Why collect ??

Well me I collect them only for my self as I will build them one day but ya as far as setting on shelf I don't see it but I know guys to collect just of the fun then some collect to build as I do some people just will fill the room and never do any thing with them 😷

Good question but just remember everyone is different.

Why do people collect anything? Stamps for example. They'll never use them to ship anything. I know folks that collect firearms that they will never fire. Comic books that will never even be opened. Shoes that will never be worn. Some folks buy duplicate kits, one to build and tear into right away and one to keep and admire from time to time (you know who you are lol). Everyone's different. That's all.

For me, I have maybe a handful of sealed kits. Literally like 5. But I have those same kits open, probably started. I know I'll never build all of the kits in my stash, it they are good for trading, showing off and from time to time, reselling. Older kits are good investments.

As Ive been packing the last few weeks, I've come to realize that I have too many old kits just sitting there. I've began to thin out my collection a bit. Some still have stickers where I paid $8. Some will allow me to quadruple my. Only from back then.

I don't know about you guys, but to me, whether building them or just staring at them from time to time, this is a great hobby!

I can agree with this notion, as I am one that "collects" AND builds. I love to build, I am not that creative to get all custom crazy - but I do buy kits to build someday.
With that said, I also "invest", or you could call it "collect" kits of value. These I plan to resale someday, because I know I will not build them. If I want to build one, I find me an already opened, but complete kit. Take for example my Johan Turbine cars. I have ALL the original kits, sealed and in terrific condition. These I plan to sell off someday, to hopefully make more than what I paid for them. And I have a couple opened kits of this turbine car to build, one box stock, and one in some wild, flavorful color. Coming from collecting NASCAR die casts and hot wheels, collecting kits kind of fell right in line. I like the fact that I am saving an original, rare, sealed, classic / vintage kit. Either for resale - or just to give as a present to someone down the road. (I tend to give away A LOT of my stuff, LOL). The box art alone sometimes gives them great value.

Guess you could say, once a collector - always a collector.
And once a builder, always a builder
I just like having a stash of rare, sealed kits. To me, that is more valuable than gold - stupid, I know. Maybe it's because I had a rough childhood - rougher than most, and toys were a rarity. And now, in my 50's - the kids are grown and on their own, I am finally able to quench the toy thing I never had as a kid.

Model kits are THERAPY MAN - looking at them, storing them, saving them, building them, it really is the same feeling for me - LOVE IT!!
I am very fortunate to have been able to acquire what I have acquired, so when I give out presents, I am giving a piece of me, which makes the giving feeling that much more special as well

Approximately 90-95% of my kits represent my collection. These are sealed kits that I intend on keeping safe in a sealed condition.
The cars of my collection, as said before, represent cars of notoriety in my life....cars which I feel are engineering or styling marvels, or car that have changed my life.
I do not, for example, have to own every Dale Earnhardt Sr. NASCAR every produced.
I have two of the orchid colored 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 kits as it represents the car on which I learned to drive. When I feel my skills are sufficient, I will build one of these sealed kits...the other will remain sealed.
My crown jewel (which I do not have) is the 1971 Pontiac Trans Am by MPC as this is the first car I ever owned. Ironically, I have a variety of Pontiac GTOs, but I do not have a copy of the 1969 GTO Judge which I talked about in a die cast post. I guess a collection is not a collection, but better defined as a representation.
We all have a reason to keep some kits from the building table be it (1) or (100) and if you have not experienced this yet, I suspect you eventually will.
If I analyze it and I commit to building a kit, I will seek out and buy an open/sealed inside kit (factory sealed kits are kept sealed for a reason).
I realize and respect all facets of this hobby whether you open and buildup everything you buy, stash away every sealed kit you buy or anything in between.
The best I get from model building is the acquaintances and friends I make, the skills I learn to better myself and hopefully any help I can offer to others.....

I tend to buy my kits to build, but just now I'm buying the italeri transits and belkits mk1 escorts when I find them cheap. I plan on doing the same later this year with the mk2 escort when italeri rerelease it. I keep a couple to build but the extras are to sell on later. I've been watching the transits for years trying to get one, and until italeri released them again they were over 80 quid a pop, and the mk2 escorts were 75-80 so to me it seems like a good way to make some cash to get kits I want more later on. Most kits are bought to build though, and I have a few that aren't easy to find that I will be building. I even unsealed some johan kits because I will be building them.

I thought about this question for a while after it was posed and I saw a variety of tendencies in me as a "collector".
But the one attraction I overlooked was box art.... I really think box art plays a large part subliminally or otherwise in the successful or stagnent sales of a kit. Consider the word "re-issue".....typically the same sprues of parts, maybe an extra sprue of parts for some variation within the kit.....but, how many times have you chosen between two of the same basis kit, with the same basic parts, only to made your buying decision based on the box art.......looking back, I have done this countless times....How about you...