What are your collecting limitations? Do you have any?

[Carrehz]

I have to admit that the G3.5 mums are very cute. If I ever got any G3.5s, it'd be them.

[Shaiyeh]

Honestly, mostly money. I haven't been collecting actively other than the occasional thrift find, or the odd intentional buy (for me, or for swaps) one or two times a year, as for years now. I do so wish I had a bit extra to put toward my collection, but that's where we're at, sadly.

My not so sad limitations however:

-I don't collect g4/g4 reboot (exception: unless it's a thrift find, and I do intend on getting a Minty at some point. Pony Life I do want some of, but they're not where I live yet)
-I don't collect EQG
-I don't collect blind bag ponies
-I don't collect fakies
-I try and focus on a few sets at a time. (g1) (exception: thrift finds, g2, g3)
-I don't collect Funkos/figurines etc.
-No. Hair. Cuts. or missing parts. I probably wouldn't pass up a thrift find if they had a haircut, but I am reallly particular about condition when it comes to intentional buying.
-I don't really collect merch. I'm not big on clutter, so i want a neat, nice collection confined to their shelves. I do have and display artwork by fellow pony artists, but that's another thing IMO. I just don't like to have a bunch of *stuff* around that has no use, even if it's incredibly cute. (exception: things you can actually use. like xmas ornaments! or coffee mugs, or clothes)
-No McD ponies.

[flutterscotch]

I am keeping my pony parade limited to 5 sweater boxes and three shoeboxes, for space reasons.  In the area of the house (which doubles as 2 businesses, both mine and my partner's) where I display the ponies, there not many vertical walls, it's a finished attic space, so my display area is limited to a hanging shelf and the top of another case. And the storage has to fit in this one small area in a closet because the rest of the space is craft supplies and stuff I can't put in the attic proper because it's not as climate controlled.

I usually keep 2-3 ponies on my desk and swap them out every week.  I mostly treat my collection like it's a seasonal decoration.  Almost everyone comes out for 3 months at a time.  Some are organized into Halloween, Christmas, my birthday and May Day. Those are among my favorites so it's usually a great treat that they are out for shorter periods of time. And it has kept them in really good shape.

I have to admit that the G3.5 mums are very cute. If I ever got any G3.5s, it'd be them.

I actually just found my first "keeper" G3.5 pony and it was Rainbow Dash's mom.  I found Dash too, so I decided to keep them both.

[Cwk123]

This is the only Rainbow Dash Mum I know of other than the never-made-as-a-brushable Windy Whistles
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She was sold as mum to Newborn Cutie Rainbow Dash & I call her Rainbow Love. She & her Newborn Cutie came wi a shopping trolley. I think a lot of folks would like G3 Customs of her, Cherrylou (Cheerilee & Scootaloo's mum), & Pinkie Pie's mum

Thanks so much for the pic!

[Ponybookworm]

This is the only Rainbow Dash Mum I know of other than the never-made-as-a-brushable Windy Whistles
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She was sold as mum to Newborn Cutie Rainbow Dash & I call her Rainbow Love. She & her Newborn Cutie came wi a shopping trolley. I think a lot of folks would like G3 Customs of her, Cherrylou (Cheerilee & Scootaloo's mum), & Pinkie Pie's mum

Thanks so much for the pic!

No problem!!! I'm just glad "Rainbow Love" was one of the ones I piccied myself (a lot of "my" photos are taken by the sellers or MLW)!!!

[Taffeta]

Ah, reading some of these more recent posts I realised another limitation I have -

No restorations. No rehairs. No repaints (one exception though, she was a rescue greek baby with no eyes that PKW fixed for me). It's not that these things are wrong, but I just prefer them authentic.

This also spreads to no repro items (unless you are counting basic fun whose are official products), no customs of existing ponies (not-made prototypes are another matter), no deflocks of ponies that have regular versions already. No fake flutter wings, no fake accessories, none of that.

I'd rather have gaps; to me there's no challenge to collecting if you're getting the parts made to order. And space is at a premium so placeholders are unnecessary.

On the subject of customs, providing reasonable condition ponies aren't being butchered, a custom of an existing pony in a different pose or a baby version of an adult pony are fine, I just don't like things that can be mistaken for the real deal. Most people are very honest about all the things they make, but I remember the furore about reverse gusty and all the customs that appeared, and it left me very wary.

[Ponybookworm]

Ah, reading some of these more recent posts I realised another limitation I have -

No restorations. No rehairs. No repaints (one exception though, she was a rescue greek baby with no eyes that PKW fixed for me). It's not that these things are wrong, but I just prefer them authentic.

This also spreads to no repro items (unless you are counting basic fun whose are official products), no customs of existing ponies (not-made prototypes are another matter), no deflocks of ponies that have regular versions already. No fake flutter wings, no fake accessories, none of that.

I'd rather have gaps; to me there's no challenge to collecting if you're getting the parts made to order. And space is at a premium so placeholders are unnecessary.

On the subject of customs, providing reasonable condition ponies aren't being butchered, a custom of an existing pony in a different pose or a baby version of an adult pony are fine, I just don't like things that can be mistaken for the real deal. Most people are very honest about all the things they make, but I remember the furore about reverse gusty and all the customs that appeared, and it left me very wary.

This is why if I ever commission a Custom of a very rare Pony (Rapunzel or the likes) I will specifically ask for alternative pose, instead of the pose she came in. Same if I were to Make one. Also why HQG1C blanks are awesome

[freezestime]

For me, no MLP G3.5. Will never keep them, I'll redonate them or give them to the kid I babysit.

[Carrehz]

Oh, I don't care for Nirvana replicas, either. Not for me - I'd rather go without than have a duplicate. I dunno, I get why they exist, I don't care if others have them, but it's not my thing.

(that said, I wouldn't count something like... say, a deflocked Cupcake as a replica, even though there *is* an official NSS out there. Unless it was specifically mimicking the traits specific to the NSS [how do you tell them apart, again - the NSS has brown eyelids, right? Something like that?]... but then I'd think that was a little dishonest and potentially misleading.

but yeah as long as they're clearly marked as a custom in some way, I have no problems with replicas existing. But I'd rather hunt for the original, personally. The hunt's part of the fun! ....For a certain value of "fun", lol.)

[Taffeta]

I don't have the PF Cupcake so I don't know if this applies to her, but the eyeliner is a false lead when it comes to Truly. I have a brown and a black eyeliner PF Truly, and the black one has been inspected in forensic detail at ponycon by LadyG, PKW etc and we all agree she was never flocked. A lot of the Movie Star ponies in this country also have black eyeliner, not brown. So I don't think that's a rule. You have to look for the signs of deflocking.  So for me, Cupcake, Truly, North Star, Gusty and Buttons are a deflock no-no. Wind Whistler, Shady (borderline but she is a different colour I think?), Magic Star are all easy to identify at a glance as deflocks, but the others not so much. Cupcake and Truly are also pricy so yeah, I'm not a fan. Same applies to Lickety Split, Cherries Jubilee and Posey, as the European releases from 1986ish are pretty much the same only not flocked.

Any other SS deflocked is another matter, though. I admit to liking deflocks.

Edited because I like Magic Star so much I put her twice

Having seen people hurt by 'fakes'/replicas quite a few times over the years, I just don't like it. :/

[Tropical_Sunset]

For me it depends on the gen, too.

G1: Ones that appeal to me the most.

G2: Ones that appeal to me the most.

G3: I'd like to have all of them. Repeat characters are fine but must be in different poses/be a different version.

G3.5: One of each character.

G4 and Movie Style G4: One of each character. The exception is Princess Luna because I have a Princess Luna collection. Multiple versions of her are sought after. Don't care for blind bags.

G4.5: Not sure yet. Same Princess Luna rule here as G4/G4 movie style though. Don't care for blind bags.

General Collecting Rules: Customs are yes yes yes I love them. No fakies unless it's a Takara or a Princess Luna fakie.

[Leave a Whisper]

I don't have the PF Cupcake so I don't know if this applies to her, but the eyeliner is a false lead when it comes to Truly. I have a brown and a black eyeliner PF Truly, and the black one has been inspected in forensic detail at ponycon by LadyG, PKW etc and we all agree she was never flocked. A lot of the Movie Star ponies in this country also have black eyeliner, not brown. So I don't think that's a rule. You have to look for the signs of deflocking.  So for me, Cupcake, Truly, North Star, Gusty and Buttons are a deflock no-no. Wind Whistler, Shady (borderline but she is a different colour I think?), Magic Star are all easy to identify at a glance as deflocks, but the others not so much. Cupcake and Truly are also pricy so yeah, I'm not a fan. Same applies to Lickety Split, Cherries Jubilee and Posey, as the European releases from 1986ish are pretty much the same only not flocked.

Any other SS deflocked is another matter, though. I admit to liking deflocks.

Edited because I like Magic Star so much I put her twice

Having seen people hurt by 'fakes'/replicas quite a few times over the years, I just don't like it. :/

What do you people put in those things before you
  them? Rocks?  

[lordbunnir]

I only collect G1s and G3s because they’re the only gens that really interest me - the ponies have this beautiful demure look that I think suits them very well. I’m open to perhaps collecting G2s in the future though.

No G4. Currently trying to get rid of all the G4 stuff I collected as a kid.

I love damaged/haircut ponies! Most of my collection is made up of rescues.

As for fakies, I only have one - the Buddy L pony that’s supposed to light up and whinny. I’m actually a fan of fakies, but they don’t really have the same appeal to me as real ponies. It’s a different ballgame entirely.

[Carrehz]

ah, damn, I didn't know that about the eyeliner.

Honestly I don't really get deflocking the ones that were released without flocking anyway. (Well, except for the rarer ones, like Cupcake/rearing pose Magic Star, I get that.) Like, it seems a lot of effort to go to when you could just save time and get the NSS version instead. Well, unless the flocking's really manky and beyond saving, I guess I can see why you'd deflock then.

but, yeah, I'm always wary of something going awry with a replica, too. You never know, after all. Go ahead and make 'em, just mark them appropriately, that's what I say.

[Taffeta]

I don't have the PF Cupcake so I don't know if this applies to her, but the eyeliner is a false lead when it comes to Truly. I have a brown and a black eyeliner PF Truly, and the black one has been inspected in forensic detail at ponycon by LadyG, PKW etc and we all agree she was never flocked. A lot of the Movie Star ponies in this country also have black eyeliner, not brown. So I don't think that's a rule. You have to look for the signs of deflocking.  So for me, Cupcake, Truly, North Star, Gusty and Buttons are a deflock no-no. Wind Whistler, Shady (borderline but she is a different colour I think?), Magic Star are all easy to identify at a glance as deflocks, but the others not so much. Cupcake and Truly are also pricy so yeah, I'm not a fan. Same applies to Lickety Split, Cherries Jubilee and Posey, as the European releases from 1986ish are pretty much the same only not flocked.

Any other SS deflocked is another matter, though. I admit to liking deflocks.

Edited because I like Magic Star so much I put her twice

Having seen people hurt by 'fakes'/replicas quite a few times over the years, I just don't like it. :/

What do you people put in those things before you
  them? Rocks?  

Cement.

@Carrehz Yeah. It's sad really. If everyone was honest and everything was properly noted or marked then replicas and deflocks would be 100% fine, but because we live in a world where even 0.1% of the market being dishonest or careless can create a chain reaction of negative experiences, I prefer to be safe on those kinds of things.

Also...Hasbro don't make things easy for us by giving tell tale feature differences we can work with.

I think people stateside find it more tricky to get the movie star versions than we do here, too. But yeah, Magic Star and Wind Whistler (different symbol) are fine, you can tell very easily.