What do you consider a "complete collection"?

Gingerbread

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So I'm getting really close to completing the US collection.....or so I thought. As I get closer I start thinking about different "branches" of my collection and now I'm starting to wonder if I can really say, complete.

Years ago in the beginning, I told myself, "when I have all the US ponies, I will consider that a complete US collection" I was not accounting for accessories and playsets just the ponies themselves, once all the US ones were acquired I'd say it's complete. Of course I'd continue to collect accessories, merch and international and there are always some upgrades to be made but in my mind I'd say I've completed the US collection.

But now, well I'm close and I started thinking, wait, do I need to include all the Plushies, or the My Pretty Pony's, what about the Petite Ponies? or Dream Beauties? Can I say I have all the US ponies if I don't have all those? To be honest I never really got into the Petites and Dream Beauties and I don't know that I'd have the space for all them as well.

What do you guys think? What would you consider as complete? Perhaps I need to redefine my situation and say, "completed collection of US ponies" to specify that it's not fully complete without all accessories? And do you think it counts if it's missing any of the plushies, petites, dream beauties or pretty ponies? Hmmmm......
 
For me, personally, a "complete" G1 collection would be all the G1 US-release regular ponies. Not the accessories, playsets, petities/dream beauties/plushies, etc. Those are extras I can add to the collection, if I wish. ;3 But I'll consider my G1 collection complete when I've managed to get all the officially-released US ponies (store + mail order). Same goes for the G3 ponies.

So, I feel a "complete" collection is whatever you want to define it as. :) Whether it's just the ponies, the ponies and all their accessories, or <i>everything</i>... or whatever!

(knowing us, though... our collections will never be 'complete' because we'll always find something to add to it! XD)
 
I've also struggled with what I consider complete, but I'm along similar lines as you. For me, all US ponies only and mail orders, but that's only stage 1 of complete :p I want everything, like any self respecting insane collector. I'm trying to complete my US ponies, but I keep getting sidetracked, because I love the UK ponies so much and want them badly. The seaside babies are my favourites. I have one on the way, but want that set the most.
 
I was thinking along the same lines, I'll never be done collecting and don't think I'd really want to be. That would be boring! But in my mind a complete US collection would be all the ponies released minus the Dream Beauties and Petites cause I consider them to be a different toy line. Plushies I would group as merchandise and My Pretty Pony I think is kind of a gray area I could go either way, with them. I just think getting all the US ponies is my big milestone and a complete point for me. I can then focus on getting the accessories, merchandise and internationals. I might even start getting some of the Petites cause it's funny what you start thinking is cute when you're running out of other stuff. Back in my earlier collecting years I had no desire for the teeny tiny ponies or sweetheart sister lines but then when you start running out of things you sort of see them in a new light, looking at the petites I caught myself going, "she's cute"! So who knows where that could go! LOL
 
I was thinking along the same lines, I'll never be done collecting and don't think I'd really want to be. That would be boring! But in my mind a complete US collection would be all the ponies released minus the Dream Beauties and Petites cause I consider them to be a different toy line. Plushies I would group as merchandise and My Pretty Pony I think is kind of a gray area I could go either way, with them. I just think getting all the US ponies is my big milestone and a complete point for me. I can then focus on getting the accessories, merchandise and internationals. I might even start getting some of the Petites cause it's funny what you start thinking is cute when you're running out of other stuff. Back in my earlier collecting years I had no desire for the teeny tiny ponies or sweetheart sister lines but then when you start running out of things you sort of see them in a new light, looking at the petites I caught myself going, "she's cute"! So who knows where that could go! LOL
I never cared about the BBE, SHS or many of the gimmicky ponies, but now I have most of them. I collected them incidentally.
 
I would agree with everyone else that would say that the US ponies would be “complete.”

But here’s devils advocate for you is that if, you as the collector, is happy with what you’ve maintained as complete then it’s that. Complete. Myself, I have a collection of mainly Pegasus and Unicorns because they’re the ponies I’ve always loved most. Once I have acquired them all I will consider that part complete. However, I will always collect buy and upgrade my collection as I always have over the last 30 years. Yes, I am old thankyouverymuch. ;p
 
For me, personally, a "complete" G1 collection would be all the G1 US-release regular ponies. Not the accessories, playsets, petities/dream beauties/plushies, etc. Those are extras I can add to the collection, if I wish. ;3 But I'll consider my G1 collection complete when I've managed to get all the officially-released US ponies (store + mail order).
(knowing us, though... our collections will never be 'complete' because we'll always find something to add to it! XD)

I completely agree with this. I don't collect most accessories or playsets and even if I complete the U.S. G1s, I probably will add more nirvanas and non-U.S. releases to my collection. But my main concern are the U.S. ponies.
 
I think a complete set is all the US released Ponies, then bonus if you collect all the out of country releases. Then you can set your sights on accessories, playsets, odds and bobs merch....

Of course, I'm a Pony Ho, I want everything I can afford plus everything I can't.
 
Does your collection need to be ‘complete’ for you to be happy with it? I suspect not, so the follow up question is then, what makes you happy? Collect that. If you start to love the petites, get them. If you don’t care for Dream Beauties, leave ‘em alone.

I always remember years ago seeing a collector talking about her complete G1 collection, and she mentioned that she had several ponies that she really disliked but had to have them in order to complete her collection. As a collector who has always decided what to keep based on preference rather than complete sets, I found that really interesting.

Also, tastes change over time, so it’s natural that, as you get closer to ‘completing’ your pony collection, you start to look at other related things (like plushies) to start adding in.

In any case, have fun with it. :)

Elf
 
All good points! I think my general line of thinking is along what others are saying too. When I finish what I consider to be the US collection, I'm gonna say I've done it and throw a big pony party LOL You all coming right!?
 
I'm sure it's a personal thing! For me, I'd include Dream Beauties, My Pretty Ponies and Petites, but not merch or plush or other spin-off goods like that. I also wouldn't include accessories, but that's because to me, they're not ponies! ;) But I do enjoy Dream Beauties and Petites, so that's why I'd include them! I could see the argument for not including them too!

Of course, I'm a Pony Ho, I want everything I can afford plus everything I can't.

Ha ha, hey, me too!! :lolpony:
 
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