Click on the picture to see this Collection!! Name: Michiel de Graaf a.k.a STOMWIJF Location: The Netherlands

1- What is it that you collect?
Mainly wrestling figures, but I also collect DVDs, Videotapes and odd bits and pieces. Basically anything wrestling related, I even own a full size Royal Rumble pinball machine and two Jamma cabinets. My figure collection is approaching the 5,000 figure mark.

2- What was it that brought you to collecting? And what is that keeps you going?
Like all collectors, I collect because it’s fun for me. In most cases the hunt is better than the catch. Hunting for figures on the internet, toy stores and flea markets gives me a rush. I keep on collecting because I just like many many figures and like to keep my collection as complete as possible.

3- When did you start collecting?
I started watching wrestling back in 1986, but only started collecting wrestling figures around 1990.

4- Why (what you collect) example:Batman, Star Wars, Transformers, etc…?
Because I like to watch wrestling and like to own plastic replicas of my “wrestling heroes”.

5- When did you start displaying them?
The same I started buying wrestling figures I started displaying them. I know that figures are meant to be played with, but I hardly ever did that.

6- How do you get your inspiration to organize and display your collection?
Nowhere really, when I first started collecting I lived at my parents. By the time I moved into my own house I decided to paint the walls of one of the extra room black and just moved my wrestling collection in. From there on it just grew and grew. It still does. There’s not much planning and organizing going on. However, I do know where about 95% of my figures are at all times. Sometimes though I have to look for a couple of minutes to find a specific piece.

7- Do you have a favorite character(s) you collect?
When I started watching wrestling Bret “The Hitman” Hart of The Hartfoundation was always my favorite wrestler. Luckily for me he went on to become one of the greatest wrestlers ever and had many figures released by many toy companies.

8- Which item in your collection would you say is your absolute favorite and why?
The cherry on top of my collection are three unproduced prototype WCW Galoob figures: The Diamond Studd, PN News and Ricky Morton. There are only three known of each.

9- Which item was the most difficult to obtain? And which one is your prized possession?
Basically because of the internet nearly anything is obtainable. It only takes time and effort. Getting the AWA Remco Boris Zhukov did take me serious time and also getting the Japanese POPY set complete took me a couple of weeks. In the wrestling figure community I am pretty well known and I sometimes get offers for really rare pieces.

10- What is the oldest item you own? and the one with the most value?
My oldest figures are the POPY figures. They were the first official wrestling figures produced in 1981. The question which is the most valuable is pretty hard to answer as I have a couple of items that are unique (as in the only one in the world). If I have to guess it would be the 2 up WCW ToyBiz Bret “The Hitman” Hart or the unproduced Galoob figures.

11- What inspires you to purchase an item to add to your collection?
Usually just the fact that I really like the figure itself, but I also like to have my collection as complete as possible, so sometimes I buy a figure to complete a set.

12- Customizing figures and statues has become very big, have you ever purchased a custom figure or statue and have you ever tried making one?
I have tried my hands at customizing, but the effort was hardly mentionable. I did recently buy some custom LJN figures, because they were so well made that they fit in well with the official LJN wrestlers.

13- What do you think of the custom Craze?
Customizing is not really my thing.

14- Where do you make most of your purchases from? ebay seems to be a favorite with collectors these days, are you an ebayholic?
I buy on eBay on a regular basis, but that’s mainly due to the fact that I cannot buy my wrestling figures in The Netherlands . Getting a hold of vintage figures would be nearly impossible without eBay. I also buy a lot through the Yahoo! Japan auction site.

15- Is your collection insured?
Obviously it is. I estimate the value around $ 55,000 to $ 60,000, perhaps even more. It is insured, but should it be lost in e.g. a fire I would collect the insurance payment and not pick up collecting anymore as I would never get my collecting anymore on the level it is now.

16- What is missing from your collection that you hope to one day acquire?
My vintage collection is pretty well complete. I now need to keep up with new Jakks and Charapro releases. One thing missing is the Deluxe version of Kendo Kashin, but it can be obtained through Yahoo! Japan.

17- What is the usual reaction when people see your collection?
“WAUW !, this is not a collection….. this is a store !!!”

18- Do you attend conventions for some of your purchases? could you tell us about that?
No, the geographic of living in The Netherlands prohibit that pretty much.

19- Most collectors today go on what they call a toy run, do you participate in that as well? And what are your favorite spots? Do you have a routine?
Like I wrote above, Dutch toy stores don’t carry wrestling figures. I do go on holiday to Long Island , New York and return home with 4 or 5 suitcases full of figures from TRU, Kaybee, Wal Mart etcetera.

20- How do you decide what to take out of the package and what stays sealed?
I keep all of my new stuff sealed. When I really like a wrestling figure I simply buy two of him, examine which carded is the best and open the other one up. As to vintage stuff, I try to get them complete, but they do not need to be MOC.

21- At what stage do you think your collection will be at 10 years from now, do you think you would have grown tired of it?
I will probably have run out of room and storage space. I would have probably sold some of my stuff to make room for other stuff. Or I will have moved to a bigger house. Can’t see myself getting tired of collecting yet.

22- What advice would you give someone who just started a collection?
Buy the figures I actually LIKE, don’t buy them because other people tell you to do so.