I must say I am surprised to find I already have 19 of 42 First Editions for 2003. Even more remarkably, most of these were acquired before the calendar turned over. Time was when you would see only one or two of the new models, and then in the hands of the usual suspects. Now it seems the new year may be half over before it's barely begun.

It's not like I've changed my hunting habits in any way. I've never been what you would call an aggressive collector. Once or twice a week in a store or two usually suffices to find what I want...eventually. I have been fortunate enough recently, to open a few cases at Wally World when I stopped off late at night after closing my store. But often enough I've stopped off when there were no cases to be had, or only old stock. Suddenly, I'm even turning up (gasp) Treasure Hunts!

The trend started back in 1998 when the First Editions expanded from 12 to 40 models. The first two releases, the ford Escort and the Jag D-Type, were passed around our club meeting like rare and precious jewels. I wouldn't find them in the stores till several weeks later. For 1999, three or four models came out early, and I actually found one or two by the new year. Mainly I was completing my 98's, a dozen of which I never saw until late December. However, the trend was set, and each year saw more of the new models out for Christmas, and last year I finished the 02 FE's while it was still November.

Not that I'm complaining. I would happily dispense with all the FE's by February if I could. That would leave me free to pursue other diecast without having to dig through the HW pegs every hunt. If other companies can release sets all at once, why not Mattel? Of course some people do complain. They wonder what they'll have to look forward to in the summer. They miss the routine of the hunt. I suppose these people also put water on the stove just to watch it come to a boil. Mattel says they have no ulterior motive; that last year demand for new product was so high they burned through their allotments a lot sooner than anticipated, forcing them to introduce new models sooner than planned. Every company should have problems with too much success, right?

And naturally, Mattel does have other things planned for you to hunt. Last year, the Preferreds appeared during the traditional summer drought. This year, the new Preferreds and the Highway 35s are scheduled to be released throughout the year. The 100% Collectibles line has its own ambitious program , and of course, there are the offerings from HWC and the RLC. These programs will rise and fall according to their merits. Indeed, some of them already appear to be in trouble. But finding something to hunt shouldn't be a problem.

Paying for them, however, is another thing. If you got into this hobby to collect cheap one dollar cars, like I did, you can turn around and add up the receipts, and give yourself a nasty case of sticker shock. Well you have to decide for yourself what price collectiblity, and some people are going to choose to bypass some pretty nice diecast because the price is too high. But does that mean your hunt is a failure because you release your catch back into the wild?

Too many collectors live in terror of the idea of missing out on something. They think they'll be looking the wrong way at the wrong moment, and something will get by them, never to be seen again. They simultaneously live in dread waiting for the new releases and fear they will be caught unaware if something comes and goes too soon. All I can say is Relax. It's just a hobby. It bears no vital social significance beyond our own little community of collectors. Whether the collection comes quick and easy, or long, drawn-out, and slow, what matters is not the ones you miss but the ones you get. And that's true whether or not it takes you all year to get them.

Contact the Gent directly at ramckee@mindspring.com