Am I the only one who doesn't collect a lot of vintage SW these days but is still neck deep in the hobby?

Just curious if anyone else on the forum is in the same boat? In the past year I've probably bought one loose figure and a couple of bootlegs. I've been collecting for four years and the first three were pretty crazy when it came to spending. I amassed a pretty large Luke focus, learnt everything I could etc etc but these days, the social side of collecting is what is keeping me the hobby. I still post on/moderate this forum, check the FB groups, listen to podcasts, share stuff on my blog and go to conventions. But I'm not that interested in really adding anything to my collection at the moment. It's  funny because I've seen so many people stop collecting and then disappear from the hobby. I don't get it. I would still be friends with all you guys if I stopped collecting.

So why has this happened? I don't really know. I guess it is a combo of me building a collection that I'm pretty happy with, with the fact that prices have skyrocketing and I'm a bit turned off by the greed and desperation I see around me. I'm also busy with other projects (writing a novel and writing a comic book series) so I guess being able to trawl ebay is a real luxury at the moment timewise.

I'm pretty sure this will pass though and I'll be backing buying at some point. I'm not turned off the hobby, just the buying

What about you dudes?

Christian, I'm the same. I rarely buy anything any more, unless it's a great deal. Even then, it's usually an upgrade for stuff I already have. Most of my stuff is in storage, and will have to stay there, until I finish the renovations to the house & build some proper display cabinets. I actually don't remember everything that I have.

The prices these days are a huge factor, and add in the low Canadian Dollar at the moment ($1.00 CND = $0.74 USD = £0.59 GBP = $0.70 Euro's)(Australian $1.00 ). I try these days to buy local as well. Then I don't have to worry about shipping costs.

I have turned my attention to non-toy items (oddball) & creating custom figures that Kenner never made for the original line.

Hey Clint. Yeah totally agree mate.

At least you still collect vintage though. I guess we can always find something to collect if things become too expensive.

I'm feeling a little more inspired since listening to the latest Chive Cast though.

Christian, you can always focus on foreign card backs & custom droids.

Well my cardback and custom droid focuses got off to a good start recently

ChristianC wrote:Well my cardback and custom droid focuses got off to a good start recently

There is lots more droids that Kenner never made.

I'm just the opposite, and I got into it at exactly the worst time for prices lol so I'm not getting too crazy into mocs cuz I think it's hey will go down a bit after a couple more years of a new Disney Star Wars every year. Let's face it, that Han Solo movie will be aweful lol that's the day I buy 12backs. Right now I'm almost complete on the loose figures.

Mate definitely a good idea to focus on loose first, especially with these prices. Well done.

I hear what you are saying, Christian.

Though I stlll buy some items, the pace of acquiring new stuff has steeply decreased compared to a few years ago.
Different factors: I am quite satisfied with my collection, and instead of buying new stuff like to spend some time sorting out my collection, to make a better display.
Of course there are things which I still like to add (TopToys, Takara, Ledy cardbacks,..) but I am not in a hurry anymore. Just taking it easy and enjoying the ride.

The social aspects of the hobby is what I appreciate the most right now. Meeting fellow collectors face to face is one of the most rewarding things.
All other things do not really matter so much then.  
If I would leave the hobby one day, I would still cherish the long term friendships at the same time.

I too haven't bought much this year apart from a few loosies and a couple of baggies, prices have really put me off lately, modern to I haven't bought that much, but I really enjoy the hobby still, i'm quickly running out of space, lol, my spare room is full to bursting.
Next year I plan on getting more vintage, upgrading stuff I already have, and getting the last few figures I need

I'm not buying very much vintage items since last 2 or 3 years. One reason are items being quite expensive, another is I already got mostly everything I want (well, there is till a loooooot of things I'd like to have but )
I'm not that much into variations or all the different foreign items, eventhough I own a few but they are all into my Tie Fighter focus and they are all variations of cardcacks, so I'm glad having only one of each loose figures and a few ships. I'm only missing 5 loose figures from the SW/ESB/ROTJ lines. But I only have 2 figures from the POTF line and I see them getting more and more expensive

I am the same haven't really bought much just some loose figs for customs work, for me funds are tied up in costume items and other things at the moment.

So seems I'm not alone. Good to see that buying figures isn't the only thing keeping us in the hobby

As many will know, life has kind of got in the way of the hobby for me lately, but I am still active and am slowly climbing back onboard how ever this has not really involved buying at all. I think I can count on one hand how many figures I have purchased this year. Infact I have done quite the opposite and sold a considerable chunk of my collection. I have pretty much reduced it to figures only now. Anything else that is never gonna be completed or displayed has gone.

The only figures I have bought have come from friends in the hobby. I went to buy a christmas present on ebay the other day and couldn't because my account had been suspended. This was from an issue 3 months earlier that had been resolved but I hadn't reactivated my account, didn't even notice for 3 months!!! and more to the point, found that out two weeks ago and still haven't been arsed to do anything about it

Due to some personal circumstances, I'm not as deeply involved in the hobby as I normally am. I have barely bought anything for myself the last couple of years for the same reason. In fact, I had to sell some stuff that was dear to my heart. It hurt my passion for it, as did the extreme disappointment I had with TFA.

When things finally turn around, I'll be re-adding the pieces I had to let go the last couple of years, although I'm not sure if I'll be able to count my DT Vader or POTF Yak among them, with prices the way they are now on those.

I am slowly turning around my presence in the hobby, and becoming more active again. I've barely even posted much this year, with everything going on.

Ian

Lol TFA guilt hit me pretty hard. South Park really gave me a wake up call. I mean, I knew I wasn't super excited about it afterward and there are so many valid criticisms. It's just shocking that no one said anything about before it was too late. I will grant Abrams that he wanted a whole extra year. So did the first writer.

Rogue one is luckily lacking in blatantly stupid moments and character decisions, but you also have more characters than a feature film has time to properly illiterate them.

This time Indont feel guilty about saying that it's good lol and it really did re-ignite my interest in the hobby.

I have been quite lucky this year, acquiring a few expensive pieces but nothing like the amount I was buying for the first three or four years. I'm slowing down A) because of prices, B) because I have what I want ( Mostly) and C) I quite enjoy running Jabba's Court on facebook with an amazing team who have become best friends.
The thing I'm enjoying now more than ever is weapons. Ive taken all weapons from figures ( unless they are proven factory matched) and I really enjoy identifying and cataloguing them. Incredibly sad and unnecessary some may say but i really enjoy it.