Recent Vintage Collection Purchases

[Nicklab]

It looks like Tunghori has left eBay and started his own online store.  Prices seem comparable to what they were on eBay, along with the selection.

[Rob]

I don’t blame him.  Why give eBay 10% if you don’t have to.

[Muftak]

I think what finally pushed him over the brink was the hassle he was having with eBay's funds-holding policy when the long delays started to hit due to the lack of airmail during the pandemic. I can speak from personal experience over the past couple weeks when the post office has been under so much backlog, if a buyer thinks the package is taking too long eBay holds onto the money (or takes it back) until successful delivery, no matter that tracking was uploaded on time and you can clearly see the package is sitting in the middle of the country doing nothing. I can only imagine what kind of havoc a three-month delay in shipping (and thus receiving payments) would play on his ability to turn a profit.

That said, I am glad to see him back, I picked up a couple things I didn't "need" just because I like having the option.

[GrandMoffNick]

I know the new repack wave is a head scratcher, but I grabbed the Amidala. The likeness is too good not to have it.

[Dave]

I recently opened all of my Mandalorian themed figures and put them together in my display area.  These figures are so awesome.

Maybe its nostalgia, but there is something magical about well done 3.75" figures that I don't feel when opening 6" figures.  The detail on these smaller figures are amazing.

I really like the 6" figures too, but don't usually get the same excitement about opening and interacting with the figures as I do with the 3.75" figures.

Maybe COVID lockdown is getting me daffy, but these things are sweet, and better than 6" figures.  I just wish we had more of them.

[Matt_Fury]

I'm hoping the popularity of the Razor Crest has opened Hasbro's eyes that there is great potential in TVC.  It will take time for them to catch up, but I believe it will happen.

[Nicklab]

I'm hoping the popularity of the Razor Crest has opened Hasbro's eyes that there is great potential in TVC.  It will take time for them to catch up, but I believe it will happen.

During one of the fan site Q&A's that happened this week, Patrick from Hasbro said that in 2021 they are on pace to offer the most TVC figures since the line re-launched in 2018.  Sounds great, right?

My concern remains with reissues:  how many, and which figures are they going to reissue?  They are taking up a substantial number of slots in the line.  But my understanding is that the cost savings for Hasbro helps to balance out all of the development costs for new figures.  But their figure choices are definitely questionable.

Just look at the most recent reissue wave:  Outland peasant disguise Anakin, Queen Amidala (post Senate), TIE Pilot and Battle Droid.  The TIE Pilot and Battle Droid have an evergreen quality since they're troop builders.  But the other two?  Poor choices, IMHO.  I am hoping that Hasbro opens up their options for these reissue waves by considering reissues from earlier lines that have TVC levels of articulation.  Slotting in the 3.75" Black Series Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala would achieve a few goals - get those particular characters back in circulation, update their deco, and put them on a TVC card for the first time, but at the lower cost of offering a reissue.

But on the whole recent TVC figure price front?  It looks like people are making a run on anything to do with Cara Dune, including her TVC figure.  If you thought the price of TVC Rey from The Rise of Skywalker had gotten crazy, get your popcorn out for the Cara Dune lovefest.

[Dave]

During one of the fan site Q&A's that happened this week, Patrick from Hasbro said that in 2021 they are on pace to offer the most TVC figures since the line re-launched in 2018.  Sounds great, right?

I hope they didn't say this with a straight face.  Reissues should only count as 25% of a figure. 

Who cares how many reissues they've given us?  I want new and interesting figures.  There is so much untapped material in the latest films and now The Mandalorian. Old Hasbro would have gone absolutely nuts with this stuff.

[Matt_Fury]

For the record, I wouldn't mind a reissue of Shae Visla.

[Jesse James]

I’m not sure what’s up with reissue choices.  I think that’s a legit gripe from collectors.  But without a price bump, I don’t see TVC ever coming back to old status.  When Hasbro is making more profit on 6” than 3.75” and see a price bump on 3.75” as something the general public will buck, I’m afraid things will be on this slow and relatively ho-hum pace they’re on.  TVC for $20?  Different story...  but can the public stand it?  It’s already kind of evident to me that TVC production runs (initial anyway) for new figures are pretty short...  I can’t imagine a higher price point is gonna help that either.

[Pete_Fett]

Just look at the most recent reissue wave:  Outland peasant disguise Anakin, Queen Amidala (post Senate), TIE Pilot and Battle Droid.  The TIE Pilot and Battle Droid have an evergreen quality since they're troop builders.  But the other two?  Poor choices, IMHO.  I am hoping that Hasbro opens up their options for these reissue waves by considering reissues from earlier lines that have TVC levels of articulation.  Slotting in the 3.75" Black Series Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala would achieve a few goals - get those particular characters back in circulation, update their deco, and put them on a TVC card for the first time, but at the lower cost of offering a reissue.

I agree 100% - the choices are questionable at best.

However, if recent "revelations" are to be believed (where the actual reason why Darth Revan never made it into TVC was because the Hasbro Star Wars team simply "forgot" that he was supposed to be released) - I wouldn't be surprised if to them, thinking "hey we need to get Anakin and Padme back into circulation" and when picking the figure (and corresponding molds) they just have ZERO clue as to which figure is which and what they might have intended to do, was put in TVC cardbacks the Anakin and Padme figures from the first wave of 3.75" Black Series - but when they communicated that to the factory, it was translated to Peasant Anakin and Queen Amidala re-releases from the original TVC run, and by the time they realized the error, the factory in China had already pumped out the production runs.

Those fan service live-streams with Patrick are doing them ZERO service in terms of building good-will with the fan base. It's clear that no one on the team is passionate about Star Wars, has a deep understanding of the Star Wars franchise & its history, and have no interest in really keeping tabs on how the fanbase is receiving the line across the boards.

[Jesse James]

I agree that the new team seems less about Star Wars and probably more about appeasing those above them...  ie the “bean counters” of sorts.

DD is gone tho, and it shows.

I think Hasbro isn’t disappointed in Star Wars at all...  and so that’s why I take what we get with some basic happiness and don’t pine away for more.  I don’t expect it and I haven’t been let down lately for that reason.

[Matt_Fury]

Those fan service live-streams with Patrick are doing them ZERO service in terms of building good-will with the fan base. It's clear that no one on the team is passionate about Star Wars, has a deep understanding of the Star Wars franchise & its history, and have no interest in really keeping tabs on how the fanbase is receiving the line across the boards.

I'm glad it's not just me that's noticing this.  It would not surprise me in the least if none of the folks on the team have even seen Star Wars.

[Nicklab]

There's been such a dry spell with Vintage Collection figures in general that I decided to roll the dice this morning.  I ordered 3 x TVC figures blind from BestBuy.com.  Best Buy is only listing figures by the assortment and not distinguishing them by character.  Some people have gotten some relatively HTF figures this way, and others have gotten more commonly found figures.  I'm looking forward to pulling a Brad Pitt when they arrive and start wondering "What's in the box?????"

[Jesse James]

I tried that once Nick, and was sorely disappointed.  All XW Lukes and Poes on cards that even to an opener were laughably mangled.  One had coloring on it in marker.  How they even looked at them and thought they were ok at full price is beyond me, and again, I’m an opener!