ok i want to ask a serious question as someone who is looking to maybe grade some stuff down the road.

for those who have sold AFA items what makes the value, or the wanted value so much?

like i can look at some sealed cassettes for maybe a couple a hundred sell on ebay.

but then ill see a graded one and the person wants thousands.

how does a plastic case and a grade add that much value, its still the same things inside?

like this auction and sorry if it is someones in here, as the average i see is 85 graded, for 9k?!

i would imagine at most if you got all 3 of these maybe 1500 plus grading.

i dont see the 9K

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transformer...4675?pt=US_Action_Figures&hash=item3f24b38603

 

That will never sell. Those cassettes are both below 1k together. No fucking way that Soundwave is 2k+ let alone 7-8k. The seller's price is absurd and needs a reality check.

 

Exactly. I was just about to say the same thing.

Anyway, getting back to the initial question, while you can simply buy a display case and show off (or sell) your items without being graded, I think the value in grading them is knowing exactly what you have. Though grading is subjective, I like seeing that AFA sticker on the case and having the figure secure inside. As a result, I will pay a little more for AFA items (compared to me buying MIB/MISB figures and the display cases on my own) if they're reasonably priced. It saves me the trouble of having to do all of the legwork.

 

The auction lot in question is actually priced pretty close to market value. I have sold 2 prerub 85 Soundwaves. 1 for $6000, and 1 for $5500. The cassettes are worth between $1000 and $1500 each depending on how bad somebody wants them. I believe the seller has a reputation that may hurt his chances at closing a deal close to the asking price, but there is nothing absurd about it.

I am not speculating on the value of these items, but speaking from actual sales experience. They are tough to find in this condition and there are some serious collectors out there with disposable income that covet Series One highgrade.

 

Wow, I stand corrected then. Last time I looked these were no where near these prices. In a few years these have increased a rediculous amount then.

 

I missed the "Pre-Rub" part. That definitely explains the asking price.

 

opt1musaber:

> Those cassettes are both below 1k together.

$1k+ each easy.

> No fucking way that Soundwave is 2k+

Lower grade Soundwaves have sold for over $2k. This one would fetch $4k+ easy. Probably significantly more than that.

* both assuming they are all legit pieces.

I wish they could be had for less, but that's simply not born out by the history of selling prices for comparable pieces.

I will agree that $9k is not realistic, but neither is $3k.

 

Deceptigtar:

> like i can look at some sealed cassettes for maybe a couple a hundred sell on ebay.
> but then ill see a graded one and the person wants thousands.

If you believe that then you should be buying up those mint, low-priced TFs, grading them and then reselling them for profit. Though I don't do that myself, I know from friends that "flipping" TFs isn't as lucrative as you'd imagine. So, really, I think your impression is probably off.

Many people do "flip" TFs, but the profit margins are shrinking. If you spend much time on eBay, you'll note that the price difference between MISB good-condition TFs and the similar graded TFs isn't that great. It may seem otherwise, but part of that is because you may often look at ungraded pictures on ebay and get a misleading idea of the condition, then when it grades it comes back an AFA70 (which won't fetch near the high prices commanded by 80+).

The value of getting graded is that the grade gives you a better idea of the condition. The case and label add some value, but most of the value comes from the reduction of uncertainty regarding condition, and from providing a reference for comparison.

 

Just an aside on that auction:

That Soundwave was graded in 2003. So, it'd probably fetch, at best, an AFA85 (80/85/85) these days (not to open that can of worms) so, I'd have to lower my estimation accordingly =).

All it takes is one crazy buyer to justify a crazy price, though, so you never know  .

 

Thanks for the info!

I see this 80 rub Jazz on Ebay. Is that the price it should be going at?

Vintage Transformers G1 1984 Series 1 Car Jazz w Rubsign AFA 80 | eBay

 

Those battlechargers look nice. It's funny, as a toy I think they leave a lot to be desired. However, when you put them on a nice card, with the G1 packaging and artwork, suddenly they look awesome! G1 packaging was as good as it has ever gotten for toy packaging IMHO. It makes a HUGE difference.

 

Pre rub jazz looks real nice and the price is not too out of line, BUT pre rub jazz is one of those transformers that is always tape cut, meaning it is not MISB. This really effects the value so I would definitely ask the seller before I bought the item.

 

Kind of,ebay prices are inflated a little to make up for the fees. I have a 80-90-90 rub jazz,sealed,no flap crease I'd sell for $550 outside ebay? There were case finds of prerubs so there is hundreds of those. Not so with rubs, rarity is what I go for but that's just me.

 

Not rare but ...


G1 Sixshot (Takara), 2002 by CG76, on Flickr

 

G1 Pounce / Wingspan, 1987 by CG76, on Flickr

One of my favorites.

 

G1 Megatron, 1984 by CG76, on Flickr

Got a decent price on this.

 

Had this a couple years...


G1 Trypticon, 1986 by CG76, on Flickr

 

My holy grail ...


G1 Scorponok, 1987 by CG76, on Flickr

 

G1 Sixshot, 1987 by CG76, on Flickr

I also got a decent price on this ...

 

G1 Bomb-Burst, 1988 by CG76, on Flickr

Not bad but Y.