Controversial opinions on dinosaur toys

[Gwangi]

The irony of this forum being called the Dinosaur Toy Forum is that collectors are very obviously shifting away from toys. Of course, when this site was created the niche for adult-marketed dinosaur collectables didn't really exist, aside from kits and sculptures that costed a fortune. Safari and CollectA were the PNSO and HLG of their day, for a time, and it really wasn't that long ago.

A case could be made that PNSO, HLG, and Creative Beasts are still making toys, they're just toys for adults. But for me a lot of the appeal of collecting toys is lost with those models. Affordability, durability, often garish colors, a hand-sculpted and painted aesthetic, the nostalgia factor, etc. I enjoy collecting toys because they're toys! So, although I have plenty of PNSO and HLG figures that I love, it's actually stuff by Safari and Mattel that really gets me excited, because at my heart I'm a toy collector. I got into this hobby because I loved the dinosaur toys I had as a kid, and companies like Safari and Mattel are the ones keeping things close to the type of toy I have nostalgia for. It goes beyond dinosaurs too, I would prefer to have a ReAction figure to a hyper realistic and articulated one by NECA.   

>But for me a lot of the appeal of collecting toys is lost with those models. Affordability, durability, often garish colors

BoTM? No garish colours?

It wasn't meant to be a universal statement where everything stated is applicable to every company. BotM having garish colors did cross my mind while typing that. But other things do apply to BotM, like affordable.

[Halichoeres]

Agreed on more choice = more dissatisfaction.

Resin kits: I think it's more the result of turnover of members on the forum.  I don't think they were ever popular in general on the forum, but postsaurischian and RobinGoodfellow were both keen photographers and both bought resins.  Both aren't active contributors anymore.  So we have less exposure to resin-heavier collections. I personally buy fewer resins, partly because of running out of space for large kits, partly because I'm happier with the choice of PVC models to tempt me these days.

We are spoilt for choice, which (paradoxically?) tends to lead to more dissatisfaction.

Agreed, even beyond this hobby. I know people who grew up content with having 5 TV channels and now insist they need more and more streaming services.


Speaking of resin kits, does anyone else feel that they haven't been as popular on the forum one the past few years as they've been?

There are definitely a lot of members with higher-end collections who are less active now for one reason or another. The other thing with resin kits is that if you collect them, you're liking buying only a handful per year. Even if we had a lot more active resin collectors on the forum, the volume of posts is going to favor the items that can be bought in larger numbers, or that are affordable to a larger number of enthusiasts.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Agreed on more choice = more dissatisfaction.

Resin kits: I think it's more the result of turnover of members on the forum.  I don't think they were ever popular in general on the forum, but postsaurischian and RobinGoodfellow were both keen photographers and both bought resins.  Both aren't active contributors anymore.  So we have less exposure to resin-heavier collections. I personally buy fewer resins, partly because of running out of space for large kits, partly because I'm happier with the choice of PVC models to tempt me these days.

We are spoilt for choice, which (paradoxically?) tends to lead to more dissatisfaction.

Agreed, even beyond this hobby. I know people who grew up content with having 5 TV channels and now insist they need more and more streaming services.


Speaking of resin kits, does anyone else feel that they haven't been as popular on the forum one the past few years as they've been?

There are definitely a lot of members with higher-end collections who are less active now for one reason or another. The other thing with resin kits is that if you collect them, you're liking buying only a handful per year. Even if we had a lot more active resin collectors on the forum, the volume of posts is going to favor the items that can be bought in larger numbers, or that are affordable to a larger number of enthusiasts.

I have many resin kits myself and often post new ones I get but they do take up more space..usually and being an older collector my shelves are constantly full so I'm selling things to make space.  I'm also working on 3D prints, like the Dinamation line I'm funding for fans to collect.