New(ish) to collecting. Teach me a bit?

[NotAShrimp]

Hello all,

As I'm certain you can see, I am new to the forum. I took careful time in reading a lot of the postings regarding legalities and such and I have no interest in 1. Starting another legal thread. or 2. Doing anything inappropriate described in those threads. However, since I am new to even considering myself a "collector" of anything, I'm looking to those of you that are seasoned at this to shed some light on a few things if you would be so kind.

I'll start by saying I cannot post much as I do not presently have internet access at home, so please do not be surprised if there is great length between my posts. I apologize if that is not good form (or forum). I also apologize for the pun in the previous sentence.

Get to the point you say? Fine. I have a few items and although I am on a tight budget presently due to an upcoming wedding (mine), so I'm not really in the market for much other than knowledge at this point. I am just looking for the best ways to expand my collection and knowledge of what is collectible. I've read a lot about stuff on the site (you guys are GREAT at being thorough about that stuff) but I guess I just don't know what is most desirable to all. I am personally leaning towards collecting "real" items such as original scripts and props from production, but that doesn't appear to be a norm from my readings around the forum. I already have 2 (ish) such items, as well as a few games (old and new) and your standard retail DVD things and an odd recording of the Henson hour. I don't wish to part with any of these as I cherish each of them, so I guess what I'm asking is, do you have to go out and buy duplicates of what you have to be able to effectively collect? If so, what is it that seems to promote the best business/bang for the effort/interest in collectors? You are the experts in this area, so I'm looking to start an educational "how to" type discussion for my own as well as the benefit of those like myself.

Sorry for the long first post. Thank you. I look forward to reading all of your thoughts.

 

[Muppet Matt]

Hi! Here's some scripts from ebay: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&from=R10&satitle=muppets&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&bs=Search&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search&sadis=200&fpos=44606&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&seller=1&sass=dw_m


Have fun here at MC!

 

[MuppetsRule]

Maybe I am reading your post wrong but I gather that you are interested in starting collecting but you want to know what is most valuable ($$$) to collect and will have the highest resale value. My apologies if that is not what you intended. As most collectors will tell you, be it art, dollls, muppets, cars, etc. collect what you love and have a passion for, regardless of value. What's the point of having an expensive painting on your wall if you can't stand to look at it? It doesn't matter what is the "norm" here or the most desirable, if you want to collect "real" items such as scripts or props than go for it. The fun of collecting isn't in the value of the pieces but the quest to attain that hard to find item that makes your collection complete.

 

[NotAShrimp]

Thanks for your comments Super Muppet and MuppetsRule. You confirmed that I'm headed in the right direction for myself which is great. Muppet Matt thank you as well for pointing me to that article.

Apart from knowing what direction to head, which I had already decided what I wanted to do, I was wondering if I just may not be "useful" to the members of the forum or if becoming "useful" is the best way to get what you desire. I'm also gauging, which I hope is true, if this is the best avenue for me to obtain my collecting goals. I guess I was wondering if getting into collecting that you need some sort of "capital" other than money in order to obtain the hard to get items you seek. We obviously share a similar passion for Muppets for various reasons, but as a collector, being a novice, I'm not as certain as to the best way to grow. With currently marketed and widely distributed items, all you have to do is have some $$, and presto. Being new to collecting, and wanting to own those hard to get items like production used scripts, pieces of Muppet sets, etc., I guess I was wondering how each of you went about increasing your collection and what you found easiest/best? Am I making sense? My apologies if I sound redundant or I'm just way out in left field with this whole thing.

 

[Kaiser Gonzo]

i have been a muppet collector since i was six, i went on holiday to America, Boston, and i bought loads of muppet stuff over there, not coz i was investing, heck i was only six but because i had seen The Muppet Movie the week before and was besotted with these furry, felty, mad things (of course Sesame Street actualy started me off when i was very little) im 15 now, it started with three muppet pez's, and now is 653 items. i can't help myself i spend mine, my mums, dads and any other family memebers money on muppet goods. As MuppetsRule said do it for love, do for love mate. of course some things can be a very good investment, some items are rarer than others. before my dad became a member of ebay i would hunt charity shops, car boot sales, department stores, all sorts of places looking for muppet stuff and i would manage to get about one thing a month (but there was a time when my dad worked near this town square that had collectable markets every wednesday and friday, and i knew every wed and fri there would be a muppet item coming home, im spoilt ain't i, and once he got me a Gonzo Mug for only 30p) i'm off the point.
Do it for love

 

[Kaiser Gonzo]

some collecting tips:-When bidding on a muppet item on ebay make sure you don't go over the top on the price, it may be a cool item and you may really wannit but remember there's more than that one around.
I made the above mistake as a kid when i went out to a colectors shp on my road and bought a fisher price kermit for £10, when i got home my dad said- "Liam my son, i have a suprise for you for doing well in school" from behind him he puled out a fisher price kermit which only cost him £3 on ebay. don't go over the top on prices, theres loads of fisher price kermies out there.

Make sure thatt the item is officially muppet--
just because it loos like a muppet it dose'nt mean its official. on ebay.uk theres a lot offake items going about and i'm sure it the same in the US

 

[Camellia]

collecting

hi,

You wrote: "..... wanting to own those hard to get items like production used scripts, pieces of Muppet sets, etc., I guess I was wondering how each of you went about increasing your collection and what you found easiest/best? Am I making sense? My apologies if I sound redundant or I'm just way out in left field with this whole thing."

This will be the hard part, to find such items. They rarely go to market, and if they do, they've been stolen or taken without JHC's knowledge from sets.

You might try internet posts on Muppet Central or collector forums posting briefly exactly the items you want to try to buy.

good luck!
Camellia

 

[NotAShrimp]

Sorry for the long delay in replying. I think I get what everyone is saying. It's no more complex than I had originally thought.
1. Do your best to get what you want.
2. Keep everything you like.
3. Mostly what you want will be hard to get.
I guess I just kinda thought there might be some sort of protocol to obtaining certain items and that you likely won't get certain ones without having something special to barter. That's what I get for trying to complicate things more than needed. It looks like the bottom line is money talks.

BTW I have noticed that Henson props ARE hard to get, but still obtainable...like everything else...for a price.