29 replies to this topic

[Beastformers]

Same with Mirage when a repro cost $40 and an AFA one for $2,000. And we're talking about exact repro here, not ones with a clear mark to identify them.

 

So how do you tell the difference!?

[Skullcruncher]

I disagree with you GJNL. The repro won't affect geniune price as there will always be collector who will look for them. Just look at the Transformers line with all the KO released during the last years. You can get a full set of repro Dinobots for just $279 but the original ones still sell for a lot more like Grimlock for thousands of $ or Slag for 2 times the price of the repro set. Same with Mirage when a repro cost $40 and an AFA one for $2,000. And we're talking about exact repro here, not ones with a clear mark to identify them.

Sealed transformers are one thing as the boxes are not perfect matches at all, loose ones are a totally different kettle of fish as we say over here. Only recently I have seen (In person) two G1 original collectors collections and spotted repoductions/KO's - at first they were in denial but then realised they had been scammed on ebay. Loose repoductions are a nightmare for a collector who only wants original items. 

 

Also it has been proved time and again in the transformes world both official re-issues and KO's do affect the prices of originals these repoductions also put new collectors off who dont want to be burned.

 

GJNL, I agree the prices for the orignal shields will drop, not only because of the repoductions but there will be less collectors after the originals as well. I can eventually see an oversupply of these (same as the transformer repoductions) as there just wont be the market for them in 1+ years.

So how do you tell the difference!?

 

There is several fan made websites that show the differences. People still get burned though.

[Aza]

I have to side with the others aswell, GJNL. And not just because i will sell the shield and want a maximum profit.

 

Many, if not most collectors must have the original piece. If not, it will annoy the living daylight out of them. Sure, some will be satisfied with a repro, especially the ones with limited budgets. Speaking for myself, im a collector of  a certain series of books. I forked out close to 300 dollars for the first edition of the first book in the series. There are reprints of that book, by the same publisher, so its not even a repro in that sense, just a reprinted version with a much cooler cover and even the quality of the paper is better. So i bought the first edition of course.

 

And thats the mindset of some collectors. Sure, there is hardly any difference between a repro shield and an original one, the repro one is probably in better condition so with all being said its a more logical choice to buy a repro. But some people want the original...they need the original piece. And thats the core of being a collector.

 

Im not speaking for all the collectors here, but im sure that there are quite a few BB collectors here that view the original shields the same way as i had to have that book.

 

Bachamn: Im gonna sell it as soon as i figure out how this bloody classified thing works o:-)

[lord]

In fact the KO in TF have just an impact on items that the seller can't proove to be a real original items. This will be easily avoided with the repro shields thanks to the mark at their back.

 

I don't know where you see that the price drop has been proved. Ebay prices for vintage TF are still as high as they were before KO if not higher. The collectors who are looking for Euro shields  now will still look for them even with repro release. The collectors who will just get the repros are those who wouldn't have bought original ones anyway. Even official reissues don't affect prices. You can buy a commemo He-Man moc for just $70 but original vintage ones sell for hundreds of $$$.

 

 

Sealed transformers are one thing as the boxes are not perfect matches at all, loose ones are a totally different kettle of fish as we say over here. Only recently I have seen (In person) two G1 original collectors collections and spotted repoductions/KO's - at first they were in denial but then realised they had been scammed on ebay. Loose repoductions are a nightmare for a collector who only wants original items. 

 

Also it has been proved time and again in the transformes world both official re-issues and KO's do affect the prices of originals these repoductions also put new collectors off who dont want to be burned.

 

GJNL, I agree the prices for the orignal shields will drop, not only because of the repoductions but there will be less collectors after the originals as well. I can eventually see an oversupply of these (same as the transformer repoductions) as there just wont be the market for them in 1+ years.

 

There is several fan made websites that show the differences. People still get burned though.

[Skullcruncher]

How many collectors of battle beasts do you actually think are out there? Of course some collectors will still look for them, and many will not becuase the repoductions are looking really good. The battlebeast community is tiny compared to transformers so even the slighest dip/increase is noticed with battle/laser beasts.

 

For example when I first started looking at battle beasts you could get a Penguin complete for $15 now just loose with no weapon you are looking at $20 because a couple of collectors have been buying them all up. Exactly the same with the high end laser beasts, do you really think there is that many collectors of them? No the same people are actually bidding on the same items all the time, it happens with all collectables unfortunately.

 

I am seeing it becuase I had a store up until last year selling transformers and other items, the demand for orginal items was just not enough to justify all the time spent.

 

Fort Max is a perfect example - before the reissue prices for a loose complete were around $1200-$1500, now you can get exactly the same original one for $800. Sunstorm, Stepper, Dirge, White astrotrain all have been affected by official reissues. Of course orignal He-man prices are stable - he is the figurehead of the line!

 

Dinobots another example - these have been KO'd in massive amounts and they can be found all over the net. Only the hardcore/completist collectors have paitence to wait for a nice example MIB and there are many collectors who buy the KO's thinking they are original.

 

 

In fact the KO in TF have just an impact on items that the seller can't proove to be a real original items. This will be easily avoided with the repro shields thanks to the mark at their back.

 

I don't know where you see that the price drop has been proved. Ebay prices for vintage TF are still as high as they were before KO if not higher. The collectors who are looking for Euro shields  now will still look for them even with repro release. The collectors who will just get the repros are those who wouldn't have bought original ones anyway. Even official reissues don't affect prices. You can buy a commemo He-Man moc for just $70 but original vintage ones sell for hundreds of $$$.