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This Week In Your Plastic Crack, Action Figures and Toy Collection
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9,262 posts in this topic

5 hours ago, miraclemet said:

@Buzzetta any other vintage figure lines suffer this same possible fate?

 

Any figure held together by a rubber band.  MOTU immediately come to mind.  I was watching how people fix those figures and they are screwing eye hooks or other pieces of anchoring material into the legs to rethread the rubber bands.  At least with Joes you can unscrew the figure and just swap it out.  Fixing a MOTU figure involves introducing new anchoring materials altogether. 

Joes are also suffering from a degradation in the plastic.  Here is an example of a MOC figure with broken elbows.  The rivets have caused enough pressure on the figure that the elbows split despite the elbows never moving.  Here is an example of an Outback figure that is suffering from that. 

 

49606051_10213098194630460_1110173257023094784_n.jpg

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Any 30+ year old toy made of of z-grade plastic is a time bomb, more or less. Breaking, cracking, discoloration, etc. They weren't made to last. But I likely won't live long enough to see my collection turn to dust (this includes the comics, naturally) so I'll enjoy what I have while I can. 

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9 minutes ago, MMCKEE1217 said:

so back to my question- how, as a collector, does that affect the value? if I slab some comics, they're not going to rip in the slab. that Joe has never been touched, but now it's not worth as much? 

Someone with more experience can answer your question, but the problem is that in this situation
1) Buyers who are looking for MOC figures aren't interested because even though (as you say) the figure has "never been touched" it is also no longer in its "original condition"  Also AFA has the figure grade factor into the overall grade, and obviously in this case the figure grade would be significantly lower than the case/bubble grade. 

2) The other problem is that unless the figure has been owned for a long time the seller probably has more in the MOC figure than the market is willing to pay for it, and wants more for it than a minty loose figure would cost. But in reality the only way to get any value out of it is to open it and replace the O ring thus going from having a non-mint sealed MOC figure to a mint loose figure. But no one is going to pay the sellers likely price (even on a discounted MOC) in order to open and repair the figure, it's probably cost prohibitive. And I have no idea how the JOE market treats replaced O-rings on loose figures...

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I also collect Air Jordans, talk about material failing, the originals still command a premium but anything older than about 10 years the midsoles pretty much disintegrates. I pulled out some original 1992 VII's  to show off to a friend a couple of years ago and noticed they were falling apart.Sucks because the goal there is to have a pair never worn that looks brand new, little did anyone know they were going to fall apart. So any rubber/plastic item is a risk after a certain time. The white powdery dust on the sole of the shoe on the left is the midsole disintegrating in the box. 

 

As far as loose with replaced O rings, no effect on value. I also switched to loose collecting simply because it is a little more fun.

 

 

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IMG_0815.JPG

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2 hours ago, miraclemet said:

Someone with more experience can answer your question, but the problem is that in this situation
1) Buyers who are looking for MOC figures aren't interested because even though (as you say) the figure has "never been touched" it is also no longer in its "original condition"  Also AFA has the figure grade factor into the overall grade, and obviously in this case the figure grade would be significantly lower than the case/bubble grade. 

2) The other problem is that unless the figure has been owned for a long time the seller probably has more in the MOC figure than the market is willing to pay for it, and wants more for it than a minty loose figure would cost. But in reality the only way to get any value out of it is to open it and replace the O ring thus going from having a non-mint sealed MOC figure to a mint loose figure. But no one is going to pay the sellers likely price (even on a discounted MOC) in order to open and repair the figure, it's probably cost prohibitive. And I have no idea how the JOE market treats replaced O-rings on loose figures...

Pretty much... some guy blocked me on FB because he found the following disagreeable: 

Let's make believe that you have TWO AFA graded Snake Eyes II scoring the same grade.  For whatever reason you have them in storage and then notice that one figure popped in the bubble or the elbows are cracking. The other figure is fine.  Put them both out for the same price. Which one do you think people are going to buy first? Does one really think they are now worth the same.

Now let's take it a step further.  Make believe that Figure one that is perfectly fine is an AFA 80.  Let's make believe that the figure on the card that snapped was at one point an AFA 85.  Put them both out at the same price and people will go for the unbroken figure on the lower graded card.   Why would someone pay big money for broken parts sealed on a piece of cardboard?

As far as O-Ring replacement on loose figures.  Replaced o-rings do not impact the value or desirability of a figure.  In fact, in some cases a replaced o-ring is good news for the buyer since the seller took the risk in unscrewing a figure and replacing an o-ring on his own.  I still cringe at unscrewing the back of my 82' Stalker and for it to immediately crumble in my hands. I went on eBay and closed my eyes buying an immediate replacement. 

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3 minutes ago, miraclemet said:

my parallel to the AFA scenarios is if you had a cgc 9.8 that you left exposed to the sun untill it was faded.... no one would pay 9.8 money for it. Or at least not the same as for an unfaded 9.8...

Exactly... 

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It seems to me AFA needs a purple label... (shrug)

I was watching a "customizer" video on Hot Wheels.  The guy used acetone on the cardback to unstick the bubble on the front.  The car came right out.  He then went about his work on the car, and then popped it back into the bubble when finished.  I kinda want to try this with one of my Super Powers figures.  I could potentially clean that frosting off the figure!!

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13 minutes ago, Yorick said:

It seems to me AFA needs a purple label... (shrug)

I was watching a "customizer" video on Hot Wheels.  The guy used acetone on the cardback to unstick the bubble on the front.  The car came right out.  He then went about his work on the car, and then popped it back into the bubble when finished.  I kinda want to try this with one of my Super Powers figures.  I could potentially clean that frosting off the figure!!

It's somewhere in this thread but if you remove the frosting it only leads to more frosting.

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Paging @comicwiz

I am tempted to pick one of these up but my brain is telling me to wait and see what appears in the retro line. It's exactly how I would have envisioned it. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/REAL-NICE-CUSTOM-Han-Stormtrooper-POTF-17-Like-Luke-1985-Vintage-Star-Wars-READ/312521059744?hash=item48c3b4eda0:g:sQUAAOSwtOZcXMzq

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13 hours ago, Buzzetta said:

Pretty much... some guy blocked me on FB because he found the following disagreeable: 

Facebook is a graveyard for truth and facts, and anything resembling objective reality usually garners reactions ranging from being ignored to being mocked and derided all the way up to being forcibly lynched there.  It's a fascinating look into the mainstream of our collective unconscious.

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And with that said... strange sale

Canadian Buyer using Global Shipping (I only use GSP for international)

Had BIN / BO on each listing and the buyer utilized the BIN - he did not make an offer. 

  • Snow Serpent Complete $35
  • Rock n Roll Swivel and Straight Arm Complete but One BiPod and One Filecard to share between them - $75
  • Cobra Commander Battle Armor Complete with Filecard $25
  • Covergirl $35

The value of these things do seem to be increasing at least from what I paid for them a few months ago.  The tradeoff is that pieces and parts continually break and degrade so I want out of what I bought and either make a little something or break even.  With that said, I do not understand why people believe that a bubble mailer is sufficient to send this stuff in. Someone just reported how they received a joe in a bubble mailer that broke in transit. 

Knowing what I know about GSP, figures were bagged then individually placed in a single figure clamshell placed in a row and bagged that way to create a rigidness (or inner well if you will - CGC nod) and BOXED.  I will never understand what the big deal is in between paying for a soft mailer and getting a free box. 

Edited by Buzzetta
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On 3/11/2019 at 3:33 AM, Buzzetta said:

Any figure held together by a rubber band.  MOTU immediately come to mind.  I was watching how people fix those figures and they are screwing eye hooks or other pieces of anchoring material into the legs to rethread the rubber bands.  At least with Joes you can unscrew the figure and just swap it out.  Fixing a MOTU figure involves introducing new anchoring materials altogether. 

Joes are also suffering from a degradation in the plastic.  Here is an example of a MOC figure with broken elbows.  The rivets have caused enough pressure on the figure that the elbows split despite the elbows never moving.  Here is an example of an Outback figure that is suffering from that. 

 

49606051_10213098194630460_1110173257023094784_n.jpg

This is exactly why I don't buy on card and just loose.  Plastic and rubber deteriorates.  I have also noticed of late the original 13 regardless of year be it 82 or 83 the green figures are just shattering even when stored.  I am extra gentle with them.  There is also specific years with the cracked elbows, 1988 storm shadow comes to mind.

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4 hours ago, Buzzetta said:

And with that said... strange sale

Canadian Buyer using Global Shipping (I only use GSP for international)

Had BIN / BO on each listing and the buyer utilized the BIN - he did not make an offer. 

  • Snow Serpent Complete $35
  • Rock n Roll Swivel and Straight Arm Complete but One BiPod and One Filecard to share between them - $75
  • Cobra Commander Battle Armor Complete with Filecard $25
  • Covergirl $35

The value of these things do seem to be increasing at least from what I paid for them a few months ago.  The tradeoff is that pieces and parts continually break and degrade so I want out of what I bought and either make a little something or break even.  With that said, I do not understand why people believe that a bubble mailer is sufficient to send this stuff in. Someone just reported how they received a joe in a bubble mailer that broke in transit. 

Knowing what I know about GSP, figures were bagged then individually placed in a single figure clamshell placed in a row and bagged that way to create a rigidness (or inner well if you will - CGC nod) and BOXED.  I will never understand what the big deal is in between paying for a soft mailer and getting a free box. 

GI Joe is booming right now.  Over last 2 weeks sold over $300 worth of loose complete figures.  Just listed some last night and had a complete tunnel rat and a bunch of other figures sold within 10 minutes.  Prices are at their high right now for hard to get parts.  The facebook pages also are getting new people daily and the one facebook page is over 13000 people now.  As people also over the years complete their figures finding their gear is getting harder and harder to find.

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1 hour ago, STORMSHADOW_80 said:

Speaking of Joes. I got a few moderns in the mail 

B0023871-146C-4150-9D6A-FB2B099EDF18.jpeg

That invasion of Cobra Island Set is one of the greatest seven packs they ever released.  That is the one Outback came with.  I have been selling off the vintage but am not parting with the moderns. 

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3 hours ago, whisp said:

GI Joe is booming right now.  Over last 2 weeks sold over $300 worth of loose complete figures.  Just listed some last night and had a complete tunnel rat and a bunch of other figures sold within 10 minutes.  Prices are at their high right now for hard to get parts.  The facebook pages also are getting new people daily and the one facebook page is over 13000 people now.  As people also over the years complete their figures finding their gear is getting harder and harder to find.

It's a race it really is.  Keep it and store it for a little while more risking that they decompose and break and are worthless or sell them off now and make less of a profit than what I would six months from now.  I am comfortable selling now.  I have had a flood of lowball offers come in today due to the 15% off eBay coupon and requests to break up certain Lots of figures.  For example, I have two crisp crimson guards that I will only sell bundled with Tomax and Xamot. 

I have not noticed any cracked elbows on the 88' Stormshadow.  My brother and I each have our original samples of that figure from when we are kids.  My home stores his 'stuff' in one of the storage rooms in my basement.  I went to check. Alley Vipers from 1989 seem to be a problem though.  

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42 minutes ago, Buzzetta said:

That invasion of Cobra Island Set is one of the greatest seven packs they ever released.  That is the one Outback came with.  I have been selling off the vintage but am not parting with the moderns. 

I agree I wish I would've bought that set a while ago. Also defense of Cobra Island. I'm building a modern night force team to go with the vehicles.

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