How Do You Collect Palisades Muppets

[jaap]

Hi all,

I've been collecting the palisades muppets for 6 months now, and I was just wondering how other people tend to treat their collection.

I started out with acquiring only the standard figures, then I decided to obtain the playsets as well. And now, I've got all standard figures, mini-figures and play sets. And I've bought some exclusives too.
(I really like this overview: http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2004/tms_figures.shtml)

What do you generally think of those 'silly' repaints? They do not really add any extra value to the whole line, but do you all feel the urge to buy those as well? And then there are these ultra rare exclusives, like the wedding of the century with kermit and piggy (@ ebay they cost about $550). Do you want those too? If not, what's the guideline of which figure you do want?

Is anyone member of the "Palisades Toys Collectors Club", and is this really worth the $49.95?

What's your prefered location to buy the figures? Since I'm from the Netherlands, the only place you can get them is in comic shops, although they won't have older series. The other option is through internet shops, although they generally tend to apply to higher prices. My favourite option is ebay, but it is always unsure what the actual S&H costs will be (some times 3 times the price of the figure itself!).

And, although the box says "play with it", I'm not sure how many of you actually play with the figures. For that reason, and because I don't like to decrease its value, I never unpack them. Firstly, you'll need more space this way, and secondly although the boxes look nice, they spoil it if you want to put those figures in an display case. Am I the only one that doesn't unpack the figures?
(And if you unpack them, is it for display purposes only, or do you play with it?)
Anyways, the option i chose is not the best regarding the display of your collection. Therefore, I only tend to put 6 figures (on a alternating basis) at a time on a visible location in my appartment, and the others are in a storage room. Or does this just sound silly?

Greetings,

jaap

 

[Muppetsdownunder]

I open most of my figures except exclusives and if I get a double of a figure I only open one. I dont really like getting them out of the packages but I see no point as I'm never going to sell them, I don't collect anything for what they are worth in money or what they might be worth someday. I see no point in it as I love stuff I collect so wouldnt sell anything and I really doubt they will be worth all that much anyway! not to warrant leaving them in the package all that time. I do have a few in the packages but I get much more happiness when they are out of the package.

 

[jaap]

I get much more happiness when they are out of the package.

I totally agree. However my approach to collecting palisades muppet is probably different due to my collecting history. I've collected many things, ranging from muppet DVD's, coins, stamps, pc adventure games to toys from chocolate surprise eggs (kinder). And apparently I have acquired this tick to keep the items in their original state, so I don't want to unpack them.
However, I do unpack the doubles I have.

Greetings,

Jaap

 

[rexcrk]

I only get what I want. Like, I collect every regular series figure. The only exception was Johhny Fiama and Lips, since they come with different ablums and stuff, and I'm a sucker for things like that. If there's a store exclusive (like Tuxedo Kermit and Miss Piggy with the boa) and I happen to run across it, I'll buy it. I normally don't go for the exclusives though, since they're usually a little more expensive. I did get Animal from omgcnfo.com 'cause I don't have series 2 Animal and I got Sweetums 'cause I just had to have him, and I got Jim Henson 'cause I also just had to have that. I open every figure I get unless it's a double (the only doubles I have are Kermit and Abraham Smollet). I set up a display with no doubles of any character, and all the doubles I keep safely in a box with unused accessories.

 

[homerthegreat]

I buy all the "regular" figures. I'm a "no-repaints" guy. I'm pick and choose on the exclusives, and I've turned down all the minis.

 

[Harvey Towers]

I sort of started off by accident a few months ago when I found out about the figures on this site and bought Sam (Series 8) and Clifford (Series 6) for Forbidden Planet. My collection has grown over Christmas as I recieved the Backstage scene and Pops (Series 9) and have bought Swedish Chef (Series 9) also.

I don't go in for the repaints and would never want to have more than one of any character; I prefer to see them in their orginal Muppet Show / Muppets Tonight rigout rather than in costume from the films. I just pick the figures that I like rather than buying them all (i have passed on Lips this series because i don't have the rest of the band and would be better saving that money for a diffferent figure)

I never even considered leaving them in the package although I can see why some of you do (mainly before it is so hard to get them out.)

I had displayed my figures with some accesories (Clifford on his base with his mike and Sam behind his podium) but now have tham arranged around the basestage set (only five figuires and it looks kind of crowded though) and will rearrange the scene from time to time. The only hitch is Sam is destined to stand around at the desk as he cannot fit up the stairs.

 

[Docnzhoss]

I first read about the Muppets figures in Reader's Digest, they had a picture of Beaker with the Muppets Lab. I thought, "Hey, cool." However, when I saw Kermit, Piggy, Dr. Teeth and Bunsen a few months later in a Musicland, I looked at them but passed them up. It wasn't until I joined Sam Goody's Replay Club and began receiving gift certificates that I finally began collecting Muppets. I bought Kermit, Piggy and Bunsen each for half price, so with my gift certificates they were free to me. It wasn't until I found Beaker w/ Lab in Toys R Us that I realized how cool the collection could be. So I ebay-ed for Dr. Teeth and have been snatching up figures in the regular line ever since.

At first, I had thoughts of only buying favorites. But as my collection grew I realized that part of what made it so cool was the diversity of characters. I refrained from buying Variants, because it made no sense to me to buy oddly-painted characters when I already had perfectly good regular versions. The exception until recently was Floyd, whom I ordered from Toys R Us online and they sent me the blue version. However, I now own variants of Marvin Suggs, Johnny Fiama, and Floyd. Suggs because he was ultra cheap, and Fiama because it was his silver "Steppin' Out" version and I've just begun collecting those.

As far as exclusives, I tried to hold off but the internet makes it too tempting. So I own Steppin' Out versions of Kermit, Gonzo, Bunsen and Beaker. I have Koozebane and Adventure Kermits, Super Beaker, Jim Henson (a must), Sweetums (a must), and probably my favorite figure ever: Gold Tux Gonzo.

I've taken out all of my figures except for Jim Henson and Gold Tux Gonzo. I love Jim's display box too much to tear it apart and Gold Tux Gonzo is like my own personal pot of gold. I have four figures (Clifford, Beauregard, Steppin' Out Fozzie and Pops) who I will keep in the packages for when kids come into my life (my own, God forbid, or neices/nephews). I know how kids can be around collectibles and I want them to have a few figures of their own so that they don't mess with mine.

I collect some of the mini figures, but I'm not too concerned about them. I will be owning all of the Electric Mayhem + Rowlf minis, because that is just too awesome. If I ever feel like it, I will order Swedish Chef, Bunsen and Scooter but they are not necessities.