Share your biggest regrets for your collection

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Years ago on eBay there was a seller selling old store stock of Starlux. They would sell them in big bunches of 20 or so different animals at a time, often themed like hoofed animals or prehistoric. They would sell for perhaps $18-25 and I felt that was far too much. I didn't realize at the time I liked them as much as I would later as well. They sold sets for months before they got rid of them all, but I never bought any. >sigh<

NightLioness wrote:

Ana wrote:

Karin, I think some of these figures are probably still possible to find

Also one tiny regret, last year during the Queen's day in Utrecht I found some old schleich for 50 cents each, but I took only few. I should take them all and maybe send to collectors who would need them. They were in not really good condition but always something to, for example repaint. But well, this year I will buy whatever I find (for such cheap price)   

The old elephants are definitely for sale in some looks at marktplaats.
But the sperm whale and her calf? IDK.

Ooooh, qweensday!! (kingsday now )
I'm gonna buy all brand animals I can find, even if they aren't in a good condition haha.
Of course for a cheap prize. Found some good one last year, and I want them aallll!! *goes nuts*

Schleich Sperm whale is on sale in a shop here I had ordered it a Christmas but cost 18.99Euros I could check if its still there if you are interested?

This has turned out to be a wonderful thread! I've really enjoyed reading each and every comment.

The most painful one for me to read was Tim's. The idea of an entire lot of hoofed Starlux models going for under $30 makes my head spin. Several months ago, I emailed back and forth with a seller in France about the Starlux antelope or bison (I can't remember which it was) and he wanted nearly $100 for the figure. I didn't buy it. But I'll also probably never find that model at a reasonable price. (It may have been the American Bison; that's the Starlux model I want the most. I did find the Kudu a month or two ago at an extremely reasonable price -- about $15. I think my luck with Starlux has probably run out.)

Andreas, I agree with Phil: You made the right call in buying the model, even though you saw it cheaper later. It sounds ridiculously rare.

sauroid wrote:

an almost paintless Britains asian rhino 

This sounds like every Britains rhino I've ever seen!   

shadoweon wrote:

I regret throwing away my first Schleich figure- one of the really old versions of the fox.

Ouch. That would upset me too. My first Schleich model was a Moose I gave to my now wife. It is precious to us both.

Ana wrote:

I think feeling regrets is not something I should spend time on. I think we can all feel happy, we are lucky collectors now, aren't we?

Amen, Anna!

Many thanks Phil and Scott. I also found the compasition for this example. Long time ago i searched for the Lineol lyrebird and found only a few figurines on ebay or onlineshops between 150 or 400 € mostly in a bad condition. So i was happy as i found my lyrebird much much cheaper

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My biggest regret is probably when I was younger and played around with my figures and scraping them up. For example, my schleich whales, I used to play with them in water all the time so the figures look a little dull and scraped up.

animalluvr6 wrote:

My biggest regret is probably when I was younger and played around with my figures and scraping them up. For example, my schleich whales,  I used to play with them in water all the time so the figures look a little dull and scraped up.

Don't regret it. :)

Roger wrote:

animalluvr6 wrote:

My biggest regret is probably when I was younger and played around with my figures and scraping them up. For example, my schleich whales,  I used to play with them in water all the time so the figures look a little dull and scraped up.

Don't regret it. :)

I did the same thing as a kid, and now my "rare and valuable" figures are in a pretty scraped up, dull, faded condition. However, whenever I find extras of the same figure in MUCH nicer condition I always trade the nicer one. To me, the old figures are old friends that I played with in my room by myself or with siblings, or out in the yard or sand box, or even in the tub. To me, it makes them more valuable through sentiment than actual value.  
And I never regret a minute of it.  

yes some of my original old figures were handed down to me by my dad and even if they are so worn out and a bit damaged, i still want to keep them.

animalluvr6 wrote:

My biggest regret is probably when I was younger and played around with my figures and scraping them up. For example, my schleich whales,  I used to play with them in water all the time so the figures look a little dull and scraped up.

I have this regret too but i think without that i dont had so a relationship for this hobby now :)

OK, this is something I have to get off my chest

I was very picky with my Figures, if it has a bad paint rub. I wont buy it. but sometimes I buy items only to find a bad rub on it later. So I buy a replacement.

I also gave away My Papo Collection, because they all had some sort of rub on them (Some more serveer then others) Man I regret that. Same deal with my Safaris. almost every figure had some kind of unbearable fault on them.

Now I am still picky. but im not as bad as I was. I now only get my dinos online, unless there Geoworld.

a

animalluvr6 wrote:

nimalluvr6 schrieb:
   My biggest regret is probably when I was younger and played around with my figures and scraping them up. For example, my schleich whales,  I used to play with them in water all the time so the figures look a little dull and scraped up. Very Happy

I know this situation too from my childhood. I have painted many figures, and later I have sold a lot of them at flea markets. These figures I could buy fortunately later again.
But, so far, I don´t regret anything. Children have a different view of things. They want play and make their own experiences. That's all right, because these figures are made for playing. No, I don`t  regret anything in relation to my collection.

animalluvr6 wrote:

My biggest regret is probably when I was younger and played around with my figures and scraping them up. For example, my schleich whales,  I used to play with them in water all the time so the figures look a little dull and scraped up.

This is what toys are made for Kelsey.   How can you put a price on pleasure?   

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

I did the same thing as a kid, and now my "rare and valuable" figures are in a pretty scraped up, dull, faded condition. However, whenever I find extras of the same figure in MUCH nicer condition I always trade the nicer one. To me, the old figures are old friends that I played with in my room by myself or with siblings, or out in the yard or sand box, or even in the tub. To me, it makes them more valuable through sentiment than actual value.  
And I never regret a minute of it.  

Paige, I have the same with my old Reislers
They are marked with red nail polish, so my playmates could not claim they were theirs,  and some miss a limb, antlers, trunk.  
But I will always prefer my old ones  !!!  
When I look at them, I remember old friends and old places and sunshine and green lawns. The taste of stolen, sour apples and cookies and ...  

Take good care of your old friends, and don't regret good times

Here's to old friends then, Susanne.    

I regret being born in 2000! Why not 1985 or something, so that way I could have lived the 90's and gotten all the good discontinued stuff? :3
I also really hate being a perfectionist. If I see a rub on my figure, I flip.   

QuollMate wrote:

I also really hate being a perfectionist. 

You're not the only perfectionist here.   Sometimes it's a good thing.   

I mean, I totally care about the countenance of my figurines, but even the tiniest mark that is only viewable up close can still drive me up the wall.

QuollMate wrote:

I regret being born in 2000! Why not 1985 or something, so that way I could have lived the 90's and gotten all the good discontinued stuff? :3
I also really hate being a perfectionist. If I see a rub on my figure, I flip.   

Born in 1964 so I was there in 1985... And I didn't bought then the now discontinued stuff     

Regrets... Sometimes I regret not buying some animals I only saw once but I think missing models are a part of our collection, maybe the most important. Maybe a complete collection is a dead collection ? So... No regrets  

Kikimalou wrote:

QuollMate wrote:

I regret being born in 2000! Why not 1985 or something, so that way I could have lived the 90's and gotten all the good discontinued stuff? :3
I also really hate being a perfectionist. If I see a rub on my figure, I flip.   

Born in 1964 so I was there in 1985... And I didn't bought then the now discontinued stuff     

Regrets... Sometimes I regret not buying some animals I only saw once but I think missing models are a part of our collection, maybe the most important. Maybe a complete collection is a dead collection ? So... No regrets  

I am happy that i forgot what i dont bought and dont have now:) But can we complete our collection if every years comes new stuff and with this big lot of animal figurines all over the world  

Kikimalou wrote:

Maybe a complete collection is a dead collection ?

I agree with this. If your collection is complete the search is over... where is the fun in that?

Animal_Figures_4U wrote:

Kikimalou wrote:

Maybe a complete collection is a dead collection ?

I agree with this. If your collection is complete the search is over... where is the fun in that?

Nobody can complete a collection my friend.

QuollMate wrote:

Nobody can complete a collection my friend.

Sure you can, it just depends on what the individual's idea of "compete" means to them.