So then: Are we on another Collect-a-thon era?
Now theres been hundreds of these in the past. From trading cards, to toys, to even rocks. There have been and will always be a thing when theres multiple of a thing or different things for one or various objects.
For example: In Team Fortress 2, some hats can be painted to give them a unique look, so someone (like me for example) could start collecting the painted versions for himself. The same can be applied to a large range of things.
In this post, ill be talking about toys, since its the most prominent collect-a-thon ive seen recently. Im gonna start with this: Does anybody remember Mighty Beanz?
These little guys were big back around 2010 to i think 2014/2015. Mighty Beanz were shaped like beans, but had a metallic ball inside which gave them weight, and had various designs. Of course instantly from that you were given the choice to start collecting them all. Every pack even came with a booklet of how to play and all of the beanz that existed during the series.
Series´ are another point worth mentioning. Every series had its own beanz and limited run (around 5 to 6 months, tops for each series), so once the packs for that series were out, good luck getting them!
Another example are U.B Funkeys!
U.B Funkeys had various characters and each of them had 3 variations: Normal, Rare and Very Rare, so its obvious that the collect-a-thon was there from the beginning, but by collecting the rarer versions you could obtain more coins and new, exclusive items from their respective shops. It gave a reward for those who were collectors.
Just like Mighty Beanz, U.B Funkeys had its own series´ as well, with its own Funkeys, so it just added to the collectability of the little guys.
But lets get to more recent examples shall we?
Shopkinz was the main one that made me spark interest in this topic. Shopkinz are little figures designed after grocery items, like mall bags, shampoo etc. They were even designed after food! Of course you can already see how collectability applies here.
Taking a closer look, Shopkins dont really have much purpose outside of Collecting, which is okay, as that is what they were made for. What makes it a little less special is that... Well thats all really. Just collect them.
U.B Funkeys and Mighty Beans have the ability to be used to either play recommended games, or use them in a virtual game. Shopkinz doesnt really have that unless you count roleplay.
Probably one of the best examples of Collect-a-thon objects would be The Pokemon TCG (or Trading Card Game).
Man Trading Cards have always been the 1st ever Collect-a-thon to come to mind right? Thats because of their name: Trading Cards. Collect them, and trade them. Get them all! It was simple, but fun.
The Pokemon TCG on the other hand takes this to a whole new level. Yes you can trade or collect them, but they can also be used to play the Trading Card Game. Every Booster Pack (sealed packs that contain cards) contains a code which can be used in the Online version of the game, which unlocks a Booster Pack in the game. Not only you get IRL cards, which can be used to play, trade or collect, but you also get virtual cards. A win-win.
I seriously recommend you look up more about the Pokemon TCG, more specifically its Tournament scene and just its awesome decks. I really love it.
There are hundreds of examples i could go on, but you get the idea by now. Collect-a-thons existed then, and they exist now, and will probably exist forever.
Is it good? Yes, because it allows people to have a goal they want to reach. Whether its a complete collection, or having a good deck or their favorite figures or characters, theres something for everybody in Collect-a-thons.
Conclusion: Yes, we are on another collect-a-thon age, with more figurines than cards, but its a good one for sure.
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