Are You a Collector... or a Hoarder?
By
Staten Island, NY Posted: 9/20/2016 1:00:00 AM
There's a subtle difference between collecting and hoarding.
If somebody goes into a store to buy a Star Wars or Star Trek collectible, how can you tell if they are a "Hoarder", or a "Collector"? To me there's a clear distinction between the two, and it has everything to do with what they do with the item once they get home.
To me, a "Collector" is somebody who truly loves and enjoys USING and DISPLAYING their collection, but a "Hoarder", DOES NOT USE OR DISPLAY their collection.
There's a huge difference between the two. A Collector is driven by the pleasure they get whenever they look at or handle the items in their collection, but a Hoarder is driven by the pleasure they get from simply HAVING their items, even if they are tucked away in a box in their attic.
I realize a lot of people who collect Star Wars and Star Trek toys like to keep them in their original packaging. I'm okay with that, especially if it's something like an action figure that they are not likely to "play" with, and for what it's worth, the packaging is just as interesting as what's inside it. My point is a Hoarder takes it to another level, by sealing each item in another layer of packaging, then pack them into boxes, never to be seen or displayed. They seem more concerned with the "resale value" of their collection than they are with the pleasure of showing it off or using it.
By contrast, a real Collector will rip open their items as soon as they get them and either use them or proudly display them, without regard for diminishing their resale value. In a way, this is their way of truly taking ownership of their possession, instead of simply storing it away so they can eventually sell it as a "Like New" item decades later.
I once had a small "collection" of miniature Harley Davidson models on my desk, made by The Franklin Mint. A friend came to the office with his son one day and his son asked if he could play with the models. His father told him he couldn't play with them because they were collectibles, not toys.
I not only allowed him to play with them, but I let him take several home because as far as I'm concerned, his son would enjoy them even more than I would. I don't care if they're collectibles or not. To a 5 year old boy, those are toys and toys are for playing with. How on earth can you even begin to explain it any other way?
I agree you need to draw the line somewhere. If your collection includes items that are fragile and expensive, putting them in the reach of children may not be a good idea, but if you collect toys, don't worry about the resale value. Let children play with them. The pleasure you will get by watching them play with them is worth every cent you will lose in it's value.
To you, it's a $2 toy that is now worth $20. To them, it's Darth Vader, and they are Luke Skywalker and that's worth a lot more than $20.
Joe Crescenzi, Founder
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