For months, I’ve been carrying a collectible toy in my purse. More specifically, I’ve been toting around a Sonny Angel, a blind box figurine made by Japanese toy manufacturer Toru Soeya. Mine is about three inches tall and wears the top of a carrot as a hat.
I originally bought it on a whim because one of my friends had shelves lined with Sonnys. When I started carrying it around, I didn’t think much of it—it was subconscious, really. It just happened to be in my bag most of the time. But eventually, it turned into a game: take a picture everywhere it goes. By now, my Sonny Angel has celebrated birthday brunches, attended classes, traveled through multiple states and even came into the polling booth with me on election day.
Although it’s just a plastic collectible toy, I like to think of my Sonny Angel as a way to catalog my daily life—an adult “Flat Stanley,” if you will. Months later, I have an entire album of memories. It might seem irrelevant, childish even, but I’m not alone. Collectible items are making a comeback, especially among members of Gen Z.
In a survey I conducted of 20 college students, 94.7% of respondents said they have collections. The most popular items are blind boxes, stationery, books, crystals and vinyl records. Of those who collect blind boxes, 62.5% said they specifically collect Sonny Angels. Some respondents even have multiple collections running simultaneously.
While the popularity of blind boxes today may seem new, they originated in Japan during the 1980s and were initially called fukubukuro, or “lucky bags.” Today, market researchers estimate the blind box industry generates roughly $13.5 billion in profits annually. Experts anticipate that the industry will only grow in the coming years, and the amount of people collecting suggests the same.
While the sheer number of people jumping on the collectible bandwagon is shocking, the reasons why people collect things are more compelling. Some, like me, use their collections to keep track of time.
“I like to collect things that I think have meaning, things that I collect usually hold or remind me of memories, and I like to take them wherever I go,” one survey respondent wrote. “I don’t depend on the objects to remember these events but they sort of serve as evidence of life to me! I think of my future family picking through all of my little things and think about how I got them all throughout my life.”
For others, the tactile nature of collectibles holds a unique appeal in an increasingly digital world. Many feel that having a physical object is much better than having digital copies. When asked about their collection, one respondent wrote why they collect records: “Mostly because I love the analog sound of music on vinyl but also for fun. In the digital age, I think we take physical media for granted, and it’s important to hold onto physical media because anything and everything on the internet could eventually be removed entirely.”
For some, it’s much simpler—they just like to shop. According to one survey respondent, there’s “[d]efinitely a rush to finally getting something you’ve been searching for.”
It may seem counterintuitive for a generation so concerned with the environment, willingly buying what seems like useless clutter––but the purpose of collections may run deeper than meets the eye. Regardless of what they collect or why, most respondents agree that collectible items foster community. Many said they enjoy sharing their new finds with friends who have similar collections. Some students also explained that they often look for new items together. One respondent even mentioned that they collect things for others’ collections.
“People can also share collections,” they wrote. “I send my mom anything heart-shaped (not outright hearts) because she collects them, so it might also build community if you start collecting for your collector friend!”
Although the current popularity of collectible items, particularly blind bags, may seem overwhelming, Gen Z isn’t the only generation with an affinity for collecting things. In the ‘80s, ‘90s, and early 2000s, troll dolls, Beanie Babies and Pokémon cards dominated the marketplace. Decades later, these collections sell for thousands on second-hand sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
The Chef Robuchon Beanie Baby is the most expensive Beanie Baby on the market right now, and it’s valued between $8,000 and $12,000, according to People. Rare Sonny Angels already sell for as much as $500, with Robbys––a surprise Sonny Angel figurine that comes one in every 144 boxes––listed for even more. Only time will tell if Sonny Angels, or perhaps another collectible figure, will follow in Beanie Babies’ footsteps, but one thing is for certain: collectible items seem to be here to stay.
