How do you collect?

[buttonso]

My main pursuit is G1 but I have really grown to like G3 lately. So for G1, I look around and pick out specific ponies when I'm buying online. Right now I mainly just buy ponies I like but I hope to be able to complete some sets eventually. When it comes to G3, I stick to whatever I stumble on in the "wild" at thrift stores or wherever. 

[Artemesia's Garden]

I originally made a head canon and listed ponies in groups according to priority..I have very few new ponies I would get now (as in, new to me) but I'm always looking for upgrades and ponies for projects. Right now I'm.looking for magic message ponies with ruined symbols. I collect mainly g1 and g3.

[DazzleKitty]

I collect all generations except G3.5. I primarily focus on G1 and those are always a priority when I get some spending money. However, I am more of an impulse buyer. When I have a paycheck where I can splurge a bit on eBay, I'll buy whatever pony catches my eye. The last big spending spree I went on at the Arena included G2's.....my first lot of them I bought in two years. You never know what I'll end up getting.

Since I'm in a swap right now and I put all the G1's and G2's I need on my wishlist, I am only going to focus on G4's until later this fall. I still need to find FS Daring Do and some of the other newer ones.

I really wanted to reach 1,000 ponies this year. I have 23 more ponies to reach that goal. Sadly, I don't think this is going to happen.

[Baby Crumpet]

I collect all generations, mostly. I generally pick up whatever is in antique shops, charity shops and carboot sales because they're cheap and I love cleaning up ratty ponies! Well, I try to anyway. I usually buy ponies I like the look of, because I don't want to spend money on a pony I don't like the look of. I'd rather get my favourites THEN go around completing sets.

With G1, I pick up whatever I find. I usually buy in lots, so that I can get lots of ponies at once, as shipping can be expensive. If I really like a pony, I will buy it by itself.

With G2, I don't go out of my way to pick them up. If I find one in person, I'll buy it, but aside from that I generally leave them be. I'm not too fussed over them to collect them all.

I have too many G3's at the moment, so I'm not buying those online either! I'm trying not to pick every single one up that I find 'in the wild', but they're too cute, heh.

G4's I only really pick up Rainbow Dashes for my army, or new ponies. I don't bother picking up every single mane six release. It's boring.

[Jacquelyn]

What a great topic! It is fascinating to read everyone's different tastes and methods! I collect G1 and at first was going to try and replace my childhood collection but have decided to collect only my favourite sets. So far I have collected all of the Summer Wings, both sets of Princesses and the Bushwoolies. I am also collecting the Brush N Grow Princesses and the Rainbow Curl Ponies and possibly the Windy Wings! All my ponies are in mint or near minto condition and I plan to get each of my princesses a wand! I also collect the Mommy Charms and I am aiming to collect a full set in mint condition. These are have been hard to find but I only have four to go and a few upgrades.  I am also casually collecting the Petite Ponies but am far more relaxed about it than the charms! 

[Taffeta]

I collect G1. I have some of the other generations, but I don't collect them. I buy and keep what I like and not the rest. I am a G1 kid and they're different to me in that regard.

I collect all ponies from the normative lines in G1. I only collect what Nirvana I like. Whilst I was very involved right back at the beginning with Italian, Macau and such ponies, I think the prices have got out of hand. I have one or two from most Nirvana lines. I like Brazilian ponies, if and when I can afford them - I currently have Wind Whistler, Paradise, Dancing Butterflies, Up Up & Away, Baby Lofty and Peachy, but am not actively pursuing any others.

My passion is UK stuff - UK packaging, UK instructions, UK inserts, UK comics...not so much merchandise but bits and pieces that tell the story of the UK line. I collect mint in box ponies but only certain ones in North American packaging, usually ONLY those ponies not sold in the UK as I don't want them with the wrong art style or name from what I remember. I think I currently have about 85 mint in package ponies ranging from 1983 to 1994.

I collect all loose ponies from the normal and mail order lines across Europe and in North America. I also collect Dream Beauties and have a full set of those but I don't have a full set of Petites and don't focus on them. I have about half the sets loose or MIP and most of the playsets from childhood, but haven't bothered to really focus on those; just kept whatever I've acquired along the way. All my Petite stuff is in the attic except for one who lives under the sink. She came to live with me with Brazilian Paradise and kept her company on her trip from France so she has been allowed to stay down.

I am currently working on specific mint in package items, accessories and backcards. I have around 130 G1 pony backcards/boxes, maybe more, most of which are from the United Kingdom release (though some are from North America and for some ponies I have both the card from here and from overseas).

My aim is to have every pony released in the UK with their original backcard as sold here, or mint on card, but at the very least to have one example from the set in terms of style and as many of my childhood ponies MIP that I can manage.

I have all of the playsets except Megan's Place and the lavender castle (neither of which I'm really fussed about because they were not sold here. I also collect playset boxes from the UK.

I keep any loose pony that has a minor variation to a pony I have. The most recent addition to that collection was my second Mail Order Star Hopper who is distinctly darker than the one I had from years ago.

My most recent loose pony acquisitions were Petrol Poppy (aka Birthflower Poppy, who now no longer smells of petrol, thank goodness) and Tropical Breeze with her UK box, ribbon and comb.

Currently awaiting in the mail (Wretched Global Shipping), Sparkle Pony Twinkler (MO). When she arrives I will only be missing Baby Sugarcake and Scandinavian Cupcake to have a complete set of loose ponies sold in the normative lines in North America, Europe and the UK. Some of the later released ponies - Splish, Splash, Splosh, Liquorice, Candy, Lollipop etc - I have with original card and hairclip/float from new, though most of my early childhood ponies no longer have their cards .

My most htf pony is Baby Susie in Blossom's pose, as she is the only known one in existence.

My most special ponies are...the 68 I had as a child beginning with Rainbow Pony Windy in 1984.

Not all my ponies are mint because many were from childhood or acquired from carboot sales in a time when condition was less important to me than having a pony. Many of these have since been upgraded, so I have several doubles. I only upgrade a pony who really desperately needs it and then only with the utmost in perfection that I can find. I hate faded pink hair and hair cuts, but can live with minor marks and names on the hooves.

I started collecting in 1984 with Windy, I stopped for a while between 1994 and 1995, then went back to it by carbooting. I've been online since 1997 and online from home since 1998, after having met the first of many awesome trade partners, who brought a box of around 98 ponies for us for a mega-trade when she came to visit her family from the States. That trade partner is no longer with us (she passed away a couple of years ago) but she is still very dear in my heart and all the ponies that came from her have a special memory, in particular my Baby Shady, who she sent to me for my sixteenth birthday in February 1998.

My first ever online trade was Mimic (for Gypsy) and Best Wishes (I forget who for), and my first ever ebay buy purchase was Sea Breeze (no shell) for $5 plus $4 shipping

I think that about covers it!

[Sunset]

I collect G1, G3, and G4.  I tend to concentrate on what ever is in stores at the time, so right now G4.  However, I do love finding ponies in the wild and will generally buy ponies of any gen if the price is right.  It's a treasure hunt and I love the idea of stumbling across ponies I don't have or of something really rare.   I buy what ever catches my fancy.

[Skeen]

I collect G1 and MOC G2, and mostly I buys whatever I likes.  For a while it was princess accessories.  Then it was sea pony floaties and then brushes and combs.  Always nirvanas though.   

[PinkiePosh]

G1- My favorites, whatever I come across! I have some favorite series I want to complete. medium-priority
G2- whatever I come across for cheap, low-priority
G3- all of it, high priority. anything I dont have, every pose, MIB, mint condition. Accessories are a lower priority because I don't display them unless the pony can wear them.
G4- I only have two build a bear plushies, both were gifts. no priority.

[achab1984]

I like to collect G1, G3 and G4 ponies. I was never into the G2 and G3.5 ones.

I collect the G1 ponies when I see a good deal on them. Or if there is one that I have to have. I don't buy them as much due to the price being higher on them.

I love to collect NIB G3 ponies. I have a few loose ones that did not come in a small box. If they came with a building I would buy the pony loose. I am not into collecting buildings.

As for G4 ponies, I like to collect and keep them all NIB. I only collect the ponies that are brushable.

I don't to crazy when it comes to my collection. I like to keep it simple. 

[tikibirds]

I really don't anymore. All my ponies are in NY and I am...not even in North America at the moment.
I have several hundred ponies consisting of G1, G3 and G4.

[Sky_Rocket]

Wrote down a list of what I missing G1 wise from my collection, and focused on that.  Then did a list of what I missing for international ponies, focused on that.  That was about 15 years ago.  From there, I buy what catches my eye.  Things that are cool i.e. sewing machines, purses, accessories.  I should start focusing on upgrading, but I've not been buying for a few years now.


G2's - only MOC or MIB, with the main focus being on the twins.  Specifically Click and Nosey.

G3's & G4's - whatever I find second hand. I'm not going outta my way to buy them.  Unless they are the giant plushes from Australia. 


Second hand shopping - I'll buy what I see.
Ebay - I buy what I know I'll never find second hand.

[Sukey]

I collect G1 ponies that I like and sometimes I complete sets only if I like all the ponies in the set. I don't collect accessories or MOC(although I wouldn't pass one up in the wild for a good price). I have half of my pony collection on the living room and half in the bedroom. The collection in the living room outgrew their shelves in the living room and I couldn't fit another bookcase/DVD case in the living room, so the overflow is in the bedroom. All my other 80's toys are in the living room.

[hathorcat]

I much prefer and aim to collect loose & complete ponies - so ponies with all of their accessories. However I also collect MOC/MIB. All G1. My collection is complete - so all the ponies

The other gens I collect only the ponies I like - much more choosy

[Haruna]

Everyone has such a unique take on collecting! As for me, I collect G1 actively, and I usually buy ponies in lots and sell the ones that I already have or don't want in order to get a good deal on them. I buy most of my ponies online; I don't seem to find ponies locally all that often, although it's not impossible. My rule of thumb: Buy ponies I like. I don't want to complete sets, thankfully, as this is good for my wallet! I'm usually just into U.S. and European releases, which is also good for my wallet; I don't collect Greek, Mexican, Brazilian ponies, etc. I guess the one exception would be Brazilian Baby Lofty, who I've wanted for a while. If I ever get her, maybe she'll suck me into the Nirvana world.

I like certain accessories, like bandanas and sea pony floats and Pocket Pals. I don't have a pony room, so my ponies and my sister's ponies are haphazardly everywhere -- in our room, there's an awkward shelf/basket for my favorites, hers are in her dollhouse (poor dolls) or on her DVD shelf, others are in containers under the bed or the closet (G3s and G2s are currently in the closet, except for my favorites), and some ponies are on the shelf with my Breyers, on the bookshelf, or on the nightstand and such in the guest room. I think I need a better display solution!