Started collecting last year, and I've already got over 30 now. I'm seeing that some series from 2023-2024 are going for pretty high prices on the secondhand market. Is it worth hunting for rare versions or should I just collect whatever I like without worrying about rarity?
If you're collecting mainly for yourself, hunting down rare versions can quickly become an expensive drag with no real payoff - prices are steep, and new series drop constantly and reshape the market. But if you're into the hunt itself and potential reselling, then it makes sense to track early releases and limited collaborations - they hold their value better. Real talk: start by collecting characters you actually love, and grab the rare versions on the side if you get lucky and they're not crazy expensive.
The question is framed as if rarity and enjoyment are opposing goals, but in reality they often clash. If you're collecting because you actually like the toys themselves, chasing expensive versions just throws you off track: you'll end up chasing prices instead of getting the satisfaction from the process itself, and that gets old fast. Rare series spike in price for a while, then either get reprinted or collectors lose interest - so banking on investment returns isn't worth it.
Collect what actually grabs you, set aside money for ones you like, but don't turn it into a hunt for ridiculous prices. Over time you'll naturally end up with a mix of rare and regular ones, and your collection will feel more authentic, and the enjoyment more genuine.
I think you don't have to choose one or the other here. Prices for rare versions definitely fluctuate on the secondary market, but that doesn't mean hunting for them will immediately become a money sink - it really depends on how much you're willing to spend and tie up in toys instead of actually using that money. I figure the right approach is to buy rare versions only if you genuinely like them, not just because they're expensive, and definitely don't go into debt over it. New series come out all the time, and their value drops over time anyway, so there's no rush - if you find some rare version you like, it usually becomes more affordable again in like six months to a year.
The main thing is to be honest with yourself about whether you're willing to pay not for the toy itself, but for its history and rarity. Because that's essentially what hunting for expensive versions is all about. If you bought a Squishmallow for 200 rubles and you like it - great, you got your enjoyment. But if that same character from a limited series costs three times as much, you're paying for the release number, not the quality of the toy. And that's where things get tricky: prices on the secondary market jump depending on trends, new releases devalue old series, and what was rare yesterday is already nobody's wanted today.
My advice is to collect what actually grabs you, but at the same time keep an eye on the secondary market without getting obsessed. If you come across a rare version at a reasonable price - grab it, but don't hunt for it specifically. Now, if you like a certain character and you see that his earlier series cost more because of rarity, not because he's sold out and they've stopped making him - that's a different story. Then you can take the risk, because interest in the character won't die down.
In practice, the most expensive collections are put together by people who started out picking based on love for the toys, and rarity turned out to be a side effect. Hunting for hunting's sake usually ends up with a shelf full of expensive faceless stuff and an empty wallet.
From my experience, rarity and enjoyment aren't necessarily enemies - it all depends on what actually motivates you. If you're hunting for expensive versions just because they're expensive, then yeah, you'll get disappointed fast because prices jump around like crazy and new releases constantly reshape the market. But if you found a specific series you genuinely like and it's rare - that's a different story, that's the thrill of the hunt, not wallet torture.
Personally, I noticed that after around 30 pieces, interest in just pretty things starts taking a backseat, and you start wanting some story behind the purchase. So my advice is: don't chase rarity for rarity's sake, but don't rule out hunting if a toy suddenly shows up that you really want, even if it costs more. Just don't go down the credit card rabbit hole and remember these are still just toys.
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