Are you an active or retired collector?

[Sky_Rocket_Sammie]

I've come back from being away, for most of 2010-2012. Prior to 2010 I was active and had a decent G3 and small G1 collection. Real life forced me to change a lot of things, so I'm a retired collector.

I'll snag three or four BB's when I find them. Or merch, when I have the funds. But the days of seriously collecting are over for me. It's been fun but the recent glut of brony/FIM driven fans. Have chased me off.

Frankly if it wasn't for my connection to this board (since 2009), I would be keeping well away from the fandom. I like the show, strongly dislike how trendy/in/popular/brony MLP has become.

As someone else said earlier in this thread, folks reactions are either "hey cool" or "ugggh". Being a guy, I mostly get the later. I don't hide that I like MLP, just annoying to have to deal with the fall out.

Aside from that real life and funds are keeping me from being more active. Not sad about that just the roll of the dice. I still snag what I can and enjoy being here.

[SkyCakes]

I still actively collect ponies. Just not as often as I did last year. :/ two things my shared ebay account got hacked. :/ So that has slowed me down. I haven't done any swaps either which is a bummer too. I have a smaller list of G1s now. I have plenty of G1 MO's also too. I still have tons of other ponies G3s and G4s to get though. I think I am still busy enough. G4s kinda have slowed me down too because I don't have many places to search. Since I travel by foot or bus. Im not a super FIM fan either but I do just collect the ponies. I still did pretty well this year. However, just not as many ponies as last year.

[TheBeatlesPkmnFan42]

I still collect. I collect the ones I want most (that I have access to) first and then get the others after. As with when I first started collecting, I want to eventually get every official MLP item, though I am aware that will be a difficult feat to accomplish with how large the franchise is.

[vortex1310]

This is an really interesting thread! 

I'm with a few of you in the "not really collecting but if something is really special" group. I casually pick up new G4s but only the ones that are a new character, no repeats as I don't feel as connected to them due to their style/size/trendy popularity.
It's cool to hear I'm not the only one that has felt like taking a step back because of the current following. I'm a very private/quiet person so it's disturbing to be constantly stopped if I have a pony keychain or a short sleeved shirt on that shows my G1 tattoos.

Add to all this the normal change in lifestyle, I don't have the space to display anymore, they sit looking sadly out of plastic bins, and very little money to continue collecting. I have found that G1s have gone up in price, seemingly due to the genre's popularity, in order to get a nice condition one. So that kinda stopped me there as well.

I'd love to get into collecting again but between the G4 line being so stagnant (which in a way is good for the wallet, lol), and not being able to enjoy the ones I have, I guess I *am* currently retired. 

[TheBeatlesPkmnFan42]

I forgot to mention I don't count sets that only come with different accessories as getting every official item. I don't do this so I don't get a lot of doubles of one pony. The only time I'd get more than one of a certain pony is if the pony itself is different, for example ponies with tinsel or glitter or having a different display side and whatnot. I count those as different items, but I'm not going to, say, buy two EG Fluttershy's to get all the differently colored accessories, that'd be overdoing it IMO.

And even when I get ponies that are very similar but technically different, I only display one of them, and keep the other because they aren't exactly identical.

[spottedslug]

My kids collect. I pick up something I like now and then. See sig, lol!

[Mori_LeStrange]

I only collect the ones I like. I've never been a completest and wouldn't have the room for it even if I was. Mostly buying G4 ponies right now.

[appleponygal]

I'd say I'm active in the sense that I do buy ponies still. But only the  odd one and due to lack of funds,generally a very cheap flea market pony or a little thrift store find.Sometimes accessories too.Any new ponies I tend to get as a present.I simply can't afford to buy them anymore!

[Dewprincess]

I am an active collector but I only buy what I like.  I'm also trying to focus a bit more on the ponies themselves and am clearing out almost all of my merch.  I've been slowly culling the G3s for a few years now but still have more than I'd really like to have...I do want to have one of each unique character brushable for G4, and I actively look for G1s and G2s that I need.  G1 is my main focus though At one time I wanted to have a complete US/UK collection and one Nirvana from each region, but I've now sold off almost all my Nirvanas and am clearing out the sets that I'm not all that fond of.

[Prince Primbrose]

Active... I'm trying to severely cut back and sell off doubles, plushies, and every pony that I can live without. I just don't have the space or money for the hobby.

[GothMummy]

I have been collecting since 2000, but had a 5 year break from active collecting because of having small chidlren. I got back into it seriously last year.

i only buy what I think is pretty   Though I cant walk past a cheap bargain bin or charity shop pony!

x

[achab1984]

I had a small collection back in the late 80's till the early 90's. I stopped collecting when the G2 ponies came out. I was able to find a few G1 ponies second hand. I kept all of them and put them away till I moved out my parents house. I got back into ponies when the G3 ponies came out. I got my G1's from my parents house and started to collect more. I collect them till the core 7 ponies came out. I stopped collecting and sold off most of my ponies. I did not come back to the hobby till 2011. I was not sure when the G4 ponies came out at first. I gave them a try and now I am back. I built all of my collection back up. I am not sure if I have more or less then last time? I did not save pictures from my old collection. I really wised that I did

Oh well I am so happy to be back into the hobby. I keep telling myself if the ponies stop coming out I am going to stay into the hobby. I will just collect the G1 ponies that I do not have. 

[Rosette]

I'm active currently.  I started off selling ponies 1995(?)-1999.  Was off ponies until 2009, maybe.  Now, I'm making up for lost time!  . I have small children, which takes away restoration time, but I have the funds and room now to devote to ponies again, so that helps. 

[HorsingAround]

I am a VERY active collector.   I stopped collecting ponies in the late 1980s and only restarted collecting a little over a year ago.  In the past 14 months I have collected at least 300 but probably closer to 400 ponies (all generations).   A bit excessive, perhaps! 

[Artemesia's Garden]

Active. But when I knew I was going to fall for G1's again hard about 6 months ago I researched a wishlist of ponies with a rationale behind each one. I have about 40 or 50. I am only actively seeking ponies that are on my wish list (link in my sig) and any that I get that are not on this list are always part of a job lot or an ebay bargain (sometimes you can get the second thing cheap and combine on postage so it feels worth it). I just got Baby Quackers for 99p. I don't like the first tooth gimmick but I reasoned that because she is white she might be OK. If so that means I'll have to look for baby sugarberry too which might burn a hole in my pocket! But so far I've been pretty good at sticking to the list. The exception was that I bought Starglow for £15 in a moment of madness at the weekend. Oops!

I have also been lusting after bright ponies this week so I might have to add Tootie Tails to the list, she can hang out with Shady and Beachball. Need a bright peagsus now too! Oops, I can see how people end up with these massive collections. The ones that are killing me are the second generation of Rainbow ponies (US versions with glitter symbols). I only ever seem to find Confetti but I don't want her as I don't want any wedding themed ponies. I have also been collecting a few small bits of merchandise but mostly just finding pictures online and and saving them since it's the design work that I'm interested in more than the items themselves.