Children and YOUR Collection

Do you ever have those times when you have people over for dinner or a get-together and they happen to bring their kids along? If you have a collection of action figures that are NOT cheap, would you let the kids touch, hold, or even play with them?

My answer is a big-ass NO!

In the past I was given a similar treatment. I recall when I was four or five years old, and my parents took me along to one of my father's work buddy's barbecue parties. Of course being the ONLY kid among adults gets quite boring and there must be something fun to do. I remember snooping around until I stumbled upon our host's collection of classic model cars. However before I was able to pick one up, my father's friend told me not to touch those. They're really fragile. I was devastated and cried. However, now that I look back on it I understand his perspective. He was only trying to protect his collection, his hobby. In the years I've been collecting I'd be lying if I didn't say that I did the same thing.

Several years ago, I was visiting family in the Philippines. We have a summer place up in Tagaytay where I have a few of my figures and posters. One day, I found my young nephew playing with one of my 8" figures a tad too rough. Out of my fear that the figure would be damaged I told my nephew that he cannot play with this toy because its a collectors' item. I did not expect him to understand and as I did all those years ago, he cried. I explained to his father, my older cousin the reasoning behind my actions, and my mom backed me up on it as well. Since then, my nephew has kept at bay from my figures, knowing that I'd get upset if he accidentally breaks them. Don't get me wrong though. I love my nephew and I pass down a lot of my old toys to him. However, when it comes to any figures part of my collection, it's hands off. The only people who I allow to handle any of my figures in my collection are those who understand my hobby and are able to control themselves when holding such items, especially my more expensive figures.

I currently live with my relatives on Guam while attending college there, and they are pretty sociable. Almost every weekend we have people over for either dinner or a party. That means that small children are always present at those events. So how do I keep them away from my figures? First measure is to keep them at a high place so they cannot reach them. If you don't have any place high to display them, then the second measure is to just keep the door of the room where you're displaying your collection, in my case my room, shut for the duration of the event. It prevents kids seeing the figures and being tempted.

From this article you may be thinking right now, "Boy this guy's not a fan of kids!" I guess you'll be right on some level, but most of the time I don't mind them. That is if they're well behaved and don't piss me off. However, I am speaking as a collector who wants to protect his investments. Sure it somewhat pains me to make a kid cry, especially when he or she does not understand what they did wrong, but I must do what I can to keep my collection intact and not be potentially ruined by some kid's accident. All in all, I'd rather be safe than sorry.