Author Topic: New To Vintage Collecting? Some Tips! (Read 114501 times)

TopJedi · « **Reply #15 on:** June 14, 2003, 08:49 AM »

It's great to see more people taking up an interest in vintage

If I run across any extras then I'll post them in the trades section. Right now I only have a few ship parts on hand.......but I may have a duplicate Warok or Lumat around here somewhere.....

dustrho · « **Reply #16 on:** June 14, 2003, 03:33 PM »

Quote from: TopJedi on June 14, 2003, 08:49 AM

It's great to see more people taking up an interest in vintage If I run across any extras then I'll post them in the trades section. Right now I only have a few ship parts on hand.......but I may have a duplicate Warok or Lumat around here somewhere.....

Brian... before posting those available vintage figures remember you & I are still trying to work out a trade. Don't remember what it all entailed since it was over a month ago, but I know we were trying to work something out. So, keep me posted, OK buddy???

obi_robz · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2003, 11:24 AM »

Hello vintage experts!

Up until now I have been a modern-only collector. However, I was in my local indoor market today and they had a glass cabinet with a few vintage figures. Now, the one figure I really wanted when I was a kid, but could never find, was Chewbacca. Inside the cabinet, for GBP3.50, was the Wookiee I’d long been looking for. Out of nostalgia, I handed over the cash and walked out into the rain with a smile on my face. So my question is: do I have a complete figure? I was just wondering because the prices (most around £5 each, all (apart from the POTF stuff) under £10) seemed really cheap.

I’m happy with my Chewie so if his weapon is a repro, then I won’t be upset, BUT I’m beginning to wonder if this won’t set me off on a quest for an entire loose vintage collection – you know what us SW geeks are like…buy one, have to get the rest

.

So my other questions are: apart from a few exceptions, has the loose vintage market really got so cheap generally? Does collecting vintage get your youth back

? How well will the vintage figures compare with my modern collection – will I end up with something that looks second rate (I compared vintage Chewie to the Saga Cloud City version and it made me laugh

), or are the any ways in which you think the old stuff is better?

Thanks for reading all my Qs, and here’s the pic of my Chewie. If there’s anything wrong with him, please tell me (I won’t be too upset because I’ll still like him regardless

)

Cheers,
Rob

DSJ™ · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2003, 11:44 AM »

The figure looks fine. The weapon looks good too but it is hard to tell by the picture if it is a reproduction. Try giving the weapon a little bent, if it does, its real & if its solid then its a fake.

The vintage figures do look much different than the modern figures. Remember, these came out in 1977 & the the way figures were made back then are not the same as they are today. There are vinty figures I do like better than the modern. A vinty Yak Face is way better than the new version IMO.

Take care of that Wookie. Not like Ralph Wiggum did!

I bent my wookie

obi_robz · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2003, 12:03 PM »

It is bendy, but here’s a clearer picture:

This whole vintage thing seems a bit daunting at the moment. Hopefully the gun’s original and I can cross Chewie off my “to get” list

Will there be certain figures though, where repro weapons are the only (economic) option?

DSJ™ · « **Reply #20 on:** June 19, 2003, 12:43 PM »

Here's mine front & back.

I'm sure you can cross Chewy of your list.

Quote from: obi_robz on June 19, 2003, 12:03 PM

Will there be certain figures though, where repro weapons are the only (economic) option?

Sometimes they are. The hardest weapons to get are some from the POTF series.
Yak Face staff is the same as Nikto & Barada.
Amanaman Staff.
Wicket Staff.
Paploo Staff.
Rombo Spear.
Lumat & Warok Bow.

Sometimes when you look for vintage, you want the weapon to come with it to make it complete. The expensive ones are a little cheaper without there weapons but are tuff to find.
Best to save the $$$ when you get to that buying stage.

Original vintage weapons are pricey on the market. Everyone is looking for them & a small or large lots can go high.

As for the difference between Reproduction & Original weapons, there are differences. Its just not the plastic or resin they are made of. It will be the markings on the weapons such as a small circle missing or added to certain areas of the weapon. Color is sometimes different too.

I have seen some pictures of the difference's & will have to do some research to show you what to look for. That providing I can find anything.

Reconsgt · « **Reply #21 on:** June 19, 2003, 01:13 PM »

Cross the chewie off. It is fine. The weapon looks to be fine from the pics and since it has give I wouldn't worry about it.
It looks to be a good find

Brian · « **Reply #22 on:** June 24, 2003, 04:09 PM »

I by no means know nearly as much as others here, but as someone who has just been getting into vintage collecting slowly over the past year or two, I will echo their comments as well. Patience really is the key. When I first started collecting vintage loose, I was first replacing any ruined/played with figs from my childhood, and was a little anxious to get a few at first. But, after listening to advice from many of these same people, I did learn patience, and you can really find good deals on a lot of (if not most of) the figures (POTF are tougher I would think, I haven't gotten into those yet). Sometimes its also good to look at a seller's other items on ebay, that way you can get 3,4,5+ figures for the same shipping cost as 1 figure. Good luck on your collection!

obi_robz · « **Reply #23 on:** June 27, 2003, 08:24 AM »

This is what I’ve picked up so far (although I have Han trench coat, Bib Fortuna, Dengar, Weequay, and an original gun for my Nien Nunb in the mail):

I think Han and Lando’s guns might be repros (because they fail DSJ’s “bendy” test ), but I have friend over at RS who’s sending a guaranteed vintage gun for my Lando at least.

sp00ky · « **Reply #24 on:** June 27, 2003, 09:42 AM »

Nice smiling Lando!! The other figs look nice too!

Scott

obi_robz · « **Reply #25 on:** June 27, 2003, 10:17 AM »

Thanks, sp00ky

He also gave me a one-legged R2 that he couldn’t sell. When I got it out of the parcel I saw that sticker was in pretty good shape, so I went up to my attic, found the beat up R2 from my childhood, and “borrowed” his right leg

Is this sort of "part swapping" socially acceptable in the world of vintage collecting? – or do I have to go out and find an all-original-parts R2?

Nothing wrong with replacing missing parts. It looks good & so do the other figures.

Scott · « **Reply #26 on:** June 27, 2003, 10:25 AM »

Brent, before eBay I bought a lot of loose vintage through The Earth Toy Mall

They are all c9+ complete, no repros so you know you are getting a great figure. eBay can be a lottery in what you get, one person's c9 is totally different than mine. No price means they don't have one in stock

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/theearthtoys/loose-complete-figures.html

Another good option is Brian's Toys, they usually are around the same price as the Earth, maybe a tad higher especially on the commons

I'd second Dale's recommendation on picking up a Sansweet book, great info there!

Scott · « **Reply #27 on:** June 27, 2003, 10:28 AM »

Another cool vintage collectible and a sister to the Wal-Mart poster, is the Tomart Vintage Poster that was a FC exclusive

Scott · « **Reply #28 on:** June 27, 2003, 10:33 AM »

Just wanted to combine a few topics here into one sticky post at the top, a Vintage FAQ for noobs

dustrho · « **Reply #29 on:** June 27, 2003, 10:45 AM »

Quote from: Morgbug on June 14, 2003, 12:10 AM

Only thing I've really noted so far is I like auctions better that end during the week, not on weekends.

That's definitely the best time to do your eBay shopping, because there aren't that many people who will be sniping on the auction of your dreams.