FROM: Vinylmation 360 Published Mondays

The Why and What of Vinylmation Collecting

Why collect Vinylmation? That shouldn't be so difficult to answer, should it? You might be surprised. And once you know why you're collecting, what do you collect? Think you can collect 'em all? Kelly Firth asks, then answers, these essential questions.

- by Kelly Firth, March 20, 2011

Every Vinylmation collector, new and old, needs to ask themselves two pivotal questions: "Why am I collecting Vinylmation?" and "What should I collect?"

Your answers will shape your collecting habits.

I can't come up with answers for you, but I can present some of the more common answers and explore what they mean for the average collector.

Why Collect Vinylmation?

This is the first and most important question every collector should answer. More specifically, are you in this hobby for the investment or for the enjoyment? I think more people collect Vinyls simply because they like them, but there are quite a few collectors who think more about potential profit.

If you want to collect for profit, or you already are, I advise extreme caution. Many scoff at the idea that the more expensive vinyls on the secondary market could ever tank in value, but the fact is that none of us know what any Vinylmation will be worth in the future. If I were to guess, the original Park 1 and Urban 1 vinyls are most likely to hold their value because they were the first ones made and were produced in smaller quantities.

Even that is not guaranteed.

Chasers and Variants from each series are already more valuable than 'common' vinyls, and with Limited Edition vinyls, the lower the LE the better. The Park Series and other character-related vinyls tend to be more popular (and thus more profitable) than Urban, Holiday, etc.

I suggest, if you want to make a profit, that you focus on collecting a combination of Chasers, Variants, and LE vinyls. Or maybe save full sets of 12 in most series (16 in Animation, 13 in Star Wars) for long periods of time after they're sold out. In theory, the longer you hold onto them, the bigger the profit you will make. Of course, the longer you wait to sell, the greater the risk that the secondary market collapses.

Will Vinylmation collecting eventually go the way of most pins and many other collectibles, with sold out items available for purchase at dirt cheap prices down the road?

Maybe, maybe not.

Predicting value in the collectibles industry is mostly guesswork, especially considering the poor U.S. economy. Don't count on your Vinylmation collection to turn a tidy profit down the road. Hoping for the best but being prepared for your vinyls to lose their value is the smartest attitude to take. If you would be hurt (emotionally or financially!) by tumbling prices, you should really step back and reconsider what you are collecting.

If you want to collect for the simple joy of owning vinyls, then there's little risk. You don't have to worry about any given vinyl becoming worthless in future. All that matters is that it's worth something to you.

Your biggest dilemma will be what to buy! If you're like me, there are simply too many great designs to buy everything you like, or even everything you love. Before you start buying random vinyls, think about what you want to collect.

What Vinyls to Collect

Easy answer: buy what you love. Unfortunately, some of us love many more vinyls than we can afford to buy (or display)! So, the answer must be a bit more specific.

Some collectors pick one or two series and collect vinyls from them, exclusively. It is not uncommon to find people who only collect Park Series vinyls, or who only collect Urban Series. It really comes down to which series appeals most to you.

Within any given series, one dilemma many of us face is whether to buy whole sets or individual vinyls. If you are not blind boxing your vinyls, and you like more than say five or six in any given series, collecting entire sets usually is cheaper in the long run. You can find some great deals on eBay for sets of 11 vinyls (minus the Chaser or Variants) for well below retail. When you also consider one-time shipping costs versus multiple shipping costs, the savings are even greater.

If there are designs you really don't like, save them for trading in the Disney Parks. The Chaser and Variants do cost considerably more than retail if you're buying them directly from eBay, so be prepared for that. Otherwise, it comes down to whether you prefer to look at a series cohesively, or in a 'Best of Series X' way.

Another method is to focus only on vinyls for which you have sentimental attachment. Usually, you'll find these vinyls in the Park Series, since they represent attractions, characters, and other icons found in either Disneyland or Disney World. So, if you have little attachment to Disneyland but you love Disney World, you might want to consider collecting only the WDW-related vinyls. If you have a favorite character or ride that trumps your love for all other Disney icons, then think about collecting all the vinyls that relate to your favorite. Disney Cruise Line fans may want to pursue all of the vinyls made in tribute to the various ships and Castaway Cay.

It all ultimately depends on finding a good combination of a design that you like and a design inspiration that interests you. Sometimes you will love the idea of a certain vinyl, but not love the artwork or how it translated to the Mickey canvas.

If you don't love it, don't buy it!

How much money you have to spend on Vinylmation is perhaps the biggest factor in what you will collect. Are you on a tight budget? If so, you may want to consider foregoing the 9" vinyls and especially the 9"/3" combo sets. Taking average retail prices into account, you can buy four 3" vinyls for the cost of one 9" vinyl, or seven 3" vinyls for less than the cost of one 9"/3" set.

You will, of course, have a favorite size. Some people love the 9" and only collect them; some only collect the 3" or Jr. vinyls due to financial reasons and/or lack of storage and display space. One way to help you decide what LE 9", if any, to buy is to ask yourself: "If the resale value goes out of my price range once it is sold out, will I deeply regret not buying it when it was available at retail value?" Generally speaking, resale prices spike at a faster and higher rate for sold out 9" compared to 3" vinyls (except for Chasers).

One last important consideration is whether you want to stick to collecting currently-for-sale vinyls or pursue retired vinyls. If there is a sold out vinyl that you love, you may get more enjoyment out of it than you would a current vinyl. The important thing to remember is that vinyls from series such as Park 1 and most sold out LE vinyls are very costly, and you may not get back what you paid if you choose to sell later on.

Why and What I Collect

I collect for enjoyment. I don't worry about the future value of my collectibles. As a result, I don't hold onto single vinyls or sets to sell down the road, and I don't buy all of the Chasers, Variants, low LEs, etc. I usually do not collect complete sets, instead only buying (or keeping, if I buy a full set on eBay) the vinyls I absolutely love from a given series.

Because I love the Disney Parks and movies, I typically stick to buying the Park Series vinyls and character-related vinyl series. I do collect vinyls from most of the other series as well, but strictly 3". Due to their high cost, I try to avoid pursuing most 9"/3" combo sets unless I absolutely love them. I was fortunate to get involved in this hobby not long after Vinylmation debuted, so I have most of the retired vinyls on my want list. The ones that I do still want (Park 1 Figment!) have simply gone way out of my price range. I would rather have a few current vinyls than spend that much money on one retired vinyl.

Your Turn!

Everyone is different. Your answers to these questions will depend on personal preference and situation. The main thing is to figure out your own answers and go from there. Parents should sit down and talk with their children prior to them starting a Vinylmation collection.

It's a great opportunity to introduce kids to responsible collecting and budgeting, and to learn their Disney likes and dislikes!

Mark Your Calendars

Monday, March 21: Villains 1 Combo Sets scheduled for release on DisneyStore.com. Also available at select Disney Store locations in CA, FL, IL, NJ, NY, and TX (see the official Vinylmation blog for locations). 9" window boxed vinyl paired with a related 1-1/2" Jr. The sets are Maleficent 9" and Aurora Jr. (Sleeping Beauty); Jumba 9" and Stitch Jr. (Lilo & Stitch); and Julius 9" and Mickey Jr. (Runaway Brain). LE 700 per set. Retail price: $59.95.

Friday, March 25: Tron Legacy Series scheduled for release at D-Street WDW and D-Street DLR and DisneyStore.com. 3" window-boxed series. Open Edition. Retail price: Unknown.

Leave a comment with your 'Why I Collect' and "What I Collect' stories!

On the last Sunday of every month, I'll devote this column to your questions and my answers. You can leave questions here as comments or else send them directly to me.

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