To sell or keep....if only I could see into the future

[rodman75]

Hello all RJ JM lovers,

I have a 'tiny' dilemma on my hands and am looking for advice from my fellow collectors. I am in the process of selling my home and will be purchasing a larger, more expensive home. Without going into every little detail about my finances and such, I was wondering if you guys think I should sell my collection to give me a greater financial cushion. I will say that I do not need to sell my collection and already have a comfortable 'cushion' but the thought of anywhere between 15-20k +/- extra in my bank account will give me that much more of a deeper sleep at night.

I am also concerned with the future of Jumbos. If I waited to sell my JM's 5-10 years from now (if ever), prices could be a fraction of what they are now, as you see the generation that grew up on JM's move onto different hobbies and aspects of their lives. If the time came where I needed to cash out my collection, I could be left with a monetarily worthless collection.

In a perfect world I would like to keep my collection for the rest of my life but having a larger mortgage with only my income to support my family and helping pay for college for my children down the road (17mos. old and currently expecting!) makes holding onto them difficult. So I guess my question is; Are holding onto my JM's a risky proposition? Should I cash out now on a sure thing or should I speculate that they will only appreciate in 5-10 years time? Also, my JM's are all in perfect condition but that is because a lot of them have repro stickers and such. I'm sure there's a glass ceiling on the appreciation of these less than original JM's (although it doesn't bother me at all and I actually prefer perfection over original, battle worn, JM's).

As of today, I am not selling my collection but am taking it into great consideration.........the thought of not having them makes me sick but if it can make my life a little bit more manageable and allow me to not work so much, then the trade off of seeing my children grow would be worth saying good-bye to my polyethylene paradise.

I pose this question to my on-line friends because my hometown friends and family don't collect anything and would never understand the passion of a hardcore collector. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Best,

Rodman75

[bourno]

It is hard to say. I think if you were wanting to end the collection, today's prices would be a good thing. But, if you want to sell today and then buy the same collection back in the future, I think the prices are going to continue for some time. Am thinking even in 5 - 10 years, if some collectors start to slowly sell theirs off, that there will still be a pretty good buyer collective that will be fighting for the more rare ones.

I would hold onto them for awhile, see how things are going with the newer house payments and such. I think if you sold now, and saw prices still going up a year or two from now, you would be cussing yourself later on. I would see how things feel and if you feel the cushion is needed, could always re-visit this decision a few months or year from now. The prices won't be dropping that soon

[choryujin]

This really is a difficult decision to make. I've done it twice in my collecting life and in both instances, I didn't need the money, I just moved on to different priorities and figured then was as good a time as any to do it. I liquidated 2 segments of my collection (Transformers and Diaclones) and both had seperate results in the long run. The Diaclones I sold for what just 2 of the pieces sell for now, but the Transformers I could re-buy the collection 3 times over for what I got back then. Collecting fads come and go and it's difficult to gauge what the trends will be. The third segment of my collecting back then was GI Joe and I chose to hold on to those and I had a rather valuable collection at the time....unfortunately they aren't worth even a fraction of what they were a decade ago. You can also look at comic books and baseball cards too. In the 80's and 90's baseball cards and comics were gold, now they are merely paper.

[Mr. Ginrai]

I would say you are at a turning point in your life like many of us reach. Although you have built your collection pretty quickly, now would be a good time to re-evaluate your collection overall.

You could sell it all.

You could sell all but your one favorite.

Or you could sell all the ones you truly don't like, (which I am sure there are actually many more of those than you think) and keep the rest.

I would take the third option if I were you. Then you could have the money in savings and it is always there in part or in full if you want to use it for the house, family, toys, or another hobby.

You can easily have a kick ass collection with a limited amount of stuff.

Don't worry about future prices. We all track prices, but true collectors disregard them (to some extent). Obviously, jumbos and diaclone are at an extreme price level currently and may go even higher, but you can't go by that. Some collectibles lose all their value, some stay the same as they originally cost, and some appreciate. I collect things from all those price trends/groups, but they don't drive my collecting. I buy the things I like as long as I can justify an item's cost and/or the spending overall. Regardless of where/when you get in the "game" so to speak, as long as you can afford it and it doesn't jeopardize your/your family's well being and you keep your priorities straight, you should be good.

[rodman75]

Thanks for the quick replies guys...I'm leaning towards what Bourno suggested. I will try to get acclimated to the new house payments, bills, etc. After a year or so, If I'm choking on the mortgage I will have to rethink my priorities. For now, the Jumbos will stay with me:)

Rodman75

[zambot3]

choroyujin wrote: In the 80's and 90's baseball cards and comics were gold, now they are merely paper.

Read more: robotjapan.proboards.com/thread/22166/sell-keep-future#ixzz2pE2xCj8P

Not exactly true. Yes. when the masses figured out that the cards and comic books they loved in the fifties and sixties had value to them, they applied this to cards and comic books of today, thinking they would get the same value eventually. Once people figured out comic books and cards could be valuable, that was when any card made during that time eventually became worthless.
You can't get cards or comics from the 60's or below for any cheaper than you could have gotten them 10 or 20 years ago. As a matter of fact, you can say those cards and comics have gone up ridiculously in value since. (for comics, its having to do with movies) Check out the cream of the crops of the hobby, the Hognus Wagner card -, Action Comics #1. Both are astronomical in pricing and have gone up significantly each time auctioned off somewhere.
In the 80's and 90's you had people who didn't like comics or cards buying them thinking they can make money. Companies overproduced both and you couldn't sell any of that stuff to save your life these days.
I would say the same about toys. There was never any big group of hoarders buying these things, putting them away in their closet and hoping to make millions off them 20 years later. Something like GI joes or Transformers where are so many more made, probably won't hold their value as much. But, MIB or MOC versions still fetch a premium since I don't recall people buying a ton of these and putting them away for safe keeping. Sure there are people who did that but not enough to see an overproduction.
Another factor is that Toys unlike baseball cards or comic books are much harder to keep in great condition and take up more space. It's easy to put a baseball card in an acrylic case or baseball card box, comic book in a mylar bag and not touch them for years.

This isn't to say all Japanese toys will hold their value. I always go back to the simple law of supply and demand. I remember when Macross Valkyries were going for crazy prices in the late nineties. Guys who watched Robotech as kids wanted these toys as they entered the workforce out of college.
They say Takatoku churned out 1 million of them. You couldn't get anything in a box for less than $300. Eventually, the prices went down due to not only the large production amount but also the re-releases. But the premium ones vintage MIB still fetch a good price.
We also need to take into consideration Japan is a much smaller country that the US. Anything produced for the masses there, there won't be anywhere close as many as there would be here.
Think about what are the cheapest Jumbos out there? Anything released as a Shogun Warrior or was re-leased (i.e. U5 Jumbos) Now apply this to Transformers and GI Joes which were all released in the US and have had multiple re-releases in Japan and in the US as well.

Here is what I go by when I collect. if I like something, I'll buy it and keep it. If I get bored, or in need of money, I'll sell it. I don't try and think about whether something is valuable or not or if I should sell now cause I could lose money I could have made in the future. As I said, the thrill of the hunt for me is as if not more satisfying than getting the item itself.
I think the relatively rarity of Japanese toys from the 70s-80's are a pretty safe bet of something that will hold its value. So Rodman, I'm not sure what is in your collection but unless something catastrophic happens to the economy, it is a pretty good guess to say you won't lose much money if you sell now or later.

[joweone]

I've often toyed with the idea when something major comes up and I get nervous about finances. They aren't costing you too hold onto and over my time collecting prices on very little have stayed the same and most have skyrocketed….that being said if you want me to hold onto a few of those pieces for you I can

[devoidofemotions]

Hi Jeff,
my advice is this is worse than tobacco or alcohol addiction !
I gave up twice and here I am still back in this jumbo addiction and hunting for more.
Personally , i regretted giving up twice as it gets harder and harder to buy back.
We private chatted before on whether these toys will become antique leagues like those Qing dynasty vases or plates.
Some people actually bidded millions for a antique plate which people like us will find it crazy?
If jumbos become a Japanese antique league, then I think the price will keep shooting,
its a gamble , but once you give up, dont look back or dont visit the board, you will be like me LOL...
I dont want to see myself buying some of your pieces one day because i rather to have one more passionate collector than losing one.

finance is a big sh*t in midlife, we face alot of crossroads and obstacles, I always rem this:

Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock qoutes:
" In 1995 , I had 7 bucks in my pocket. By 1996, I was wrestling in flea markets for 40 bucks a night to #25 on Forbes Top 100 Most Powerful.
Some of you out there might be going thru your own "7 bucks in your pocket situation...embrace the grind , lower your shoulder and keep
driving thru the motherf*cker..change will come "

best
doe

[admin1 aka Ed]

Well I sold, then have enjoyed just a few toys at a time. I've gotten more active with the "just what fits in one display case" philosophy. You may want to do both-- sell and keep fewer.

Ed

[zambot3]

I've tried to quit collecting but there is always something someone sends me that gets me interested again.

Just saw this video for the first time of all the Popy commercials.



Seen a lot of them before but some like the Robocon (02:39) with stop motion animation is just great! Robin Chan on the sidelines cheering is hilarious.

Watching these commercials makes me want to go out and get more Jumbos and other Popy toys.

[ibchristian74]

I am also new to collecting. It started with a quest to re-furbish the vac-metal components on my vintage Deluxe Matchbox Dairugger XV back in February '13. Which led to the discovery of and subsequent pre-order of the MP Vehicle Voltron, which I did receive one. What followed was a few choice purchases of Masterpiece Transformers and 20th anniversary Masterpiece Voltron. After that, came purchases of a few Revoltech and now SRC Mazinger/Grendizer/Mazinkaiser purchases in the past two weeks. Also, picked up the entire line of 6" Thundercats from the cancelled '11 show. I loved the cartoon and liked the figures Bandai had put out up til the discontinuation.

I do wish I had "jumped in" to collecting 6-7 years ago and picked up the re-mastered MOTUC line or Takara's Transformers. I won't even start either of those now because of coming to the game late. I guess I don't have a point other than I have gone on a sort of mini-rampage of spending (not foolishly though). I love what I have purchased but am now slowing down and examining the lines I have purchased to see what I wish to continue to invest in. I will continue with SRC, because I love the scale, quality and the affordable price points compared to the SOC. Will also continue to keep an eye on future Voltron releases, although not the 30th anniversary rip-off from WEP.

Basically I am a child of the late '70s and '80s and have an interest in re-capturing some of my favorite vintage toys like Micronauts for example along with modern engineered toy lines like the SRC's of the world. Not buying for re-sale at this point, because I don't have a crystal ball. I am buying because I love toys and had forgotten how much I do....until now.

[ibchristian74]

But back to the topic at hand for the initial poster....follow your passion and if that is your collection that you have painstakingly put together, then keep it for now. If you give up following your passion, I think ultimately you will regret it and be unhappy. Unless of course, you need to sell for the $$$ then your motivations are what they need to be and you will make the right decision. Peace.