How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Over another topic the readers got into a discuss of how big is your collection. I decided to move it over here and then I will add some comments on my collection.
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Erwin Sell Introduction
LOL.I don’t think that number, but trust me I’m insane. I had reduce many doubles as far foreign in long years selling. Still I have to get too many big boxes still to search. One day!!!.
New productions still around I go slow and not much, I had skip some sets others not. I do not skip short run production like Russians high value sets as I know they will not be around for long.
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Space
The good part about yours and most you guys could enjoy best as small but space to set display. I had not time and or space. My house is the smaller of three I use to storage. Because of my daughter and my work I keep the inside house minus office and basement or attics clean of toys. I do not enjoy them as I not have time.
So that is a bad part for me now. I only enjoy talking here most and when I have to go mission 1,2,3 or 4 to look for them for pictures for Stads forum as made me dig out.
My brother only does trains He uses a section of his basement. wWile I did not use with mine in his house(his house is big) one flat floor chalet style. I admire his train layout. Which photos one day here, maybe admin will like show it.
I mention my brothers as he often pull civilian figures from me ” free rented from my collection” for his train season scenes(he set 4 season) in a year.
Now he ask me for western lay out. opportunity to show all plastic building I got soon ,so as I mention in late spring I will get then out. He does not want much action. I told him I will lease my western stuff if he set a western battle in one part. He Agree!!
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Bill Nevins
About to and talking of Bill Nevins collection as he mention me.
Yes Bill does have a playset big selection and diverse, he should have photo and you tube it and post in internet.
Is amazing as far I had see only part in photo he send me. He had then well see in temperatures to conserve the boxes/toys. So admire it.
I never been his house, will one day if he let me of course.
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Others
I know of others and I can attest Admin=Paul has an amazing array figures I had never see before .He may talk much more of it…
As I know he had go UK and central Europe several time as well 80s trip to Mexico and others he had got stuff we never see before and he is and should be credited with bringing most info of those brands plus connection for to be retailers in the molds else.
Admin cover cartons and charters that I do not and is great. I believe Paul does not collect full set poses. In many as he goes more for pose or personal like of specific figures. His collection is huge as well.
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Foreign
From abroad I know of three main book writers and collectors that own huge collection. I had seen in photos and video parts of theirs. Yet most European collectors I know are my age with exception of Herminia from Spain and his huge collection. Most European.
To be honest I do not know one would know who has more or largest in single pose collection per figure.
So when I see or read (a person who has the largest collection!) I see it with sketical view in my opinion.
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Final Comments
Because the many facts to be look at to consider it as largest. Few up here know what others really have. There is some millionaire out there that thenself and their son barrely get in touch with us here and had amaze huge amount figures,who knows what they have.
I personally considered have a lot my self ,yet not bluff about it much not saying largest at all. I bet there plenty others with much more.
Also considered many factors as ,range,eras ,sizes-scales ,material. If comics and heroes figures are among collection. There are many other facts that play a big role in to how relate.consider it a toy soldiers or general toy figurines collection.
I which I could have more, but not enough money not time and or space. By time I retired I probably will be very alone here with few to talk.
Yet in Europe is more in my range age. But who knows.
I’m collecting since 12 years old. I will tell how I start so young collection is a sad first but happy after history.
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Stad’s Comments
In regards to single figure collection at one time Barrie Blood of the UK had the largest. He had at one point 25,000 figures. He sold his collection to John Begg. At the moment the person with the largest single figure collection is Andreas Dittmann.
My collection is much much smaller due to selling to pay bills and no longer wanting the figures. Erwin is correct I look for single pose due my stories I did as a child. I am not a completist. I do not count my Superheroes in toy soldier collection.
There are millinaires and famous people who collect figures. I have mention one German collector who is millionaire that has museum he is working on. He has thousands of Timpo Romans. He was able to get Timpo knights reproduced in his favorite football colors.
The bottom line is size of a collection is nothing. It is how much you enjoy it!
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Update Bill Nevins Collection
How Big Is Your Figure Playset Collection Greg Liska
Here is Greg’s collection
before I forget,,new here ,,How do I post photos-where,,thanks,,
I have what I would call several “sets”,,several hundreds of figures or more in each ,,with acc etc I accumulated made etc,,Alamo,,Zulu,,Colonial U S,,Foreighn legion,,civil war,,Tarawa,,figures from everyone,,My increasing numbers of painted plastics,,conversions are seperate and enjoyable as that,,The other is a few thousand old and new britains,,KC etc traditionals,,
Thanks to hard work,,and other efforts I have almost three rooms of my home 2nd floor for mine,,,,
The last line sums it up for me Paul. Ive been into Toy Soldiers since I was about 4 and they were my favourite toys when I was a kid. Although I had a couple of thousand figures from all eras thanks to my parents mainly, And although I had Great figures from Airfix,Timpo,Britains and a few others I was always frustrated that I couldn’t find more figures, But growing up in England I found that I could only find figures that were made in Britain and I didn’t even know if other countrys made toy soldiers, But then along came the Internet and I found A whole World of Great figures from all over the World, But that was in my 30s, So ive only been collecting foreign made figures for about 15 years or so. So I sold off much of my collection on ebay and as I stated before I concentrate on Ancient Medieval and Fantasy figures only. So considering I only collect figures in the range of 50mm to 60mm and I only like 1 to say 4 figures in the same pose, (Unless of course its a row of Archers or Spearmen in formation, I think my collection of about 4,500 isn’t to bad, And anyway as you say Paul who cares how big anyones collection is as long as you are happy with it. However saying that I would like to know the size of peoples collections just out of interest.
Well I as I say.
I mention just to respond. But I guess what makes u really happy is what u like and have and not how much or how many.
That is why I don’t count then.never will .
I don’t like do entire collection pictures. I do x this forum as information spread that is all.
I considered mine insane because so many eras but not interested in competition at all.
Best regards….
At a toy show I once saw a twisted bumper sticker on a car in the parking lot which said – “He who dies with the most toys wins”.
I sent in a few pix to Paul to show the size of my collection.
I’m fortunate in that I have more room than most people to store things.
I’ve also been around the hobby a long, long time.
Almost everything I have came from flea markets or leads that I got at flea markets.
I’ve been lucky in that I fell into three enormous collections in my life. Each one over 10,000 figures and the most I ever paid was 500 hundred bucks for it.
One collection was left to me in a will, by an old man I befriended at toy soldier shows.
The second was an entire garage full of Airfix, Britains Deetail and Timpo originals all still in boxes. It took me 9 trips in my van to get it all home.
A certain New England collector paid enough for me to buy my wife a brand new car!!
This was in the early ’80’s…before recasts were available.
And the third was just a few years ago. A flea market contact asked me to evaluate a large collection of metal toy soldiers. He was doing a house cleaning for a recently deceased merchant marine sailor. I bought 7 van loads of foreign plastic for $300.
I put pix of that stuff up a few years ago.
I plan on unloading most of this to fund my new Granddaughter’s education.
She’s 10 months. Hopefully I’ll have it sold by the time she’s ready for school.
I have put the photos up in the article.
I think one of the main things is having the space to display your collection, I always said that if I had a house big enough I would dedicate one or two rooms just for displaying my Toy Soldier collection, However as yet I dont have the space to do that. So they just come out now and again and usually in small numbers. However one day I will get them all out on display and take some photos and perhaps put them on here if Paul dosen’t mind of course. By the way Bill that is some collection you’ve got there, And some Great finds along the way.
Ahoy there, over the years I,ve had a large number of playsets and lose figures. I never counted them, but it was a lot. I,am working on my unofficial official 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea playset. Set encludes 5 character figures( nemo ,first mate, professor Aronax. c0nciel and ned land.Also about a dozen or so crew men,natives, and hated nation figures. Also various sea creatures.This is the set I wished Marx would have made. When I can I,ll send photos. Lester
I forgot to mention,a 1/32 scale nautilus. All figures are 1/32 scale. Lester
My collection looks pretty ‘OCD’ but it because of how I collect. I built units for battles; a Gebirgsjaeger Kompanie, a Bersaglieri company, and so on. Everything is in a plastic container and I have 4 sizes for different size units. They all stack well and I have shelves I built to hold them in my basement. Because I have everything so exact, I can say with certainty that I have just over 15,000 human figures. Most are WWII, but I have Ancients, Medieval, ACW, Alamo Mexicans, American Injuns, and AWI. I’ll spare you all the details of how many horses, horse drawn vehicles, armor, etc. I’ll send a few pics that show my shelves to Paul.
Compared to Bill’s collection I barely have anything, I used to have a lot more, not more than Bill, but quite a bit, it has shrunk down by maybe 1/2. It’s mostly loose type figures now rather than playsets. I do have playsets probably about 10. It’s really hard to gauge how many figures since many are at my partners house. If you count my HO Airfix it would sound more impressive in shear numbers. I’ve changed my collecting habits over the years so I don’t buy a lot for myself, but rather to convert or sell. I suspect my habit will change again once I start collecting Social Security next month on top of my fulltime job. I am going to try and reign myself in though.
I put Greg’s photos up.
The last time I did a full count of my 1/32 collection I had 15,342 figures, that was in October 2014; since then I’ve bought roughly a 1000 more figures (no accurate count).
I have just under 20,000 painted figures in my 1/72 collection – I never counted my unpainted guys for some strange reason but I have literally cases of unopened boxes of figures still on sprues I hope to get to one day with the brush. I would think this is abnormal but I know several other collectors who are in the same boat as I, even worse. I guess one of the reasons I don’t get so upset by this or that planned set being cancelled is I know I have so many figures waiting to be painted and/or assembled (particularly since I started painting my 1/32 collection) I could never paint all my figures and stuff in my expected lifetime – even if there was never another set produced.
My problem is storage and place to “play.” I’ve said this before but currently my stuff is stored in the smallest room in our house and was crammed full. Then, when my wife retired in December she had to bring all her stuff from her office home and the only place was my toy soldier room.
Before when I wanted to do something I’d go back into the storage room and pull out the containers with the figures I wanted and set them up on our large dining room table – take pics or whatever, then tear it down and put it all up again. Now I can’t even get to my stuff. Hopefully, it’s a temporary situation. Both my wife and I look forward to the day we can close in our back porch area and make it into “war” and “sewing” rooms. I give up on ever being able to get into one of the kids’ bedrooms.
I don’t share collections etc with too many but the best comment I ever came across was “I don’t know if I should be fascinated or concerned”…from a civilian,,we aren’t hoarders we are preservationists organized,,
My collection consists of several thousand 1/32 and 1/30 figures and a much higher number of 1/72 figures. I have several castles, buildings, mountains and forts, from Marx, Jean/Big and Airfix and Elastolin and assorted vehicles from various companies. I don’t really have a dedicated space to display them, so I just keep the more valuable ones in boxes in my computer room and the bulk are boxed in the garage. From time to time I go through the collection and set up a display on a table, but my wife strongly encourages me to take it down rather quickly. My dream is to have a dedicated room for my figures.
The pride of my collection would have to be my Timpo figures and western wagons and buildings.
Paul, That’s an interesting question.
What is the pride of your collection?
Perhaps it deserves it’s own thread.
I will doing an article on pride of the collection.
I have several items that our pride of my collection and will use them.
I could really use Greg to help me get organized. His system is really good and very practical.
My real problem is that I’m stuck between two houses. I have a dedicated 6 x 14 table sitting in my daughter’s basement. She lives in my old house. I moved next door.
Unfortunately, I had a torn quad muscle when we moved and I couldn’t supervise where I wanted things placed. It all just got thrown around
The picture you see of the attic, is where everything got moved too when we moved out. It’s packed with all sorts of things.
So, I can’t move the table until I make space up in the attic.
The table is hand made and has two layers of storage underneath it.
It’s really just 4 closet sliding doors nailed to wooden legs.
Once I get the taken apart and reassembled upstairs, I’ll be setting up all kinds of displays.
Anyway, that’s my dream.
Would not heat and cold of an attic have a negative effect on plastic and boxes?what about insurance,,Most companies have a small amount for
“collectables”having been thru that in a florida hurricane,,,
Not to me in over 15 years at all in any of my non painted figures from any age or brand and country made.Where i live is extremely cold vin winter and hot but not as down in summer.
Insurance is another history.
Very complicated issue.
Best is have it legally protected in my opinion. .
Best rewards.
Best regards….
Well said,,the ultimate nightmare being hit hard in a florida hurricane,,,”what should I take” looking around a collection room prior to evacuating before a cat five in my rather flimsy home”,,,Two big suitcases with the most valuable ,,heavy old soldiers etc,,,
The big insurance co with my “delux policy” says 500$ for collectables,,,,Nothing for ‘Paper’ ,,a prized military -specialty several hundred volume library,,By all means get specialty ,,itemized and category coverage if at all possible,,
Here’s the piece you big hitters need to complete your collections and die happy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deluxe-Reading-Battlewagon-ship-Store-Display-Rare-/322419480952?hash=item4b11b2d978:g:53oAAOSwnHZYWXMN
That price seems a bit excessive. A wee bit.
I will ask the seller if the price is in cuban pesos or NK money.?
Let see the response.
I bet the pricevis double his house now.
Unless is in as above mentioned not value foreing coin .
What IS the story on this guy and his prices??
Rockets and Torpedos fire, only $12.88. You’ll poke your eye out, kid.
This seller must be a guy whose wife put her foot down and demanded he liquidate his toy collection on eBay.
“I’m trying to sell it, Honey, but it just seems like nobody’s interested in my stuff!”
keep the collection,,put her on ebay
Ended, now selling a boxed for $4995.00 battlewagon. Still has an extra zero in the price. Maybe he is a collector not wanting to sell and just listing to get his wife off his case as others have said. And if he hits the lottery on one of his items, he will be very happy.
I think the poor soul has finally lost his mind…….. 🙂
Hey Erwin, you thought your “buddy” in NYC had high prices.
Well he selling now low.But he is the hi among retailer
With this a guess w got a complicated case or is confused.
We have to be careful too as he may read here and affect admin blog.
I rather use ebay direct w the seller.
Best…
$350,000.00 would buy a lot of beers and a lot of other fun things.
I bet I can buy a real deluxe boat and pack w toy soldiers .Then go to shows in it to get more.
You mean like a Lamborghini?
Yeah I think that was her name, she had a sister named Ferrari and another one named Porsche.
OhOh – Erwin’s “boat” jumped in ahead of my response to Ed. Guys I know that a Lamborghini is an Italian sports car and NOT a deluxe boat.
Andy.
U almost made me search if Lamborghini was making boat.
Who knows .I’m not good on cars and less in boat.Definettely That is a lot Money x both x sure.
But thank you.
:-):-):-):-)
Perhaps if it dosen’t sell he’ll put it down to $340,000,00 with any luck?
Maybe free shipping?? The insurance must be pretty high on $350,000.00. May have to Go to Lloyd’s of London on this one. I think I’ll list some of my extra stuff for $50K – $75K & see if I get any “live ones”. Why not?? If it sells, I can pick up those Gunsmoke copies for $1600.
I will shoot an email soon
I’m know x been a bit intruder-pain..
So if he respond I will let u guys know.
But I’m curious in the number if is a mistake ir a joke.
I can only guess of those two logic explanetion unless some one can tell me is other.
See if he’ll send you a picture of him(her)self. Would like to see what he/she looks like.
I shoot the email half hour ago…
Let see.
I get it – “cannons, rockets… torpedoes ‘FIRE’ ” – ” ‘SHOOT’ the e-mail”. Pretty funny!! I wonder if he’d come down to $100,000.00 cash for this “ultra rare store display”??
Of course never answered. LOL
Ridiculous priced items on Ebay should have it’s own page. You can find one every day.
I want to see pix of collections from our worldwide collector friends.
Especially from long time contributors here from across the Atlantic.
This person does not want to sell it. He wants to show it off. You use to have people do this at shows.
I just don’t let these people get my system up. I just move on and laugh
Yes we had discussed it here.
This seller still does sale some stuff .So he/she sale some item around 2000 as far I check.
Others looks like from other people as pictures are from many locations .So may be commissioned!?.
The problem I see it as some time false idea in others thinking could sale stuff x around same.
My thought…
I’m going to put a bag of BMC figures on E-Bay, call them extra ultra rare, almost impossible to find of the highest quality only 100k opening bid with a reserve. Maybe some idiot won’t know about them and bid.
Ed be sure to put “Marx?” in there, too. You have to mention Marx on this stuff.
LOL! Yeah, almost every ugly, cheapo DollarTree bag of recycled plastic blobs made in the last ten years is “Marx?” on eBay.
40 percent off at hob lob eh/
How about Marx like?
As long as “Marx” is somewhere in the description…
Ultra rare Marx like WWII Germans, hard to find item the avid collector cannot be without. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Huh?
To Ed’s: like new but used only played with by a grandma on Sunday afternoons…
In a pet free , smoke free house.
Made by elves.
Now we’re cooking…
“vintage recast Marx-like Atlantic, Britains, Auburn, Timpo-like very rare, hand made prototype, perfect condition unbreakable plastic with very slight damage, never before seen on eBay….”
Some of the eBay descriptions remind me of John Lennon’s Strawberry Field lyrics:
“Always, know, sometimes think it’s me
But you know I know when it’s a dream
I think I know I mean a “Yes” but it’s all wrong
That is I think I disagree…………….”
My collection is small in comparison to these standards, but I would guess I have probably a thousand figures, maybe 300 are from the 70s or before. Most of the older figures were 1/72 due to cost and compatibility with Civil War to wild west era HO train sets. Now I find those small figures hard to see, so I prefer the 54mm, but have a lot of 60mm mostly Marx recasts.
My dream hobby shed for the backyard would be about the size of a one and a half car garage, with display shelves all around the walls and three or 4 peninsulas of 3×8 or 4×8 tables for big displays. I would put my HO railroad on top of the displays and run it around the entire interior perimeter of the shed at eye level. Heck, I’d probably want to have display shelves above those. It would be fun to display as much as possible, with my favorites at best viewing levels.
My favorite figures are probably 60mm Crown Legion Revolutionary War Delaware Infantry metal painted figure; my favorite reenactment unit I was in, favorit playset is Barzso Churubusco set, for my second favorite reenactment unit (since we never had maany battles) and my favorite loose plastic figures are the Replicants Nelson’s Navy figures due to my Patrick O’Brian interest. What is set up right now are several ships including two Playmobil ships being attacked by giant octopus and squids, who have an appetite for Replicants smugglers.
A Zizzle British recommissioned Black Pearl frigate is coming to bear on two American Privateers during the Revolutionary War. They have yet to decide if they will sink the privateers or kill the sea creatures. The crew say kill the critters and capture the prizevateers, since there will be no sharing in the prize money without there is a prize!
*privateers— but why not make it a single word: privateers & prize put together?
I just found this now a year later you want to see a large collection. I have a 1600 square foot basement so full you cant walk around in it .I have four very large tables for set ups one of them has an 8 foot mountain on it. there are at least 450 tanks trucks jeeps on display 2000figures or more from all makers there two large dressers full to the brim with marx figs and every crate and barrel stump etc ever made I also have a very large work station for repairs and con versons.I have at least 35 britians cannons and crews out on shelves I just bought a humungus collection of britians swoppets from the sixties it is realy mindboggeling when you go down my stairs and step into another world I also have over1200 boxes of aip I can go on for hours so ill shut my big mouth for now.ive done many conversions with a million parts sent to me from bill nevins thank you bill Ill try to send some pics. to paul hes another great guy I met through this hobby I need insurance cant seem to get any leads if any one can help my number is 845 662 7979 any help please
Few insurance cover then and they will do for high monety,yet you may be able get it included in your HOME insurance .
Depending in state you live insurance may will cover better or not .
best
I dont know about insurance but wow that’s some collection you have there, Much bigger than mine. I wish i had the space to set them up but alas not so they will stay in there boxes for now. I also do alot of conversions and painting of many figures, Its great to improve a figure.
I have a $20,000 rider added to my home policy to cover my collection. I have to go back and revalue (approximate) the collection next year to update the policy. I cringe at the thought of burned boxes, melted plastic, and molten metal in the basement after a fire.
I do the same thing for my wife’s ring and jewelry, and to cover my shotguns.
I do remember some company advertising insurance specifically for toy soldiers (collectibles) in one of the magazines.