LOL! I am almost 70 and still collect. Black Series, Neca, etc., etc. When people criticize and say I should grow up. I say why? I am not finished with adolescence yet. LOL! James 😁
I totally agree but also, I think for me it's deeper than that. For me, being a kid was the happiest time of my life. My memories of growing up are amazing. I'd go back in a heartbeat. It's when you get to a certain age and 'grow up' that lifes not quite as fun. To still be able to have the things that made peoples childhoods so amazing and hold fond memories must be what it's all about. We all love a bit of nostalgia whether it's an old track from back in the day or a TV show we all loved or a favourite holiday destination, we hold onto those things because they brought us joy. Growing up doesn't mean we have to let go of that, it just means we can appreciate it more and hell, right now we all need more joy in our lives!
Agreed. I collect toys because l myself want to relieve my childhood and those childhood years were the best time of my life. So, if l have the money I am going to buy. You can never take that away from anyone. The nostalgia and childhood memories majority collect toys for that reason. I collect transformers, classified Gi joe and Motu. Motu and transformers were my main toys l collected in my childhood and l couldn't get the figures l got now back then as a kid growing up because l didn't have the money back then.
I like the yard sale, flea market, thrift store 90's toys because I was born in 85. I put it away neatly and perhaps one day my son can sell it all in a time of need 😅
I’m 48 I’ve been collecting for as long as I could remember. I have 4 daughters married for 23 years and I will die collecting. Figures,retro consoles,and thing that reminds me of my youth. It’s great my kids love it.
45 and still proudly collecting toys! Last time someone challenged that I was too old to collect toys was a TRU cashier of all people. I kindly pointed out if thier opinion was that important I could take my money elsewhere :) Another great TTT episode for the books.
How rude!!! I'd like to tell them if their opinion mattered they wouldn't be here cashing me out right now lol. Did you know Mike Tyson was an avid collector of the old 90's Toy Biz Marvel figures?
I once got someone on eBay pull out the "You must be a virgin with no job who lives in your parents basement" card when i was making a offer on the price of a vintage toy he had listed. A lot of people do like to resort to popular stereotypes when they hear about adults collecting toys.
@@trembledust6819 It was a bloke, he spoke like a high school Jock and made some big point of remarking how much fun he has with his wife, it was very immature and childish.
I would have said to him “I was there for the births of both of my children, and unlike you, in the case of your children, I was also present for their conception”
First time catching your channel and I am now a subscriber. I'm 47 and I have no shame in collecting toys at my age. I stopped collecting toys for awhile because I was caught up in reading and collecting comic books, but now toys and toy hunting are my thing again. I've collected toys throughout my life and now It's a hobby that I truly enjoy doing more than ever before. There's just something about that thrill of the hunt. I'm big into MOTU, TMNT and Macfarlane Toys among other things. And lots of vintage stuff.
Great video, man. You're right on, the people who rip on others for a hobby or interest like toy collecting are the immature ones. They are indeed stuck in a very basic, adolescent mindset. They are likely very boring people. I've struggled with the issue of having confidence in my collecting. It is certainly not the norm among my friends/family/peer group. I'm learning that self-confidence and being comfortable in one's own skin is a real mark of being an "adult". If you're a collector and it inspires you, brings you joy, brings good relationships into your life etc., etc. , embrace it fully and proudly. I'll work on taking my own advice haha.
If i am honest as a adult toy collector i do often feel slightly embarrassed when i look around toy shops, vintage toy stores, i shouldn't feel embarrassed as its my hobby but a lot of people are so judgemental. When i am on a video call for work i will hide my toy collection from sight .. i worry they will judge me for it, i only share the hobby with close family and friends.
Forget them brother I’m 43 and it’s a hobby I love.. my fiancé said come on your to old I said look would you like me pickin up girls or stay collecting my collectibles she said never mind your not that old
@@lossiiburns Thanks for the support :) , i am getting braver with it these days. Sadly i work for a very traditional (Conservative) employer so if i showed them the real me outside of work they probably couldnt take it lol :)
I feel that but you shouldn’t feel that way. You only live once, those people can’t come with you when you die, so make yourself happy and enjoy the ride before you leave earth
Thanks so much for checking out the latest Toy Talk episode, seems like this one deffo connected with a lot of people. Impossible to reply to everyone but thanks for getting involved in the chat below, absolute legends! What should we chat about next week???
I’m nearly 40 and work with mostly 20 year olds. I know they think I’m a weirdo for collecting action figures, but they are all gamers and anime kids and thats totally acceptable in our society now hahah
@@KunaiLeech That's awesome! It's a great hobby I hope you stick with it. It's very rare for a 16 year old to collect toys from the 80's. That would have been like me in the 90's collecting toys from the 40's and 50's. Slinkies, wooden ducks with wheels, and silly putty.
I’m 56 and still hunting shit down….recently been going around B&M stores trying to buy the latest Character Options Dr who releases before the scalpers get em all 😂..great vid👍
I’m 41 going on 12 again and I’m loving it. I still hold down my job pay bills and love my wife and kids. Toy collecting is not only a hobby but a community that I enjoy very much. I quit drinking and doing drugs. I quit building hotrods and racing motorcycles. I find my main purpose in my life through God and family but toys are a passion that follows closely and I don’t care what anyone says.
I loved my action figures since I was a kid. It was a safe space for me before "safe space" was a thing. Playing with my figures for hours in the corner of the living room between the couches. I miss those days. Then I got rid of my figures and moved on to Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards from junior high through college. Now, as an adult, I'm back to toy collecting. Nostalgia sells. And having that figure collection in my apartment makes me feel at peace. It gives me a certain level of comfort.
This spoke to me. I am an Anime figure sculptor. Professional. I have some of my own sculpts in my room. All grey prototypes. I get comments when I invite people over (not my friends) Like why do you have these grey anime thingies in your room? Arent you to old for anime? I tell them my job is making them and these are prototypes. They then immediately change to: Oh? I think youre bit too old to make anime toys and little girls. Pls change career or make dragons. No wtf. I just told them its my job and I like my job. Why the fuck is it acceptable to tell someone to change careers because of cringe in the art department but no one bats an eye if I would just be in a boring ass office job making schedule excels
33 here, still collecting toys, still wearing the same clothes I did when I was 20, it makes me happy, who cares what anyone who thinks? Thanks for the video brother!
55 year-old female toy collector and photographer here. Barbies, Legos, action figures...I love that there are great, supportive communities where everyone is welcome and can talk about what brings them joy and keeps them young. RU-vid, Facebook, Instagram...toy lovers of every age are everywhere!!
A former friend told me I should pack in toy collecting to find a wife, my response was , if woman can’t at least accept my hobby she isn’t the woman for me, even if someone doesn’t share your interests they should respect you enough to accept you as you are
Just turned 38 recently and always been a nerd (video games, comic books, superhero movies, science fiction, ect) and toy collecting is something I just started. Healthy collection of Neca, Mcfarlane and TMNT sets. Its fun, love the hunt and it gets me away from all of the stress and rigors of the world.
Theo there's more than just Toy collecting to your personality.To me you look like you also can Rap or have something big going on with music.Your a diverse and universal man & I enjoy this channel.
I turned 53 three days ago and I've been collecting since 1997. It's quite a thrill for me to search and replace something awesome from my childhood or even something new to add to my collection. As far as looking around the toy isle,I'm aware that it might seem weird to some people that a man of my age is shopping for toys but I absolutely couldn't care less.
I’m nearly 50 and i’ve been a collector since i was (roughly) 16. I was unaware that enjoyment came with an expiry date. Someone else’s opinion of what YOU like doing is completely irrelevant and means nothing to you. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Their opinion of what you should and shouldn’t do shows a lot of ignorance on their part. My comeback is often like: “So i could be a miserable twat like you?”…..that shuts them up quick smart. I’ve done all the “adult” and “grown up” stuff (still doing it). I’m married, i’m a dad and all that stuff. My mortgage is paid off and yet i collect toys from so many brands (vintage and modern) and i don’t give a shit what others think about it.
Great video, I agree with everything you said. I'd also ads that teying to stop people collecting toys doesn't work. When I was about 12 and twlking about a toy I wanted, my dad said, "We said no more toys", to which I replied, "No, you said no more toys". More than 30 years on I'm still collecting toys. I think all toy collectors maintain that sense of wonder and imagination we had as kids which is actually a very special thing.
"The most mature thing you can do is own who you are." Fucking nailed it right there mate. I gave up giving any credibility to others' judgement of my collecting, especially people that aren't close to me, but provided you're not neglecting your responsibilities as an adult (which you rightly point out), how can anyone take the piss out of you for being self-aware enough to pursue something that genuinely makes you happy as fuck. On a separate matter, something I'm always curious about which could potentially be a Toy Talk Tuesday topic: as someone who has been collecting most of their life like yourself, do you have ways that you track or keep tabs on what you have in your collection so that when you're on the hunt you know what you have and what you don't? I think back to your recent search for a Muckman trashcan backpack accessory, it sounds like you have a good grasp on small parts you need to complete figures in your collection, so I'd be curious to know how you keep a handle on this. Anyways I appreciate the awesome videos you pump out!
Having a thick skin and not caring about conventional opinions helps. Those jerks aren't paying your bills ,so why should you take their flak ? Otherwise do your best to keep things clean and curated to elevate the readability of the collection for whatever reason we love it . Also there are a lot worse things in the world to sink money into.
In my opinion do whatever you want to stay afloat in this depressing world. Lots of people have no hobbies, and it shows especially when they are alone. Don't let people take away your happiness because they don't understand it.
I am not a collector but I like to check check in and watch videos from collectors, I am an 80's kid. There are worse things out there for people to fall into and certain toy lines seem like fun to hunt for.
I used to get this stigma from people a lot back when I was a teenager, but it was where collecting comic books was concerned. I've collected comic books since I was 4--nearly 50 years kids, so I've seen and heard a lot of commentary on my hobby. In my teen years, I'd hear, "You're too old for "funny books!" and "Those things are just for little kids, aren't they?" My reply? Well, it was usually something like...." No, comic books USED to be for kids a long, long time ago--back when you were young! However, things have changed a lot since those olden, golden days of yor!" LOL. That usually ended all that. Most people don't want to hear that they're getting old. If a 'grown-up' continued with more comments such as: "Aren't you afraid what people are going to think?" My reply was usually something like: "To be honest, I'm always surprised when people actually bother to think at all! Most just coast on misinformation, and make crackpot judgements about others, so I generally don't care much about the test patterns that go through their tiny brains!"
Effing Hell, Theo! I love how animated you are on this subject. Truth be told, there aren't many young toy collectors(they'll own for two years and then flip on ebay), you need the nostalgia gene to kick in say 30s to 50s in the main, 60s is a cool place for collectors if they have the coin for it if they've had a nice life. Was at Cosmic toys near you a few weeks ago and there were no kids in there, but what an effing amazing shop and owner.
First time viewer here and I loved the video! Dude I really dig how real you bring it man! I just subscribed and look forward to all the great content. I was born in 74 so I enjoy collecting 70’s and 80’s toys. But honestly if I think it’s cool I will add it to my collection. Keep up the good work.
Great video! I built model kits from the age of 9 until 17 and thought I was done with that and the adult me wishes now the teen me didn't throw out over 100 model cars....oh well I've made up for that now lol
The thing is people get caught up on the whole idea that toys are just for kids. The way I see it collecting toys is the same as collecting coins or lighters for example. I collect figures as well as books/comics. I find it ridiculous that one of these is seen as ok but the other "childish". And for those who judge us I feel that they're just jealous that they don't have cool hobbies like us. 😂
As a child, I would collect toys, comics & vhs tapes that later turned into my dvd collection, but my Mom always said, “Well, it could be worse. At least I’m not into drugs!” So I was always allowed to collect these things & I did up until four years ago when my Dad died from cancer, then I had to move to a far away city to live with my family. That’s when my life quickly changed forever.
66 and still collecting started in 1972.$200 dollar today spent at game stop on boglins,great clearance prices,in the 60’s my dad would not let me have a 12” GI joe said it was a doll.keep collecting as long as the family is provided for,and always leave some for the kids and other collectors.it’s the hunt.great video,keep on keeping on
Yeah definitely they are immature, maybe also insecure when they see someone is just doing their thing and pursuing something they enjoy, maybe they were discouraged from pursuing or doing something they enjoy or felt passionate about, felt they "had to give it up" and rather than pursue their passions they tell themselves things are immature and they've"grown out of it" it's like they haven't grown up, because like you say part of growing up is actually being and embracing who you are , it's like they've grown old instead, they aren't in touch with who they are. As the quote goes "we don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing". Imagination and the ability to play are such undervalued components of our being in society and that's really sad because they are so important, fantastic and just fun.
I'm a 50 year old toy collector and I certainly can relate, to many of your thoughts. you never to old to collect toys,toys are tools of the imagination,and very important to the grow'ing development of a childs mind.or the adult collector who places great value on them, and gaze'es at them on the shelf every day. or simply collects them for investment purposes, and keeps them carded. Toys will always be valuable either as an investment, or simply playing with them with your child.plain and simple usually the kind of people who throw this stigma, at toy collectors. are furiously jealous when they see a massive toy collection.
I’m 48 I’ve been collecting for over 25 years. Only the season collector can afford and find that toy or figure you’ve been looking for… remember the hunt is the real thrill… I will collect for awhile still someday I will sell all and have other people enjoy… that’s all it’s about in the end…
Collect whatever you want and let nobody tell you otherwise. I'm an adult as well and their's nothing wrong with buying a figure of a populair franchise i myself love Dragon Ball Z and Gundam and i do have a lot of those figures. This was a great video and i agree 100% with you keep up the great work👍 And greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱
I'm 47 and I collect Transformers and Joes. When I was like 14 I started hiding my figures when my mother's friend would visit and bring her daughter. It didn't matter if I didn't hide them. She was not interested in me anyway and she loved NES games. I just didn't want to come off as being a kid ( even though we technically were! ). Word of advice, don't worry about what other's say or how they feel about you. Low Key they are probably jealous cause they have to put on a false face to fit in with people around them. I LOVE collecting and probably won't stop anytime soon. I have a good job, my wife and I are home owners, our kids are either off in college or military and I have a decent job making around $22 an hour. Our vehicles are paid off. Trust me! We are not hurting and apparently we are doing something right. Keep spending your money on your expensive $200,000+ home or your expensive cars. We live within our budget and are happy.
I stopped playing with my figures when I was 14 but I still collect em I'm almost 30 I still love to pose them in combat like settings I love it plus they inspire me to keep hitting the gym and 1 day get as muscular as them but my rule is if u can afford it and your bills are paid and family is taken care of get yours and love what you do kings and queens God bless u all and have fun
You stopped playing with your figures at 14 but you still love to pose them in combat settings? I have some news for you, you're still playing with them.
yes most of these people that tell you to "grow up" or that "you should not collect toys" - often more so than not... behave like scwobbling, fighting arguing and immature children themselves..
I collect toys to a certain extent. I mean if I walked into someone’s house and say toys all over the house, it feels a little weird. I have a small collection in my basement in a corner of a few action figures but I’m actually thinking of selling them to make room for gym equipment. I think seeing people still collecting toys is a mental maturity thing. People really won’t take you serious it’s like when are you going to do grown up stuff? A high percentage of these huge toy collectors don’t have kids don’t own a house they rent or live at home don’t have a serious relationship and the amount of dust toys collects is insane. I’m not saying don’t collect toys, but keep a balance to show maturity. I wear Jordan sneakers but I have 4 pairs and I also wear a huge boss when I’m out to a special event. I mean if you have kids and you’re collecting toys, how can your kid take you serious when you’re supposed to be the adult? Mean while you’re still living in your past. It’s okay to share a few things from your past with you kids but not fill up a whole house. Have some balance is all im saying but also grow at the same time.
Yeah. The room that looks like a toy store shelf from floor to ceiling is always a sad sight. I just see a guy who lost his grip and slid into some obsession. That said I have about 100 Transformers scattered around the house lol.
You hit the nail on the head, my friend. You are never to old to collect anything and never to young to start. I'm 52 and I collect nothing but Hasbro Marvel Legends. I've been collecting them even through the ToyBiz years since I was 35 off and on through the decades. I've never given af about what people thought of me collecting. No matter what you collect, if it makes you happy then do it. As another collector/RU-vidr Plastic Addict says, "Collect what you love, love what you collect". I collect Hasbro MLs because I love all things Marvel. It's asmr. Epic video, my friend.
That s really interesting this video cause I m 48’ and i promise myself to stop collecting after 50’ years old then left 2 more Glorious years to Hunting after just Enjoy it for rest of my life with good memories .. lool
Just found your channel and love your videos. I hate when people stereotype and say your to old to be doing that . I always respond with what I am not suppose to have fun anymore , if we embraced in some child like behaviours maybe it would be a better world. Keep up the great work
I think as long as you don't slip into harmful escapism or hoarding then it shouldn't matter but I could see that when adults interests overlap with young people's spaces, it could seem weird and raise a lot of red flags. Also, you could seem emotionally stunted to others and honestly I can see why they would think that. I don't think you should just stop your hobby, but let's all be realistic. Typically no one wants to see a grown dude in the toy aisle unless he has kids. A display of figures on the shelf, unless it's done in a really immaculate and clean way, probably screams to most non-collectors as cringe. Paradoxically, it's probably never been a better time to be a collector with online shopping and second markets, as well as toy conventions and toy stores which are clearly catering to an older fanbase. So do you, accept the stigma and do the toy community a favor by presenting yourself as a respectable collector and not some creepy man child. Make sure your toy collecting isn't masking any untreated mental illness. So long as you're a healthy adult, there's no reason you can't be an adult toy collector.
Bruv take a breath in between a sentence, you were on fire 😂Let me just say, I just had another kid so I will have one more person to share my hobby with. I don't give two shits about the hating wankers. Great video, peace! ✌
Do what you love as long as it remains a healthy hobby and fuck the judgment. End of. I do at times struggle with pretty harsh self-judgment. "Man, look at you. In your 30s getting giddy over buying pieces of plastic junk. What's wrong with you? You don't need to waste that money/space doing this childish nonsense. Grow up." But then I would realize that negative self-talk was ALL the outside influence of how society looks at stuff like this and not a real belief I held. I'm a very casual toy collector and I do it because it's fun and lifts my spirits. I had growing pains with it as far as learning to manage the impulse buys and cultivating etc, but overall it's the most benign shit in the word to do as a hobby. Like you said, as long as you're level-headed about it who gives a shit? Do what what you want.
I'm a Zillennial and I would love to get my hands on some Monster High dolls and a Sinclair C5 bike. I would love to live in a solar powered RV trailer or a Futuro home. I need to find a Imac G3.
I just turned 38 and I stil collect action figures.i know I'm to old but I don't care what people think. cause it's kind of nostalgia and part of my childhood.its all about what makes people happy,I am a hard working guy so I earn the things i like.
I'm 45 and although not heavily into collecting toys I am really into RC cars, and it's the same thing with that. People raise their eyebrows and give you a smirk because they think they're supposed to be just for kids.
Toys are like mini affordable articulate art statues for adults. We don't play with them, at least I don't, we just like to see the characters we like.
I’m 46 and part of why I collect is to keep my late brother’s memory alive, but I love them in their own right now. The bug bit me. I did once got someone who literally could not believe, found it jaw-dropping, that I didn’t want her to randomly hand out random toys to her boys when they came to visit, without asking me or checking it was ok. I finally told her not to do it, and she called me selfish and puerile. She honestly thought the only reason I had them was so my friend’s kids could chuck them at the wall with sticky hands and lose the weapons out in the garden! Anyway, she stopped coming round so much then, and stopped coming around at all after a while I think it was her that was in the wrong. I honestly do.
I'M 60....still a "collector".....wear New Rocks..Osiris skater trainers...flared jeans...Cut-Off Denim Jacket covered in Stoner Rock /Doom Patches...70's hair...lmao....even make Embroidered Patches for Bands for a livin'...just acquired a set of HOUSE OF A 1000 CORPSES Figures...super stoked.....love Planet of the Apes....n wanna make some ROLLERBALL & DEATH RACE 2000 FIGURES!!....;-)
i had never collected toys until last year (iam now 53) then i seen some dragon 1/6 scale Falkland's war figures it took me 6 months and well over £1000 but i found all 9 figures (complete & boxed) now iam after the Austin powers figures & other toys - doing ok with that line and enjoying it all the best m8
Great video Theo as always. I started collected transformers in my mid twenties and have continued to collect them as well as branching out. I have faced that "too old" scenario many a times, but stuff em, I would rather spend the cash on figures that piddling on a wall on a Saturday night.
I know I'm not the only 40 yr old collecting masters of the universe in '22. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's momma sold all their stuff in a yard sale back in the early 90s either 😂
That's great.im 38 and I started collecting star wars black series and tvc.i only been collecting about 2 years ago and got a nice collection.i did start branching out to neca and legends and I'm starting to collect master of the universe revelations figures and my first one was skelegod.i wanted to get he man first but skelegod was only 15 bucks.i also want to get some of those neca tmnt figures,there expensive but awesome.
I find it strange that so many people know others who say they shouldn't be buying toys. Who is telling you this? It has to be projection. No one ever told me I shouldn't buy toys in my life.
Buying and collecting toys is a pretty innocuous habit really. As long as your given ‘interest’ doesn’t harm either yourself or others…who cares really? Is it a bit sad and immature?…yeah…a little, but no less so than grown men crying at sporting events. If you earn your money through your own graft and toil, it’s nobody’s damn business what you choose to spend it on. One thing I will say in favour of buying/collecting rota nowadays is that the level of quality and craftsmanship is really incredible. They are now at the level I always wished they were when I was a kid. There is one downside to all this though, is that I feel the pricing is now geared at adults mostly, and I’m sure there are a lot of poor kids who would love to own, say Hot-Toys Star Wars figure or something…and that is just totally beyond their reach.
I'm a 47-year-old guy who still has a collection like Transformers, G.I. Joe and some dolls, and I don't get rid of them until I don't show interest in them anymore, maybe I'd get rid of my collection when I'm close to retirement by that time. but as long as they gives me pleasure and happiness, in my life I'll keep collecting them, and don't let anyone tell you what you should and shouldn't do with your life, we only life once so take the best out of it while you can.
I’m 43, married with 2 kids, a mortgage and a local government job and collect 2 lines right now. I don’t tell everybody about it but I also don’t care what they think
