Author Topic: Complete Loose Figure Collection?  (Read 4027 times)

Offline Brian

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Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« on: August 10, 2004, 02:36 PM »
I know I am behind many of you in the vintage forum, who already have a complete loose figure collection from the vintage days.  Is anyone else still working towards it?  If you already have your complete collection, what are some of your favorite pieces (or stories on how you obtained them?).  I try to pick up a few more here and there (in between modern purchases) to work towards a complete collection (someday)...but admit that I haven't been able to get much for quite some time.  I'm hoping to start back in again here soon, with a little bit of a break with much of the OTC line being recarded figures.

I have basically started from scratch, because although I did have most of my figures from my childhood, they weren't complete (or necessarily mint in some cases), and I wanted everything to be.  Anyways, so far I have 31 figures (that I am happy with the condition), and I'm working first towards getting everything from the New Hope (or Star Wars, if you prefer) lines through the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi lines.  Then, if I ever get that far, we'll take a look at the POTF figures.  Although I do enjoy the modern stuff, something is just so fun about working at finding, scouting out good deals, etc. on vintage figures.  Plus, in some ways it is nice to know there is an "end" to your collection, and you aren't constantly getting further behind :)  Anyways, anything you'd like to share about your loose figure collection...do you have it, what are you missing, what are your favorite figures/stories, etc.?
« Last Edit: August 10, 2004, 02:38 PM by mosnab »

Offline aka DaBigKahuna

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2004, 03:52 PM »
mosnab,

I am 1 figure away from ending my collection.  Someone snipped me on a minty R2 pop up on Saturday with 10 seconds left.  I almost had that figure for $49.00!
Vintage figures have such an emotional attachment to my childhood that this line is definitely where my focus lies.  I remember quite vividly my mom picking me up from school and handing me what I remember was a collectors case from Sears with some figures as mentioned in this thread:

http://threads.rebelscum.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=872287&page=14&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1#872287  

I should have kept it!

I started my collection about 1 1/2 years ago and have frugally and patiently pieced a collection together.  I was lucky enough to acquire 3/4 of my collection from a collector in Florida who sold me complete minty figures with authentic weapons for about $2.50 each.  I even scored some POTF at that price EV-9V9 and a few others.  

I have a few extras (see my trade list).  I could sell any of these you need at $3.00 each plus shipping to help you out.

As far as an end to the line...there are always variations to keep us busy!!!


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Offline evenflow

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2004, 04:02 PM »
Hey welcome to vintage collecting.  I pretty much have a complete loose set. I am actually confident to say that I have a complete set but there are a few variations i would like. Vlix is the main goal for myself a the time, but the cash flow is tight going to grad school and everything.
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2004, 05:40 PM »
I was two figures short of complete (Yakface, Luke Stormie) from about 1990 to just last year, when I finally got off my lazy ass and acquired the Luke Stormtrooper.  Still need the Yak though, but haven't quite gotten around to pursuing it just yet.  Little nervous about him though, since I know there's a lot of fake Yaks on the market.  Hoping to score one from one of the "trusted vintage guys" who I'm already familiar with from the boards, like I did with the Stormie Luke.

I collected all the figures as a kid, and fortunately saved them all (in nice mint condition), but for whatever reason, I was never really aware that the POTF line came out near the tail-end of the line.  So I had to spend several years in the early 90's picking those up at various collecting conventions.  Was two short (above) when the modern era rolled around, but I decided to set aside the pursuit of the vintage completeness for quite a while, as I focused on keeping pace with all the new stuff coming out in the mid 90's...

Hope to polish off that elusive Yakface by the end of the year though!

Offline aka DaBigKahuna

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2004, 07:21 PM »
mosnab,

Be sure to read the how to tell the difference thread to do your best to get authentic weapons as well!


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Offline Morgbug

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2004, 12:14 AM »
Brian, run away, far away.  

Unlike almost everyone else, I have (had) precisely zero attachment to vintage figures.  I saw the original movie a ton of times in the theater (remember the good, old days with no video and when a cool movie stayed in the theater for a year?), was on a date with a really hot girl for ESB (little attention paid to the movie) and then missed ROTJ in theaters :-[  I was 13 when the original came out and just basically getting out of toys and into sports (aside from hockey. eh.) and girls.  And drinking (well, that was about a year or two later) so I never owned any of the figures at all.  Honestly, I have no memory of the figures even being in stores or Sears catalogues or anything like that.  Weird, ain't it?

You can trace pretty much my entire vintage experience in the forum here.  Going from ground zero with no knowledge at all (thanks for the patience guys) to being very close to finished.  Not much missing, but I am, in most respects, inherently cheap.  Seeing a vintage figure go for cheap and missing it burns me deeply.  Romba is a case in point.  I've seen them go for under $15 so that's what I want to pay.  Naturally, while I've been hunting them (Romba figs) the price has gone ridiculously high, IMO.  I managed to miss one tonight of course, that ended right around that price point :-[ >:(  Of course that inherently cheap comment doesn't always apply as is evidenced in the collector's challenge thread.   ::)  But I have watched vintage auctions for over a year now, so I do have a good idea what is or is not a good price.  Plus Dale has been very helpful, pointing out auctions for me and even giving up the blue snag he won (variant feet??).  

There's only a couple of figures I want to upgrade and I'm spending more time watching auctions now for the variant figures like brown haired Luke, turtleneck Leia, etc.  I'll fill those in as I can.  Here's where I think I am with respect to what I still need:

Klaatu Skiff and force pike
Jawa blaster pistol
Leia laser pistol
Yoda cane (brown snake version)
Death Star Droid - tight limbs, is this possible?
vinyl cape Jawa
Romba - have weapon, so without is fine, but need hood or just the hood would be fine
Ugnaught with blue apron
Luke Jedi with blue saber
Brown Hair Luke Skywalker
Brown Hair Luke Bespin complete
Han Solo small head

I could also use a mint Luke X-wing, an upgrade to my Han Hoth and big head Han Solo.  So pretty darn close to done.  Just over a year I think to get there.  Had a huge advantage in that I was selling off the vintage toys of my youth that have paid for all of the vintage figures.  

One thing I appreciate a lot more now is the comment I often see about neutral poses, pretty much a hallmark of the vintage figures.  They display so well and in an orderly fashion.  Just the figure as it is.  I've learned to really, really like the vintage figures, something I didn't really like when I started.  I found the sculpts to be poor in comparison to modern stuff, but that is pretty much a reflection of the technology of the time.  Some of the pieces are extremely well done and I am slowly learning to prefer a great many of these to their modern counterparts.  

I wish I had kept exact track of every auction I've won and what I've paid for the items.  I can think of a few and some of the links are still active.  Not all were cheap by any stroke of the imagination.  And winning lots is a pain in a lot of respects, mostly because I now have to resell a lot of stuff :D  I am looking forward to recouping some money though, to say the least.  

I've even got the three legged R2, windup R2, blue Snag, Rebo band (well, two or three actually ::), but only one complete) and Jabba with Salacious Crumb.  Pretty darn cool.  

I'd be pleased to answer any questions you have, this has been a tremendous learning experience.  
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Offline CorranHorn

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2004, 05:10 AM »
I'm still a bit far off to completing a mint loose set of figures and I've been trying to do so since 1991, hell it wasn't until last year that I finally got an ANH Luke. The problem lies in that I need the heavy hitters to complete the collection, 9 POTF figs:
- Amanaman
- A-Wing Pilot
- Imperial Gunner
- Romba
- Warok
- Pop Up Saber R2-D2
- Carbonite Han Solo
- Yak Face
- Stormtrooper Luke

And really I still need the accessories for General Lando and Endor Luke to complete those, so that's actually 11 POTF figs I need. Plus add a blue Snaggletooth and I need about 600-900 dollars worth of figures to complete my set. And I've yet to find myself justified enough to shill out that kinda money and thus that's what's holding me back. :(
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Offline Billy Boy

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2004, 06:21 AM »
I have a sealed Sears Cantina playset (I daren't open) and a Blue Snaggletooth in a baggie... BUT what I'm really after is a loose/MINT example of the figure, with the 'smooth toe', rather than the one with the tiny 'indent'.

I guess I might have to resort to opening a baggie to find a truly MINT example though?  ???

A loose/MINT 'Macao' Biker Scout from France would complete my collection of all the known European variant figures too!  ::)

Bill

Offline DSJ™

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2004, 08:56 AM »
Yep, I'm done except for the Droids & Ewok line & variants. Had a nice Blue Snaggy with the indent toe but like Brent mentioned, I helped him out with a figure for his collection.  ;D There will be more.

Billy, my smooth toed Blue Snaggy I got off a member on RS. I was very lucky to come across a minty example. As for that sealed Sears Cantina playset, don't open it, it takes time & someday you will come across a perfect Snaggy. Patience my friend & it will pay off.  ;)  

I was lucky enough to find a few auctions that snagged me a brown haired Luke (farmboy), Hollow Cheeks Tusken Raider for cheap & with help from RS members, a very nice DT Luke & Vinyl Cape Jawa.  8)

Offline Morgbug

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2004, 12:14 PM »
Oh yeah, hollow cheeks Tusken.  Forgot about that one.  

Not even thinking about DT figs, too much money for this poor Canucklehead.  

Also not counting the Ewoks or Droids as part of the vintage line, they are separate IMO, though vintage figures.  I'm probably just going to snag a Droids 3PO and R2 off those lines and skip the Ewoks altogether.  

Need the other biker scout (short) helmet version too.
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Offline HWR

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Re: Complete Loose Figure Collection?
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2004, 02:12 AM »
If you start collecting a collection will nver be complete, there is allways another variations.

Well seriously, new variations are discovered all the time, most of them are very tiny almost insignificant. I have desided to pass most of them by, but I do know collectors, who would accept even the slightes variation like FX-7 with red or orange eye, or Nien Nunb in cold-red or warm-red mold.

But there are alos discovered important variations still ,like the Han Solo (Hoth) witl the legs molded in brown, Dave Myatt found last year. The two variaitions look very different on pictures, but I still have to se this "new" on in person.

Today I'm four variations short to have what I would call a complete collection (the Han Hoth + 3 tri-logo variations). Of cause im alo missing DT Vader and DT Obi, but they are out of range imo. (The trilogo ones are: Rebel Solider (darkbrown jacket), Rebel Commander (very dark boots) and Luke Bespin (dark boots)).



 
« Last Edit: August 14, 2004, 02:14 AM by Henrik Wulff Rasmussen »
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