At Which Pace to Collect?

[Concavenator]

This is very related to this other topic I created: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=10217.msg319100;topicseen#new

Do you have an established pace of collecting or just buy whatever figures whenever you want? If you have a determined pace: which time frame for it do you think works better: monthly, seasonly, yearly...? (Assuming you don't have space issues and you are doing well enough financially for you to be able to spend some money on your hobbies). I would like to hear your opinion about this: if you have a balance in which you can buy new figures being that financially feasible, not buying too many so you wouldn't quickly run out of space yet buying enough so your collection progresses and don't feel like you're missing out on too much stuff.

In my case, usually I only buy between 1 and 3 figures per year though recently there have been just so many awesome new releases that I've been tempted to break this pace. With how many great figures are coming out, having to choose just 1 or 3 is way too hard. During the last few years, I basically just bought either Safari or Eofauna figures (with some occasional CollectA) but now I collect PNSO and BotM as well, and have representatives of 2 more companies: GR Toys and Vitae. But there are new companies, such as DinoZoo, Wild Past, Dino Hazard, Mesozoic Life (hopefully) that are too good to be ignored as well. Not to mention that, while I don't collect vintage figures, I would still like to own at least 1 Battat figure.

What are your thoughs?

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

I try to purchase new figures the year they come out. As has been discussed elsewhere on the forum, the quality of the paint application often declines so it's best to get figures while they're new. For retired models, which are the main focus of my collection, it's a matter of availability and condition, so the pace isn't really up to me if I see something I want.

[Halichoeres]

I typically buy things as soon as they come out, like @Pachyrhinosaurus, because of the falloff in quality control. Most years I buy a few dozen new figures, but most years I also jettison a dozen or two as well. If I bought everything that struck my fancy it would quickly become unmanageable, but for most taxa it's a one-in, one-out rule and that keeps it a little bit closer to sane.

[Creature]

For me, it depends on the type of figure and how easily I think I can get it down the line. I tend to save the less expensive ones, like Safari, for when I don't have more expensive models on my radar. Something like a resin kit, I'll try and grab it as soon after release as I can reasonably afford it, because those are more limited. I also try to wait for sales if I can. Sometimes that comes back to haunt me, though. I missed out on Rebor's original Monty by not just jumping on it when I first saw it available, and I'm still missing Charlie and the dilophosaurus from the Amber Collection.

[Gwangi]

Overall, I collect at a pretty slow pace. I prioritize figures I want to review for the blog first and foremost, after that comes Mattel's Jurassic World toys since they have a short shelf-life and the second-hand market is absurd for those things. If it's not something I'm going to review, or not by Mattel, I take my time. That means I can be several years behind on Safari or CollectA releases but unless they're going to retire I try not to worry about it. They're there and I'm not impatient. I've never experienced a decrease in paint application quality but I suppose that should motivate me to collect faster. I don't really want to collect faster so I guess I'll reap what I sow. I also collect vintage stuff but I'm a bargain hunter so I refuse to spend a lot on an older figure if I think I can find one cheaper later on. Likewise, with companies like PNSO I also wait for free shipping or sales. They're overpriced as is and I don't want to spend more than I have to. My slow collecting pace also allows me to really reflect on what I want or don't want, instead of give in to the hype of a new release.

[JohannesB]

I pick and choose, depending on the 'looks' of a figure based on esthetics and scientific accuracy. Sometimes scientific accuracy takes a back seat to my esthetic pleasure. I also have my preferences for certain species/genera/families. I have set aside a limited budget for dinosaur to models (I guess maybe 2 or 3% of my monthly income), and therefore, most of the time, I take a very long time to decide if I want to own a figure, but sometimes I buy it immediately.

[Dusty Wren]

I'm a slow collector as well. While there are a lot of companies releasing lots of figures that I admire, I don't often get the urge to own a particular figure. I don't like having a ton of extra stuff in my house, so it takes a special figure to break through my strong aversion to clutter

Also, the groups that I'm most interested in right now (prehistoric mammals and hadrosaurs) don't seem to be of much interest to toy companies, so it cuts down on my wishlist. And paint application doesn't bother me, which takes away the sense of urgency to buy things soon after they come out. I'm totally fine with being a chill collector. I can always enjoy big collections vicariously through the collection threads here on the DTF! 

[Faelrin]

If I can afford it then I go for it. If I can't then I have to wait. The past few years have had a lot of ups and downs for me financially. Like others said I prefer to get things sooner then later if I can, because paint apps tend to get worse over time, but well there have been a few times I missed out on things because I waited too long, rather I could afford it or not then (specifically Rebor Acrocanthosaurus and Southlands Replicas Thylacoleo). I typically prioritize Mattel stuff for the same reasons as @Gwangi said.

I also try to wait for sales. Almost an annual tradition now I tend to order a bunch of Safari Ltd models new and old when they do one of their sales, and enough to qualify for their free shipping. Mattel and Safari Ltd actually make up the bulk of my collection currently as a result. Alternatively I'll get things from Dejankins if I want to pick up some in stock retired figures.

Occasionally I'll do some hunting for older retired releases too, such as getting most of the Primal Rage toys last year (which I still need to review for the blog sometime), or the Carnegie Collection Mammoth the year before I think. Granted I've only done that a few times over the years.

For this year I have quite a bit planned out/pre-ordered, with less Mattel on my wishlist then previous years (though still a lot). So far distribution in the states has gone well for the Mattel stuff too so that will save me money in the long run for other things from other brands too.

[Concavenator]

@Pachyrhinosaurus If I can, I also try to get stuff the year it comes out. But if I can't, it's not the end of the world for me. This happens a lot with Papo and PNSO. I basically stopped collecting Papo, and it's true there have been some very clear examples of this from PNSO as well. Personally, though, in PNSO's case I got 2 figures the year after they were released (Borealopelta and Yutyrannus) and they were fine.

@Halichoeres The one in, one out rule is a very good idea. Actually, I took inspiration (copied it  ) from your collection thread, except I'm even more strict because I limit my collection to one figure per genus, instead of species, so that helps a little.

@Gwangi I hadn't thought about doing that with Safari or CollectA stuff, but I take note of it.

@JohannesB do you buy figures on a monthly basis? Setting aside a budget for it is a sensible idea, you would control your expenses as well as the number of figures you buy (and thereby space).

[JohannesB]

@Concavenator, it is more like I have a threshold, beyond which I would feel 'guilty' of spending too much on frivolous things like toys (if I may describe them like that) and such. I am quite frugal. One of my vices, on the other hand, is that I am a bit stingy towards others. (I guess my self-consciousness about that fact causes me to be frugal, certainly where luxuries and 'useless' self-indulgences are concerned.) My 'monthly budget' is more like an average I calculate, based on purchases over a whole year.

A bit more about my 'collecting habits', because my space is limited (and also because I see no esthetic value in them anymore) I sometimes give away some of my old (toy) figures. But now that I come to think of it, I never really considered putting some of them away in storage (for example my little Papo collection and others I don't value as much anymore), so that I have more shelf space for my most precious models

[Concavenator]

@JohannesB interesting approach, a sensible one indeed. Well, giving away figures instantly gives you space, that's for sure, even more than putting them in storage (because that's also space). But if you really no longer care about some figures, I would suggest simply selling them.

[Halichoeres]

@Halichoeres The one in, one out rule is a very good idea. Actually, I took inspiration (copied it  ) from your collection thread, except I'm even more strict because I limit my collection to one figure per genus, instead of species, so that helps a little.

I'm usually only one per genus, too, despite the thread title. I just use that title because most people have an idea what a species is, but many fewer know what a genus is.

[Stuckasaurus (Dino Dad Reviews)]

The Carnegie Collection spoiled me for consistent scaling, so I don't buy anything that looks wildly out of place next to 1:35-1:40 scale models. I'll occasionally fudge the line a bit (the Safari Nigersaurus and most rhinos are out of scale with my collection, but they don't immediately stand out as such). Since most companies don't care about consistent scale sizes for their models, this essentially acts as a built-in way to limit the pace of my purchasing.