Author Topic: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?  (Read 4282 times)

Offline Jim

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20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« on: January 20, 2004, 06:04 PM »
I was talking to another collector today at TRU and got frustrated when the mention of investment came up on his behalf.  I kind of cringed and thought scalper first.  I collect for the nostalgia, and talk of how much ones collection is worth turns me off.  Anyways he was an Engineer like myself with a family and we had quite a bit in common.  He was a loose collector but also collected some figs for investment purposes.   Here are some of the ones he mentioned. The list only includes modern carded figures, minus variations. Are they worth the price they command? Agree or not? I only agree with maybe half of these.  Sorry if this is in the wrong forum ???

  1.  Freeze Frame Boba Fett
  2.  Freeze Frame Sandtrooper
  3.  Freeze Frame AT-ST Driver
  4.  Freeze Frame Garindan
  5.  Freeze Frame Weequay
  6.  Freeze Frame Tie Fighter Pilot
  7.  Toyfair Vader
  8.  Jorg Sacul
  9.  Theater Luke
 10.  Biker Scout (Clean)
 11.  TC-14
 12.  R2-B1
 13.  Amidala Ascension Gun
 14.  Holo Darth Sidious
 15.  Ephant Mon
 16.  Darktrooper
 17.  Space Trooper
 18.  Commtech Leia
 19.  R2-D2 w/ Holo Leia
 20.  Sio Bibble

Offline aka DaBigKahuna

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2004, 07:22 PM »
Interesting topic.

I collect for nostalgia, or the "link to my childhood."  I get the most joy out of my vintage figures, but collect a few things here or there from the modern line(mainly Clone Wars) stuff.

To me, it does no good trying to determine this as:

1) You most likely will waist money buying extras of things that do not have a high demand in the future market.
2) Gas money searching this stuff down.
3) Frustration on Hasbro's or the retailer's distribution practices.
4) Sentimentality - to grow fond of only to sell the piece off in the future.
5) Time - need I say more?, as that's the one thing you cant get back.

You also have to take into consideration how much the price point you purchased these figures for.


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Offline Darby

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2004, 10:16 PM »
I think there will be select pieces that may sustain value in the future, but I can't see the point of trying to guess.  The line has such a longevity now and items are so mass produced that folks thinking this is a down payment on the future will be disappointed.

Offline Darth Broem

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2004, 11:33 AM »
As a whole I don't really care about the investment angle that much but I do like to know what my stuff is "worth" at the same time.  If I happen to have something that is really soaring on the secondary market I would like to know that.  Plus I am just curious in general as to what item could get what on the market.  But I don't plan on ever selling my stuff unless I have to.  If I do I dont want to put a $5 price tag on something that may get at least $60 on the collector market.  

Offline Mainland05

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2004, 02:03 PM »
I was talking to another collector today at TRU and got frustrated when the mention of investment came up on his behalf.  I kind of cringed and thought scalper first.  I collect for the nostalgia, and talk of how much ones collection is worth turns me off.  Anyways he was an Engineer like myself with a family and we had quite a bit in common.  He was a loose collector but also collected some figs for investment purposes.   Here are some of the ones he mentioned. The list only includes modern carded figures, minus variations. Are they worth the price they command? Agree or not? I only agree with maybe half of these.  Sorry if this is in the wrong forum ???

  1.  Freeze Frame Boba Fett
  2.  Freeze Frame Sandtrooper
  3.  Freeze Frame AT-ST Driver
  4.  Freeze Frame Garindan
  5.  Freeze Frame Weequay
  6.  Freeze Frame Tie Fighter Pilot
  7.  Toyfair Vader
  8.  Jorg Sacul
  9.  Theater Luke
 10.  Biker Scout (Clean)
 11.  TC-14
 12.  R2-B1
 13.  Amidala Ascension Gun
 14.  Holo Darth Sidious
 15.  Ephant Mon
 16.  Darktrooper
 17.  Space Trooper
 18.  Commtech Leia
 19.  R2-D2 w/ Holo Leia
 20.  Sio Bibble

I like this list, i must say, but why is Frezze Frame Weequay so dot.... expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swaer i saw it at TRU that summer of 2000 when they had that huge clearence on POTF2 figures.
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Offline Jasim

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2004, 07:48 PM »
I can get behind the list but the order may not be correct in most to least expensive. In my search for the complete collection so far, Toy Fair Vader is the most expensive to come by. Also the Holiday R2-D2 & C3-PO figures are more rare and expensive to acquire due to the very limited release as a Wal-Mart exclusive should be added to the list.

I collect for the fun and nostalgia of Star Wars and the memories of late night and early morning runs to the stores in hopes of finding those one - three figures that you know are out there but not at your store or area yet.  

An additional notion to consider for knowing how much your collection is worth for insurance purposes (renters/homeowners). How much will it cost to replace the figures so your collection can be restored? Especially if you collect doubles or triples (openers, keepers, and heritage figures to pass along to your kids).
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Offline Vator

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2004, 08:14 PM »
FF Weaguy was rare in American cards,most that you've seen are I belive Canadian.
- June 22, 2004 12:13 AM -

Offline Mainland05

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2004, 10:19 PM »
oh, well if i saw one,  guess i hella missed out, because it is going for like $400, at Brians Toys right now!
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Offline Jim

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2004, 07:25 AM »
I can get behind the list but the order may not be correct in most to least expensive. In my search for the complete collection so far, Toy Fair Vader is the most expensive to come by. Also the Holiday R2-D2 & C3-PO figures are more rare and expensive to acquire due to the very limited release as a Wal-Mart exclusive should be added to the list.

I collect for the fun and nostalgia of Star Wars and the memories of late night and early morning runs to the stores in hopes of finding those one - three figures that you know are out there but not at your store or area yet.  

An additional notion to consider for knowing how much your collection is worth for insurance purposes (renters/homeowners). How much will it cost to replace the figures so your collection can be restored? Especially if you collect doubles or triples (openers, keepers, and heritage figures to pass along to your kids).

They are in no particular order.  I just tried to remember the ones the person rambled off.  

Offline Morgbug

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2004, 10:30 AM »
I would actually disagree with a few on there.  While they are desirable, I don't think they are particularly rare or in demand.  As others have indicated, modern collections are littered with carded, mint pieces and in spite of some relative difficulty in obtaining pieces, they are still common as dirt.  

I find these to be mostly overpriced and overvalued:

10.  Biker Scout (Clean)
11.  TC-14
12.  R2-B1
13.  Amidala Ascension Gun
14.  Holo Darth Sidious
15.  Ephant Mon
16.  Darktrooper
17.  Space Trooper
18.  Commtech Leia
19.  R2-D2 w/ Holo Leia
20.  Sio Bibble

Dark Trooper and Space trooper will likely prove me wrong but I think they are overpriced.  The production run was likely smaller than Ephant Mon, but hard to say.  

The Ep I HTF figures have never proven hard to find for me.  TC-14 and holo Sidious in particular have been easy and relatively cheap.  Sure, they hold more value than Anakin Pilot but really, I don't see them dramatically increasing in value.  Amidala, Bibble and R2-B1 seem to hold more value, but I think even R2 is only that high because most people really like R2 units.  Amidala and Bibble might well be the gems from the Episode I line.  I'm surprised in that listing of Ep I stuff the pit droid 2-pack wasn't included.  It's production numbers should be identical to that of TC-14, for example, so why no value??

R2 with holo Leia is grossly overpriced and over valued, IMO.  Great R2 with a bonus holo mini, but really, is it hard to find on people's trade lists?  Nope.  Hard to find on ebay?  Nope.  I think this one is common as dirt.  Leia commtech is a little different, but I wonder how much different?  I would place its value higher, but not much.  Loose versions go for around $5 on ebay.  Big whoop.  Yes, carded goes for more and there is more value in it that a Padme Naberrie figure, but I don't think it's going to be a trilogo General Madine 25 years from now.  

What does that leave?  Biker scout clean?  I'm grabbing these from people carded these days for regular retail price.  Hmm, not a great investment, though it does put it ahead of most other figures.  I think the statements of rarity owe more to local distribution than anything else.  

Ephant Mon is an interesting beast.  I think tons were produced.  I think MOMC versions will be tough to find simply because of the weight of the figure.  But a carded version necessarily being worth a lot?  No, most just ended up in hands of resellers or in hands of people that knew others that wanted them.  

I think the greatest limitation to the value of these is that most collectors that want them already have them in their collections.  25 years from now we will not see a resurgence in the value of these figures as we have seen with vintage.  Why?  Because there will be no new trilogy to stir up memories of kids that were 5-15 when the PT came out.  Other toy lines may have that kind of revival but I think even Hasbro has realized that most of the people buying this line are adult collectors.  I think the focus on the OT line this year is a strong indication of that.
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Offline Mainland05

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2004, 10:59 AM »
I would actually disagree with a few on there.  While they are desirable, I don't think they are particularly rare or in demand.  As others have indicated, modern collections are littered with carded, mint pieces and in spite of some relative difficulty in obtaining pieces, they are still common as dirt.  

I find these to be mostly overpriced and overvalued:

10.  Biker Scout (Clean)
11.  TC-14
12.  R2-B1
13.  Amidala Ascension Gun
14.  Holo Darth Sidious
15.  Ephant Mon
16.  Darktrooper
17.  Space Trooper
18.  Commtech Leia
19.  R2-D2 w/ Holo Leia
20.  Sio Bibble

Dark Trooper and Space trooper will likely prove me wrong but I think they are overpriced.  The production run was likely smaller than Ephant Mon, but hard to say.  

The Ep I HTF figures have never proven hard to find for me.  TC-14 and holo Sidious in particular have been easy and relatively cheap.  Sure, they hold more value than Anakin Pilot but really, I don't see them dramatically increasing in value.  Amidala, Bibble and R2-B1 seem to hold more value, but I think even R2 is only that high because most people really like R2 units.  Amidala and Bibble might well be the gems from the Episode I line.  I'm surprised in that listing of Ep I stuff the pit droid 2-pack wasn't included.  It's production numbers should be identical to that of TC-14, for example, so why no value??

R2 with holo Leia is grossly overpriced and over valued, IMO.  Great R2 with a bonus holo mini, but really, is it hard to find on people's trade lists?  Nope.  Hard to find on ebay?  Nope.  I think this one is common as dirt.  Leia commtech is a little different, but I wonder how much different?  I would place its value higher, but not much.  Loose versions go for around $5 on ebay.  Big whoop.  Yes, carded goes for more and there is more value in it that a Padme Naberrie figure, but I don't think it's going to be a trilogo General Madine 25 years from now.  

What does that leave?  Biker scout clean?  I'm grabbing these from people carded these days for regular retail price.  Hmm, not a great investment, though it does put it ahead of most other figures.  I think the statements of rarity owe more to local distribution than anything else.  

Ephant Mon is an interesting beast.  I think tons were produced.  I think MOMC versions will be tough to find simply because of the weight of the figure.  But a carded version necessarily being worth a lot?  No, most just ended up in hands of resellers or in hands of people that knew others that wanted them.  

I think the greatest limitation to the value of these is that most collectors that want them already have them in their collections.  25 years from now we will not see a resurgence in the value of these figures as we have seen with vintage.  Why?  Because there will be no new trilogy to stir up memories of kids that were 5-15 when the PT came out.  Other toy lines may have that kind of revival but I think even Hasbro has realized that most of the people buying this line are adult collectors.  I think the focus on the OT line this year is a strong indication of that.

I see what you are saying and it kind of scares, me, with the fact that i am a teenage collector right now for the preguel trilogy and then to think that all the figures i have that "i think are rare". will be worth crap in 25 years.   :( ??? But then again, i am not worried about what they are worth, just that i am a SW collector. I collect for fun not for what they will be worth 30 years from now!
Born & Raised Modesto Man. :)

Offline Morgbug

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Re: 20 Figs Worth Investing In?
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2004, 01:18 PM »
And I think you've got it figured out.  

My point being that what is currently "rare" is only artificially rare.  An advantage of age is I've seen modern toy trends come and go, as have many others here.  I have comics I should have sold for $75 that are now worth less than cover price.  Comics, cards, toys from the modern era are all carefully handled, mass produced and stored properly.  Vintage toys (25 + years old) were bought to be played with.  If they were not used and were in new condition, they went back to the store.  When 'finished' they were given away to other kids or simply thrown away.  

I don't think any of those figures will be worth crap.  I do think that it will be nothing like the current trend we see with vintage carded star wars figures.  Probably all of those figures will maintain retail value and/or increase.  Just not to the magnitude of what we see with current vintage toys.  

Population is smaller, less folks to entertain the nostalgic thoughts 25 years from now (I am the last of the baby boomers).  Production is higher.  Many more people store items away properly with the intent of becoming wealthy.  

My advice is if you think you have something valuable and you are collecting it for its value, sell it now.  Take that money and invest it.  

My dad was pretty smart.  He made me invest 10% of what I spent on comics for a year.  Even better, he made me buy stocks in Marvel Comics since that was who I was funding anyway.  Most of the comics from that year are predominantly worthless.  The stock has increased over 900% since that time.  
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