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How many AFOLs have been collecting for 5+ years?

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  • IstokgIstokg Member Posts: 2,363
    As a kid playing with LEGO... 1960-68. Dark Ages 1969-78. AFOL years 1979-2012... which means I've been an AFOL now for 1/3 of a century! :-O
    91stlegotrooper
  • OldfanOldfan Member Posts: 706
    Like many here, Star Wars brought me out of the dark ages in 1999; AFOL status for 12 years and counting. As a big Classic Space fan, I made sure to grab all the Insectoids while they were still on the shelves; I ended up paying much more than MSRP to grab all the other classic space themes I missed during the dark years...

    Thankfully, the parents never threw out my old sets, so I was able to retrieve them a few years back. Brickset, Peeron, and Bricklink keep me firmly in AFOL-land every day!
  • ethodaethoda Member Posts: 5
    I am only 16 but I have been collecting lego for 10 years with a 1 slow Time when I did not buy much lego when I was 13 and I think that I am as much a fan of Lego as anyone else on this form
  • natro220natro220 Member Posts: 545
    I've been an AFOL for around 4-5 years now - I came back to Lego when I needed a hobby being on 2nd shift for work, opposite of my wife. I had a pretty distinct "dark ages" from around 1994 until 2007...

    What's funny is I can remember Lego related memories from my dark ages...the sets my brother played with after I became "too cool" for them in high school like Ninja and Western. I bought the Explorien Starship in 1997 from Target, only because it was like 75% off. I built it once and it sat built up until I rescued my Legos from my parents house 10 years later.
    I remember seeing the UCS Star Wars sets in the Lego Store in Mall of America a few years after that, and I distinctly remember thinking "who in their right mind would pay so much for a Lego set??" The last Lego memory I can remember before coming out of my dark ages was my roommate in college. She had all the Harry Potter sets, and at the time I thought she was crazy for it. Funny how perspectives change.
  • legolegolegolegolegolego Member Posts: 1
    tbennet2 said:
    They want to build my 10179 but I have resisted as the value keeps rising and I preordered the limited 1st edition in Feb 2007 and it was shipped in the 1st batch Sept 2007. Its gotta be a low # cert but I'm afraid to open it and have its value drop $500...

    What is wrong with you man?!?!

    I was up to my eyeballs in debt when 10179 and could only stare at that huge box in the Lego shop every time I went out. Of course, by the time I had some spare cash available, it had been discontinued and was on eBay for £700 and up. (£350 I would have done, but £700-£1000 is a bit much until I have some REAL spare cash!)

    The joy for me is in the building and the display. Every set I own is open and built and I wouldn't have it any other way. No point in it sitting in a box. I'd get more enjoyment from building it than I ever would from enjoying the profit I might make by selling it on.

    You're lucky enough to own probably the finest Lego set ever made and to have two lads who want to build it with you.

    Whats stopping you??
  • CapnRex101CapnRex101 Administrator Posts: 2,364
    I am going to have to wait about 40 years then to catch up with Istokg! I'm a TFOL and have been collecting for 11 years, well, I probably was not really collecting aged five or six, but I have had Lego since then at least. I am hopefully not going to experience any sort of dark age as long as Lego keep producing sets of their current standard (I have never consciously known a period when everything was printed or built with more traditional pieces so I cannot really compare nowadays with the days of old!)
  • timinchicagotiminchicago Member Posts: 239
    ^That is a very good point. How did the LEGO set quality, or lack thereof contribute towards many AFOLs dark ages?
  • cynthilinacynthilina Member Posts: 188
    Contributed to mine. AS I got older I found that the sets were to easy to put together. The intricacy really drew me back and the MASSIVE variety diffrence from back in the 80's and 90's to today
  • brickmaticbrickmatic Member Posts: 1,071
    The period of crappy set design definitely contributed to my dark ages. The Viking line got me out of the dark ages. I had incidentally picked up one of the sets and I realized set design had vastly improved since I left the hobby. The quality of builds is what got me back to collecting.
  • BrickarmorBrickarmor Member Posts: 1,258
    Agreed. Until late last year when it was time to buy the boy some Legos, I really thought it was all just houses and brick buckets. You can tell I hadn't really looked around. The scale, detail, and complexity now are irresistible. Or maybe I'm just feeling the new enthusiast's buzz.
  • CapnRex101CapnRex101 Administrator Posts: 2,364
    I suppose I am lucky not to know what I was missing! I am fine with the inclusion of stickers, sure it would be nice to see more printed bricks, but the new stickers which won't peel are fine. I find them easy to apply (mainly due to use of tweezers when I do to avoid thumb prints) so I really don't mind them at all.
  • byolegobyolego Member Posts: 114
    I played with Legos between the age of 6-10. I would build for hours until my fingers went red/raw. BEST time of my life. This was in Indonesia, there wasn't much variety, just lots of bricks, some roofs, doors and windows. I always built houses and more houses and neighborhood. One of the latest item I owned was Lego Townhouse 560, it was the marvel of my life, it's cool seeing it again in the database.

    Dark ages for 25 years! during which I have skipped, hopped and moved around a few countries and established myself here in the land of plenty (of cheaper Legos)!

    The beginning of the enlightenment was 7 years ago. It all started again with having a kid, I started buying Duplo then Lego bricks as a dutiful parent . Just plain bricks. In the meantime I started paying more and more attention to what Lego's out there in the market. I would browsed through aisles telling myself how expensive Lego sets were, looking back I was coveting and then reasoning my way out of the temptation.

    Last year when we started reading Harry Potter, I bought Freeing Dobby (small set) then Hagrid's Hut (bigger set) to build with my daughter. I also started buying CMF, series 5. I got Cleopatra (small steps) last Sept. Then I was really hooked. Now I have all complete CMF series 1 to 7.

    Since I grew up with bricks only, I sneered and bristled at Bionicles and various licensed sets. Star Wars still annoyed me even now (another 10 years of licensing!). But I loved Harry Potter sets, I now have Diagon Alley regret missing all the earlier sets and made it up by buying a QAR yesterday (go figure).

    I am still fond and partial towards sets that make buildings/houses (as opposed to vehicles or spacecrafts type of sets) I regretted missing out on Lego Creator houses from the early 2000s and rejoiced in the Architecture series.

    I've joined this forum 6 weeks ago and I've been checking the news and the discussion boards everyday. My favorite is the steals and deals.

    I've been scurrying boxes and boxes of Legos everywhere like a squirrel. I've admitted to myself I am an AFOL ... I think my husband knew about it but keeping quiet ...

    Moral of the story: Resistance is futile. You must obey the bricks. :)

    Thank you for listening to my story :).
    chuxtoybox
  • Brick_ObsessionBrick_Obsession Member Posts: 656
    I think I am around 13 years as an AFOL.

    That being said, I only found Brickset a couple of yeas back.
  • just2goodjust2good Member Posts: 247
    I've been involved in the online LEGO community for almost five years, since August 24th, 2008. But, I started collecting July 2008, so yeah, five years.

    But, I had a dark age from August 2010-November 2011.
  • samiam391samiam391 Member Posts: 4,492
    I've been a casual LEGO fan for about 13-14 years, but I started seriously collecting roughly 5 years ago and since then I haven't slowed down.

    @just2good- Are you on eBay registered under the same username? I believe I just purchased an item from you a few days ago :o)
  • prof1515prof1515 Member Posts: 1,550
    edited August 2013
    I took a break from late 2003 until late 2007 due to finishing grad school, an auto accident and medical issues but otherwise I've been a fan of Lego and buying sets annually since January 1981.
  • madforLEGOmadforLEGO Member Posts: 10,794
    Been Collecting LEGO since 98-99, after my dark ages, which lasted about 10-12 years
  • youpunkyoupunk Member Posts: 11
    I have been collecting with my own money for at least 15 years. I started as child and never stopped. Still have original sets and instructions (in large binders with sheet protecters of course).

    Best
    Getting lego buckets with a 1000 bricks for $20.00
    Lego trains
    Love the more intricate sets that Lego is coming out with now
    Many different facial expressions of the minifigs
    The different MOCs that you see and the diversity of the creations
    Lego website used to have good sales on pieces and sets
    PAB

    Worst
    Piece to Price ratio for sets today
    Juniorized sets
    Too many license themes
    How many police and firefighters does a city need
  • icey117icey117 Member Posts: 510
    edited August 2013
    My sons age minus 10-14 days. :-) So since 2009... soon 5 years. Pirates and divers got me back in.

    Bad: Stickers on bricks Come on, LEGO!
    Worse: Stickers crossing bricks build together (really, LEGO, this is wrong!)
    Worst: Stickers on minifigs Why, why, why?
  • margotmargot Member Posts: 2,308
    Despite having been to Legoland in Denmark when I was 5, I don't think I ever owned a single Lego brick as a child. I started collecting around 3 to 4 years ago when I started buying for my son. He did not become a fan but I did.
    icey117
  • samiam391samiam391 Member Posts: 4,492
    icey117 said:


    Worst: Stickers on minifigs Why, why, why?

    It is a crime to put stickers on most minifigures...

    However, some of the best LEGO minifigures ever created had stickers:
    http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=375-2
  • Bosstone100Bosstone100 Member Posts: 1,431
    ^ technically, the stickers were on the armor chest plate. :-)
  • just2goodjust2good Member Posts: 247
    samiam391 said:


    @just2good- Are you on eBay registered under the same username? I believe I just purchased an item from you a few days ago :o)

    Nope, that must mean someone took my name for eBay. DRAT!
  • Stvoyager04Stvoyager04 Member Posts: 120
    I wouldn't say I had a dark ago so much as a computer age. All through high school, college and university my biggest hobby was computers. Then in 2005 I rediscovered my love of Lego. Combined with my interest in Star Wars this was a potent mix. Excluding minis I've bought most Lego Star Wars sets since then.
  • BumblepantsBumblepants Member Posts: 7,638
    I re-emerged from my dark age about 5-6 years ago. Was getting the odd set here or there and finding clearance deals where I could. Then about 2-3 years ago I found Brickset and pretty much went off the deep end. I have amassed 14 10xxx sets in the last year or so and I blame all of you guys with your deal posting and reviews
    icey117
  • GalidorneveragainGalidorneveragain Member Posts: 89
    Technically speaking at 18 and an AFOL, I've never stopped collecting Lego!! I'd say I've been using Lego Products for at least 15 years now, without a single dark age to my name!
    margot
  • caperberrycaperberry Member Posts: 2,226
    samiam391 said:

    icey117 said:


    Worst: Stickers on minifigs Why, why, why?

    It is a crime to put stickers on most minifigures...

    However, some of the best LEGO minifigures ever created had stickers:
    http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=375-2
    Seconded.

    image
    coachie
  • OldfanOldfan Member Posts: 706
    edited August 2013
    ^Love the 6000 idea book!
  • 91stlegotrooper91stlegotrooper Member Posts: 92
    I'm 24 and I have been getting Lego non-stop since I was 4. So, technically I have been collecting for 20 years. (and my collection is still smaller than most people here)
  • YellowcastleYellowcastle Administrator, Moderator Posts: 5,234
    Technically, the originating question is ambiguous. Collecting for 5+ years as an AFOL or collecting for 5+ years and are currently an AFOL? I'm covered either way, though. ;o)
  • luckyrussluckyruss Member Posts: 872
    I could probably claim three 5+ year periods, but the distinction between the last two is close.

    As a kid I had a lot of space, town and pirates through the 1980s; Star Wars brought me back out of my dark ages from 1999-2004/5 and then arguably I had another "mini dark age" (which was really because of the number of re-releases - I am feeling the same about SW sets at the moment); and then have been active again from about 2007 to date.
  • Peter1975Peter1975 Member Posts: 166
    I'm 38 now, but I've been into Lego's all my live. As a kid I got some playsets from Playmobil, but at a young age I trade all these with friends for Lego.
    Then when I turned the age of 20 I started to go to college, found a wife and got married. After we bought our house, I went back to my parent's to pick up my Lego's.
    At my place I started to rebuild all the models. The funny thing is, that I kept all the boxes.
    Then I discovered internet (ebay and the dutch marketplace) and saw that all the sets I missed, where still for sale.
    By now I'm close to 400 sets. (I don't collect minifigs, so they're all real sets) and can't stop collecting any more.
    Our house is for sale (really), because I'm out of space for me, my wife, three kids and ton's of Lego's. :)
  • legogallegogal Member Posts: 754
    Did not see a LEGO until 1991 when my son was three. While he built smaller sets, I began building houses with white walls and red roofs and some animal parks because that was all we had. He built for about ten years, we went into our Dark Ages, and came out about 6 years ago in 2007. So about 15 years of contact with LEGO and it seems like 50 years of sorting the darn things for my family.
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