The Original Collectors

[SkyCakes]

I was born in the 70s. I consider myself an original collector I was 8-9 when the toys came out in 1982. I had about just around 100 of them at the time. I would of had a bigger collection if I didn't give it up but I find myself happy with what I do have. My first pony was Cotton Candy and Blossom.

[hathorcat]

I know of at least 2 although 1 of which I know stopped collecting a few years ago, but neither are active on forums unfortunately. Its such a cool thing to have collected for so long and have so much experience and knowledge about MLP!

[Sky_Rocket]

Year ago Baby Ice Crystal had a pony Meet in Toronto, and a lady who wasn't active on the boards shows up.  Doesn't have any ponies with her, but just a has a picture of her collection.  She was an adult who bought everything back when it was being sold in stores, and b/c she was in Canada she had to travel to Florida to by the So Soft Sleepy Newborns.

Her collection picture had us all floored. It was a very large group of ponies, a few hundred, and amazing.  There were at least 3 Rapunzels in the picture.  I wouldn't have believed if it I hadn't seen it. The collect - doesn't collect any more, but just came to see what the meet was all about.  Never heard from her since. 

[mlp4me]

I honestly think there are a lot of people that are in their late 30's/early 40's that collect but maybe aren't as keen on joining an online community. If you go out and about and talk to people at thrift shops and flea markets a lot of elders know what ponies are. Now would they admit that they collect, not many... A lot collect for their children or grandchildren that I've spoken with.

[lunar_scythe]

*grins* if you're looking for people who were already adults when Mlp started, it'll be more like 45+ years old.  I'm 36, and I got my first ponies when I was 4...Christmas 1983!

[tuneful87]

*grins* if you're looking for people who were already adults when Mlp started, it'll be more like 45+ years old.  I'm 36, and I got my first ponies when I was 4...Christmas 1983!

Yes, that's why I said people who are now 50+.

Some interesting stories there...

[cloud_weaver]

I was an active online collector in the 90's, but being born in '84 I was still a youngin'.  But I know there were adult collectors in the early years of online collecting some I'm sure they're out there.  (Like the Delaney's who've been mentioned.)  However it's a MUCH different online environment then it once was, and the ponies have changed so drastically over the years, I don't know who has kept up with them.  I don't even collect much any more, myself.

Ah...nostalgia - how I miss the days of the black and hot pink MLPTP page!  I would spend *HOURS* pouring over it! 

[Ember1]

A mail order MIP pony I just bought I had asked the seller how he/she came to have this pony.. And he said he and his wife were active my little pony collectors in the 90's and put all their ponies in storage for 20 plus years.

[LadyMoondancer]

If you mean people who were collecting as adults in 1984 or whatever, I doubt there were very many.  Most 80s brands were considered "just for kids" in the 80s and toy collecting was not as widespread as it was now.

The exceptions would be things like Barbie, Lionel trains, and G.I. Joe--toys who already had 'the nostalgia factor' because they'd already been around for several decades.

[h1m3.]

I think most of these 80' adult collectors don't really are into online community.. The technology wasn't that great then as it is now and I think the collecting community was very different from nowdays online communitys (like instead of e-mailing it was via letters or something like that). My conclusion is that they do not "need" online community if they have their old community or just have moved on from collecting.
Although it would be seriously great to meet these older collectors!

[princessluna11706]

I consider myself an original collector I was 8-9 when the toys came out in 1982. I had about just around 100 of them at the time. I would of had a bigger collection if I didn't give it up but I find myself happy with what I do have. My first pony was Cotton Candy and Blossom.

Same here, except I was about 4 or so (1985) when I started collecting and never have stopped

[Mirnyj]

*grins* if you're looking for people who were already adults when Mlp started, it'll be more like 45+ years old.  I'm 36, and I got my first ponies when I was 4...Christmas 1983!

It always feels like the 90's wasn't that long ago...  I love hearing these stories as vague as they are!!

[tootie_tails]

Do we have any idea if there were adults (20+ yrs old) collecting MLP back in the 80s? These collectors would now be 50+. If so, I'd love to know their stories. I often think about this.

I'm sure there must be some original collectors who never made it to the online community, but there must be a few that did. Or maybe you know of an adult friend or relative who collected back in the 80s. Love to hear any stories you might have!

I have this vision of a few adult men and women in the 80s binging on all those lovely MOC and MIB ponies and feeling like they were the only adult on earth who was collecting such a thing. Hehe.

I'm so late to the party here but, yes, that would be me!
I'm not 50. But getting there.  
I started collecting MLP in the 80's. They came to my country in around -85 -86? and I was drawn in right away. I was too old to actually play with them. But I really liked them and wanted them.
I took them out of package, combed them and put them on display. Most of my ponies from back then still have all their accessories, including the ribbons. I tied the ribbon to their tails and some of them still has it, the original bow tied by me back in -86.

Ponies I found in stores in the 80's included: earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi, boy ponies, mountain boy ponies, princess ponies with dragons, movie star ponies (nss Whindwhistler, nss Magic Star etc), Brush n Grow, and the peculiar carded original baby ponies. And many more. I didn't buy all of them, just the ones I liked the best.

My favourite pony at the time was Gusty. I loved her colours and symbol. To me she was the shy and quiet autumn pony, walking alone and writing poems... Then I watched the mlp series and realized she was really a loud and hotheaded pony, and then I didn't like her anymore. 
I passed up the mountain boys and just bought Quarterback instead. I thought the 'normal' boy ponies were much cooler and a better buy since they came with hats and scarves. 
Another mistake: I didn't buy the princesses with dragons. I hated how they had tinsel, I thought it was ugly. The only one I even considered buying was Princess Sapphire (Princess Royal Blue) because her tinsel was at least the same colour as her hair, making it less noticeable.

Back then when I started buying ponies there were no other pony collectors of course. My collecting was a secret. But when the internet became available ten years later I realized I wasn't alone after all. First I found people selling mlp and other toys, after that the first few websites dedicated to mlp, and then collectors chatting with each other. I lurked a good while before I decided to join them though.
Those first years of mlp collectors interacting online, there were many people like me I think. But over the years it has changed, I don't see many of the old collectors around today. Some of them had a brief period of mlp interest and then moved over to (human) dolls or other things. Some of them just disappeared. Me, I will always be around

[tuneful87]

Do we have any idea if there were adults (20+ yrs old) collecting MLP back in the 80s? These collectors would now be 50+. If so, I'd love to know their stories. I often think about this.

I'm sure there must be some original collectors who never made it to the online community, but there must be a few that did. Or maybe you know of an adult friend or relative who collected back in the 80s. Love to hear any stories you might have!

I have this vision of a few adult men and women in the 80s binging on all those lovely MOC and MIB ponies and feeling like they were the only adult on earth who was collecting such a thing. Hehe.

I'm so late to the party here but, yes, that would be me!
I'm not 50. But getting there.  
I started collecting MLP in the 80's. They came to my country in around -85 -86? and I was drawn in right away. I was too old to actually play with them. But I really liked them and wanted them.
I took them out of package, combed them and put them on display. Most of my ponies from back then still have all their accessories, including the ribbons. I tied the ribbon to their tails and some of them still has it, the original bow tied by me back in -86.

Ponies I found in stores in the 80's included: earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi, boy ponies, mountain boy ponies, princess ponies with dragons, movie star ponies (nss Whindwhistler, nss Magic Star etc), Brush n Grow, and the peculiar carded original baby ponies. And many more. I didn't buy all of them, just the ones I liked the best.

My favourite pony at the time was Gusty. I loved her colours and symbol. To me she was the shy and quiet autumn pony, walking alone and writing poems... Then I watched the mlp series and realized she was really a loud and hotheaded pony, and then I didn't like her anymore. 
I passed up the mountain boys and just bought Quarterback instead. I thought the 'normal' boy ponies were much cooler and a better buy since they came with hats and scarves. 
Another mistake: I didn't buy the princesses with dragons. I hated how they had tinsel, I thought it was ugly. The only one I even considered buying was Princess Sapphire (Princess Royal Blue) because her tinsel was at least the same colour as her hair, making it less noticeable.

Back then when I started buying ponies there were no other pony collectors of course. My collecting was a secret. But when the internet became available ten years later I realized I wasn't alone after all. First I found people selling mlp and other toys, after that the first few websites dedicated to mlp, and then collectors chatting with each other. I lurked a good while before I decided to join them though.
Those first years of mlp collectors interacting online, there were many people like me I think. But over the years it has changed, I don't see many of the old collectors around today. Some of them had a brief period of mlp interest and then moved over to (human) dolls or other things. Some of them just disappeared. Me, I will always be around

AMAZING STORY! This is exactly what I had been hoping to hear. That must have been such an exciting time for you back then, being able to find ponies in mint condition! Do you recall when the Candy Canes and Perfume Puffs were on shelves? I would have killed to be there!

[Jellybean]

That really is a great story Tootie Tails!

It totally takes me back to being a little kid going to the grocery store with my grandmother and getting to pick out a toy because my brother and I had been good. I couldn't decide between Buzzer and Little Flitter so grandma let me buy them both and I still have them. Love those Summerwing ponies so much!