I decided to take these questions that were posted on Lamley Group and give my answers. This will pertain the hobby of collecting diecast vehicles. You can find the original post here.
Call these the Lamley Stream of Consciousness Questions:
What do you collect? Hot Wheels, M2 chases, Auto World (mostly Chevy trucks), Greenlight(chases if I like them, some cars), Johnny Lightning (chases, certain cars)
What makes you collect a new brand? I got into the premium brands by learning about chases, then found some regular castings I liked as well. Most of my non Hot Wheel diecast are chase pieces, and Auto World/M2 Chevy Square body trucks.
What makes you stop collecting a brand? Lack of product, repetitive releases, cars I’m not a fan of.
Do you even care about brands, or just the cars they replicate? Just the cars really.
What makes you angry about the hobby? In the past year there have been a ton of new “collectors” who are mostly looking to cash in. the availability of product has dropped. Hot wheels releases being inconsistent mostly with Walmart. They used to get all case codes now sometimes they skip. People online trying to sell current mainlines for 2/3x the price.
What do you enjoy about the hobby? The thrill of the hunt, finding something unexpectedly, being able to complete a set or track down something I’m after.
What makes you jealous? There are people who find Supers and chases almost daily. I don’t have that luck, or time to spend.
What makes you flex? I’ll post a super or really good find when I get it.
Do you like to show off your stuff? I like showing my collection when possible.
Would you rather keep your collection private? It’s not a secret.
Do you participate in raffles? Never.
Do you run them? Never.
Do you like raffles? I’m not a fan, I’m not into the hobby for business reasons. More power to those who get great pieces for a good price and those who cash out on it though.
Are their models you would never get rid of, no matter what your predicament? My super collection would take a lot to get rid of. My complete Zamac set as well.
Should you be able to sell anything, even something given to you as a gift, if you decide to quite collecting? What else would you do with it? I’d probably hold on to something that was a gift, especially if it was difficult or pricey.
Do you see collecting as an investment? No. There’s no way to get the money and time back.
Does it make you angry that someone would pay thousands for one model? Angry, no. It’s their money. I do think it’s foolish though to see people overpaying for the “hot” new releases.
Does your collection overwhelm you at times? Yes.
Do you hate your collection at times? Sometimes I get frustrated and let it get to me when I’m having a dry spell, when I’m actively hunting.
If a model is considered hard-to-get do you want it more? I’ll just look harder for it.
Do you try and get many of one particular hyped model? There are a few Hot Wheels I have extra of, but I don’t do the “buy every one I see” anymore. To me, there isn’t much benefit to having many of a mainline, beyond helping out Collector Buddies, or occasionally selling something if it’s really too good pass up and worth the effort. (like the Hello Kitty Kool Kombi.)
What joy do you get by having multiples of the same model? I actually would like to get down to one each, except for store exclusives, which i generally keep three of each, they’re harder to find after the fact.
Do you ever feel satisfied with your collection? I’m proud of it, but it can always be better.
Do you want to still have your collection when you die? Depending on where life takes me, it may be too much to carry.
Do you want to leave it for someone? I would rather they get what they can for it to help with expenses or a nice savings account.
Why do you like seeing leaked models? It’s good to know what’s coming, it makes hunting easier having an idea what to look for.
Does finally acquiring a new model give you as much joy as learning that it is coming? I prefer the thrill of actually finding new product, especially when it’s a surprise.
Do you buy stolen models? Never and nobody else should either.
Do you like them because you have something no one else has? There is no Hot Wheel that no one else has.
Would you still be collecting if social media didn’t exist? I collected before I knew it had a social media presence. Social media helps with research and knowing what’s coming out.
What is the end game for your collection? Collecting all six stones and snap. In seriousness, I’ll collect until it stops being fun. If it feels like work, it’s not a hobby. I enjoy my hobby and plan to continue with it as long as possible. Hopefully the product availability gets sorted out and the hobby will flourish.
Thank you to Lamley group for the idea.
