Why Aren't Classics More Popular?

Our discussion topic for this wintery week is why aren't classics aka freedom scale models more popular?

Personally I'm a big fan of them and on the surface they seem like a great option for collectors. They're smaller and less expensive than their traditional counterparts which is great for shelf space and the budget. Just like traditionals and minis there are a wide variety of breeds and sculpting styles as well as a long history of production for the vintage fans. And yet they seem like an afterthought for most people who either focus on traditionals or stablemates.

The original Maureen Love molds which debuted in the 1970s certainly have a dedicated following, but that seems to be mostly among us elder millennials and older. The Mesteno series also has some pretty serious fans - likely because of their long run at Walmart and other retailers with the wild mustangs. Niche classics like the Halloween series are also very popular. But... is that it? You just don't tend to see the same raving fan base.

There are so many pretty darn rare classics out there that seem to attract little attention. Advantage Chrysler for one (see my previous post) - but also things I thought would be very sought after, for example the very short run mold replacements from when many of the Hess classics molds gave out. The only one of those to get much notice is the Mesteno's Mother who replaced Ginger in the Sedona and Tucson set. Special runs like the WEG models from 2014 or glossy Cosette that were limited to just 500 pieces tend to sell for regular run prices in contrast to traditional or SM sized runs of similar piece counts which can be very sought after.

Is it because the hobby has specifically carved out minis for live showing and classics have to go against the traditionals? Is it specifically the sculptures just aren't as popular? I would argue they have the same range of wonky to wonderful as other scales. Do people just not like the in between size?

What do you think? Are you a fan and do you collect classics?