Fistful of Aliens

Okay, FOA collectors, let's take a look at what the fair market values for pieces are... Between what people are asking versus what we're actually paying for stuff, so we can stabilize the market. 

 

Seems a good idea to me

i think that the right values would be:
-0,20$ common aliens
-50/70$ crystallites
-70$ RAMMs B
-30$ USA space pods
-from 15 to 20$ "common" mutants
-70/80$ mutants C serie
-from 20 to 30$ RAMMs A

I always payed every item like these prices

The FOA market seemed pretty stable, up until a year and a half ago... There was a HUGE auction with like, 200-300 figures (including Crystallites, RAMMS, ships and missiles) that went for about $150, or so. That's a lot of money, but it was a HUGE lot of figures, averaging the single figure price to being less than a dollar. 

Since then, I have seen auctions go to ridiculous prices, with a lot of auctions/but-it-nows getting relisted a lot.

Right now, there is a seller on ebay trying to sell single figures for $4 apiece, and he has been relisting those same figures for the past year... Though they are listed at $4 apiece, they are not SELLING for that much.

I saw an auction on YAJ last night, that had 7 common figures, for $9. 

I think  the best place to start, is to establish a fair price range for the common figures (sets A and B... Set C is a different story). 

I would suggest that a fair price for the common set figures, would be between $1 and $3 apiece. Obviously, the rates for set C figures will differ, drastically.

i think that the right values would be:
-0,20$ common aliens
-50/70$ crystallites
-70$ RAMMs B
-30$ USA space pods
-from 15 to 20$ "common" mutants
-70/80$ mutants C serie
-from 20 to 30$ RAMMs A

I always payed every item like these prices

$20 for common aliens, is way overpriced.

I have never paid more than $20 for a RAMM, either. $30 for a space pod? I just got a Japanese space pod on card, with figures, for $30, man. Space pods, realistically, are $15-$25 depending on condition.

I have to say "No way" to most of those prices listed, man. 

The C set figures, are a different story... I HAVE seen those command a premium, due to the fact that they are Japanese release only. 

So you have been more lucky than me! I started re-collecting just a year ago and the prices I found were those.

$20 for common aliens, is way overpriced.

No, that's 0,20 ie $0.20 - 20 cents! That's the way it's written anyway.

Still an eccentric value, but at the other end of the scale.

Edited by Strontium Dog, 06 April 2014 - 10:54 AM.

My mistake. I read that as "zero to twenty". 

And yeah... While I would gladly buy them at $0.20 apiece, I would consider that quite a bargain. Realistically, in small lots, I expect to pay around a buck a figure. For larger lots, I do expect the rate to be adjusted though.

They are not, by any stretch of the imagination, worth $4 or greater, apiece (again, excluding set C).

So you have been more lucky than me! I started re-collecting just a year ago and the prices I found were those.

Also, part of it may be luck... Another part, is I'm not willing to pay scalpers' rates for those figures. Unfortunately, collectors have been treating ebay's posted prices as the accepted value, even if the pieces don't sell. 

Part of the whole concept to starting this list, is so that we don't have to fall to ebay's falsely inflated pricing anymore.

When FOA collecting went on a bubble, I went to ebay Italy, and got the figures for more fair pricing. 

I know there's at least seven board members here, who collect FOA, and I am really curious to see how all of our opinions vary.

Also, part of it may be luck... Another part, is I'm not willing to pay scalpers' rates for those figures. Unfortunately, collectors have been treating ebay's posted prices as the accepted value, even if the pieces don't sell. 
Part of the whole concept to starting this list, is so that we don't have to fall to ebay's falsely inflated pricing anymore.
When FOA collecting went on a bubble, I went to ebay Italy, and got the figures for more fair pricing. 
I know there's at least seven board members here, who collect FOA, and I am really curious to see how all of our opinions vary.

I understard your point of view. I payed those prices just cause I only collect FoA for what regards toy collecting, so I can afford to spend more money than others who collect many toy lines (since I really want to complete the collection I prefer spend more and win an auction than let it go).

To be honest I think that the only one who should make the price is the buyer. I put prices in my post on the "got toys" section only because you must put them, in other case I would have wait for some offers

Sure. This isn't really about having a discussion on who makes what prices... It's trying to find a common ground, so that there is a fair price guide, for people to be able to go off of.

Right now, there is no standard.

Who knows, you might be able to get more FOA for that "more money" that you can afford, value wise.

The FOA market seemed pretty stable, up until a year and a half ago... There was a HUGE auction with like, 200-300 figures (including Crystallites, RAMMS, ships and missiles) that went for about $150, or so. That's a lot of money, but it was a HUGE lot of figures, averaging the single figure price to being less than a dollar. 

Since then, I have seen auctions go to ridiculous prices, with a lot of auctions/but-it-nows getting relisted a lot.

Right now, there is a seller on ebay trying to sell single figures for $4 apiece, and he has been relisting those same figures for the past year... Though they are listed at $4 apiece, they are not SELLING for that much.

I saw an auction on YAJ last night, that had 7 common figures, for $9. 

I think  the best place to start, is to establish a fair price range for the common figures (sets A and B... Set C is a different story). 

I would suggest that a fair price for the common set figures, would be between $1 and $3 apiece. Obviously, the rates for set C figures will differ, drastically.

hahahaha I was the one that bought that HUGE auction of figures xD... It was totally worth it!

hahahaha I was the one that bought that HUGE auction of figures xD... It was totally worth it!

 

Man, that auction screwed our market up so much... I mean, there was a ton of stuff in it, but every jerk that SAW that auction play out/didn't understand WHY that auction went for so much, then thought they could sell FOA in $4 single figure auctions... And that's just crazy.

 

Me? I'm just hunting for Ramms right now. That unto itself is a headache.

So essentially you are saying it is my fault that everything screwed up?.. :/ that kinda sucks and makes me feel like crap as a collector..

Being a collector who is so!! passionate about FOA... I didn't really care about the prices at the time, being that the auction had every figure I had HOPED to acquire in the past few years... had I known it would stuff up the market.. I honestly don't know what I would have done... but I most likely still would have purchased it, being that there was no way I wanted to let all three Crystalites slip away... (that is of course if we are thinking of the same auction... the one I bid for only went for something like $120... is that the auction you are talking about?)

You don't have to feel bad just because it isn't "your fault".
Since I started recollecting (in 2012) I have seen many lots of common figures at high prices, but simply they weren't sold.
I onestly think that prices are decided by costumers, since if you bid you raise the price of the figure(obviously), but it also means that figures has that value FOR YOU.
We can discuss a lot about fair prices and stuff, but if I find one of the figures I still need be sure that I will go for it at the highest price I can afford, absolutely not blaiming about how much I payed it.

Noooooo... What I am saying is: people that saw that lot sell for that price, weren't looking for WHY that lot sold for that price. They then turned around, and tried to sell medium/marginal lots for exorbitant prices. They weren't taking into consideration, the sheer amount of rare figures and accessories involved, and that screwed things up.
A missile/launcher, with fifteen common figures, should not go to auction for $30 starting price. Still, that is what happened after that auction. I pretty clearly did NOT blame YOU, and pretty clearly stated where I felt the problem with the market was.
When you break down what you actually paid, versus how many pieces you got, and how much those pieces are worth individually, YOU still got a great deal.
Other sellers looked at that final price, without considering the rest of the factors, and presto! Market is screwed up, the moment they start gouging.

Edited by ironmask, 30 June 2014 - 05:25 PM.

Please excuse my raging rant, but I feel that it is necessary...

But fracking insane!!! I just had some dude on Ebay try to sell me the mail order RAMM's... FOR $1600 Australian!

When did people become so greedy and crazy...

This is the last piece that I need for my collection, and it's incredibly frustrating that the prices of these things are so gahd damn high these days...

The FoA market is so broken.

 FOR $1600 Australian!

 

Insanity.  And for a 90s toy, no less?   Beyond insane, it's insulting.

 

Are collectors of this line really sure that there aren't cases upon cases of these hanging around, somewhere?  The line couldn't have sold that well, and it's not exactly well known.  The few times I saw them at retail there was a TON of them, usually marked down to a buck or two.   In my experience these are usually all good indicators of a line that should be selling for much less, if only the line was more well known and the fanbase larger.  

 

I'm sure we all know of many lines that were considered to be 'holy grails' for a time, only to be downgraded in value after huge warehouse discoveries/flooding of the market, etc.

I know of some major movie props and what-have-you that have sold for MUCH less than that... Hell I can buy a secondhand car here in Aus for that same price or less... It just boggles the mind beyond comprehension..

And you're absolutely right, the fanbase to my knowledge is quite small for FoA... Heck I remember as a kid, going to the shop called 'Toy World' and they were selling them off for about $6 AUD when the company went backrupt. needless to say that is when I bought out Toy World's shelf inventory of them haha.