As someone who has been in and around the collecting hobby for a good chunk of my life, I've noticed a few traits of collectors. I've talked to many people who have so much stuff in their homes, there is barely enough space to actually walk around. Now I'm guessing these types of collectors aren't the ones who limit themselves to one category or type of toys. They buy anything and everything — to be used as parts, trade bait or simply because they can't seem to let anything pass them by.

Others are like me. I buy a little of something here and there. I'm not tied to one particular category. I have a smattering of action figures, a few tin tanks, some board games and even a lightsaber or two among my Milwaukee Brewers memorabilia in "my room" in the basement. I don't have so much stuff that I can't move, but I don't have a dedicated collecting field, either. To me, it makes it that much more fun when I hit antique shops with my mom. I never know what I might bring home.

And then there are those collectors who have a targeted niche in collecting. For instance, they might collect Hot Wheels. In that case, there might be display case after display case filled with models, prototypes and exclusives. These types of collectors have a specific item they are looking for, and they dive into it like a colege student working on his senior thesis.

Is any one method better than another? No way. And that's what makes this hobby great. You don't have to be rich to enjoy it, and there are plenty of other folks out there who enjoy the same thing.

Of course, that leads to one question — what type of collector are you? (And don't be afraid to show off your collection to the rest of us.)  

Welcome to Talkin’ Toys, the official blog for me, Toy Shop magazine editor Tom Bartsch. This will be one of three blogs for Toy Shop magazine. Toy Shop columnists Karen O’Brien and Mark Bellomo will host the other two blogs, which will launch shortly.

Let me first introduce myself. I have been the editor of Toy Shop for approximately four years. Toy Shop itself has been around since 1988, starting as a classified ad “shopper” magazine for toy collectors before transforming into the magazine you see today. The focus has always been on collectible toys, and we’ll use these blogs as an extension of the magazine.

Here’s what you will be seeing in this blog. I’ll share any breaking developments in the toy industry and offer my view on the situation. I’ll also comment on auction news and share what categories seem to be getting more attention from bidders. This blog will also be a good place to open up a dialog with readers on a regular basis. So share your thoughts on the hobby, your collection and your views on where the industry is heading into the future. This is the Toy Shop community, and your voice should be heard.      

This blog will be updated frequently. However, you can share your thoughts at any time, and I encourage you to do so. You can post photos of your collection, or if you have a problem identifying your collectible, we’ll post it and the knowledgeable readers of Toy Shop can help solve the mystery. Everyone loves a mystery, right?

We hope you enjoy the added features we’ve provided for you. In addition to checking this blog, be sure to sign up for the weekly Toy Shop electronic newsletter, Toy Shop Xpress. This newsletter will be e-mailed to your inbox every week. To sign up, click on the newsletter sign-up box on the Toy Shop Web site.

We’ll dive in with some toy topics in the next blog. For now, welcome to a new chapter in the history of Toy Shop magazine. I’m glad you joined the adventure.

Playtime starts now!