22 replies to this topic

[jkaris]

Not bagging on scalpers or on the idiot who paid fr this, but WHY?
http://cgi.ebay.com/...item=1787749763
What would posess someone to pay $160 for 2, yes 2 figures that retail for $8 each? I'm really puzzled. I can see if they were chase figures or rare or something, but they're regular figures.
Don't get me wrong. People are free to do what they want with their own money. I'm just trying to figure out WHY someone would pay so much for these.


I'm puzzled, really.

[jkaris]

Okay, I emailed the buyer with this:

Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. Why are people paying such high dollar amounts for these 2 figures that retail for $7.99? Is it the need to have them before christmas?
I'm not trying to insult you by any means, I am just curious as to why there have been so many auctions for these figures at this price.

Thanks,

-Johnny

I'll keep you posted.

[jkaris]

Well it looks like the Wave 3 figures are currently selling for around $20 each. Not bad considering Christmas and all. It appears that things have gotten more realistic.

[The Shizit]

someday, i wish i can have that much disposable income!

[Tortle]

Maybe there was some kind of running change with the figure or the packaging, making these rare variations. Kinda like the He-Man with the + on his chest, then he was released with the *. I suspect that that is not the case, however, and these people are either fearful that they may never find the new figures or just really impatient.

This new MOTU line may be mirroring the Star Wars POTF2 line when it first came out. Collectors were dishing out alot of money back then for the harder to find figures like Obi-Wan and Leia, thinking that they might never find them at retail.

I'm glad that you actually asked the buyer what the deal is. And you worded it well, so hopefully you get a response.

-Nathan

[EVOM]

Do You guys remember the starting line-up fiasco back in 88? In NY state everyone had to have Don Mattinglys` fig, people were paying $75 for that overated losers fig. Some of those figs were issued regionally like the Utah Jazz making it nearly impossible for anyone outside of Utah to get them but that was not the case with Mattinglys` fig. I ended up finding one at a Service Merchandise (rip) 4 months later!! The moral of the story is this- people are fanatics when they have to have something before everyone else, very few of us put things in perspective(sometimes myself included) and that`s why this idiot paying $160 for these does not surprise me! How many times have I said that there`s an arse for every seat?!?!?

[jkaris]

Don Mattinglys` fig, people were paying $75 for that overated losers fig.

Hey, watch it! That's blasphemy!

[EVOM]

Hey, watch it! That's blasphemy!    

OH NO!!!!! Not You too Johnny!!!! Let me guess, You`re a yankee fan too?

[Warsman]

hey now , i have a autographed base ball and hat from him.
as well as a 83~85 card that i always hoped to get signed ,but didn't

He was the Yankee hero of the time.
and one of my old favorites.
I heard he was or is up for the hall of fame

[DoctorKent]

Not bagging on scalpers or on the idiot who paid fr this, but WHY?
http://cgi.ebay.com/...item=1787749763
What would posess someone to pay $160 for 2, yes 2 figures that retail for $8 each? I'm really puzzled. I can see if they were chase figures or rare or something, but they're regular figures.
Don't get me wrong. People are free to do what they want with their own money. I'm just trying to figure out WHY someone would pay so much for these.


I'm puzzled, really.

Jkaris,

it all comes down to one thing - an insane desire past all rational thought to have them NOW. I remember that I paid $9 a piece for the Biggs wave of Star Wars figures a couple years back, and when I went to the TRU right after, they had them all in spades. People think they won't be able to find these figures, and that is true only in few instances. The true test? Do a toy run in six months and see what they have. Is the newest wave hard to find right now? Hell yeah! There are too many ( ) out there looking for them.
Its hard to break the "gottahaveitnow" mindset, but when you do, its a beautiful thing. Of course, my average toy run is about ten stops a week, so I am not fully cured...

DoctorKent

[Tortle]

Yeah, I got out of the "gottahaveitnow" mindset pretty early on, at the Shadows of the Empire wave. I remember paying about $15 for Princess Leia Boushh at a toy convention (read: "scalper" convention), then seeing her at Walmart for $5 a couple weeks later. Of course, that was nothing compared to this Teela and Orko auction... the bidder is literally paying 10 times the normal amount for these figures. The bidder may be just a toy-collecting newbie, and he may not know that the pegs will be littered with these figures after Christmas.

-Nathan

[DoctorKent]

Of course, that was nothing compared to this Teela and Orko auction... the bidder is literally paying 10 times the normal amount for these figures.

The only figures worth paying ten times the going rate for were....Computer Warriors and Rocks and Bugs and Things! C'mon, did you think I was going to mention Star Wars? Heh-heh. At least I made the decision to overspend on my favorite crappy toylines, as it was just in the last couple years. I could have waiited - cheaper ones have popped up now and then - but it was worth it. I have hesitation at paying a comic store price for anything mass market these days - unless we run into another "long saber" situation (if you need it explained, ask someone else), these figures will be around for a looooooonnngggg time.

DoctorKent

[Tortle]

The only figures worth paying ten times the going rate for were....Computer Warriors and Rocks and Bugs and Things!

HA HA!!! I agree of course! At least with the RBTs, that is...

I have hesitation at paying a comic store price for anything mass market these days - unless we run into another "long saber" situation (if you need it explained, ask someone else), these figures will be around for a looooooonnngggg time.

I never pay comic store prices for toys, for the same reason you give above. They're all over the place, and a huge amount of them will be around forever in perfect condition because everybody is collecting nowadays. In contrast, the toys from when we were kids were played with, so they're hard to find in good condition, thus the inflated prices. Although people think they're rare, there will be literally thousands of Jorg Saculs in perfect condition 20 years from now. Will they be worth anything if there's so many in pristine condition? Who knows...

-Nathan

[jkaris]

OH NO!!!!! Not You too Johnny!!!! Let me guess, You`re a yankee fan too?

Yup Since I was about 11 years old. A's and Yankee's. The Bash Brothers and Donnie Baseball. It was so nice seeing the Yanks come from behind and slaughter the Braves when they first returned to October's glory!
But I'n not a band wagoner. When I first picked up on the Yankees, hey sucked majorly. Just something about those pinstripes! (Oh and Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Joe Dimaggio and Don Mattingly helped out too! )

[DoctorKent]

I have hesitation at paying a comic store price for anything mass market these days - unless we run into another "long saber" situation (if you need it explained, ask someone else), these figures will be around for a looooooonnngggg time.

I never pay comic store prices for toys, for the same reason you give above. They're all over the place, and a huge amount of them will be around forever in perfect condition because everybody is collecting nowadays. In contrast, the toys from when we were kids were played with, so they're hard to find in good condition, thus the inflated prices. Although people think they're rare, there will be literally thousands of Jorg Saculs in perfect condition 20 years from now. Will they be worth anything if there's so many in pristine condition? Who knows...

-Nathan

Even the amout of MOC Gi Joe, Star Wars, Transformers from the 80's is a little scary to me. Were that many people in tune with this mindset then? Ebay and the internet have realy changed the rarity scale for things. Ten years ago I would have said that there were about nine rare Super Powers figures. Now I would say that only three are truly hard to find. Same for Transformers.

How many people do you think actually opened Jorg? You are exactly right - people are storing tons of these things. Loose figs will probably be rarer than the MOC ones - except Spawn, because they will all be piles of parts that fell apart cause they suck.

RBT forever!

DoctorKent

[jkaris]

I think alot of the old MOC crap on eBay from the 80's is old store stock. Storage unit sales and liquidations, etc. People getting cases and selling them off. Then it gets to eBay as piecemeal, and prices soar!

[EVOM]

I think alot of the old MOC crap on eBay from the 80's is old store stock. Storage unit sales and liquidations, etc. People getting cases and selling them off. Then it gets to eBay as piecemeal, and prices soar!

So True!! I knew a guy back in Sewercuse who would clean out toy stores when the stores would unload the unsold stock, he never told me about how he convinced the stores to sell the unsold toys to him though. In his basement he had over 50 turtle figs moc, huge boxes with GI Joes of various years and the motherload of older lines still in the package. The store displays he had were awesome too! He said he was gonna hold on to them for a while and then sell em. Maybe he had people on the inside who worked at these stores, I don`t know. With the new m.u.s.c.l.e. line coming out I`m tempted to get a job at a toy store now!!!

[The Shizit]

i really dont think the muscle toys are going to be as hard to find as the MOTU guys are. there r alot more he-man fanatics than muscle fanatics

[Adamantiumwulf]

For now. no one knew there would be such a craze for 80's toys and stuff.

In 20 years ultimate muscle could be the same.

you never know. but I wouldn't hold your breath.

[DoctorKent]

You never can tell - Playmates thought that Earthworm Jim would be huge. And Skeleton Warriors. And Toxic Crusaders. And Exo Squad. The list goes on and on...

DoctorKent

[Tortle]

That brings up an interesting question: which current toys will today's kids get nostalgic over when they grow up, making them want to collect them (and therefore, making the toys worth money)? I would think that Dragonball Z and Pokemon are pretty much given.

Ultimate Muscle may be one of those toy lines that they get nostalgic with. But I'm definitely not buying a bunch just to sell 10 years down the line. Keeping alot of toys for years waiting for them to become collectible would definitely be more trouble than its worth.

-Nathan

[DoctorKent]

That brings up an interesting question: which current toys will today's kids get nostalgic over when they grow up, making them want to collect them (and therefore, making the toys worth money)? I would think that Dragonball Z and Pokemon are pretty much given.

Note to all - only buy the toys you want - don't worry about future collectible value. As Nate says here - you are only hurting yourself! Plently have people have asked me what they should collect, so it will be worth money. My advice - keep your money.

Now, onto the real meat of the subject - I'm not sure that the figures of now - Pokemon and the rest - have captured the kids the way we were forever scarred by He-Man, Transformers, and Gi Joe (and more - I am not exluding anything except Max Steele's Robot Force. Nobody wants those ). And the revival trend hasn't been all successes - Tron anyone? Does Nightmare Before Christmas reissues look like they are selling? Will Madonna figures, and new Rocky ones really be a hit?
Also, the days of the mojority of humans selling of their collections for peanuts has past, I think. A lot of these kids are going to lose interest in Pokemon, Power Rangers, what have you - but just throw them in a box or something and save them for the future. When we were kids (most of us anyway) our parents would take our stuff and just completely give it away to other collectors for pennies. I saw this all the time - my entire original Star Wars vehicle collection was sold for a couple of bucks at a neighborhood flea market. Nowadays, people know that things are "worth money" and won't clearance them out as fast.
Anyway, I think the only real answer is you never know. If my grandkids come over and want to watch "P:2- Second Generation Electric Beast Pikachu!!!!", so be it .

DoctorKent

[Adamantiumwulf]

Kids now days are bombarded with new things at a much greater pace then we ever where. The toy fades come an go so quick. At least one new one every year. If not two or three.

I would say DBZ had a good chance and unfortanetly so does pokemon. Power rangers would be another possibility.

another revival from the 80's that wasn't really succesful. VOLTRON.

If my grandkids come over and want to watch "P:2- Second Generation Electric Beast Pikachu!!!!", so be it .

transforming electric zoid beast pikachu and it's trusty steed Hairball