Things you love about collecting WWE figures

The nostalgia of being a kid & heading to TRU & KB toys with my dad to get figs.

figures for me are like little moments frozen in time. whenever i pick up a figure i get a flood of specific memories that bring back great nostalgia. whether it be reminding me of an old figure i had as a kid, a memory of a match or storyline that took place in the ring or one that played out in my fed.

these days, the biggest thing that i get out of figure collecting is the fact that i get to treat myself in a specfic way that no one else could. when i was a kid i grew up.....lower middle class. my family would be shopping at bargain brand stores; mind you i always had food to eat, clothes to wear and a warm home, but as a kid i did way more 'window shopping' and wishing than i did playing with the toys i really desired. thumbing through the toy section of the newspapers and putting stars by the figures i wanted to buy. id turn them into my parents in hopes that they would surprise me, but my bins continuously filled up with dollar store guys; its not that they didnt care its just that they didnt understand.
and, its also really cool to know that my main hobby is buying $20 figures here and there and not buying motorcycles or cars or other obnoxious things

I like it when I'm able to get that one I was searching for. I like it when a variant with that specific attire or belt accessory I want finally get made, IE Royal Rumble 1990 Ultimate Warrior or SummerSlam 1989 Rick Rude. Also the one with the IC title deco attire.

To be honest, on one level (and I don't want to "intellectualize") its about identity and community. As many others have put it - it brings us into contact with like minded individuals and embeds us in a community of discussion, debate and speculation.

Figures work on many levels to satisfy, but definitely they allow me to advertise myself to others and attract would-be friends. I also learn about myself and grow as a person (who do I like? why do I want this figure and not another one? Do I want it so much that I'm willing to spend so much?).

But definitely on a more trial level its the rush! That child-like, unshakeable feeling of possession and ownership of a representation of my heroes. It's not easy in Ireland, but I do my best.

My collection is literally the embodiment of childhood daydreaming for me. The idea of having figures from across eras and companies, all standing together on a shelf in high detail would send 8 year old me over the moon. To be able to put Goldberg, Hollywood Hogan, The Rock, Austin, Sting, Warrior, Bret Hart, etc all side by side is just this incredible feeling.

There's a huge nostalgia component to it. I was an only child, and spent a lot of time alone playing with wrestling figures. I was lucky to have a lot of friends that lived in my neighborhood, but still spent a lot of time solo with my grandparents over the summer while my parents were at work. So figures take me back to the battles that still stick with me almost 25 years later - epic matches between Bret and Owen vs LOD, or Goldust's dominant title reign. I didn't want for anything as a kid, but grew up lower middle class. So it always felt like our family was the last to get any new, cool tech - I was the last of my friends to get an N64, cd players, or home internet. Getting a new figure before my friends did was the one area where I'd get to be ahead of the curve, I guess.

So as a few others have mentioned, the ability to curate my own collection, and having the financial comfort to buy any toy I want without having to give it any real thought is very empowering. And in some small ways, it's a reminder of how hard I've worked and what I've accomplished. Sorry to wax poetically, folks.

This. All day, baby.

I know people complain about them getting made so much, but I love their figures. I believe I have every Hogan figure (minus basics and the new Superstars one) since Mattel started making him again (all 3 UEs, E91, SS). I wish I had more Savages but my absolute favorite one I have is his 2nd DM

This thread is fantastic. Thanks OP and those that have shared their stories.

My favorite part about collecting is making fix-ups and customs.