AFA: Is anyone really buying these?

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by transtrekkie, Feb 25, 2012.

  1. transtrekkie

    transtrekkie On the level.

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    I've often been against the whole AFA thing mostly because it all just seems like such a greedy money grab. Well, having looked around on ebay, I have to wonder: Is it? And is it even really that lucrative? The question I'm asking to TFW is: Has anyone here ever actually bought an AFAd Transformer? And if so, for how much did it really wind up going for? Here's why I'm asking: I was looking on ebay and I noticed that all (literally ALL) of the AFAd TFs on ebay were on a Buy It Now with like 20-some odd days left, there were no actual auctions for them with anyone actually bidding. Oh wait, yeah there was ONE auction, for Dirge, set at 949.00 but no one had bid on it. Which to me indicates that they're really not worth the several thousands of dollars that people often say they are. Or the several thousands of dollars that the buy it now is usually set for. Seriously, I never see these things selling, yet somebody must be buying them right? Or do the sellers just eventually give up and sell it for much less? I guess I'm looking for examples of people actually bought one and what (roughly) it went for. Specific examples though, not looking for an "I would if I had the money". Yeah, EVERYONE would if they had the money, that doesn't count.
     
  2. Da_Last_2_Walk

    Da_Last_2_Walk Da King Of Pre Rubs TFW2005 Supporter

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  3. transtrekkie

    transtrekkie On the level.

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    I've never been able to find ended items (unless I was watching them).

    I've heard of stuff like this (items going for enormous prices) but I've never seen it. Do you have an example of this? I'd love to see something like that.
     
  4. Killa-B-Killed

    Killa-B-Killed Material Handler

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    I agree that there are many AFA items that are overpriced on Ebay that end up sitting for long periods of time. But this is also true of all types of higher end Transformers (Botcon, G1, Lucky Draw). On the Ebay page, click the "advanced" link to the right of the search field and check out completed listings of AFA transformers. People need to keep in mind also that most big sales happen behind closed doors between private collectors.

    There was an AFA'd G1 Megatron that was up on open auction recently that the bidding reached $9,000 before Ebay took the auction down. For some reason Ebay makes it tough to sell Megatrons.

    I will tell you this.........nobody, and I mean NOBODY is getting rich in the AFA Transformers trade.
     
  5. ANONYMOUS

    ANONYMOUS Well-Known Member

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  6. MagnusPrimal

    MagnusPrimal Well-Known Member

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    I know some people like these, but as for me I just don't see the appeal.
     
  7. Waverider

    Waverider Supreme Dude

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  8. Malach Ra

    Malach Ra TFW2005 Supporter

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    You know, I never see AFA collectors hating on anybody elses collecting habits. Just saying.
     
  9. MagnusPrimal

    MagnusPrimal Well-Known Member

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    Not hating. Just don't see the appeal.
     
  10. grimlock1972

    grimlock1972 Optimus, serving up the primest of ribs since 1984

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    AFA collectors area fairly small group but very passionate about what they collect. I do not collect AFA but i respect those that do.
     
  11. rxlthunder

    rxlthunder Banned

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    They're just toy's, I don't care that much about them.
     
  12. Arkvander

    Arkvander Optimal Optimist

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    Killa is right, the market is way too over saturated for anyone to be making any kind of profit on these. People buy and sell them to improve their collections or to help out fellow collectors. Most of the ones on eBay are way overpriced and have been sitting there for a very long time. Those sellers thought they could buy a ton of G1's, get them graded and then flip them for a massive profit. Unfortunately there just aren't that many people out there that collect AFA's and so you end up with a ton of high priced inventory just sitting on eBay. A couple of months ago I sold over 20 AFA figures all auction-style and the results were much more reasonable than most of what is out there.

    I still have a few that I purchased: $1100 for an AFA 80 Pre Rub Starscream sealed on both sides - deal made off eBay; $350 for a sealed rubsign Bumblebee that I had graded and ended up an 80 (also off eBay); and $500 for an 85 Hot Rod sealed (Hot Rod's price has since decreased some due to recent case finds).

    If you are looking to buy AFA's eBay is not the place to go.
     
  13. motorhead9999

    motorhead9999 Well-Known Member

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    First off, here's the thing: People always complain when they buy things that even though the seller says "Excellent condition, terrific, wonderful etc", you get it and you have a difference of opinion and problems emerge. The nice thing about AFA is that its an impartial service that takes the debate about condition out of the equation. Whether one things that the figure deserved a higher grade or not is a different story, but whatever it is, if AFA says its an 85, then both parties have an idea what to expect out of it. And I will say, the cases they make for the figures are very nice.

    As for the buying/selling/flipping of AFA figures, its very difficult to do now, barring you get lucky and get the sealed figure at a ridiculously low price. The problem now on ebay is that non-graded AFA figures that are sealed are selling for just about the same price that an AFA graded figure would, normally minus the cost of the grading itself. Back in the 2005ish era, (and I'm sure others back in the game earlier than that could have even better stories), you could get steals on sealed figures based on some of the BINs people were putting on. If you were picking up a sealed Optimus for $100 bucks, the flipping potential was huge. Now though, with everyone knowing that vintage TFs are valuable, sealed optimus figures are going for 800-900. Typical AFA'd ones don't go for much more.

    Now, the exception to this rule is the ultra high graded figures. Anything that's graded a 95 or better (or even a 90 sometimes) and all bets are off. The key to making money in that situation is getting lucky enough to get the figure in that condition, which is difficult if not impossible now.
     
  14. TFormerfan

    TFormerfan Maximal

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  15. Koolimus Prime

    Koolimus Prime Weapons Expert

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    AFA?
     
  16. Killa-B-Killed

    Killa-B-Killed Material Handler

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  17. Blue Meanie

    Blue Meanie Hello from the Gutter

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    My friend and I have had some ridiculously high AFA graded pieces. I didn't like their inconsistency in their past grading. I have no idea what they are like now. We collected nothing but the most flawless boxes. AFA 90 liokaiser and Browning were ours, sold for stupid money, but not anything that I didn't make in a regular weeks pay back then. After I graded some stuff and got flawless boxes back with lower grades than ones with minor blemishes, I stopped grading stuff. I won't pay the premium to purchase them, but I COMPLETELY understand why a lot of misb collectors love them.
     
  18. jorod74

    jorod74 Psycholagnist (Ret.)

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    people collect what they want.
    it's not my place to judge or care if they want AFA or not.

    the one consolation for me is that AFA guarantees some figures will remain "museum quality" in their boxes. i kinda dig that.
    but for my collection, i want to touch the figures.
     
  19. RedAlert Rescue

    RedAlert Rescue Banned

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    AFA is a scam - I wouldn't touch that sillyness with a 10 foot pole - It might be worth having something cased yourself as a display piece - but if you want that buy a case and a MISB toy your self and save yourself a fortune.

    They are still about. Heck I've got a bunch of unopened stuff from the early 90's I keep meaning to fish out to sell.

    Paying someone else for their opinion on how shiny the box is seems meaningless to me though. especially since they have been get taken in buy Chinese fakes such as Beachcomber so their expertise does not seem very expert.

    I blame toy price guides for perpetuating the scam personally.. probably as AFA are their advertisers.

    And if you bought a AFA Fort Max for $5,000 - How would you know you'd not bought an empty box full of lead shot, a damaged toy or something else ? it's easy enough to stick new tape on something. if the box does not have a window in it just seems silly.

    If I was going to buy a Star Saber I'd want one that had not gone yellow. and supposedly being left in the styrene make them go yellow over time. and this also happens to Fort max's ramps - so a original sealed Fortress maximus is probably in worse condition that one that has been stored out of the box and out of the light.

    Not to mention if they have been stored in a humid environment they could have had all the metal parts go rusty or discoloured too. where as if you buy something from someone in say Arizona they might be light damaged.
     
  20. doomboy536

    doomboy536 Universe Onslaught fanboy

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    There's something about seeing an old toy MISB that makes it hard for me to open it. Maybe it's a combination of nostalgia or appreciation for the whole package, I don't know. The whole AFA idea might seem to be silly to a lot of us but really, how does the trade of a relatively small ammount of figures affect us personally? We should just be happy that this hobby is so diverse that it can be enjoyed so many ways.