comicwiz Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 finally got around to setting up and taking pics of the set i was lucky enough to win on ebay a few years back: Very cool! Thanks for sharing (thumbs u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
followtheleader Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Anybody pick up anything cool lately? Post. Other than the Sideswipe I got on the boards, not much here. I will be listing a boxed Jetfire and some other items shortly though. Pat I did pick up quite a few pieces from January to now. Just last week I scored some nice stuff from a guy about 30 minutes from where I live. I'm getting ready for a show so I'll see what I can do about posting some images before then. Otherwise, I'll post a few pics of my table/set-up which will show a bunch of the stuff I picked-up. Post it! MIght as well just sell to me. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicwiz Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Anybody pick up anything cool lately? Post. Other than the Sideswipe I got on the boards, not much here. I will be listing a boxed Jetfire and some other items shortly though. Pat I did pick up quite a few pieces from January to now. Just last week I scored some nice stuff from a guy about 30 minutes from where I live. I'm getting ready for a show so I'll see what I can do about posting some images before then. Otherwise, I'll post a few pics of my table/set-up which will show a bunch of the stuff I picked-up. Post it! MIght as well just sell to me. Pat I'm swamped with show prep and other stuff. Processing a great (mags/fanzines) collection of independents from the mid-80's dropped on my lap last week. Some of the stuff is so obscure I don't ever remember seeing some of the stuff in my 20+ years collecting. I'll have to post a bunch of scans somewhere in CG when I have a chance. Anyhow, just watched season 1 (episode 7) of Toy Hunter and saw Michael Carbonaro (18:54) buying up some cool toys: BTW: the show premiers in Canada on OLN March 7 at 9 PM (tomorrow) so Canucks can start watching too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicksCosmiComics Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Was that marvel Set up from sort of like a DD game with Marvel characters? I think I had that as a kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthBane Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Here is a righteous bump for you toy folks. (In case anyone is wondering, AFA looks like they have gotten a little more strict as of late. I have several pieces that I am awaiting to get back and will keep you posted. Just found this gem as I have been looking years for him. Overall came in at 80 with subs of 80 85 85. There is a tiny bit of edge wear on the front portion top of the box beneath the front flap and the back has no flap crease. This was so close to getting an overall 85. This is the very first pre-rub edition release from hasbro.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicwiz Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number 6 Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Here is a righteous bump for you toy folks. (In case anyone is wondering, AFA looks like they have gotten a little more strict as of late. I have several pieces that I am awaiting to get back and will keep you posted. Just found this gem as I have been looking years for him. Overall came in at 80 with subs of 80 85 85. There is a tiny bit of edge wear on the front portion top of the box beneath the front flap and the back has no flap crease. This was so close to getting an overall 85. This is the very first pre-rub edition release from hasbro.) That was the first Transformer I got as a kid, I remember how excited I felt when I first spotted it at Gemco. Brings back memories, thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthBane Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Sweet! Thanks. That was the first Transformer I got as a kid, I remember how excited I felt when I first spotted it at Gemco. Brings back memories, thanks for sharing! My pleasure. I can completely relate to your sentiment. These were so difficult to find even back in the day, especially as you know, the first pre-rubs that hit the toy store shelves. So anytime you happened to be lucky enough to find these, excitement was an understatement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slym2none Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 (edited) I just found my Star Wars X-Wing Fighter from way back, like first ever. It is trashed, unfortunately... *EDIT* pic! -slym Edited June 29, 2013 by slym2none Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mintcollector Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Anyone else notice the effect that Toy Hunter is having on the speculative nature of toys from the 1970's and 1980's? I never saw as much enthusiasm for toy lines like MASK and Micronauts than I do now. Now is a bad time to buy high grade examples of these items. Some of these items in high grade AFA have literally doubled and tripled in value overnight. MASK was a good but fairly unknown toy line until Toy Hunter started featuring the line regularlyon various episodes. Now much like gold at $1800 an once, no one wanted it until they saw it 'glitter' on TV and prices rose as a result. I expected this from lines like Star Wars (I most of my AFA 85 + 12 backs years ago when each figure cost less than $1000), but not secondary lines like MUSCLE and Visionairies. Glad I am not buying that kid of stuff. Eventually those lesser known secondary lines are going to drop significantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Cataldo Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Micronauts has seen expensive high-grade examples for quite some time now. I've been into that line for 25 years...about 7-8 years ago it started taking off with rarer high-grade finds like the MOC aliens or Hornetroid/Terraphant. Of course, the grail pieces remain the GiG exclusives like Lobstros and Ampzilla. Peace, Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronty Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Here is a righteous bump for you toy folks. (In case anyone is wondering, AFA looks like they have gotten a little more strict as of late. I have several pieces that I am awaiting to get back and will keep you posted. Just found this gem as I have been looking years for him. Overall came in at 80 with subs of 80 85 85. There is a tiny bit of edge wear on the front portion top of the box beneath the front flap and the back has no flap crease. This was so close to getting an overall 85. This is the very first pre-rub edition release from hasbro.) Kickass. First TF I ever had as well, loved it to pieces. The sweet back cover painting is a David Schleinkofer. Unfortunately he had already sold it by the time I inquired about it. Anybody know who owns it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthBane Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Here is a righteous bump for you toy folks. (In case anyone is wondering, AFA looks like they have gotten a little more strict as of late. I have several pieces that I am awaiting to get back and will keep you posted. Just found this gem as I have been looking years for him. Overall came in at 80 with subs of 80 85 85. There is a tiny bit of edge wear on the front portion top of the box beneath the front flap and the back has no flap crease. This was so close to getting an overall 85. This is the very first pre-rub edition release from hasbro.) Kickass. First TF I ever had as well, loved it to pieces. The sweet back cover painting is a David Schleinkofer. Unfortunately he had already sold it by the time I inquired about it. Anybody know who owns it? The timing of your message is uncanny! There was just a pretty neat Q/A session with David via Google groups just a couple weeks ago. I will see if I can get a lead on the back cover for you. He has done so much other work as well. You probably know this, but others might not; basically his original major inspiration was actually Star Wars. Here is that interview; you have to scroll down a little bit before the text begins. David Schleinkofer Interview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthBane Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 I just found my Star Wars X-Wing Fighter from way back, like first ever. It is trashed, unfortunately... *EDIT* pic! -slym That looks pretty close to how mine is too. Luckily I have a couple more accessories on the wings still lingering around than yours. Its amazing how seeing that piece can bring such powerful memories back. I remember like yesterday pulling off the wrapping paper and busting that box open in less than 3 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronty Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Ha! Neat. Thx but no need to ask David for me, I've spoken with him directly a couple times and he doesn't recall who he sold it to. Thank you though. He's done a lot of other stuff yes.... some robotech paperback stuff, a million sci if books, etc. I have a couple of his originals. Thx for sharing Ill check out the interview now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronty Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Hey not cool, they posted my painting in that article and didn't even give me a "from the collection of..." http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=319122 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mintcollector Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Micronauts has seen expensive high-grade examples for quite some time now. I've been into that line for 25 years...about 7-8 years ago it started taking off with rarer high-grade finds like the MOC aliens or Hornetroid/Terraphant. Of course, the grail pieces remain the GiG exclusives like Lobstros and Ampzilla. Peace, Chip However, lesser known examples should not be selling for as much. Just look at the MASK and Godzilla toy lines. After Toy Hunter brought more attention to the lines, speculation started to run rampant and prices soared. Visionairies, Rock Lords, and MUSCLE have all seen similar gains. Ironically, Battle Beasts sell for a steal, but they have yet to be featured on Toy Hunter. Something tells me that is about to change and the prices will begin to show this. Maybe it is time to dig them out of the 'room of gloom?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaillant Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 My choice would be Mattel’s Thingmaker. It was an awesomeness which 1960s kids could have enjoyed in full, but I was lucky and my father found an old set in a toy store here in Italy. I was very disappointed when the Plastigoop finished and I learned it wasn’t to be found anywhere… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicwiz Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Micronauts has seen expensive high-grade examples for quite some time now. I've been into that line for 25 years...about 7-8 years ago it started taking off with rarer high-grade finds like the MOC aliens or Hornetroid/Terraphant. Of course, the grail pieces remain the GiG exclusives like Lobstros and Ampzilla. Peace, Chip However, lesser known examples should not be selling for as much. Just look at the MASK and Godzilla toy lines. After Toy Hunter brought more attention to the lines, speculation started to run rampant and prices soared. Visionairies, Rock Lords, and MUSCLE have all seen similar gains. Ironically, Battle Beasts sell for a steal, but they have yet to be featured on Toy Hunter. Something tells me that is about to change and the prices will begin to show this. Maybe it is time to dig them out of the 'room of gloom?' The lesser known toy markets have always had interest, but the pool of collectors chasing them has shrunk significantly over the years. Toy Hunter may partly be having an effect on demand for more obscure toys, and it's mostly to do with viewers rekindling memories of toys they grew up with and loved. The other part is how the show sensationalizes interest and demand for the toys it features, however I think that has more to do with the choice of edits and cherry-picking valuations data to make the show entertaining for American viewers than any deliberate attempt by Jordan to hype the market. That said, 80's toys have been hot for quite some time. The most significant increase, by a landslide is with vintage Star Wars. They are selling strong and not only in North America, but around the world. The certification aspect is well noted, but I feel it is over-extending people's purchases because it's still a relatively new thing for the average toy collector. Meaning if raw/ungraded examples are marketed near or around the price range of a certified example, I find the majority of collectors are still green as far having the knowledge to test or resist those prices (good example is Sharks photo of the shop listing an ROTJ Falcon at $800 - that would be more in the AFA 80 range, and should sell for about 30-40% less when it's ungraded). People who are caught up with what Jordan says on the show (as far as value opinions), or are taking the dealers word for it when they are buying at shows are caught in an impulse purchase more than an informed one. This dynamic is practically non-existent in comics, and there are several good reasons. First, we've had the benefit of seeing this play out in certification for over 10 years. Secondly, we have multiple valuation references (Overstreet, GPA, online mining of data points). And thirdly, while pressing and optimization plays have allowed the comic market to remain on resuscitation and prolong an inevitable softening of values across all categories - allowing specs/collectors/dealers to continue buying in "as is" condition with the potential for improvable defects leading to an upgrade and profit - this upgrade play is much, much more limited in vintage toys. So while these aspects are either non-existent or lacking in vintage toys, the major play that's happening now is with collectors buying raw and hoping to hit 85/90's to make healthy gains. The major constraints are it's more hit and miss than with comics. AFA turnaround times (TAT) are getting progressively worse and unless you're willing to pony up more money to have your items returned to you faster than the average 6 month wait through their standard service, you may well lose out on a window of opportunity to get the best strike on returns while the iron is still hot. More importantly, I think there is also a lot more manipulation of sales data going on with nosebleed grades, as the last flurry of 90 12 Backs and SW/ESB 3 Packs had some unusual bidding activity, with a few SW-focused community members not only suspecting shilling, but with a handful of auctions believed to have hammered at record prices, people were receiving second chance offers even though there were multiple bidders who had priority on the auction bidding order. What will inevitably lead to the market cooling for 80's toys and secondary lines is more to do with changes in borrowing and interest rates on credit. Right now it is a very attractive time for speculators to gamify certification, but a lot of this has to do with their limited understanding of how things shake out in the market. Most have little experience and don't know how risky the whole game can be to play, and fewer are willing to sit on their purchases longer than a few months to stave off having interest eat into their margins. Unless AFA figures out a way to magically improve it's turnaround times and the economy can somehow stave off interest rate increases, there is a chance this frenzy may continue, or normalize with a slight possibility of correction. However I don't see the floor completely bottoming out on the toys which have remained popular and in demand for decades. The Star Wars frenzy will continue to rise leading up to 2015 without any doubt in my mind, and may possibly stretch out for at least another 5-7 years depending on how Disney demonstrates its competence in effectively marketing the property in film and merchandising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slym2none Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 I just found my Star Wars X-Wing Fighter from way back, like first ever. It is trashed, unfortunately... That looks pretty close to how mine is too. Luckily I have a couple more accessories on the wings still lingering around than yours. Its amazing how seeing that piece can bring such powerful memories back. I remember like yesterday pulling off the wrapping paper and busting that box open in less than 3 seconds. Yeah, but it shows we played with our toys. -slym Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
