Learning new things in an old hobby

[edd_jedi]

As you may have seen finding my childhood figures has prompted me to start working on a loose set. Like most my very first post-childhood collection in the 90s was loose figures, but as soon as I realised you could buy MOCs I quickly moved on to those and have never really looked back. I did buy a near-complete loose collection from somebody about 10 years ago, but as the fun is in the hunt I barely looked at them and soon sold them all on to buy more MOCs.

I do have a huge box of 400+ beaters that I intend to 'one day' give to my future or friends/family's kids to play with, but I went through the box last week and found about 50 of them were perfectly nice figures. Having collected MOCs for so long I'm well aware most figures came from the factory imperfect so minor paint rubs or over-sprays do not bother me, and it's a shame that so many of these have been discarded as beaters so I'm going to try and restore them to their former glory!

I must admit I have really enjoyed it so far. I have realised that I've spent so long collecting MOCs, I could barely remember which weapons and accessories went with which character! I've also enjoyed getting hands-on and cleaning all the figures, most were pretty gross from being in a beater box for years but they scrub up really well. It's proving to be a good challenge too, it's much harder to find individual weapons and accessories than it is to find complete figures so just throwing money at it isn't an option. I'll be honest and say it's nice to be spending pounds rather than tens or hundreds of pounds per transaction too :lol:

So I guess the point of this thread is to suggest deviating from your main focus occasionally! I'm sure there are areas even the most seasoned collectors haven't ventured in to before, or go back to basics like I have. It's nice to rediscover or learn something new about a hobby you thought you knew everything about.

 

[Robstyley]

Yeah I agree, it's healthy to have a look at other stuff occasionally or deviate a little. I started out collecting loose figures. That's still ongoing although there's now light at the end of the tunnel. Once you are focused on a collecting goal like that you know what you're after so it kind of looks after itself. You realise you need another item or product to get interested in. I was only ever into the toys themselves but I've now found myself buying and researching posters, catalogues, instructions, artwork, comics and all sorts of other related tat, but I love it. There's so much out there. I just bought an ESB poster with the AT-AT on one side and all the other toys on the other side for 4.95! For me that's rewarding collecting without spending the earth.

 

[Mr-shifter]

I am half way through a run of loose figures and it's one of the best bits of collecting. I love Mocs but there's nothing quite like having a loose figure and weapon in your hands to take you back to being 5 again.

This hobby has so much to give if you broaden your horizons.

 

[ScruffyLookingNH]

Likewise. Started on the MOC trail, refined it, refined it again and found that more rewarding. But as rewarding as it is, it's not as great as getting a new loose figure through the post. Love the loose figures. It must be the most primal form of collecting, surely?

 

[Ross_Barr]

So I guess the point of this thread is to suggest deviating from your main focus occasionally! I'm sure there are areas even the most seasoned collectors haven't ventured in to before, or go back to basics like I have. It's nice to rediscover or learn something new about a hobby you thought you knew everything about.

Great thread, Edd! Like many others, I have spent a while putting together a MOC run, and now have a full Kenner run on their debut movie fronts through ROTJ - I used to have all the POTF debut figures as well, but found I didn't love them and the bubbles look terrible and are brittle, so sold them off. During that run, I was very condition conscious, and almost all are C9 ungraded or AFA 80 and above if graded (save a couple 75 or so).

As my tastes have matured and I have become more and put off by people that chase only AFA 85, etc., and the crazy prices attached to those, I have started to love MOCs with some wear and character. Beaters, if you will. So I am currently working on a beater MOC run for the first 21 figures on ESB, ROTJ or POTF cards. I already have the first 21 on SW cards, so this will allow me to get them on a different card back. The beaters are much more interesting actually in my mind, and I am generally paying only $50-100 each, so they are much more affordable than say an AFA 85 12 back Vader.

 

[edd_jedi]

There are a couple of great beater MOC runs in the showcase gallery

 

[jedisearcher]

Great thread.

I had a loose run of about 75 of the 92 but moved into MOC's as soon as I could. The MOC's have dried up a bit recently, as has my budget, so I decided to go back and finish the loosie run. I hadn't looked at them for ages and always thought I'd bought everything as c9 or so, but I found afew that were abit crap, and I've not retested the weapons for repro's (bought them all early 90's when there wasn't much repro knowledge around), so the task was bigger than I thought.

I'm definitely enjoying the different challenge though. Collecting loosies feels abit less cutthroat than the MOC's and you definitely get value for money.

I'm currently wondering whether to bother with variants like VCJ and Blue Snagg but also Droids and Ewoks.

 

[theforceuk]

I've started on a loose run for my son, not sure how far he will want to take it but he always knows which one he wants next. I'm trying to buy them with him, not just online. It's really good fun taking him to the odd Devcom and surching through the boxes of beaters. Got chewie last time in really good condition, Evan better than mine!

 

[edd_jedi]

I've started on a loose run for my son, not sure how far he will want to take it but he always knows which one he wants next. I'm trying to buy them with him, not just online. It's really good fun taking him to the odd Devcom and surching through the boxes of beaters. Got chewie last time in really good condition, Evan better than mine!

Yeah Chewie seems to be pretty invincible, I've got several beaters that still look good!

 

[theforceuk]

Yeah not sure how long he will stay like that with my son though, he has already snapped Kilo Rens sabre and pulled is head off. As the saying goes, 'they don't make toys like they used to'. :roll: :lol:

 

[Joe]

I think those of us that move on from a loose set to harder to find and more expensive items always end up missing that period when it seems like every day the postman is knocking on the door with yet another jiffy bag!

There really is nothing like a loose Vintage set, we often forget that when we move on from one but it's where the majority of collectors start out and if you sell your original set but stay in the hobby, it's a safe bet that at some point you'll come full circle and have that desire to put one together again.

Loose figures are great fun, the majority don't break the bank compared to other SW stuff and a full set is still a thing of beauty.