New To Vintage Collecting? Some Tips!

[jokabofe]

well, my carded collection is small. what i basically did was search ebay, and just pick up whatever i can afford. i think i have about 20 carded figures so far. most of them, with a few exceptions, are not on the greatest of cards. but someday, i'll "upgrade" the not so good ones, when i find better versions at affordable prices.

[Darthshader]

I am not new to vintage collecting, I just dabble.  Does that count?

I have some carded unpunched 12 backs,  a few boxed playsets, but no loose figs yet. It is nice to see so much info & advice in the forums.

[Morgbug]

As I was packing up my vinty collection, I was updating my inventory of it.  I'm not going to see it much in the next while between packing and moving and then not having a room for  display for a bit.  Anyway, here's the list of what I own.  I thought this thread appropriate since it started a while back

Vintage figure list
Unless otherwise indicated, limbs are tight

1.   Luke Skywalker farm boy blonde hair - complete - check saber
2.   Luke Skywalker farm boy brown hair - complete
3.   Princess Leia - repro weapon need original
4.   R2-D2 - upgrade only to mint
5.   Chewbacca - need to upgrade, bowcaster original
6.   Chewbacca green limbs - need bowcaster
7.   C-3PO - shiny, tight limbs
8.   Darth Vader - mint
9.   Stormtrooper - 3, all clean, none dead mint - weapons all original
10.   Han Solo large head - mint, original black blaster
11.   Han Solo small head - good, slightly yellow sleeves, original blaster
12.   Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi gray hair - mint
13.   Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi white hair - slight hair loss at front, still nice
14.   Sand People regular - have near mint upgrade, complete and good second, dirty cape
15.   Sand People hollow tubes - complete
16.   Jawa cloth cape - mint, need blaster
17.   Jawa vinyl cape - Got It!
18.   Death Squad Commander - slight belt wear, blaster original
19.   Greedo - mint except for slight paint loss to white of left eye, blaster original
20.   Walrusman - great except for slight paint loss to mouth (pink), blaster original
21.   Hammerhead - mint, blaster original
22.   Snaggletooth red - limbs tight, but paint loss to toes (nails), blaster original
23.   Luke Skywalker X-wing pilot - good, paint loss to hand, helmet dirty, blaster original - should upgrade
24.   R4-D4 - very good, hard to upgrade from ebay
25.   Death Star Droid - POS, need upgrade with tight limbs, better paint
26.   Power Droid - tiny amount of paint loss various, legs click, very good
27.   Boba Fett - near mint, blaster original
28.   Luke Skywalker Bespin blonde hair - mint, original blue blaster, original saber
29.   Luke Skywalker Bespin brown hair - loose right arm, some paint rubs, blaster original, saber repro
30.   Han Solo Hoth outfit - good, paint loss to hands (minor), blaster original
31.   Leia Organa Bespin Gown low collar - very nice, original blaster
32.   Leia Organa Bespin Gown turtleneck - slight nose rub, otherwise good, original blaster
33.   Bossk - mint, original blaster
34.   Bossk green limbs - fair, lots of wear, need blaster but no need to upgrade figure
35.   IG-88 - mint, both original weapons
36.   Rebel Soldier (Hoth) - mint, very tight limbs, need blaster
37.   FX-7 - very nice
38.   Imperial Stormtrooper (Hoth Battle Gear) - mint, tight limbs, slight yellowing of torso, head, blaster original
39.   Lando Calrissian smiling - mint, blaster original
40.   Lando Calrissian - excellent but for paint loss on left index finger, blaster original
41.   Bespin Security Guard - nice, paint a little dull, original blaster, Fu Manchu
42.   Yoda orange snake - complete, light green skin, snake, belt cane original
43.   Yoda brown snake - dark green skin, belt, snake original, need dark brown cane44.   Leia Hoth outfit - mint original blaster
45.   Rebel commander - mint original blaster
46.   AT-AT Driver - near mint, original weapon x2
47.   2-1 B - left arm slightly loose, otherwise mint, weapon original
48.   Imperial Commander - near mint, blaster original
49.   Ugnaught purple smock - mint, case original
50.   Ugnaught blue smock  - need   
51.   Lobot - mint, original blaster
52.   Dengar - near mint, original rifle
53.   Han Solo Bespin Outfit - some paint loss, could use upgrade
54.   See-Threepio removeable limbs - mint in Kenner baggie
55.   R2-D2 with sensorscope - mint, tight limbs, head clicks, sensor up and down smoothly
56.   Luke Skywalker Hoth gear - near mint, original rifle
57.   AT-AT commander - near mint, original blaster
58.   Cloud Car Pilot - near mint complete accessories
59.   Bespin Security Guard black - mint, original blaster
60.   Zuckuss - mint, original rifle
61.   4-LOM - mint, original weapon
62.   Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot - good, some paint wear on chest, original weapon.
63.   Admiral Ackbar - dead mint from card
64.   Gamorrean Guard - mint, original weapon
65.   Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight green saber sewn collar - mint, original weapons
66.   Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight blue saber snap collar - dead mint from card
67.   Princess Leia Organa Boussh Disguise - mint, original
68.   Emperor’s Royal Guard - mint, original
69.   Chief Chirpa - red spotting on back of arm, otherwise good, need weapon
70.   Logray - mint, complete except for shaman staff
71.   Logray Macau - mint complete
72.   Klaatu - dead mint from card
73.   Weequay - mint complete
74.   Rebel Commando - mint but for small black mark on right leg, tight limbs, original weapon
75.   General Madine - mint complete
76.   Lando Calrissian Skiff Guard disguise - very good, limbs not completely tight, complete
77.   Biker Scout long mouth - 2; one good, some paint loss; second dead mint from card
78.   Biker Scout short mouth - do not have
79.   Nien Nunb - mint, complete from card
80.   Squid Head - mint complete
81.   Ree-Yees - dead mint from card (2)
82.   Bib Fortuna - very minor paint loss on fingers, complete
83.   Nikto - mint, complete
84.   8D8 - dead mint from card
85.   Princess Leia Organa combat poncho - mint, complete
86.   Wicket W. Warrick - mint, complete
87.   The Emperor - very good, but small scrape on nose!
88.   Klaatu - mint complete
89.   B-wing pilot - dead mint from card
90.   AT-ST Driver - very good, minor rub to left shoulder emblem, complete
91.   Han Solo trench coat plain collar - dead mint from card
92.   Han Solo trench coat camouflage collar - mint, complete
93.   Teebo - mint complete need battle ax
94.   Prune Face - mint complete light green pants
95.   Rancor Keeper - mint, complete
96.   Lumat - mint, complete
97.   Paploo - mint, complete
98.   Romba - mint, complete
99.   Luke Skywalker battle poncho - mint complete
100.   R2-D2 with pop up light saber - mint, complete
101.   Amanaman - mint, complete with coin
102.   Barada - mint, complete
103.   Imperial Gunner - mint, complete   
104.   Luke Skywalker Imperial stormtrooper outfit - mint, complete
105.   Han Solo in carbonite chamber - mint, complete
106.   EV-9D9 - good; left arm comes off; head loose but poseable; I’ll live with it
107.   Warok - mint complete
108.   Anakin Skywalker - mint complete
109.   A-Wing Pilot - very good, tiny paint loss to chest silver, complete
110.   Lando Calrissian General Pilot - mint, complete
111.   Yak Face - mint, complete
112.   Imperial Dignitary - mint, complete
113.   Blue Snaggletooth - tiny paint loss to front and back of boots, no weapon, otherwise great
114.   Jabba the Hutt with Salacious Crumb - mint, complete except for chain
115.   Max Rebo - very good, complete, paint fading to arms
116.   Sy Snootles - mint, complete, silver microphone
117.   Droopy McCool - mint, complete, silver microphone

Droids
119. R2-D2 - dead mint from card
120. C-3PO - excellent condition, limbs moderately loose
121. Thall Joben - dead mint from card
122. Jord Dusat - dead mint from card
123. Kea Moll - need
124. Kez Iban - need
125. Uncle Gundy - dead mint from card
126. Jann Tosh - in transit
127. Tig Fromm - loose limbs, have repro weapon
128. Sise Fromm - need

Ewoks
129. King Gorneesh - mint complete

[Darth_Deastron]

I'm thinking about going into vintage Power of the Force Collecting, does anyone have a checklist of all of the POTF figures?

[DSJ™]

Power of the Force, Droids, Ewoks, Coins Checklist

[Darth_Deastron]

Thanks man.  Which ones from power of the force are the least expensive carded?  I'd like to start with those, and then take on the more expensive ones.

[DSJ™]

Prices vary from time to time, eBay sets the standards. Best to check completed auctions to find the price ranges. Just go to the "Search Options" on the left side & check completed listings.

Power of the Force 1985

[Darth_Deastron]

Thanks mate, will do.

[Morgbug]

OK, no longer new, but starting to venture where I shouldn't go, so I have a rules/etiquette question regarding the removal of stickers and residue from vintage cardbacks. 

I noticed John's post about the IG-88(?) he won and he removed the sticker residue from the price sticker and the offer sticker as well.  I had assumed this sort of stuff was generally frowned upon by the purists of the collecting community.  The 12-back C-3PO I just won is a very nice piece it seems (pictures so far, not received yet) but it has an ugly ass price sticker on it.  Can I remove it without incurring the wrath of the gods, or should it stay as is? 

Curious.

[Jayson]

My 2˘: Leave it on.

Personally, I like the card to look like it actually was on the store shelves rather than the pristine hermetically stored looking versions that never saw the light of day let alone the aisle of your local K-Mart, ShopKo or mom & pop general store.

[DSJ™]

I know of no rules/etiquette on this but to each his own. I say you do what you want to do, whether it be a 3PO card or an 8D8 card, not a biggie. Like Jayson mentioned some will like them like they were back in the day & others will like them they way they want them. Heck I remember on RS someone that removed one of those big assed stickers off a trilogo because they did not like it. I have some cards with stickers & they will stay, my preference. 

[john todd]

i removed one once before on an esb cloud car pilot and had my ass ridden for a week about it on rebelscum.   i have always been torn by these stickers.  they were clearly put on in an unprofessional manner, usually blocking most of the character photo.  but, they are an official promo sticker and thus a part of the complete packaging.

i regret taking the sticker off the cloud car pilot.  it didn't block any of the picture, and was probably 1 of only a few hundred like it.  the 8d8 on the other hand was just one of a zillion like it.

as for price tags, i think pretty much everyone would agree that it is fair game to take those off.

[David]

I've had a few loose vintage figures for a couple years, but I've never bothered to put them anywhere. But the other day, I got a few vintage deals while I was on vacation in Oregon ($1.95 each), and now that I'm home, I'm inspired to put together a display, and then perhaps get into loose vintage collecting, until I eventually have a complete set. Any tips?

What I have now:

Chewbacca (loose, complete, pristine)
Power Droid (loose, complete, pristine)
Walrusman (loose, complete, pristine)
Han Solo, Hoth Outfit (loose, missing weapon, very minor paint wear on gloves and boots)
IG-88 (loose, complete, pristine)
Bossk (loose, missing weapon, very minor paint wear on hands)
Lando Calrissian, ESB (loose, missing weapon, pristine)
Ree-Yees (loose, missing weapon, pristine)
Admiral Ackbar (loose, complete, pristine)

It's not much but it's a start. 

[JesseVader08]

Congrats on getting into vintage, it sounds like you're off to a great start with some figures in very nice condition.

[David]

Thanks, JesseVader, getting into vintage should be fun. A challenge, but fun.

I've gotten a couple new figures since my last post. My little sister bought me a Hammerhead at some store for a buck. He has a little white paint that is outside of his eye but nothing I can't fix. Other than that, he looks great, but I still will have to track down his weapon. I also bought a super cheap Weequay off eBay yesterday for something like five bucks. From the pictures, he looks terrific and has his weapons. I'm excited to get him, even though he's not the rarest vintage figure around, he's just one more good figure towards my goal of all of them.