Is having an army of ponies selfish? let's discuss

[Taffeta]

This makes me wonder whether there is someone out there with a Cha Cha army just keeping them all hidden away from me?

This makes me wonder in a broader sense how many sleeping collections there are out there...people who collected back in the old days when they were cheaper but no longer do...but who have not sold up their items and still have them (either in storage or because they still love them but are no longer actively collecting).

I think probably more of the htf ponies are tied up in those collections than in armies, but it would be interesting to know.

[Carrehz]

I guess there are people that collect without being part of any of the communities, too. I collected on and off for years before joining here, I'm sure I can't be the only one... Maybe some of the HTFs are in "private" collections like that?

(Personally I consider an army any collection of a certain character. I don't go in for collecting multiples of the same toy - unless they can be customized/differentiated somehow, like, a doll can be redressed - but I consider my hoard of Pinkies an army ^^)

[Taffeta]

I guess there are people that collect without being part of any of the communities, too. I collected on and off for years before joining here, I'm sure I can't be the only one... Maybe some of the HTFs are in "private" collections like that?

(Personally I consider an army any collection of a certain character. I don't go in for collecting multiples of the same toy - unless they can be customized/differentiated somehow, like, a doll can be redressed - but I consider my hoard of Pinkies an army ^^)

I am thinking more of the people who were here and who are no longer, but who still have their ponies.

I know of at least one such in the UK, and there must be more.

[starstrider]

I've never really understood why some people collect armies of ponies. I mean, to each their own - we all collect for different reasons and have different goals.  And I'm never going to give another collector a hard time over having different collecting goals. But pony armies do perplex me. If they are all variants and nirvanas I think that doesn't really count, because they're all different from each other. But collecting multiples of the exact same pony genuinely puzzles me. Did the army begin as a single pony which got upgraded a dozen times? Is the collector striving for world domination using a clone pony army? Help me to understand!

[Artemesia's Garden]

This makes me wonder whether there is someone out there with a Cha Cha army just keeping them all hidden away from me?

This makes me wonder in a broader sense how many sleeping collections there are out there...people who collected back in the old days when they were cheaper but no longer do...but who have not sold up their items and still have them (either in storage or because they still love them but are no longer actively collecting).

I think probably more of the htf ponies are tied up in those collections than in armies, but it would be interesting to know.

There is a girl I know who lived over the road from me growing up who had every Euro and UK release, and a lot of the USA ones too.  Her parents converted the attic for her. I know whe's not active and never looks at them, nor will she sell them. My sister gossips 

Post Merge: January 05, 2020, 09:57:30 AM

I've never really understood why some people collect armies of ponies. I mean, to each their own - we all collect for different reasons and have different goals.  And I'm never going to give another collector a hard time over having different collecting goals. But pony armies do perplex me. If they are all variants and nirvanas I think that doesn't really count, because they're all different from each other. But collecting multiples of the exact same pony genuinely puzzles me. Did the army begin as a single pony which got upgraded a dozen times? Is the collector striving for world domination using a clone pony army? Help me to understand!

For me it's because they are never exactly the same. I have two Powders because they have different eye colours, one is darker than the other. Also, I've got an army of Peachy's because I always wanted her as a kid but my sister got her instead. Their hearts always seem to be different colours or hoof stamps etc. so I can't bear to part with any of them.

[Carrehz]

I guess there are people that collect without being part of any of the communities, too. I collected on and off for years before joining here, I'm sure I can't be the only one... Maybe some of the HTFs are in "private" collections like that?

(Personally I consider an army any collection of a certain character. I don't go in for collecting multiples of the same toy - unless they can be customized/differentiated somehow, like, a doll can be redressed - but I consider my hoard of Pinkies an army ^^)

I am thinking more of the people who were here and who are no longer, but who still have their ponies.

I know of at least one such in the UK, and there must be more.

oh, I know, I just meant maybe there are 'private' collectors *as well* as inactive collectors.

[Taffeta]

I guess there are people that collect without being part of any of the communities, too. I collected on and off for years before joining here, I'm sure I can't be the only one... Maybe some of the HTFs are in "private" collections like that?

(Personally I consider an army any collection of a certain character. I don't go in for collecting multiples of the same toy - unless they can be customized/differentiated somehow, like, a doll can be redressed - but I consider my hoard of Pinkies an army ^^)

I am thinking more of the people who were here and who are no longer, but who still have their ponies.

I know of at least one such in the UK, and there must be more.

oh, I know, I just meant maybe there are 'private' collectors *as well* as inactive collectors.

Ah...yeah, probably that's true too. Especially now with so many separate social media 'communities', whereas in the past it was much more of a central collecting hub online. Though there were always people I knew who collected and not online...just from local carboot sales. So that's a possibility too.

Artie's right as well, there can be variations between ponies. Or other reasons for keeping multiples of the same pony. I have a few doubles who live with me because they belonged to a childhood friend and so obviously I wouldn't sell those.

[UrocyonFox]

I have mixed feelings on this.

On one hand I am all for people buying things they like, I myself have a few 'armies' of certain ponies but they primarily focus on variets/customs/etc, but before that I remember really liking a pony that I found out is pretty common in people's armies.

I went to a meet and an individual who had an army of a pony I really liked and wanted bought all of them that anyone had there at the meet, leaving everyone (myself included) from being able to get that pony. It left a bad taste in my mouth and some hurt feelings, like "aw man you have an army of that one and some of us don't have it at all and would like to have it" and I remember some people having it on their table and when you said "oh dang I need that one" the response was "sorry i'm holding it for that person who has an army of them" So that was a little off putting as well.

BUT that being said, I think maybe I was taking it personal when it wasn't something personal at all.

I was jealous about armies of that pony for a bit there, I remember starting my own armies and looking back I wondered if I was doing it because I liked having so many of the same one or if it was the feeling hurt about past experiences. After this self-realization I ended up getting rid of any that were duplicates that weren't different/customs/variants/etc. I still like the ponies I have armies of, but as mentioned above the focus is not on customs, variants, poses, etc and not just a repeat of the same pony a million times (maybe its also that I just don't have the space?) who knows.

*shrugs* now i'm at a point where I have ponies that I like and wanted so when I see someone with an army I don't feel bad about it cause maybe thats what they like, and I have the ponies I want/like.

Maybe its also about how you present it? Like if you're someone and you say "Hey I love this pony look at my collection of it! I really love it and its my favorite" thats ok, but I have seen the "I am the #1 biggest fan of this pony, no one loves it more than me, see how many I have, I will get them all one day so no one else will ever have them"

I dunno, its a touchy subject I'm sure, but at this point in my life armies don't bother me. You do you babes!

[BlackCurtains]

I've never really understood why some people collect armies of ponies. I mean, to each their own - we all collect for different reasons and have different goals.  And I'm never going to give another collector a hard time over having different collecting goals. But pony armies do perplex me. If they are all variants and nirvanas I think that doesn't really count, because they're all different from each other. But collecting multiples of the exact same pony genuinely puzzles me. Did the army begin as a single pony which got upgraded a dozen times? Is the collector striving for world domination using a clone pony army? Help me to understand!

I have a small Raincurl Army. They're technically all the same but still different There is one I bought when I first started collecting. A gift from a friend. My childhood Raincurl who was lost in storage for the longest time. A faded and rehaired in alternate colors Raincurl. And a MOC one. I also have a few different customs of her. If I was to find one at a flea market or something, I would absolutely buy her and add her to my army. I've never seen one in the wild and would be very excited to find her. So, they can be all the same pony, but still have meaningful differences if not physical ones. Granted, my "army" is quite small. I don't go looking on eBay for all the Raincurls... mainly because I can't afford it