In which I laugh. And then I laugh some more.

| 17 Comments

I was just reading an article "Transformers as an investment?" I came across and all I can do is laugh.

If anyone considers toy collecting as a true form of financial investment they are so full of delusional rubbish they deserve what comes to them.

It still blows my mind that so many people in geekdoms somehow believe that their "thing" is somehow an investment.

Is it an attempt at a rationale for the amount of dollars they've wasted on something that likely 99.9999% of the rest of Homo sapiens sapiens sees as a total waste?

Is it an attempt at a rationale for the fact that they are adults who buy children's toys because "investments" are something an responsible adult in the year 2007 has to consider?

You show me that Transformer.... or any toy collector who can generate $70,000 profit a year off of only their supposed investments in toys and I'll reconsider my position.

Hell... show me a toy collector that generates any substantial profit that they can live off and I may change my tune here.

I don't mean someone who dumps their shit on eBay every now and then and makes a couple of bucks here and there with it either.

I'm talking some toy collector, not toy business, that has produced long-term return-on-investment from children's toys and maybe you can convince me that considering toy collecting as an investment isn't a poor delusion in the minds of certain collectors.

17 Comments

It's not about investing, it's about justification. Even if it's just self justification. But really, eBay is full of suckers, (one of whom is typing this right now) so chances are you'll be able to take some poor sucker who has the same affliction as you for a ride. . . but not as a living.

Delusional justification.

It is what I said: someone who dumps some shit on eBay to make every now and then to make a few bucks, regardless of if there's profit involved. I've done it before. You implied you've done it before. It is part of being a collector of things. But we don't invest in the things we collect.

Why the fuck did I even bother posting this shit.

Blows my mind!

of course it's not an investment; how in the world could it ever be?? i think this debate (if it's even deemed worthy as one) can be solved by a simple consultation with ebay's playidia and ask how his/her business is doing. :p

Toy collecting is an asymmetric investment, especially with TFs, because you always tend to pay more to get what you want vs. what you turn around and sell it for later.

It's maddening, because the price gap between something floating from retail to a specialty toy store is growing exponentially.

i felt liek that article was a response to the previous one about toy scalpers and the buy it now or pay later mentality. investement, no. short term gain, yes. seeing all the local wal-marts devoid of movie deluxe figures, i can understand the panic to pay to pay twice as much on ebay right now, and then curse yourself when the deluge clogs the shelves once the dvd comes out. almost makes me think hasbro underproduced in anticipation of the movie bombing due the fan reactions on such fine sites that you visit occasionally.

LRC: Your last point is dead on accurate.

Ok, the only way I could see that this MIGHT work would be to buy EVERYTHING on the shelves, every year, and then have somewhere to house it for 40 years.

After 40 years, you dig out the stuff from the first year you bought, and sell it. And so on and so on. But it requires lots of space, time, and money.

I saw this same story yesterday and it is the absolute epitome of delusion. I may be a sick, sick man when it comes to wasting countless amounts of money on lameass, plastic transforming toys, but I would never, EVER try to explain it to a non-collector as an "investment." I simply get some joy from collecting them--period. But such is the life of a loser. I honestly can't explain it, nor would I want to.

I really can't see it as a wise investment but I can see some gain in money, just not enough to support anything aside from the small change of buying more toys.

In the end its all collectors really do, make a few bucks here and there and pour it straight back into the hobby.

I mean have we heard of anyone getting rich from selling rare toys and buying something else with it like a car?

What are you people talking about???
Collecting TFs is my retirement plan!!!
LOL.

Nice try, Nala! You're just trying to dissuade the rest of us from "investing" so you can horde all the profits for yourself. Do you think we're all blind to your obvious attempts collect all those Spychangers just so you can resell them at an inflated price? I'm on to you, sir!

(clutches MIB Target Exclusive Constructicon sets that will be worth THOUSANDS one day!) I'll be rich, rich I tell you!

Heavyarms: Yeah. Those 2 complete US sets moved oh so well at $20 last toy show.

Frowny: Is that my HMOD?

I was quoting Mr. Burns. I think you're trying to confuse me with your technical jargon once again.

HMOD = Hitler Moment Of The Day

I don't really see Transformers as an investment if you spend the money you make on more toys. I do see them as an investment to the people who can sell them and buy something else important though. A friend of mine was able to pay for a good part of his college education by selling his G1 Transformers and I'm seriously not kidding you there. Now, I know guys like that are rare but I do think they are out there. Also, Playidia, as someone else pointed out, does seem to be making some good money on his (or her) collections. So does Wheeljackslab. Those guys have a friggin' monopoly on crackbay. You can't avoid buying from those guys if you want a G1 figure in good condition and that sucks because their prices suck for the most part (though wheeljackslab offered a C9 Omega Supreme for just $180).

Nala: (fingers in ears) Lah lah lah lah!

Actual Story - I went out and bought those because I never got the build team, and I liked the Bonecrusher figure, he was G1 Constructicon-y goodness. Bought them for $19.99 per 2-pack. 2 weeks later, they were on clearance for 8 bucks a pack. I was pissed, so I bought another set with the intention of sticking them up in a closet and screwing some poor schlep over on ebay in 10 years. Then I decided that it wasn't right to keep 'em bottled up in the closet, so I gave them to my son. Which was a mistake because here lately the little turd goes around flaunting the fact that he's got more Transformers than me. He doesn't, but its pretty damn close.

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This page contains a single entry by Nala published on August 9, 2007 4:19 PM.

In which non-transforming crap is more exciting than transforming crap. was the previous entry in this blog.

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