Start to collect minifigs ?

[Asilla]

Hello.

I did not think I would start collecting minifigs except those with diverse set.

Is there any special way to approach it?

Miscellaneous old minifigs, what about them? I have a mixed bunch, many are probably not complette more, but still fun to have.

[Sandy]

It depends, if you want to collect complete minifigs (and keep them complete) or just as many minifig parts as possible.

Bricklink (online store for LEGO resellers) is your friend for complete minifigs, but you will get random minifig parts (especially older ones) cheaper from Ebay.

I am a minifig collector myself, and my total according to Brickset.com is 1941. Starting with the measly 100 I had in my childhood bricks, the sum of them has quickly accumulated over the eight years I've been out of the dark ages. It's addictive once you get into it!

[fred67]

I bought a few bulk lots off of ebay and bricklink; also picked up a couple at garage sales. That gave me a lot of miscellaneous minifigure parts. I have rarely bought sets for sets and not minifigures (like the Toy Story and Lone Ranger trains, because I like trains), and then have some figures left over. I will trade them for wanted ones, but generally keep them and will maybe some day make a huge display.

As for the miscellaneous old figures, I now consider this a fun part of my hobby; where others mind find it tedious. I feel like I'm solving a puzzle when I try to find in the bricklink catalog the bits and pieces of minifigures that I have accumulated over the years, and figure out what figures they are from and, therefore, what sets. I put the parts to make them whole again on one of my wanted lists, and as I shop for other parts I need I can bulk up my orders with these seemingly random parts. I have two smallish containers - complete minifigures from sets (which is now completely stuffed, I need a new one), and incomplete minifigures from sets (I have only a few left, as I haven't bought bulk in quite some time).

This is, of course, completely outside the minifigure displays I've made - I have two displays for superheroes, 7 for collectible minifigures (2 series in each display). In addition, I have sealed sets of all the collectibles and a large sterolite drawer completely filled with various loose ones that I thought would be fun for MOCs.

I don't know why I started collecting figures.... I mean, CMF figures were obvious, and then I started displaying them in nice display cases. But for some reason, a couple of years ago, I decided to start collecting superheros. Not all of them - just the ones I liked (I don't read the comics, so am actually unfamiliar with a lot of them). Then I decided to make a Hobbit display, so while I like keeping those sets complete, I bought a bunch of figures to make up the company (plus Gandalf and I threw in Gollum, for fun). Sandy is absolutely right - it became addicting, and completing the miscellaneous parts I had has become a nice part of the hobby.

Edited July 18, 2015 by fred67

[HawkLord]

Like a lot of Lego, I just end up with stuff by default. For example, I don't actively collect CMF or Town, but have a reasonable number of Town minifigures just from random purchases and promos. With Lego doing a lot more with CMF, minifigure packs, PaF, and Dimensions, you can get a quick assortment of minifigures easily.

[notaromantic]

Starting isn't usually the issue. Stopping is.

But really, like any collection, it is entirely subjective. You threw out a very general question without providing any of the crucial parameters for such a question - namely: Your own interests.

How does one then answer such a question?

What draws you into contemplating this collection? And, what do you want out this collection? What are your Lego/ minifig interests now? - Perhaps you should start somewhere there...