You win a BIG lottery amount, what do you do?

[stormcab]

I would class myself as a sort of mid range collector. I've set an upper limit to what I can, and what I am willing to spend on a single MOC. I will not pay more for an item than its last highest sale price, as I do not wish to help push the prices up much faster than they already are.

I've been a member of a few Facebook groups for several months, and it's been interesting watching the big spenders. Ones who can buy a $12k VCJ within 5 minutes of it coming up, for example.

My question is, if you had a large lottery win, would you just go on eBay, Vectis, Sothebys, Facebook etc and just buy everything Star Wars Vintage to your heart's desire? This will almost certainly put the prices up of many items, as the price you paid will set a new standard. Otherwise, how do you think you would play it?

 

[Mr-shifter]

Nope. I would carry on collecting as I do. It would kill it for me if I could just go out and buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted to.

I would however start collecting old bmw m cars, starting with the m3, as well as Swiss watches. That would soak up enough of my lottery win to keep my Star Wars collecting honest!

 

[_Lee_]

Nope, the fun of collecting is the hunt and glory when finding things. Money can buy lots, but it cant buy happiness

 

[Robstyley]

It would be difficult to resist the temptation to go crazy but I would try and keep my feet on the ground. I would prob treat myself to a few of the more expensive items that I can't afford now but I wouldn't want to go and buy everything all at once, that would take the fun out of it. Besides, I'm sure you would be quite busy and have plenty of other things to spend it on. Also I honestly wouldn't get any more enjoyment out of my loose collection if I had millions in the bank, it would still be the same sitting on the wall in the cabinet I made

 

[stormcab]

What about going for things like actual screen used props that can go for 5-7 figures?

 

[tiefighterboy]

There are already a couple of them on FB that buy up anything and everything as if they had won the lottery.

 

[x-pack]

Nothing. I would be richer but not ...err ...stupider :lol: The fact that I wouldn't buy vintage at todays crazy prices has very little to do with cash flow.

First thing we would probably do is move house. Second thing would be to sort a decent garage out for some more old Fords

 

[Robstyley]

What about going for things like actual screen used props that can go for 5-7 figures?

Yeah I like props, I'd get a few of the best quality reproduction ones. I wouldn't spend hundreds of thousands on real screen used props though, to me that would be immoral. I'd rather give the money to friends and family.

 

[stormcab]

What about going for things like actual screen used props that can go for 5-7 figures?

Yeah I like props, I'd get a few of the best quality reproduction ones. I wouldn't spend hundreds of thousands on real screen used props though, to me that would be immoral. I'd rather give the money to friends and family.

I could have added that say it was a really big win, like a multi roll-over Euro. The kind where none of your friends and family have to work again, and you still can't spend what's left fast enough. Barring the usual house, holidays, and cars route, what route exactly would you go with Star Wars specifically?

 

[stormcab]

Nope. I would carry on collecting as I do. It would kill it for me if I could just go out and buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted to.

I would however start collecting old bmw m cars, starting with the m3, as well as Swiss watches. That would soak up enough of my lottery win to keep my Star Wars collecting honest!

Thing is, there must be several dozen cardbacks for many figures. That Jake Repas on FB has a Stormtrooper focus, and there must be about 50-60 variants, and no doubt there are more. If you suddenly had this big win, the last thing you would want to be doing is sitting online several hours a day hunting for things that may still be snapped up before you see it. You'd want to be out enjoying life. 92 figures x multiple cardbacks, even with loads of expendable income, would still be a tough challenge?

 

[Mr-shifter]

Nope. I would carry on collecting as I do. It would kill it for me if I could just go out and buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted to.

I would however start collecting old bmw m cars, starting with the m3, as well as Swiss watches. That would soak up enough of my lottery win to keep my Star Wars collecting honest!

Thing is, there must be several dozen cardbacks for many figures. That Jake Repas on FB has a Stormtrooper focus, and there must be about 50-60 variants, and no doubt there are more. If you suddenly had this big win, the last thing you would want to be doing is sitting online several hours a day hunting for things that may still be snapped up before you see it. You'd want to be out enjoying life. 92 figures x multiple cardbacks, even with loads of expendable income, would still be a tough challenge?

That's the thing though. I don't do that. Most of my purchases come from friends or through word of mouth. Most of my eBay purchases are things other people know I'm after and let me know about. There's much to be said about networking and making friends in this hobby. That is the part I enjoy most of all and the part of the hobby I wouldn't like to sacrifice for any amount of money. I wouldn't want to do a focus. There's too much cool stuff out there to restrict my collecting to one figure.

Plus I'd be searching the world for a BMW E9 CSL Batmobile for less than about £250k

 

[Dannywhiteley]

One thing with the Internet is its apparently a great leveller. Everyone thinks everyone else is operating to the same rules. No disrespect but a bin man will likely have lower spending limits than a doctor and a doctor will have lower spending limits than a film star. A $12k figure to one collector is literally a $12 figure to another.

One of the reasons why AFA 85 and 90 figures command such a premium is because it offers the high end collector's a bit of a challenge. A set of pop cut 12 backs at under £300 each is a challenge for me, as set of SKU footer AFA 85's is a challenge for a rocket scientist. We all have different levels and limits.

 

[stormcab]

Plus I'd be searching the world for a BMW E9 CSL Batmobile for less than about £250k

Haha, I thought that was a piss take, but Googled it. Definitely a car a vintage collector would go for

 

[Robstyley]

What about going for things like actual screen used props that can go for 5-7 figures?

Yeah I like props, I'd get a few of the best quality reproduction ones. I wouldn't spend hundreds of thousands on real screen used props though, to me that would be immoral. I'd rather give the money to friends and family.

I could have added that say it was a really big win, like a multi roll-over Euro. The kind where none of your friends and family have to work again, and you still can't spend what's left fast enough. Barring the usual house, holidays, and cars route, what route exactly would you go with Star Wars specifically?

Ok well if it was that sort of money my Star Wars route would be the house. You prob think I'm mental but I designed a Star Wars house a few years ago and if I had the money I'd build it. It's got various sets from Star Wars in it like a Falcon corridor, a Bespin dining room and a Death Star bedroom

With vintage collecting I wouldn't personally want hundreds of Mocs and multiples of every figure. It would spoil the magic and the collection would lose it's personality.

 

[palitoyjunky]

Well I will b perhaps a little controversial :!:
I think if any of us cracked the big one on the Lotto we would spend big on pieces we really wanted for our collections :!:
Of course I wouldn't expect experienced knowledgeable collectors not to use what they know and have learned over the years to govern their decisions on what they buy and pay for pieces BUT for example a serious collector who collects POTF MOC and wants a full set who b4 their Lotto win couldn't afford more than £250 for a MOC will for sure throw 12K+ at a Yak & Anakin :!:

Me personally; I am one away from a full set of Empire characters MOC Palitoy 30 backs and yes Fett is who I am missing. Now as many of u know a Fett sold at Vectis this year for the grand total of £18,500 after buyer's premium and was actually bought by a mate of mine :!: If I cracked the big one I'd prob make him an offer he couldn't refuse :!:

 

[stormcab]

Well I will b perhaps a little controversial :!:
I think if any of us cracked the big one on the Lotto we would spend big on pieces we really wanted for our collections :!:
Of course I wouldn't expect experienced knowledgeable collectors not to use what they know and have learned over the years to govern their decisions on what they buy and pay for pieces BUT for example a serious collector who collects POTF MOC and wants a full set who b4 their Lotto win couldn't afford more than £250 for a MOC will for sure throw 12K+ at a Yak & Anakin :!:

Me personally; I am one away from a full set of Empire characters MOC Palitoy 30 backs and yes Fett is who I am missing. Now as many of u know a Fett sold at Vectis this year for the grand total of £18,500 after buyer's premium and was actually bought by a mate of mine :!: If I cracked the big one I'd prob make him an offer he couldn't refuse :!:

Are you just biding your time until your "mate" has an "accident" then :wink:

 

[steve obi wan]

I enjoy the tracking down the chase and the buying , if money wasn't a problem , I would buy 3 Dt moc's , Vader , Ben and Luke , oh and a few 3 packs :lol: :roll:

 

[steve obi wan]

Just remembered I don't do the lottery ! so not going to happen :roll:

 

[yoda]

If I won money serious money like lotto helipad on your roof stuff. I would build a massive warehouse. Raiders of the lost ark size 8) Hire in top security and builders and get to work First would be a full scale model of the Falcon then I would proceed to build all my favourite movie memories I watched on screen. Then every now and then take a walk through it with a few beers and enjoy. After that book my private jet for a flight out to some remote part of the world that I had yet to see and spend a few days or weeks or months before heading home to relax for a few days until the travel itch kicked in again. It's great daydreaming

 

[Joe]

While I would love to think I could keep my feet on the ground and continue to bargain hunt if I had just won millions..I think it's far more likely I would buy a huge house and make sure it had a dedicated collection room with a huge cinema screen etc and then fill it full of all the Vintage goodies I could get my hands on :lol:

You only get one chance to enjoy life after all and that for many of us would be a dream come true!