I have thought about this for a long time and to be honest the AFA is worthless. In fact it's worse than worthless, it drives prices through the roof. Personally I would rather buy say a $200 Transformer as opposed to a $500 AFA Graded version of the same Transformer. Now let me qualify that by saying that if I am buying something like that I would only be buying if there were detailed pictures and descriptions.

Now we are seeing people having Hong Kong Knock Offs graded by these so called experts and massively ripping people off.

My advice to you all, do your homework and use the many online resources available, and if you are confused ask, post a thread here and ask your fellow members. Disregard the AFA and go for the lower priced ones when possible as long as the pictures hold up to scrutiny and the seller has good feedback.

So what do you think? Is the AFA needed or is it hype?

 

It won't let me vote.  

But yes, AFA sucks. Even if I had piles of money laying around, I wouldn't buy AFA. I'd rather hunt for a spectacular non-AFA version...and subsequently spend 60% less on it.

 

Sorry Fixed that

 

I think the whole grading system is ridiculous. The fact that the AFA is this shining benchmark for that grading system makes the process even more amusing. AFA is supposed to be the defining standard in factory-fresh, near-mint toys and action figures...and yet they can't determine if a Korean knock-off is genuine or not.

There are several versions of the Transformers fan out there. One of them is the fan that merely acts as a receptor - never posting on a website, never questioning what he buys, just purchasing what he wants, even if it's the most expensive product available. The AFA markets to him.

...and that's a sad, sad way to buy Transformers, in my opinion.

 

The whole thing is a scam.

They make all of their money up front and then you have to wait for the sealed toy to actually be worth the inflated price. It's been done with comics and while some idiots who have more money than common sense buy them, most fans just shake their heads and laugh.

 

It's an excuse for Gouging.

 

I think the result of the poll is a forgone conclussion.  

If they were consistent in their grading, or knew how to spot a genuine toy, then i'd begrudgingly admit they have a place in TF 'collectordom'

As they are now, ( a bunch of Star Wars toy graders who saw $$$ in TF's) they are a laughing stock.

 

I also vote for gougeing. They can not tell the difference between a real Transformer and a knockoff. I would avoid them at all costs.

 

I seem to recall seeing AFA graded Soundwaves go on ebay for thousands a couple or few months ago. And, has anyone else noticed that there seems to be a disproportional number of MISB Soundwaves? Have there been any verified examples of high quality bootlegs? And yeah, I think AFA grading is a ripoff.

 

it's a total scam

 

There is a guy on eBay UK at the moment with a bunch of carded G1 Mini Autobots with BIN prices of £100 each.
For a bloody MINI AUTOBOT!
Why?
Because they are "AFA graded".
I hope no-one is stupid enough to buy them; it's the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. The whole thing is indeed an excuse to put stupid prices on stuff. I vote YES.

 

You've got a point about it being a, potentially, lucrative business. You know, the guys that run AFA could just go around and pick up MISB figures, "grade" and encase them on the house, and sell for 4x the purchase price!! Sounds almost fradulent. Hopefully the whole thing will die down.

 

I'm gonna say they're not worth it, BUT...things are only worth what people will pay for them. it's not AFA's fault that people are paying so much for things they grade. they're just giving an opinion, and sealing it in the plastic so it doesn't get worse. there's apparently a small segment of collectors that think it's necessary, and they're the ones buying them and making the prices insane.

 

The *rumor* is that AFA have some sort of ties with Cloud City Collectables.

..and Cloud City Collectables now sell TF's too.

 

I think it's a rip off. I could see using it if you got a vintage toy never before opened, and you wanted it graded and sealed up, but for new toys to be graded today, it's stupid.

 

Yeah, AFA is a massive scam trying to rip off the customers.

The only semi-legitimate reason to have the "almighty AFA" grade a figure is if it's genuinely mint, never been opened, you don't want it opened and you are afraid of it getting damaged. That's about the only thing I can see being somewhat... "beneficial" about it.

I wouldn't buy an AFA graded item, nor do I think anyone else should. These guys can't even spot knock-offs and now today's toys are being sealed and graded? Give me a break...

 

I'd never spend AFA prices for a toy. And when I do that's the day I've gone crazy and it's time to just throw all of my TFs in a bonfire.

 

I despise the AFA. How can you let fakes go through? I can buy a hell of a lot more, of the non-AFA graded. I also don't really see the point of newer AFA. unless you feel you have something rare and want it perserved...still, they do charge a lot to get something graded. But, I wish they (or anyone) would sell those cases...they are sweet. Besides the nice cases, though, AFA graded? I'll pass.

 

I'll take a number 2 with large fries and coke.  

The worst is all the new stuff that is being graded. I can see a reason for the old stuff being graded but not freakin Alternators or Cyberton series toys.