardboard and plastic, kicks in and people sell. It's perfectly natural to you through periods when you're mad keen, and others when you just cant be arsed.

I stick around here mainly cos i know you lot need my expertise! :lol:

there are some days i cant be arsed with the hobby mainly due too the fact i buy 90% of vintage stuff through ebay and its now overpriced on ebay or reproduction or reseals or amazingly rare in description when its actually not! but i still look and occasionally i find a gem or bargain and im back on the vintage wagon

I semi lost the bug nearly 11 years ago and sold up my SW MOCs! I actually took all my stuff to Mem a couple of wks before I sold the MOCs, had a table etc so was well and truly ready to depart from my collection! Turned out that I picked a really poor day(Sun)and sold nothing! Had plenty of dealers wanting trades etc but wanted cash.

The zero sales turned out to be a blessing in disguise. 2/3 wks later a guy bought my set of Kenner 12 and 21 backs for 9K! I kept my MISB SW/Empire vehicles and rediscovered my MOC love just under 4 years ago with a new Palitoy focus!

palitoyjunky said:

I semi lost the bug nearly 11 years ago and sold up my SW MOCs! I actually took all my stuff to Mem a couple of wks before I sold the MOCs, had a table etc so was well and truly ready to depart from my collection! Turned out that I picked a really poor day(Sun)and sold nothing! Had plenty of dealers wanting trades etc but wanted cash.

The zero sales turned out to be a blessing in disguise. 2/3 wks later a guy bought my set of Kenner 12 and 21 backs for 9K! I kept my MISB SW/Empire vehicles and rediscovered my MOC love just under 4 years ago with a new Palitoy focus!

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9K! Sweet lord you must have had a stunning set as I only managed to get just under two and a half for my complete set of 12 back's, (not that they were all star pieces).