Not much the gaming community kinda took care of itself pricing itself out of certain games and the influxes of retro emulators I'll just keep collecting what I play
@@bloodeagle6458 hey blood eagle good to see you here. Ur the pro wrestler right? Think we talked in 4am laundrys Livestream awhile back. If not then it's the same name lol
Great topic and episode, Ed! You made so many incredible points. For me personally, my approach has evolved with my budget as I have been so inspired by you and FroggyFlips this past year with your respective talents for merchandising and buying unique items that "pass the eye test". I see you both as very talented Artists with your skills in what you select and how you display it. For example, instead of collecting all of Series 8 of a line that I had nostalgia for but never got that deep in as a child that will sit in a closet - I spend more on pieces that display really well (in an evergreen fashion). and illicit an emotion each time I see them. Additionally, I use to find myself just ignoring pieces that were only a few bucks, almost setting a price floor (because they were not valuable and not a status symbol) but if I now see something dirt cheap that just looks fantastic and is not a repro (just needs to be vintage to its original concept) then I pull the trigger and make it display well.
Great perspectives! I’ve been dealing with some of the same thoughts and inner struggles. Nothing like the end / beginning of a year to make you really want to attack from a different or more focused angle. I feel like I want to place a major emphasis on finding items I deem “important.” Important to me personally…important to the history of toys. It could be as simple as saying “He-man and Skeletor are important, but maybe I can do without Gwildor.” OR it could be as intense as “these one of a kind prototypes are important because they were the basis and the beginning of a cherished line.” I dunno, I’ll probably just buy more weird, gross stuff 🤷♂️😂
To be a Kull Ector or Call Ector ... I will FOCUS on the Drive. Drive in style with the top down cruising & enjoying the Ride. Everyone is different...no big deal. No right or wrong. Family first , out of the box ... Keep it affordable. 🐬💦
Hey there Ed! I've been a collector for I'd say maybe 20 years now (wow). I don't collect to complete toy lines, or video game collections, or to get really valuable grail pieces. Almost all of my collecting is to re-aquire things that I had as a child. My drug of choice is that nostalgia and I love getting that fix. Luckily for me I never had anything that is too crazy expensive, but even still a lot of these 80s and 90s toy lines have gotten a little out of hand price wise. I couldn't care less if there was some sort of crash in the retro collecting market and my collection was worthless as far as money is concerned. All these things I've been able to get for myself are priceless to me because of the memories I have with them.
I’m there as well, where it really doesn’t matter what the value is. Once it’s in my collection it’s just where it belongs till it loses it’s excitement. For me it’s also mainly nostalgia driven, toys ive had or toys I knew about but didn’t get a chance to own early on. Secondly it’s a discovery and an experience to learn and collect different lines but it goes beyond the just buying of a line. It’s about the story of who made em and why. At least for me 🤓
@EdsRetroGeekOut i agree with you, but I feel like toy collecting and money go hand and hand . It seems like toy collectors go with the afa stuff more because of value rather than preserving something like they claim. To be fair nobody wants to waste their hard earn money on things that won't hold value if your spending high amounts of money. So like you said about gi joe and motu bands disintegrating over time. I can't imagine spending high amounts of cash for something that's gonna devalue over time . Makes no sense to me to be honest.
My collection in my mind is basically finished because I will no longer buy stuff unless I have display space and I have definitely a more focused mindset on stuff on may still want, Ghostbusters merch and 13th Doctor Who are my main focus now but I will also buy the odd Hot Toys statue now and then. I culled a lot of my collection due to just not needing or feeling the need for it anymore, collecting definitely started for me as a passion but then because of depression became an addiction, I’m now just back in it for the love of it and every day when I wake up the toys bring me joy . Later this year 3 Lara Croft Tomb Raider statues are being released that I really can’t say no to but I’m buying less small cheaper pieces. Ed you should totally write a book about collecting and as far as the store goes if you do it I think your half way to success with your connections and reputation in the community. I really enjoy your videos because of the genuine enthusiasm and the fact you come across as a genuinely nice guy.
Love these deeper thoughts on the hobby Ed! Few random thoughts on my 2025 toy plans: 1. More focus. I simply can’t buy everything I’m interested in, as I’m interested in too many things, and UA-cam is making it worse! I can’t spend big and still have enough emergency cash for big hits like this year’s GadgetMobile and MadMobile. 2. Don’t get tempted to follow trends or buy stuff for rarity / value. I’m not a reseller. I don’t have the time for it. If it doesn’t appeal to me personally, maybe leave it for the next collector. 3. Consider modern retro toy purchases (new Transformers, Turtles etc.) a financial loss. Buy them if I really like them, and accept that selling them onwards one day when I need space in the collection is gonna cost me. Especially with modern Transformers it takes 5-10 years to go up in value a bit. So save money for vintage, buy modern only if irresistible 🤪
Those are some good random thoughts to live by 👀 The newer stuff is for sure hit or miss but so often the stuff that’s a hit is so exclusive or expensive it just takes the fun out of that whole effort of trying to get it.
I'll be honest Ed, watching your videos has affected my collecting. A few years ago I used to have a few lists/lines and would hunt them down on eBay but seeing your videos has made me 1) get out to toy fairs and 2) just pick up things I think look cool. I'm going to be carrying on that trend this year.
I don't collect retro stuff but I am a heavy collector of modern day figures and I've been collecting regularly for about 13 years. I enjoy this channel because I used to have many of the toys featured in the videos on here so it's cool to get my nostalgic fix for those old toys by simply watching your videos. To address your question, I would honestly love it if I could just stop collecting entirely at this point. By now, I basically have every version of every character I want but at the same time, it's also incredibly difficult to stop. Somehow, every company makes something that also looks cool and/or better and of course I have to get it. Third party companies are now even making mind-boggling amazing stuff so that's a whole other beast I've gotten into. It's extremely difficult to curb the obsession. Every so often, I go through my collection and purge what I can but more stuff comes in faster than it goes out. I find it more and more difficult to find items I want to sell because to me, they all seem so cool and I can't bring myself to part with it. I have a love/hate relationship with this hobby. I love it for all the reasons we all do, but I also hate that I'm kind of a slave to "my stuff." I'm naturally a very clean/organized/minimalist person EXCEPT for my collection. It creates a ton of visual clutter both on the display side and storage side. Space is a HUGE factor at this point (moreso than money)...I just recently had to rent a storage locker just for my hundreds of never opened figures which is honestly a waste of money but it's a necessity at this point or I will be literally drowning in boxes. I often wonder if I'll ever be able to open and display them all. The main reason I buy stuff at retail is because I anticipate me EVENTUALLY having my dream man cave to properly display everything and I don't want to go chasing after figures years later and potentially pay more for them. After 13 years, me having adequate display space is still not a reality and I'm not sure if it ever will. I live in CA where houses are extremely expensive and basements basically don't exist. Even if I had a dedicated bedroom, I know it wouldn't be enough to showcase everything. I would have to cycle my display every so often. As a young adult, I have plenty of disposable income and figure collecting is basically all I spend my money on but I often think how much money I would have saved up/invested if I never got into it. By now, it would for sure be over $150K. Granted, my collection is somewhat of an investment in itself and I could always sell it and make a nice profit I'm sure. But I just really hate the fact about stressing about moving everything eventually. And as a clean person, dusting is an absolute nightmare. I have my collection so meticulously displayed so it's always a pain to delicately move everything, dust and put them back. I honestly don't know where 2025 and beyond will take me in this hobby...it's so damn addicting. I'm hoping to actually buy a place this year and see how that affects what I can do. I'd like to somehow find the will to significantly downsize my collection but I know it will be tough.
It's an addictive hobby for sure. I'm in almost the same boat as you other than the age. I but things in hopes to make a huge cool display for each line yet it never happens. I recently just filled 12 storage totes oof unopened figures and now they sit in a shed. Feels wrong actually. I'm gonna have to sell or quit. we shall see what 2025 brings. Good luck with your collecting adventure !
@@justineternia9986 i feel you , i ran out of space too. Do you collect modern or vintage ? Reason I'm asking is because I collect vintage toys only. i first started with toybiz marvel legends and once hasbro took over i stopped . That's the problem i have with modern toy collecting . They keep pumping new ones out every other day it seems lik😂.
@DRAGOINTHEHOUSE fortunately and unfortunately I collect both. Lol I collect all the things I had as a kid for the nostalgic aspect. And I collect the new stuff because there's always that new version that's a little better. I did stop buying doubles though. But after Eternia and now Cats lair in the way I have zero room. And I haven't even opened Eternia. Then I got sucked into the Mondo for Masters so that's a money pit lol
Woah, i had a lot of my stuff stored away for the first couple years and finally getting a dedicated room was for sure an eyeopener that stuff needs a lot of room to display. So that was the first time I decided to get rid of some things. Cycling a display must be frustrating. For me it’s kind of a must to be able to access a lot of toys for reference for videos but it does like you say really clutter everything up
And frankly, what do you do inspires me and keeps me interested in collecting. So I would suggest you not stop. Frankly, you make me wish I had other toy collectors that I could pal around with and go places and collect, but I know no one so anyone I mention it to think I'm an absolute idiot so I appreciate what you do and all the other UA-camrs like you. I hope it's something that you can keep pursuing if possible.
Your lucky you don't have friends that are in to toys too , otherwise you would be buying all the time because you would have somebody that would feed your need 😂. It's completely different when you have somebody cheering you on .
@@EdsRetroGeekOutLos Angeles Cali. I guess I haven't tapped into it yet. I'll look into it. Thanks. Live contacted you before about looking at my collection. If I ever decide it's time to cut it loose. I'll be giving you a call. I know it's far from Belgium. Maybe I'll make videos of all the boxes I open.
Hi Ed , happy new year. intriguing and fascinating video. Kind of a toy collecting philosophy there. I was born in 82 and my childhood was defined by toys and cartoons. I have always been a collector purely for the love and infinity to that era of the 80s/90s. I love the buzz and energy from seeking out items from that period that align with my childhood from box art to games and figures. I love displaying it being around it and being surprised by things I wouldn’t expect to collect but end up picking up due to something new or inspiring. The journey is endless and forever changing and evolving. Seeing your progress and the rest of toy community’s passion amplifies my own love and interest for it. As time goes on and my collection is getting full I’m becoming more selective and focused. I think it’s important not be afraid of reducing a collection to make room for something new. Hope to see you at one of the shows one day. Lee
You really summed it all up there! Bravo! I been to antique shows. No one really buys or sells. Thisnold timer told me something really eye opening.. he said "these things just become like roving museums".. thats what our generations hobby is turning to
I loved this video for the simple fact it posed the the question that has been looming over my head the past couple months. Seems it comes in waves...I get super stoked over my collection and then go through periods where I ask "why am i doing this" or "what i am gonna do with all this stuff?". I am on pause buying until I can figure some stuff out. The prospect of getting rid of stuff poses serious risk of regret and at today's prices...no way I will buy it back again.
I recently downsized my collection. Got laid off about over a year ago and that gave me the time to really go through my stuff. Realized I didn't or no longer cared about some things I had...sold off my entire modern GI Joe collection, and all 200 Marvel Legends figures...and focusing more on trying to get my grail items.
So true. When I first started collecting vintage toys I would buy anything! Now I’m very picky. I have a saying when I find something nostalgic “this was so rad to find…but do I want to look at it on my shelf?” After I give myself 5-10 mins i usually don’t need it lol.
@ especially being an 80s/90s kid there is just SO much to be nostalgic for. I’ve recently switched my focus to vintage collecting cards which isn’t cheaper lol but it saves on space and allows you to have specific collecting goals to complete certain sets. I think that’s the main itch collectors get, that feeling of completing something
Great video! I started collecting in early 2020 so I definitely got wrapped up in the early pandemic boom. I still find a thrift deal every so often so that keeps it fun. I’m trying to thin out the modern TMNT purchases this year but it’s hard! Definitely hoping to find even more weird vintage things to add to the collection. Keep up the great work
Thanks buddy, ah thrift deals are the best. It does feel a bit like for tmnt the new releases are coming a bit to a halt or at least less of it is going out in the neca and super 7 lines
I really agree with this. I have actually hit the limit on space and need to sell off a bunch and focus on just the stuff that really calls out to me. Preorders kind of ruined some of the fun of looking for things but also made some of those more niche items much easier to find if there is not a retailer nearby.
The thing with preorders is they’re always a surprise when they finally do show up 😂 so it’s twice the fun. But if you lose track of everything in preorder it can get a little much I know I had a couple months during late covid where I was like … i hope no more stuff is gonna show up this month. Which lines do you collect?
@@EdsRetroGeekOut Vintage and modern: 4 inch and 6 inch figures, mostly Star Wars, but Acid Rain, GI Joe. Lots of Transformers. MOTU. Some prop stuff. Basically the stuff I had or wanted as a kid. But I think the 6 inch black series stuff is going to get the cut first. I agree with the surprise factor, like any haslab stuff or my skeletron preorder. Definitely an "O yea" moment of excitement. Constantly on the lookout for a Tendril
@@hereiam6149 I guess I meant more "exclusive" or "Limited run" stuff. But particularly, I was thinking about Phantom Starkiller and other small maker items like Sad Salesman or Healy Made
As an old school vintage toy shop owner, I can tell you the repro toy lines being pumped into the market non stop has killed a lot of my vintage line sales. TMNT, MOTU, etc have stopped selling all together. My KO lines still sell really well as do the obscure stuff. Also I am seeing an over exposure of “dealers/shops/ebay”sellers in the market. Every ones trying to make a quick buck, buying “toys” they know nothing about hoping to flip them. It’s a really weird time.
Nostalgia for me. I had a toy biz in the 80s but I sold most of my stock decades ago and kept only what I loved ...Batman! (Well, mostly :-) I smile every day when I see the goodies I've collected over the years. Now it's only 1 or 2 items a year. Happy new year all!
I don’t mean it’s laughable for the game boy collecting part i’d be glad if I find 2 of the 8 I still need for a full set in a year. Early batman stuff is for sure tough to find I can relate
Awesome video, Ed! Definitely not a topic that's talked about enough. Collectors should be collecting responsibly within their means. Also, be sure to budget not just for the rare/crazy items, but display setups. Take pride in your collections fellow hobbyists.
Toy collecting is all about nostalgia and legacy for me. I don't want to sell my toys. I want to display them and invite future generations to view them or learn of their history. As for you, toycons, toy events and even toy companies should sponsor you. Get sponsors. You are an influencer and you're very good at this. Maybe put up a toy news content of what's releasing. This can be your legacy. 30 or 30 years from now, you will be well known in Belgium, Europe or even the world as the Retro toy historian guy. As for putting up a store, maybe you can follow History channel's Pawn Stars where people can go to you to sell their old toys and then you resell them at your store.
I can hardly keep my channel running 🤓 but it’s nice to see comments from so many other collectors. The idea of the store would be to see what comes on but a lot of work is behind the scenes and just to keep a brick and morter store open 😅
Great video and good questions to ask going forward. For me, I've been collecting vintage toys off and on for 20years. Got rid of a lot but still have my vintage and modern. Not sure what the future holds but happy to have a hobby that brings so much happiness to my life. In this crazy world, it's nice to have something to keep me grounded. Great video Ed and 2025 will be a wonderful year for all.... fingers crossed 😂
Thanks for the video, great stuff! I'm a sentimental collector myself. I collect what I like and try to find it as cheaply as I can. My main focus on new stuff is Star Wars with some Marvel and MOTU. My main focus in vintage is Golden Girl and similar lines. It's the similar lines that are hard to find, I haven't been able to get any Galaxie Girls or Galaxy Adventure Girls, because you either don't see them or they cost too much. I have been able to get four of the Goddess of the Ultra Cosmos figures though, which is better than nothing. With Golden Girl I found a set of figures on ebay and have since added the horses, chariots and palace. One thing I've done in preparation for the future is to create a wish list spreadsheet, to keep track of what I'm looking for and focus on what I really want to find.
Ed mah man. I've been watching you for a long time. I'm getting older as well haha. My motto is since life is short, you have the room for something, you have the money for it, and it makes you happy, do it. Because at the end of the day, all that matters is happiness if its not hurting anyone. Because this is your existence. Enjoy it man. We all enjoy watching you enjoy it too haha
Great introspective video, and another great year of videos from you! This year, I am going to purge part of my collection to focus on the stuff I do like. I also want to save up money for my 'holy grails' so whenever they do appear for a decent price I don't even have to second guess myself!
I’m also gonna purge some stuff to build up a budget for certain tougher to find pieces. I’d rather have a cycle in the collection than introducing new money into it.
That’s what it was called! Comic book men, I loved that show eventough it wasn’t just about toys it did discuss other collectibles from the same perspective 🤓
I really like that you’re thinking on the future of this stuff, there’s not a lot of just general discussion of the hobby anywhere nowadays. I got into collecting 7in figs through Godzilla and TMNT and that was the gateway to grabbing lots of those repro lines you mentioned. I’m only 25 so I missed out on what I consider the coolest time in toys and I really like checking it out vicariously through stuff like MOTU Origins
Hey Ed, great video as always! I got back into collecting after turning 30, I became more soft and reminiscent on my childhood wanting to buy back the toys I got rid of years ago. It started with toy biz x-men and then went all over the place haha (one of the things I had as a kid that I got rid of years ago was the Slobster street sharks hand puppet! haha I will forever be mad about that lol) Now 3 years later, my house is filled with toys all over the shelves haha Both you and froggy flips helped inspire me with going to conventions, flea markets, other toy lines, and finding friends that are also into vintage toys and video games! This year I plan on toning it back for the same reasons you stated in this video and also, Im not sure I can fit much more stuff hahaha Great content as always my man! Best of luck with your 2025 hunts! :)
it is so hard not to fall down rabbit holes when collecting...i primarily started with MMPR since that was my 'main childhood staple' but i also had a lot of other toys when I was little and being able to use the internet to find what i couldn't when i was little has been amazing and amazingly expensive :p with time comes fewer purchases but they are just bigger and more costly! i swear collecting is some form of OCD but it's nice reliving memories from a simpler time love you videos and you've definitely inspired some of my purchases
Thanks buddy, it’s fun chasing nostalgia but like the jungle trooper i had as a kid in the jurassic park line I still haven’t found at a price i was comfortable at.
Hi Ed, I’m a vintage only collector who is definitely being priced out of the hobby. I’ll probably only pick up a few things a year focusing purely on what I had as a child. For instance I have a full run of loose vintage star wars figures apart from the last 17 which are silly prices but as I didn’t own them as a child I’m in no rush to pick them up. It was at that point I moved over to Motu but even that constantly increasing in price!
Motu has for sure gotten a big push during covid but some of the key figures have already dropped again. It doesn’t seem to be the case with the rare, uncommon or notorious ones tougj
This video came at a good time in my toy collecting journey because it brought up a lot of points that i have been thinking about as a fairly new vintage toy collector. I started collecting modern transformers during the pandemic but got tired of the pre order game so switched to vintage collecting. I branched out to childhood nostalgic lines being a 90s kid like TMNT, Biker Mice, Aliens etc... my goal in 2025 is to not be a completist but instead to focus on getting the select few figures that speak to me from each line! Happy toy hunting Ed and thanks for all the great videos in 2024!
This is a very insightful video. I have thought about many of these same points as I have seen the hobby evolve over time. I love when you make this type of content.
i am mainly a collector of design and furniture. So it does flood the house, on my hunts I notice some toys now and then and that's also how I ended up here on your channel :-) Sometimes there is a thin line between design & gadgets. Anyways, all your concerns are applicable to whatever field of collecting you are in. Eventually everything will desintegrate (I collect sixties seventies so also mainly plastics, rubbers that start falling appart etc..) also the value issue is simple: buy what you like and love, at a price you can afford. Sometimes a cheap score, othertimes a high investment but in a rare museum-quality piece. And eventually, the bulk will get sold to re-invest in a more unique and more pricier piece. We all do that, whatever field you are in, Downgrade in quantity and on the way upgrade in quality! Happy hunting man!
Happy new year! For me started with he-man or masters of the universe as it was in 80s I've actually since sold about all of them simply because I feel like I'll never achieve the grail of Eternia. Since I've moved on to WWE action figures and am loving the chase over the last 3 years has been wild. I've always collected physical media from VHS to DVD to blu-ray now 4k and steelbooks that will never change.
Ive been collecting for about 40 years i started with motu, tfs, secret wars and dc super powers when i was 9 or 10 years old and the one thing i always tell everyone is that if you arent happy then buying something is pointless. If you only like half of a toy line then dont waste you money and time buying the whole line just because you feel like you should. ive changed my personal collection over the last five years or so to just be stuff i think is cool and worth the money. Just remember there are no rules to collecting just collect what makes you happy.
One of my favorite videos you have done, it covers a side of the hobby not often talked about. I have been collecting since 2013, i got hooked after watching Toy Hunter with Jordan Hembrough (The OG - Probably even before Pixel Dan). I purchased a lot of vintage MOTU over the pandemic and despite not overbidding by todays prices i probably overpaid, you can loose big on vintage and on modern. I suspect a lot of Real Ghostbusters, Turtles, MOTU, Transformers collectors were hurt by reissues in terms of investment, however its also allowed me to aquire items i couldnt afford by buying a reissue.
@@EdsRetroGeekOut No you dont come over too negative. Often the viewers actually like & respect a honest viewpoint as its realistic. Also love the commenter engagement you do :)
Love hearing your thoughts on this as I’ve been thinking about several of the points you covered as well. For 2025 I will be much more specific in what I pickup rather than acting on the excitement of finding something cool but I might not necessarily want in my collection.
First wishing you and yours a happy and healthy new year. I agree it’s all about whether or not the toy checks off all the right boxes like emotional connection or just plain coolness factor
I've been warming up to the idea of KOs for out of box G1 Transformers. I get what I can as far as reissues but a big change for me is that I don't buy MIB anymore, if it isn't sealed I'll get it loose. I'm also phasing out things I don't feel an attachment to, or have decided wasn't as good as I thought it was when I was younger, Kenner Classics Ghostbusters are out as an example. I'm also looking to start getting some glass display cases to make things look a little better.
I'm just a casual collector (my diminishing in value Canadian dollar is mostly to blame 😥) but man, this was a terrific and honest look ahead (and back) - it was genuine and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing it! I have 0 idea where this is all going in 2025 but I'm excited to follow along with your journey. And quality over quantity, which is what you alluded to here as a goal in '25, is never a bad thing. Cheers.
oh look there's my stall the opening! :) Great discussion Ed, I'm always looking at this subject as a toy dealer, and of course a collector, one thing i will say personally, my collection has really slowed down since Covid, even before then i was grabbing items really quickly and cheaply but once prices went up from what "i knew" I took a slight side step with the personal collection. e.g WWF Hasbro, that completely stopped due to prices and only now they have started to drop. luckily with my M.A.S.K that i collected I've "finished" or at a stage where im happy, But in the mean time I've been able to concentrate on lesser know items like you said you have, I really enjoy that side of it rather than buying up everything I see as I used to. As a full time dealer though, I still need to buy up everything I see lol. great video really enjoyed it and hope to sit down one day and discuss.
Thanks buddy, yeah we needed the video to start strong 😄 great to hear the wwf hasbro’s are going down a bit in price as rhey seem to be my new interesting thing to pick up
I was forced to sell many stuff of my collection after my wife had to quit her job because of medical reason it was stuff for me been the only check after things got better I began trying to get some of the things I had but this time I very nickpiking what I get considering price, space and item great video Ed.
Amazing video Ed. This is great content, so different from a lot of toy channels. I'd love to see a deep dive on some of the themes you've touched on here - about different aspects of the hobby, rather than just the toys themselves. For me, 2025 will be about making the best use of my limited budget by resisting 'new-retro' and only buying vintage. And stepping away from Star Wars to some more affordable lines...
Thanks so much. Budgetting is key to not get burnt out on it. 🤓 always keep an eye open for those star wars, there’s a lot of it out there and a sweet deal is sure to fall in your lap at some point. What are you still missing star wars wise?
@@EdsRetroGeekOut - still looking for a few of the playsets and ships. Living in New Zealand is a mixed blessing - there's not so much out there, but a small collecting community, so prices can often be lower than US/Europe.
* _Advance apologies for the long comment but you posed some great questions!_ * Reckon we might be in the peak age of vintage toy collecting. And by vintage I mean 70s, 80s & 90s toys. Confession: my Gen X brain will probably never quite process the 90s as vintage, haha. A lot of Gen Xers & MIllennials who grew up with action figures, vehicles and playsets now have disposable income to splash out on all this stuff. Younger generations probably won't have the same interest or connection because they've had a very different experience growing up. My nephews and his mates have no interest in toys, it's all screens and cards (also LEGO). Same with my mates' kids. Anecdotal evidence, I know. But still. As for for collecting habits in 2025... I'll probably narrow my focus even more. It's already pretty narrow as it is. But there's really only a handful of pieces I wanna pick up now. Because yeah, I don't want the collection to overwhelm my home. It's self-contained to one room, that's it. Don't even have a stray action figure in my lounge room. Actually pretty strict on that. Also, I might ease up on my "no repro" thinking. Prefer OG accessories and whatnot. But eh. P.S. I've toyed with the idea (bad pun intended) of getting into the selling side of things. Just as another way to explore the hobby. Like, I'd focus on cool stuff that I don't want in my collection (easier to move on that way!) But I'd only do toy fairs, I reckon. Maybe markets here and there. Bricks and mortar is too scary, lol...
Those are some good points, i like to keep it in the one room as well. As far as the action figures go it’s not like there’s none being sold to kids who can make core memories with them but there’s for sure less market share going to that type of play. Selling has a lot of good points to it where you meet a lot of people.
@ I will be posting a video of the process here on UA-cam to inspire others to give it a shot too when it’s completed. I’ll send some customs your way this year!
I think starting a toy collection is mainly driven by the toys you wished you had as a kid but did not have, as you start to collect you tend to marknof your list of wants fairly quickly and your excitement of toy hunting then needs to be sustained. I don't collect for resale or investment I just like enjoying a retrospective on the good times way back! I find that this hobby may fade over time as I do see my own teenage kids not very interested in collecting action figures. Yes Ed I hear you.
Very interesting video Ed ive been thinking about collecting alot lately and some of the changes. The prices really have gone up I flip toys thats what i do to buy stuff for my collection. Its gotten way harder to sell for profit higher prices more competition selling online you got higher fees higher shipping fees. Right before i watched your video i started checking out selling at flea markets and conventions instead of the online thing man that was weird LOL. Im a big Transformers guy and i switched to more mainstream stuff and cutting back on 3rd party and threezero stuff because of price and picking one thing and buying one piece at a time like i just finished up my core class dinobots now im moving to stunticons but i spend less it just takes longer to collect. Plus im getting older im 51 so you start thinking im approaching retirement and you start to question things like do i start selling it off do i keep buying? Its wild sorry for going on forever but it something i started to think about. But i still got that fire so im not done yet, i said i was just thinking about it. Tell Matte i said whats up brother
It ain’t a problem, great to hear your perspective. Online in some cases has a wider audience but you and the end customer pay for way more then a physical environment where there more transparancy in what they are buying I guess. I think it’s great flipping things to get the things you want. The concept also seems more accepted these days then 10 years ago altough for some it seems more about driving up prices and profit then the actual collectibles
Great insignts. I would like to focus more on finding samller pieces and accessories to complete some of my figures and less on buying more big pieces I can’t store in my toy room. But then I see a giant playset at a good price and end up buying it… it’s been rough to resist tbh.
Hi Ed! Motu Origins and the Cartoon line have been the top collecting line over the last 5 years total plus the TMNT classic vintage figures line too the past couple years but it financially has slowed my hunt down for Vintage figures and playsets from the 80s and 90s, so my goal is to mix things up starting this year. I want some vintage Transformers, TMNT on card figures and the hunt for a complete Mutant Module and the WWF Hasbro figures too. I would like to reacquire toys i had as a kid especially being a 80s kid but collect vintage things for me to keep and cherish not value to sell off later.
I collect for nostalgic reasons and the experience of hunting. Not too concerned about resale, as I wont be selling my collection in my lifetime. Vintage toy collecting is fun, keep it up!
Definitely think price and space is the main focus point regarding collecting for 2025. Stuff that use to be £10/£20 are now £40/£50s. So can't spend big and space is pretty tight now so have to either sell or box up to display.
That’s pretty accurate that a lot of things just went up double and I guess that defaults to less being bought and less space being filled but the quantity of experiencing goes down
I think for me I just buy what I like and try to complete some toy linesni have ,I personally don't try to flip anything I just buy them for pure nostalgia and enjoyment,anyway I've always loved the attic invaders and always stay cool and have fun hunting.
I star collecting toys in 2019. My company in that time lay me off for two months and I star buying 2 or 3 cars on the internet and all they come wrong, so I decide the cars are not my tings. From here I star collecting toy figures. Now I have a room full of then. I going to star slow down because I already have must of what I want.
It’s the Phantom Star Killer display at Kane County 2 years ago 🤓 it’s a 3.45 inch figure like star wars that’s a custom character by a very cool toy maker
Excellent video and topic. Good questions. Where do we see how and what we collect another 10 years from now. Again great questions. Im sure about one thing, that the answers will appear with the passing of time. Happy new year 😉👍
@EdsRetroGeekOut Not sure yet, always go open in to the a new year and see whatever comes on my path tho like yourself I prefer to keep the toys in the room so less buys but won't expect to be spending less.😉
It's always been like this its the speculators and scalpers who are to blame they started with baseball cards then when the bottom fell out on that they moved on to comics then video games now they have moved on to toys they tried with VHS tapes but failed they just jump around like a virus infecting hobbies speculating how much they can get out of something😡
initially i was anti vintage except for WWF Hasbro figures. then i got bit by the tmnt bug and have started collecting them… and biker mice from mars and skeleton warriors….. so focus is the goal. Have a list of 5-10 figures i want for my collection, have a budget and keep within it. Also, cull the stuff i don’t have a connection to.
I’m looking to downsize in 2025. Most of my collection has come from thrift store pickups…which means that if it was 70s, 80s or 90s I bought it, even if it didn’t have much nostalgic meaning to me (as in, even if I didn’t own it as a kid) often times I buy those things to SAVE them from the evil clutches of the thrift store 😂 …so I’d like to sell off a lot of that stuff and use the money to buy stuff that has more meaning to me and/or use the money to buy grail pieces I wish I had as a kid.
It’s like a stock market either in 20 years the next generation will clean up what we left behind and it will be worthless with no nostalgia. Or it will find a place of ‘cool’ old toys and prices will skyrocket! Buy or sell but I’ll keep my collection either way 😊
I started collecting in 2024 again, I'm 47 and collected since I was 20 I lost everything 10yrs ago in a fire and decided it's time to collect again, these prices tho on some stuff is way over priced
The prices do make you pick and choose, do you think you’ll ever regain the amount you had in the collection before or are some things not on the want list anymore?
Hey, iv been collecting tmnt for the last couple years. I have around 30 MOC figures and around 10 MIB vehicles/play-sets. I just love the nostalgia I get when I see the artwork and logo together 🤤 i was talking to someone today at a toy fair and he recommended that I sell my collection in the next 5 years because the new generation will not be interested in vintage turtles and it will be worthless, do you think this will be true or was this guy a little crazy?
Don't sweat the "new generation"...I'm 44. I plan to be around at least 40 more years and not spend those years in poverty. (KNock on wood lol). I grew up with original TMNT and I will continue to value them as collectibles as will countless people of our generation. Don't worry about the next gen, this gen is still going strong.
I'm terrified that the flood of reissue(junk in my eyes, but I know it has its fans) will continue to depress the price of vintage MOTU, TMNT, G1 and others. Thus the speculators will continue to drive up the price of the vintage lines that will almost certainly never be reissued. I'm talking M.A.S.K, Visionaries, Battle Beasts, and others. Wasn't that long ago that you could still find those forgotten, unappreciated, lines in the wild for cheap money and build a very fun, affordable, collection. Not anymore. The flood of new (junk) is def causing negative waves in the vinage market.
Collect what u like vintage or new, if it makes u happy do it , you don't have to spend hundreds on a figure but easy to do, just be happy in Collecting,
Opening a store is risky. I think 1 option is U outta like come up w/ UR own version of Mexico's rock show. Mean U Euro cats R infamous for having Metal shows. Like a flea market marketed for toys n music with actual live music. Peo can sell their extras n buy stuff they need and whatever. Plus get sponsors from local stores N bands. Just an idea.
I think it's good to question your motivation and desire in this hobby keep doing what u live as for opening a shop could be good but will it kill your desire for what you love
good have you & anthony in this hobby dude, me with my collection?, anything and not to over pursue, till it comes to me as an organic movement, keep fun that toy to be about,, FUN
Western toy collecting is more like a trend and when that one trend fades out it's back to that same old vintage stuff again. It's impossible to be strong as Japanese collecting culture in terms of limitless IPs and contents to bring in new fans. You know it's strong when people pay premiums for products still knowing you'll lose your money. They collect cause they love it.
I’m really surprised people actually buy all the nostalgia bait pumped out these days, it’s just so damn lazy and usually trash. I don’t look at anything past ‘96.
While some of it is for sure cash grabs there’s certain higher end toys that really do outshine thanks to their articulation possibilities and sculpting detail. There’s something for everybody but for example tmnt is in such an oversaturated place right now where fomo just doesn’t cut the check book 😅 What lines do you collect pre 96?
As these nostalgia collectors are getting old, I wonder how much stuff that people covet ends up in landfills because they just can't be bothered selling grandpa's stuff on marketplace.
@@EdsRetroGeekOut Keep spreading that awareness so they come across clips and they try to sell them for way over price. Will save them for a little bit I suppose.
My question is who is in 20 years is gonna want any of the stuff of the past ? No one ? dads dont build model trains under trees with their sons like they did in 70s one example todays 100k 1970 chevelle ss ls 60 454 wont be worth half that once all boomers who grew up in 70s are eating strained peas through a straw perhaps gen 1 I phones will lead the highly desired wish list ?
Indeed there might be collectors with all sorts of tablets and other tech gadgets. But a hobby doesn’t have to be main stream to be a bubble or a community i’m sure there’s young collectors that hunt down old Marklin trains and have a blast doing so even if there’s only a handful of them in a country they will have the time of their lives collecting what they love.
Hi , i m gonna to said something : To do Speculation price about Toyz , that s rediculous way !!! Remember is just Pastic toy . ( i was doing watches luxery before ) and Market start to be Dead then he is gonna to be same way . We should to be Passionate and Enjoy not to do Profite ... Peoples today !!!
Maybe you need to follow your American friend, Froggy Flip's. He expanded his collection, bought an office space where he can store his toys and set up a business.
My rule for collecting is to only buy and keep what makes me happy. I'm primarily a Transformers collector but Hasbro hasn't made much in the last few years that i've wanted to buy so i've been mostly buying vintage and 3rd party. I'm constantly looking at my collection and if there's anything in it that i don't care about any more it goes on ebay and i use that money for new purchases. I see collecting as a combination of treasure hunting and (reasonably) affordable art collecting and it's a great hobby where you can do as much or as little as you want and things can only really improve for yourself. I find it a great source of stress relief in a stressful world. I have no new collecting goals this year other than to continue with this attitude.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
What are you changing to your collecting habits in 2025?
Not much the gaming community kinda took care of itself pricing itself out of certain games and the influxes of retro emulators I'll just keep collecting what I play
@@bloodeagle6458 hey blood eagle good to see you here. Ur the pro wrestler right? Think we talked in 4am laundrys Livestream awhile back. If not then it's the same name lol
@@bootleggodzilla1 it's me
@@bloodeagle6458 oh ok cool good to see ya
Great topic and episode, Ed! You made so many incredible points. For me personally, my approach has evolved with my budget as I have been so inspired by you and FroggyFlips this past year with your respective talents for merchandising and buying unique items that "pass the eye test". I see you both as very talented Artists with your skills in what you select and how you display it. For example, instead of collecting all of Series 8 of a line that I had nostalgia for but never got that deep in as a child that will sit in a closet - I spend more on pieces that display really well (in an evergreen fashion). and illicit an emotion each time I see them. Additionally, I use to find myself just ignoring pieces that were only a few bucks, almost setting a price floor (because they were not valuable and not a status symbol) but if I now see something dirt cheap that just looks fantastic and is not a repro (just needs to be vintage to its original concept) then I pull the trigger and make it display well.
Great perspectives! I’ve been dealing with some of the same thoughts and inner struggles. Nothing like the end / beginning of a year to make you really want to attack from a different or more focused angle. I feel like I want to place a major emphasis on finding items I deem “important.” Important to me personally…important to the history of toys. It could be as simple as saying “He-man and Skeletor are important, but maybe I can do without Gwildor.” OR it could be as intense as “these one of a kind prototypes are important because they were the basis and the beginning of a cherished line.” I dunno, I’ll probably just buy more weird, gross stuff 🤷♂️😂
You already got some great historic pieces! Its always good to refocus 🤓
You're the man, Froggy! Great take and love your content!
To be a Kull Ector or Call Ector ... I will FOCUS on the Drive. Drive in style with the top down cruising & enjoying the Ride. Everyone is different...no big deal. No right or wrong. Family first , out of the box ... Keep it affordable. 🐬💦
Hey there Ed! I've been a collector for I'd say maybe 20 years now (wow). I don't collect to complete toy lines, or video game collections, or to get really valuable grail pieces. Almost all of my collecting is to re-aquire things that I had as a child. My drug of choice is that nostalgia and I love getting that fix. Luckily for me I never had anything that is too crazy expensive, but even still a lot of these 80s and 90s toy lines have gotten a little out of hand price wise. I couldn't care less if there was some sort of crash in the retro collecting market and my collection was worthless as far as money is concerned. All these things I've been able to get for myself are priceless to me because of the memories I have with them.
I’m there as well, where it really doesn’t matter what the value is. Once it’s in my collection it’s just where it belongs till it loses it’s excitement. For me it’s also mainly nostalgia driven, toys ive had or toys I knew about but didn’t get a chance to own early on. Secondly it’s a discovery and an experience to learn and collect different lines but it goes beyond the just buying of a line. It’s about the story of who made em and why. At least for me 🤓
@EdsRetroGeekOut i agree with you, but I feel like toy collecting and money go hand and hand . It seems like toy collectors go with the afa stuff more because of value rather than preserving something like they claim. To be fair nobody wants to waste their hard earn money on things that won't hold value if your spending high amounts of money. So like you said about gi joe and motu bands disintegrating over time. I can't imagine spending high amounts of cash for something that's gonna devalue over time . Makes no sense to me to be honest.
My collection in my mind is basically finished because I will no longer buy stuff unless I have display space and I have definitely a more focused mindset on stuff on may still want, Ghostbusters merch and 13th Doctor Who are my main focus now but I will also buy the odd Hot Toys statue now and then.
I culled a lot of my collection due to just not needing or feeling the need for it anymore, collecting definitely started for me as a passion but then because of depression became an addiction, I’m now just back in it for the love of it and every day when I wake up the toys bring me joy .
Later this year 3 Lara Croft Tomb Raider statues are being released that I really can’t say no to but I’m buying less small cheaper pieces.
Ed you should totally write a book about collecting and as far as the store goes if you do it I think your half way to success with your connections and reputation in the community.
I really enjoy your videos because of the genuine enthusiasm and the fact you come across as a genuinely nice guy.
A book about collecting 🤔 that hadn’t crossed my mind yet.
Thanks so much buddy
Love these deeper thoughts on the hobby Ed!
Few random thoughts on my 2025 toy plans:
1. More focus. I simply can’t buy everything I’m interested in, as I’m interested in too many things, and UA-cam is making it worse! I can’t spend big and still have enough emergency cash for big hits like this year’s GadgetMobile and MadMobile.
2. Don’t get tempted to follow trends or buy stuff for rarity / value. I’m not a reseller. I don’t have the time for it. If it doesn’t appeal to me personally, maybe leave it for the next collector.
3. Consider modern retro toy purchases (new Transformers, Turtles etc.) a financial loss. Buy them if I really like them, and accept that selling them onwards one day when I need space in the collection is gonna cost me. Especially with modern Transformers it takes 5-10 years to go up in value a bit. So save money for vintage, buy modern only if irresistible 🤪
Those are some good random thoughts to live by 👀
The newer stuff is for sure hit or miss but so often the stuff that’s a hit is so exclusive or expensive it just takes the fun out of that whole effort of trying to get it.
I'll be honest Ed, watching your videos has affected my collecting. A few years ago I used to have a few lists/lines and would hunt them down on eBay but seeing your videos has made me 1) get out to toy fairs and 2) just pick up things I think look cool. I'm going to be carrying on that trend this year.
Always good to have curiosity guide you as long as the prices are within reason 🤓
I don't collect retro stuff but I am a heavy collector of modern day figures and I've been collecting regularly for about 13 years. I enjoy this channel because I used to have many of the toys featured in the videos on here so it's cool to get my nostalgic fix for those old toys by simply watching your videos. To address your question, I would honestly love it if I could just stop collecting entirely at this point. By now, I basically have every version of every character I want but at the same time, it's also incredibly difficult to stop. Somehow, every company makes something that also looks cool and/or better and of course I have to get it. Third party companies are now even making mind-boggling amazing stuff so that's a whole other beast I've gotten into. It's extremely difficult to curb the obsession. Every so often, I go through my collection and purge what I can but more stuff comes in faster than it goes out. I find it more and more difficult to find items I want to sell because to me, they all seem so cool and I can't bring myself to part with it.
I have a love/hate relationship with this hobby. I love it for all the reasons we all do, but I also hate that I'm kind of a slave to "my stuff." I'm naturally a very clean/organized/minimalist person EXCEPT for my collection. It creates a ton of visual clutter both on the display side and storage side. Space is a HUGE factor at this point (moreso than money)...I just recently had to rent a storage locker just for my hundreds of never opened figures which is honestly a waste of money but it's a necessity at this point or I will be literally drowning in boxes. I often wonder if I'll ever be able to open and display them all. The main reason I buy stuff at retail is because I anticipate me EVENTUALLY having my dream man cave to properly display everything and I don't want to go chasing after figures years later and potentially pay more for them. After 13 years, me having adequate display space is still not a reality and I'm not sure if it ever will. I live in CA where houses are extremely expensive and basements basically don't exist. Even if I had a dedicated bedroom, I know it wouldn't be enough to showcase everything. I would have to cycle my display every so often.
As a young adult, I have plenty of disposable income and figure collecting is basically all I spend my money on but I often think how much money I would have saved up/invested if I never got into it. By now, it would for sure be over $150K. Granted, my collection is somewhat of an investment in itself and I could always sell it and make a nice profit I'm sure. But I just really hate the fact about stressing about moving everything eventually. And as a clean person, dusting is an absolute nightmare. I have my collection so meticulously displayed so it's always a pain to delicately move everything, dust and put them back.
I honestly don't know where 2025 and beyond will take me in this hobby...it's so damn addicting. I'm hoping to actually buy a place this year and see how that affects what I can do. I'd like to somehow find the will to significantly downsize my collection but I know it will be tough.
It's an addictive hobby for sure. I'm in almost the same boat as you other than the age. I but things in hopes to make a huge cool display for each line yet it never happens. I recently just filled 12 storage totes oof unopened figures and now they sit in a shed. Feels wrong actually. I'm gonna have to sell or quit. we shall see what 2025 brings. Good luck with your collecting adventure !
@@justineternia9986 i feel you , i ran out of space too. Do you collect modern or vintage ? Reason I'm asking is because I collect vintage toys only. i first started with toybiz marvel legends and once hasbro took over i stopped . That's the problem i have with modern toy collecting . They keep pumping new ones out every other day it seems lik😂.
@DRAGOINTHEHOUSE fortunately and unfortunately I collect both. Lol I collect all the things I had as a kid for the nostalgic aspect. And I collect the new stuff because there's always that new version that's a little better. I did stop buying doubles though. But after Eternia and now Cats lair in the way I have zero room. And I haven't even opened Eternia. Then I got sucked into the Mondo for Masters so that's a money pit lol
Woah, i had a lot of my stuff stored away for the first couple years and finally getting a dedicated room was for sure an eyeopener that stuff needs a lot of room to display. So that was the first time I decided to get rid of some things. Cycling a display must be frustrating. For me it’s kind of a must to be able to access a lot of toys for reference for videos but it does like you say really clutter everything up
And frankly, what do you do inspires me and keeps me interested in collecting. So I would suggest you not stop. Frankly, you make me wish I had other toy collectors that I could pal around with and go places and collect, but I know no one so anyone I mention it to think I'm an absolute idiot so I appreciate what you do and all the other UA-camrs like you. I hope it's something that you can keep pursuing if possible.
Your lucky you don't have friends that are in to toys too , otherwise you would be buying all the time because you would have somebody that would feed your need 😂. It's completely different when you have somebody cheering you on .
Where are you from? There should for sure be a collector community out there 🤓
@@EdsRetroGeekOutLos Angeles Cali.
I guess I haven't tapped into it yet. I'll look into it. Thanks. Live contacted you before about looking at my collection. If I ever decide it's time to cut it loose. I'll be giving you a call. I know it's far from Belgium. Maybe I'll make videos of all the boxes I open.
@ i hope to make it to Cali someday. I do feel like there is for sure toy show and retro game shows out there
Hi Ed ,
happy new year. intriguing and fascinating video. Kind of a toy collecting philosophy there. I was born in 82 and my childhood was defined by toys and cartoons. I have always been a collector purely for the love and infinity to that era of the 80s/90s. I love the buzz and energy from seeking out items from that period that align with my childhood from box art to games and figures. I love displaying it being around it and being surprised by things I wouldn’t expect to collect but end up picking up due to something new or inspiring. The journey is endless and forever changing and evolving. Seeing your progress and the rest of toy community’s passion amplifies my own love and interest for it.
As time goes on and my collection is getting full I’m becoming more selective and focused. I think it’s important not be afraid of reducing a collection to make room for something new. Hope to see you at one of the shows one day.
Lee
I hope to make it to the chicago toy show again 🤓
You really summed it all up there! Bravo! I been to antique shows. No one really buys or sells. Thisnold timer told me something really eye opening.. he said "these things just become like roving museums".. thats what our generations hobby is turning to
Rarity’s and u common will hold a bit but hopefully come down as well 🤓
I loved this video for the simple fact it posed the the question that has been looming over my head the past couple months. Seems it comes in waves...I get super stoked over my collection and then go through periods where I ask "why am i doing this" or "what i am gonna do with all this stuff?". I am on pause buying until I can figure some stuff out. The prospect of getting rid of stuff poses serious risk of regret and at today's prices...no way I will buy it back again.
I recently downsized my collection. Got laid off about over a year ago and that gave me the time to really go through my stuff. Realized I didn't or no longer cared about some things I had...sold off my entire modern GI Joe collection, and all 200 Marvel Legends figures...and focusing more on trying to get my grail items.
That does really switch around the focus an event like that 🤓
So true. When I first started collecting vintage toys I would buy anything! Now I’m very picky. I have a saying when I find something nostalgic “this was so rad to find…but do I want to look at it on my shelf?” After I give myself 5-10 mins i usually don’t need it lol.
That’s actually a good way of looking at it when you get that nostalgia hit but don’t let it control your buying impulse.
@ especially being an 80s/90s kid there is just SO much to be nostalgic for. I’ve recently switched my focus to vintage collecting cards which isn’t cheaper lol but it saves on space and allows you to have specific collecting goals to complete certain sets. I think that’s the main itch collectors get, that feeling of completing something
Great video! I started collecting in early 2020 so I definitely got wrapped up in the early pandemic boom. I still find a thrift deal every so often so that keeps it fun. I’m trying to thin out the modern TMNT purchases this year but it’s hard! Definitely hoping to find even more weird vintage things to add to the collection. Keep up the great work
Hey man. You’re great too
Thanks buddy, ah thrift deals are the best. It does feel a bit like for tmnt the new releases are coming a bit to a halt or at least less of it is going out in the neca and super 7 lines
Happy New Year 🎉🎉❤ and thanks for the complete ToyYear 2024 🎉 #OneOfTheBestChanelsEver
Discount stores my favorite. New cheap fun. No Hype.
Aw yeaah
I really agree with this. I have actually hit the limit on space and need to sell off a bunch and focus on just the stuff that really calls out to me. Preorders kind of ruined some of the fun of looking for things but also made some of those more niche items much easier to find if there is not a retailer nearby.
The thing with preorders is they’re always a surprise when they finally do show up 😂 so it’s twice the fun. But if you lose track of everything in preorder it can get a little much I know I had a couple months during late covid where I was like … i hope no more stuff is gonna show up this month.
Which lines do you collect?
@@EdsRetroGeekOut Vintage and modern: 4 inch and 6 inch figures, mostly Star Wars, but Acid Rain, GI Joe. Lots of Transformers. MOTU. Some prop stuff. Basically the stuff I had or wanted as a kid. But I think the 6 inch black series stuff is going to get the cut first.
I agree with the surprise factor, like any haslab stuff or my skeletron preorder. Definitely an "O yea" moment of excitement. Constantly on the lookout for a Tendril
what niche products no adult ever talks about childrens toys anymore just preorders for crowdfunders
@@hereiam6149 I guess I meant more "exclusive" or "Limited run" stuff. But particularly, I was thinking about Phantom Starkiller and other small maker items like Sad Salesman or Healy Made
As an old school vintage toy shop owner, I can tell you the repro toy lines being pumped into the market non stop has killed a lot of my vintage line sales. TMNT, MOTU, etc have stopped selling all together. My KO lines still sell really well as do the obscure stuff. Also I am seeing an over exposure of “dealers/shops/ebay”sellers in the market. Every ones trying to make a quick buck, buying “toys” they know nothing about hoping to flip them. It’s a really weird time.
Nostalgia for me. I had a toy biz in the 80s but I sold most of my stock decades ago and kept only what I loved ...Batman! (Well, mostly :-) I smile every day when I see the goodies I've collected over the years. Now it's only 1 or 2 items a year. Happy new year all!
If those 2 items sustain the fun in the hobby it’s great 😄
@EdsRetroGeekOut I know, laughable, right :-) but I'm down to rather pricey items ....eg 1966 Robin puppet. Ouch.
I don’t mean it’s laughable for the game boy collecting part i’d be glad if I find 2 of the 8 I still need for a full set in a year.
Early batman stuff is for sure tough to find I can relate
@EdsRetroGeekOut 😁
Awesome video, Ed! Definitely not a topic that's talked about enough. Collectors should be collecting responsibly within their means. Also, be sure to budget not just for the rare/crazy items, but display setups. Take pride in your collections fellow hobbyists.
Thanks dudes 🙏
Toy collecting is all about nostalgia and legacy for me. I don't want to sell my toys. I want to display them and invite future generations to view them or learn of their history. As for you, toycons, toy events and even toy companies should sponsor you. Get sponsors. You are an influencer and you're very good at this. Maybe put up a toy news content of what's releasing. This can be your legacy. 30 or 30 years from now, you will be well known in Belgium, Europe or even the world as the Retro toy historian guy. As for putting up a store, maybe you can follow History channel's Pawn Stars where people can go to you to sell their old toys and then you resell them at your store.
I can hardly keep my channel running 🤓 but it’s nice to see comments from so many other collectors.
The idea of the store would be to see what comes on but a lot of work is behind the scenes and just to keep a brick and morter store open 😅
Great video and good questions to ask going forward. For me, I've been collecting vintage toys off and on for 20years. Got rid of a lot but still have my vintage and modern. Not sure what the future holds but happy to have a hobby that brings so much happiness to my life. In this crazy world, it's nice to have something to keep me grounded. Great video Ed and 2025 will be a wonderful year for all.... fingers crossed 😂
You have an awesome year too 🤘
Thanks for the video, great stuff! I'm a sentimental collector myself. I collect what I like and try to find it as cheaply as I can. My main focus on new stuff is Star Wars with some Marvel and MOTU. My main focus in vintage is Golden Girl and similar lines. It's the similar lines that are hard to find, I haven't been able to get any Galaxie Girls or Galaxy Adventure Girls, because you either don't see them or they cost too much. I have been able to get four of the Goddess of the Ultra Cosmos figures though, which is better than nothing. With Golden Girl I found a set of figures on ebay and have since added the horses, chariots and palace. One thing I've done in preparation for the future is to create a wish list spreadsheet, to keep track of what I'm looking for and focus on what I really want to find.
I love that chariot in the line! 🤓
Ed mah man. I've been watching you for a long time. I'm getting older as well haha. My motto is since life is short, you have the room for something, you have the money for it, and it makes you happy, do it. Because at the end of the day, all that matters is happiness if its not hurting anyone. Because this is your existence. Enjoy it man. We all enjoy watching you enjoy it too haha
Collect what you love if it’s within financial reason is a great way to go about it 🤓
Amen 😁❤
Great introspective video, and another great year of videos from you! This year, I am going to purge part of my collection to focus on the stuff I do like. I also want to save up money for my 'holy grails' so whenever they do appear for a decent price I don't even have to second guess myself!
I’m also gonna purge some stuff to build up a budget for certain tougher to find pieces. I’d rather have a cycle in the collection than introducing new money into it.
Loved watching Kevin Smiths Comic book men, miss that show. Loved seeing the trades and possible buys that came in the store.
That’s what it was called! Comic book men, I loved that show eventough it wasn’t just about toys it did discuss other collectibles from the same perspective 🤓
I really like that you’re thinking on the future of this stuff, there’s not a lot of just general discussion of the hobby anywhere nowadays. I got into collecting 7in figs through Godzilla and TMNT and that was the gateway to grabbing lots of those repro lines you mentioned. I’m only 25 so I missed out on what I consider the coolest time in toys and I really like checking it out vicariously through stuff like MOTU Origins
But it’s cool that you are getting into the history and design of those awesome years
Hey Ed, great video as always! I got back into collecting after turning 30, I became more soft and reminiscent on my childhood wanting to buy back the toys I got rid of years ago. It started with toy biz x-men and then went all over the place haha (one of the things I had as a kid that I got rid of years ago was the Slobster street sharks hand puppet! haha I will forever be mad about that lol) Now 3 years later, my house is filled with toys all over the shelves haha Both you and froggy flips helped inspire me with going to conventions, flea markets, other toy lines, and finding friends that are also into vintage toys and video games! This year I plan on toning it back for the same reasons you stated in this video and also, Im not sure I can fit much more stuff hahaha Great content as always my man! Best of luck with your 2025 hunts! :)
Slobster head shark that’s a good one 😱
@@EdsRetroGeekOut yesss hahha forever mad I got rid of him!! Hahaha
it is so hard not to fall down rabbit holes when collecting...i primarily started with MMPR since that was my 'main childhood staple' but i also had a lot of other toys when I was little and being able to use the internet to find what i couldn't when i was little has been amazing and amazingly expensive :p with time comes fewer purchases but they are just bigger and more costly! i swear collecting is some form of OCD but it's nice reliving memories from a simpler time
love you videos and you've definitely inspired some of my purchases
Thanks buddy, it’s fun chasing nostalgia but like the jungle trooper i had as a kid in the jurassic park line I still haven’t found at a price i was comfortable at.
Hi Ed, I’m a vintage only collector who is definitely being priced out of the hobby. I’ll probably only pick up a few things a year focusing purely on what I had as a child. For instance I have a full run of loose vintage star wars figures apart from the last 17 which are silly prices but as I didn’t own them as a child I’m in no rush to pick them up. It was at that point I moved over to Motu but even that constantly increasing in price!
Motu has for sure gotten a big push during covid but some of the key figures have already dropped again. It doesn’t seem to be the case with the rare, uncommon or notorious ones tougj
One of my favorite videos you’ve done, man. I think about all those questions all the time too and I’m excited to see what the future holds
Awesome! Thank you! I can’t wait to see how things will start swinging in this year
@ hopefully at the minimum some cheaper prices lol
This video came at a good time in my toy collecting journey because it brought up a lot of points that i have been thinking about as a fairly new vintage toy collector. I started collecting modern transformers during the pandemic but got tired of the pre order game so switched to vintage collecting. I branched out to childhood nostalgic lines being a 90s kid like TMNT, Biker Mice, Aliens etc... my goal in 2025 is to not be a completist but instead to focus on getting the select few figures that speak to me from each line! Happy toy hunting Ed and thanks for all the great videos in 2024!
Thanks for watching them! That’s a great way to do it, refocus on certain figures you really wish to get.
This is a very insightful video. I have thought about many of these same points as I have seen the hobby evolve over time. I love when you make this type of content.
Thanks 🙏
i am mainly a collector of design and furniture. So it does flood the house, on my hunts I notice some toys now and then and that's also how I ended up here on your channel :-) Sometimes there is a thin line between design & gadgets.
Anyways, all your concerns are applicable to whatever field of collecting you are in. Eventually everything will desintegrate (I collect sixties seventies so also mainly plastics, rubbers that start falling appart etc..) also the value issue is simple: buy what you like and love, at a price you can afford. Sometimes a cheap score, othertimes a high investment but in a rare museum-quality piece. And eventually, the bulk will get sold to re-invest in a more unique and more pricier piece. We all do that, whatever field you are in, Downgrade in quantity and on the way upgrade in quality!
Happy hunting man!
That’s very nicely put 👌 I do believe some toys really are art eventough they were produced in millions quantity 😁
I’ve literally sold everything and just have all the book’s released instead. I get so much enjoyment out of them.
If i ever were to get rid of my collection i’d keep the books and toy fair catalogs for sure
Happy new year! For me started with he-man or masters of the universe as it was in 80s I've actually since sold about all of them simply because I feel like I'll never achieve the grail of Eternia. Since I've moved on to WWE action figures and am loving the chase over the last 3 years has been wild. I've always collected physical media from VHS to DVD to blu-ray now 4k and steelbooks that will never change.
Wwf has reeled me in as well 🤘
Ive been collecting for about 40 years i started with motu, tfs, secret wars and dc super powers when i was 9 or 10 years old and the one thing i always tell everyone is that if you arent happy then buying something is pointless. If you only like half of a toy line then dont waste you money and time buying the whole line just because you feel like you should. ive changed my personal collection over the last five years or so to just be stuff i think is cool and worth the money. Just remember there are no rules to collecting just collect what makes you happy.
That’s great advice dude 🙏i’m pondering on what I wanna change in my collection 🤓
One of my favorite videos you have done, it covers a side of the hobby not often talked about. I have been collecting since 2013, i got hooked after watching Toy Hunter with Jordan Hembrough (The OG - Probably even before Pixel Dan). I purchased a lot of vintage MOTU over the pandemic and despite not overbidding by todays prices i probably overpaid, you can loose big on vintage and on modern. I suspect a lot of Real Ghostbusters, Turtles, MOTU, Transformers collectors were hurt by reissues in terms of investment, however its also allowed me to aquire items i couldnt afford by buying a reissue.
Markets will always fluctuate, the thing with this video I was just hoping I wasn’t gonna come off too negative 🤓
@@EdsRetroGeekOut No you dont come over too negative. Often the viewers actually like & respect a honest viewpoint as its realistic. Also love the commenter engagement you do :)
Love hearing your thoughts on this as I’ve been thinking about several of the points you covered as well. For 2025 I will be much more specific in what I pickup rather than acting on the excitement of finding something cool but I might not necessarily want in my collection.
We’ve all been there in the moment and then 3 months later we just don’t ever look at that purchase 😅
First wishing you and yours a happy and healthy new year. I agree it’s all about whether or not the toy checks off all the right boxes like emotional connection or just plain coolness factor
Happy new year buddy and yes the coolness factor is never going to go away and keep me from impulse buying I think 😅
I've been warming up to the idea of KOs for out of box G1 Transformers. I get what I can as far as reissues but a big change for me is that I don't buy MIB anymore, if it isn't sealed I'll get it loose. I'm also phasing out things I don't feel an attachment to, or have decided wasn't as good as I thought it was when I was younger, Kenner Classics Ghostbusters are out as an example. I'm also looking to start getting some glass display cases to make things look a little better.
That’s been bothering me too, the way my collection is displayed. Transformers loose are so difficult to pop into a display
Great video with very well articulated thoughts, observations and insights.
Thanks buddy, you’ve still been going strong at the car boots I really wanna see what your collection looks like these days 🤓
I'm just a casual collector (my diminishing in value Canadian dollar is mostly to blame 😥) but man, this was a terrific and honest look ahead (and back) - it was genuine and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing it! I have 0 idea where this is all going in 2025 but I'm excited to follow along with your journey. And quality over quantity, which is what you alluded to here as a goal in '25, is never a bad thing. Cheers.
I feel like I went that route with retro games as well a refocus to a certain hit list instead of a completionist approach
oh look there's my stall the opening! :) Great discussion Ed, I'm always looking at this subject as a toy dealer, and of course a collector, one thing i will say personally, my collection has really slowed down since Covid, even before then i was grabbing items really quickly and cheaply but once prices went up from what "i knew" I took a slight side step with the personal collection. e.g WWF Hasbro, that completely stopped due to prices and only now they have started to drop. luckily with my M.A.S.K that i collected I've "finished" or at a stage where im happy, But in the mean time I've been able to concentrate on lesser know items like you said you have, I really enjoy that side of it rather than buying up everything I see as I used to. As a full time dealer though, I still need to buy up everything I see lol. great video really enjoyed it and hope to sit down one day and discuss.
Thanks buddy, yeah we needed the video to start strong 😄 great to hear the wwf hasbro’s are going down a bit in price as rhey seem to be my new interesting thing to pick up
I was forced to sell many stuff of my collection after my wife had to quit her job because of medical reason it was stuff for me been the only check after things got better I began trying to get some of the things I had but this time I very nickpiking what I get considering price, space and item great video Ed.
A toy really needs to check a lot more boxes then before I can understand that 🤓
Amazing video Ed. This is great content, so different from a lot of toy channels. I'd love to see a deep dive on some of the themes you've touched on here - about different aspects of the hobby, rather than just the toys themselves. For me, 2025 will be about making the best use of my limited budget by resisting 'new-retro' and only buying vintage. And stepping away from Star Wars to some more affordable lines...
Thanks so much. Budgetting is key to not get burnt out on it. 🤓 always keep an eye open for those star wars, there’s a lot of it out there and a sweet deal is sure to fall in your lap at some point. What are you still missing star wars wise?
@@EdsRetroGeekOut - still looking for a few of the playsets and ships. Living in New Zealand is a mixed blessing - there's not so much out there, but a small collecting community, so prices can often be lower than US/Europe.
* _Advance apologies for the long comment but you posed some great questions!_ *
Reckon we might be in the peak age of vintage toy collecting. And by vintage I mean 70s, 80s & 90s toys. Confession: my Gen X brain will probably never quite process the 90s as vintage, haha.
A lot of Gen Xers & MIllennials who grew up with action figures, vehicles and playsets now have disposable income to splash out on all this stuff. Younger generations probably won't have the same interest or connection because they've had a very different experience growing up. My nephews and his mates have no interest in toys, it's all screens and cards (also LEGO). Same with my mates' kids. Anecdotal evidence, I know. But still.
As for for collecting habits in 2025... I'll probably narrow my focus even more. It's already pretty narrow as it is. But there's really only a handful of pieces I wanna pick up now. Because yeah, I don't want the collection to overwhelm my home. It's self-contained to one room, that's it. Don't even have a stray action figure in my lounge room. Actually pretty strict on that. Also, I might ease up on my "no repro" thinking. Prefer OG accessories and whatnot. But eh.
P.S. I've toyed with the idea (bad pun intended) of getting into the selling side of things. Just as another way to explore the hobby. Like, I'd focus on cool stuff that I don't want in my collection (easier to move on that way!) But I'd only do toy fairs, I reckon. Maybe markets here and there. Bricks and mortar is too scary, lol...
Those are some good points, i like to keep it in the one room as well. As far as the action figures go it’s not like there’s none being sold to kids who can make core memories with them but there’s for sure less market share going to that type of play.
Selling has a lot of good points to it where you meet a lot of people.
Honestly I cannot wait until the bubble bursts, I miss the old days.
Once it does it will only become apparent by the majority that accepts it’s bursted
I started sculpting Madballs using oven bake clay. They are too pricey so I’m making my own knock offs of things I want in 2025 lol
Sweet do you show your creations on insta or fb?
@ I will be posting a video of the process here on UA-cam to inspire others to give it a shot too when it’s completed. I’ll send some customs your way this year!
Another great and insightful video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I think starting a toy collection is mainly driven by the toys you wished you had as a kid but did not have, as you start to collect you tend to marknof your list of wants fairly quickly and your excitement of toy hunting then needs to be sustained. I don't collect for resale or investment I just like enjoying a retrospective on the good times way back! I find that this hobby may fade over time as I do see my own teenage kids not very interested in collecting action figures. Yes Ed I hear you.
Perhaps action figures will be waved out like toy cars until another hype lifts them up 🤓
Thanks Ed as always fantastic channel mate
Thanks for watching
How about creating your own toy fair! Ed’s Retro Geek Show!
😄 i feel like there’s too many already and in Belgium i don’t think we can have more. Vintage Toys Of The Universe is doing a great job
Very interesting video Ed ive been thinking about collecting alot lately and some of the changes. The prices really have gone up I flip toys thats what i do to buy stuff for my collection. Its gotten way harder to sell for profit higher prices more competition selling online you got higher fees higher shipping fees. Right before i watched your video i started checking out selling at flea markets and conventions instead of the online thing man that was weird LOL. Im a big Transformers guy and i switched to more mainstream stuff and cutting back on 3rd party and threezero stuff because of price and picking one thing and buying one piece at a time like i just finished up my core class dinobots now im moving to stunticons but i spend less it just takes longer to collect. Plus im getting older im 51 so you start thinking im approaching retirement and you start to question things like do i start selling it off do i keep buying? Its wild sorry for going on forever but it something i started to think about. But i still got that fire so im not done yet, i said i was just thinking about it. Tell Matte i said whats up brother
It ain’t a problem, great to hear your perspective. Online in some cases has a wider audience but you and the end customer pay for way more then a physical environment where there more transparancy in what they are buying I guess. I think it’s great flipping things to get the things you want.
The concept also seems more accepted these days then 10 years ago altough for some it seems more about driving up prices and profit then the actual collectibles
Sweet video 📹 Ed 👍🏼💪🏼
Thanks for watching, what do you collect?
Great insignts. I would like to focus more on finding samller pieces and accessories to complete some of my figures and less on buying more big pieces I can’t store in my toy room. But then I see a giant playset at a good price and end up buying it… it’s been rough to resist tbh.
A nice playset is hard to resist indeed 😁
God damn, what a beautiful way to put words on the status of the market. Much luv from Sweden 🇸🇪
Thank you
Hi Ed! Motu Origins and the Cartoon line have been the top collecting line over the last 5 years total plus the TMNT classic vintage figures line too the past couple years but it financially has slowed my hunt down for Vintage figures and playsets from the 80s and 90s, so my goal is to mix things up starting this year. I want some vintage Transformers, TMNT on card figures and the hunt for a complete Mutant Module and the WWF Hasbro figures too. I would like to reacquire toys i had as a kid especially being a 80s kid but collect vintage things for me to keep and cherish not value to sell off later.
That’s a great way to go about it, cherishing it. The mutant module is a great one to hunt for 🙌
@@EdsRetroGeekOut Thank you Ed! yes I'm on the hunt! 🐢
I collect for nostalgic reasons and the experience of hunting. Not too concerned about resale, as I wont be selling my collection in my lifetime. Vintage toy collecting is fun, keep it up!
The thrill of the hunt is the best 😄
Definitely think price and space is the main focus point regarding collecting for 2025. Stuff that use to be £10/£20 are now £40/£50s. So can't spend big and space is pretty tight now so have to either sell or box up to display.
That’s pretty accurate that a lot of things just went up double and I guess that defaults to less being bought and less space being filled but the quantity of experiencing goes down
Wow.GREAT VIDEO. Thank you so much.
Thanks for watching
I’ve stopped collecting for the most part but I’m always looking for a good deal and if the price is right I’ll jump on it.
It’s hard to pass up a good deal 🤓
I think for me I just buy what I like and try to complete some toy linesni have ,I personally don't try to flip anything I just buy them for pure nostalgia and enjoyment,anyway I've always loved the attic invaders and always stay cool and have fun hunting.
Keep it fun 😄🤘
Hey Ed, how do we find out more info about the army ants?
Treasure monster toys army ant on kickstarter should lead you right to it ;)
Never heard a want list called a hit list before but thats a great name for it. Lol
😏 once you have the targets acquired
I star collecting toys in 2019. My company in that time lay me off for two months and I star buying 2 or 3 cars on the internet and all they come wrong, so I decide the cars are not my tings. From here I star collecting toy figures. Now I have a room full of then. I going to star slow down because I already have must of what I want.
It’s good to pin point what your after and create borders 🤓
It's getting rough at there for collecting anything !!
It’s definitely popping the stress on
anyone know what the mask is at @14:00
It’s the Phantom Star Killer display at Kane County 2 years ago 🤓 it’s a 3.45 inch figure like star wars that’s a custom character by a very cool toy maker
Really smart video.
Thank you!
Excellent video and topic. Good questions. Where do we see how and what we collect another 10 years from now. Again great questions. Im sure about one thing, that the answers will appear with the passing of time. Happy new year 😉👍
Only time will tell! What are you looking for in the new year?
@EdsRetroGeekOut Not sure yet, always go open in to the a new year and see whatever comes on my path tho like yourself I prefer to keep the toys in the room so less buys but won't expect to be spending less.😉
Extremely interesting subject and video bro!
Thanks buddy, i know you’ve been collecting for a long time too. Do you feel certain things are shifting or are we just shifting as collectors 🤓
I am going to Focus on my jeep collection
Like real jeeps or toy ones?
@ Jeeps of all sizes lol from mico machine to tonka
I do own a Jeep too just a little cheaper to buy the little ones
It's always been like this its the speculators and scalpers who are to blame they started with baseball cards then when the bottom fell out on that they moved on to comics then video games now they have moved on to toys they tried with VHS tapes but failed they just jump around like a virus infecting hobbies speculating how much they can get out of something😡
Once the big money comes in it all goes into chaos 🥲
initially i was anti vintage except for WWF Hasbro figures. then i got bit by the tmnt bug and have started collecting them… and biker mice from mars and skeleton warriors….. so focus is the goal. Have a list of 5-10 figures i want for my collection, have a budget and keep within it. Also, cull the stuff i don’t have a connection to.
As long as your not breaking the bank and having a good time! Collect what you love 🙌
I’m looking to downsize in 2025. Most of my collection has come from thrift store pickups…which means that if it was 70s, 80s or 90s I bought it, even if it didn’t have much nostalgic meaning to me (as in, even if I didn’t own it as a kid) often times I buy those things to SAVE them from the evil clutches of the thrift store 😂 …so I’d like to sell off a lot of that stuff and use the money to buy stuff that has more meaning to me and/or use the money to buy grail pieces I wish I had as a kid.
It’s a good way to flip for the collection’s purpose and make sure it gets to the toy community
I would open an flea-market area, so you can experience the store but not risk your financial future
That’s an interesting execution of the same idea it could be just vintage toys and games indeed
It’s like a stock market either in 20 years the next generation will clean up what we left behind and it will be worthless with no nostalgia. Or it will find a place of ‘cool’ old toys and prices will skyrocket! Buy or sell but I’ll keep my collection either way 😊
Indeed it doesn’t really matter what the value is, if that is a concern you’re doing it wrong
I started collecting in 2024 again, I'm 47 and collected since I was 20 I lost everything 10yrs ago in a fire and decided it's time to collect again, these prices tho on some stuff is way over priced
The prices do make you pick and choose, do you think you’ll ever regain the amount you had in the collection before or are some things not on the want list anymore?
@EdsRetroGeekOut yes a few things didn't make the list but for the most part I do wanna replace all of the things I lost, as long as prices are good.
Hey, iv been collecting tmnt for the last couple years. I have around 30 MOC figures and around 10 MIB vehicles/play-sets. I just love the nostalgia I get when I see the artwork and logo together 🤤 i was talking to someone today at a toy fair and he recommended that I sell my collection in the next 5 years because the new generation will not be interested in vintage turtles and it will be worthless, do you think this will be true or was this guy a little crazy?
Don't sweat the "new generation"...I'm 44. I plan to be around at least 40 more years and not spend those years in poverty. (KNock on wood lol). I grew up with original TMNT and I will continue to value them as collectibles as will countless people of our generation. Don't worry about the next gen, this gen is still going strong.
Its the thrill of the hunt!!!
😏 right on
As always you video very good
Thank you very much!
I'm terrified that the flood of reissue(junk in my eyes, but I know it has its fans) will continue to depress the price of vintage MOTU, TMNT, G1 and others. Thus the speculators will continue to drive up the price of the vintage lines that will almost certainly never be reissued. I'm talking M.A.S.K, Visionaries, Battle Beasts, and others. Wasn't that long ago that you could still find those forgotten, unappreciated, lines in the wild for cheap money and build a very fun, affordable, collection. Not anymore. The flood of new (junk) is def causing negative waves in the vinage market.
Collect what u like vintage or new, if it makes u happy do it , you don't have to spend hundreds on a figure but easy to do, just be happy in Collecting,
That's the plan!
Opening a store is risky. I think 1 option is U outta like come up w/ UR own version of Mexico's rock show. Mean U Euro cats R infamous for having Metal shows. Like a flea market marketed for toys n music with actual live music. Peo can sell their extras n buy stuff they need and whatever. Plus get sponsors from local stores N bands. Just an idea.
😏 wouldn’t mind being able to score a deal and have some good music
I think it's good to question your motivation and desire in this hobby keep doing what u live as for opening a shop could be good but will it kill your desire for what you love
That’s the thing if the hobby becomes a job will it have the desired outcome
@EdsRetroGeekOut follow your dream see where it takes you bro .sometimes you have to step out
good have you & anthony in this hobby dude, me with my collection?, anything and not to over pursue, till it comes to me as an organic movement, keep fun that toy to be about,, FUN
i enjoy collecting toys that are purposefully sold in pieces or have an element or disassembly much like lego but not lego
Like a transformers combiner or a build a figure? 🤓
@@EdsRetroGeekOut hexa gear, its like M.A.S.K but model kits
Western toy collecting is more like a trend and when that one trend fades out it's back to that same old vintage stuff again. It's impossible to be strong as Japanese collecting culture in terms of limitless IPs and contents to bring in new fans. You know it's strong when people pay premiums for products still knowing you'll lose your money. They collect cause they love it.
They do have a way with keeping ip’s alive
Super 7 comes to mind, poor quality over priced nostalgia bait and switch, and don’t even get me started on Pops! 🤢
I do like a lot of things made by super 7 then again I haven’t bought any in nearly 4 years
Yup I despise Super7
I’m really surprised people actually buy all the nostalgia bait pumped out these days, it’s just so damn lazy and usually trash. I don’t look at anything past ‘96.
While some of it is for sure cash grabs there’s certain higher end toys that really do outshine thanks to their articulation possibilities and sculpting detail. There’s something for everybody but for example tmnt is in such an oversaturated place right now where fomo just doesn’t cut the check book 😅
What lines do you collect pre 96?
@ Toxic Crusaders, TF G1 & 2, TMNT, Kenner Aliens etc but only specific carded figures, not entire lines apart from Toxic Crusaders👌
That's a shame there's Alot of great action figures nowadays.
Agree 100%.
Retro stuff is too expensive. The indie toys is where the fun is. You should take some of your shirt designs and make them into action figures.
Totally buddy, i don’t know anything about making the toys production wise in today’s market but I do know some customizers
Indie toys are crazy expensive too wtf are you talking about.
As these nostalgia collectors are getting old, I wonder how much stuff that people covet ends up in landfills because they just can't be bothered selling grandpa's stuff on marketplace.
😅 we really have to start hunting in landfills!
@@EdsRetroGeekOut Keep spreading that awareness so they come across clips and they try to sell them for way over price. Will save them for a little bit I suppose.
Great video 👍
Thanks 🤓
My question is who is in 20 years is gonna want any of the stuff of the past ? No one ? dads dont build model trains under trees with their sons like they did in 70s one example todays 100k 1970 chevelle ss ls 60 454 wont be worth half that once all boomers who grew up in 70s are eating strained peas through a straw perhaps gen 1 I phones will lead the highly desired wish list ?
Indeed there might be collectors with all sorts of tablets and other tech gadgets. But a hobby doesn’t have to be main stream to be a bubble or a community i’m sure there’s young collectors that hunt down old Marklin trains and have a blast doing so even if there’s only a handful of them in a country they will have the time of their lives collecting what they love.
Hi , i m gonna to said something : To do Speculation price about Toyz , that s rediculous way !!! Remember is just Pastic toy . ( i was doing watches luxery before ) and Market start to be Dead then he is gonna to be same way . We should to be Passionate and Enjoy not to do Profite ... Peoples today !!!
Passion is the key!
For me, less is more when it comes to collecting. 2025 will be a year of downsizing.
For me in a way too 🤓
Maybe you need to follow your American friend, Froggy Flip's. He expanded his collection, bought an office space where he can store his toys and set up a business.
We’re toying around with the idea 🤔 need to do a lot more business plan prep
My rule for collecting is to only buy and keep what makes me happy. I'm primarily a Transformers collector but Hasbro hasn't made much in the last few years that i've wanted to buy so i've been mostly buying vintage and 3rd party. I'm constantly looking at my collection and if there's anything in it that i don't care about any more it goes on ebay and i use that money for new purchases. I see collecting as a combination of treasure hunting and (reasonably) affordable art collecting and it's a great hobby where you can do as much or as little as you want and things can only really improve for yourself. I find it a great source of stress relief in a stressful world. I have no new collecting goals this year other than to continue with this attitude.
A collection shouldn’t be giving you stress indeed