COLLECTIBLES FOR KEEPS
Kristine Joy A. Kyamko has always had a thing for collecting all things cute from pens and notebooks to journals and even Hallmark cards since she was young.
Presently, she is a proud owner of a wide collection—and a growing one at that—of characters from animated sitcom “The Simpsons,” as well as characters from the “Despicable Me” franchise, the Minions. So far, she has 58 Minions and 88 collectibles of “The Simpsons.”
The collection mostly consists of toy figures but there are some items too like a notebook, wallet, a book of posters and slippers; all of which she shelves for safekeeping. But how did it all start? “I started watching ‘The Simpsons’ on a daily basis when I was in high school. I found the show entertaining and found the characters really cute and funny,” she recalled. “I started collecting them (Minions) when I was in my freshman year in the college of medicine after the first movie came out and which McDonald’s featured as its happy meal toy.”
Collecting these items is no easy feat as the 27-year-old postgraduate intern at Mactan Doctors Hospital shared that it’s rare to find collectibles of “The Simpsons” in local stores. Thankfully, there’s online shopping and her friends and family who got her covered, adding to the joys of collecting.
“My first set and most of my Kidrobot x Simpsons figures were bought online. There was one time I had to ask a friend who was coming back home from the States to bring it with her. I was able to find a store in Manila where they sell lots of the Kidrobot Simpsons series. I wish I could go visit again soon,” she said.
“I was able to complete the first set of Minions with the help from my friends; they would purposely buy the Happy Meals to give me the Minions! Now, I already have three sets of Minions from all the Happy Meals. My mother is very supportive of my interest and got me a complete set when the latest Minion toys were featured again,” she said.
With plans to add more to her collection, she browses online every now and then for potential collectibles and even checks out Instagram accounts of other collectors.
Though the thought of purchasing new ones for the collection can be fulfilling, she knows how costly it can be and takes a smarter, more practical approach; one she would advise to any aspiring collector.
“Collecting stuff, whatever your interest is, will cost you a lot sooner or later. I still have so much to learn on collecting. Collect smart. Don’t just splurge your money on something you get your hands on. Do research. See if it’s worth the value. Know how to take care of your collection (some collections don’t come cheap). Know its worth, and most especially just enjoy the thrill of collecting, the satisfaction of finding and acquiring new things to add to your acquisitions.”