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Collecting In The Modern Age

Posted By Jay on May 5, 2008

I'm sure you've all seen the headlines: "Record gas prices squeeze drivers", "Food prices rising across the world", "Job losses, unemployment both worse than forecast". What's a collector to do?

This has to be putting the pinch on collectors and their habits. Not only does it cost more money to get around, but with the rising costs of oil, we can expect that costs for action figures and toys will only go up as well. Between the cost for the actual toy itself (plastic is a petroleum product after all), to the gas used by delivery trucks to bring the product to the store shelves, we're going to be looking at a price increase. You may have seen signs of it already. So I repeat, what's a collector to do?

First, I recommend making a budget for your purchases. With all the collecting news coming out of sites, such as Rebelscum.com, it is pretty easy to get a sense for what should be hitting shelves in the next 4-6 months. Using that and some estimates of actual prices, you can determine how much you are looking to spend for upcoming products.

For example, I know that I'll be buying at least four Star Wars comics each month for the next four months. At $2.99 a piece, I can quickly budget $16 a month for these. I know a lot of collectors, however, that hate to (or are afraid to) look at the cost of their collecting habit, historically or otherwise. Unfortunately the current economic state dictates we need to do just that.

Second, find a person in your city that also collects. Then get to be their best friend. Trade your wish list with them and when it comes time for shopping be prepared to pick up some extra items for your buddy. They'll do the same for you.

Third, join a local collecting club. Most major metro areas have one. These clubs are not only a great social activity for Star Wars fans, but can provide much needed networking. Maybe you can't afford to fill up your gas tank to visit the 5 Targets, 2 Wal-Marts and a Toys R Us in the county where you live. But you can make it to a monthly meeting. If you pick up items for friends in your collecting club, and they do the same for you, as a group you can cover more area and still get the items that everyone is looking for.

If you don't have a collecting club available, why not join an online forum. Threads such as the various Classifieds, or the Look What I Found topics offer collectors from around the world, all utilizing their local resources to get collectibles.

Lastly, you may actually need to look at your collecting habits and create a more focused collection. Still buying anything and everything that has a Star Wars logo on it? Unless your last name is Rockafeller or Gates, you won't be able to keep that up forever. Consider focusing the collection to one area, such as modern figures, or comics, or even narrowing it down to a specific character. There are many collectors who spend time, energy and money on every collectible having to do with their favorite character! Try Lobot, he's easy.

Finally consider this: this may mean less scalpers driving around in the early mornings to buy product that collectors are looking for.

If you have some tips for our readers, please consider sharing them be emailing me (with the subject line 'Collecting in the Modern Age') and I'll look at posting the best suggestions back here later.

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