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OT: Buying 80s toys for son to possibly resell later?

My apologies for the OT thread, but while out Christmas shopping for my son my jaw dropped at the going prices for action figures (Superman, Batman, Spiderman, et cetera). $13 to $25 for basic, tiny toys surrounded by cardboard and plastic.

This got me thinking about my old toys. As a little kid in the 80s I was a huge fan of the Action Powers DC figures and still have great memories playing with them. I hid Batman behind the microwave and to this day never found him

Anyways, I checked them out on eBay and used ones have pretty good resell value. My son is a tad too young for these now, but I'm thinking it may be wise to buy him some nice used 80s toys to play with, and when he grows out of them the money can somewhat be recouped if he or I choose to sell them. Here's a current eBay listing: Action Powers Lot

Anyone here do this? What do you all think?

Comments

  • begsu1013begsu1013 Posts: 1,943 ✭✭
    have contemplated something similar to this, we aren't into the toy stage yet...not sure if he will find the gi joes and transformers that I played with as "cool", but I have told myself once he gets to age 8 or so I will buy him a duplicate of the toys he's really into. will just leave these ones in the box for him and hidden, then give them to him for his birthday at age "x" or so.

    but as far as recouping your money, considering this auction would probably repay for a few of his toys.

    optimus prime

    and thank you for posting this...I just found and bought this. just listed and was gonna use this as my example and bam! I think it was a steal

    aircraft carrier

    last few have sold for $2500ish
  • Super Powers ALWAYS sells well. I collect these and I have since I was a kid. I got lucky that I knew someone who worked for Kenner in Cincinnati and was able to give me a bunch. Our families were friends. I now collect specific ones that have price tags from Thornberry Toy Stores. They are hard to find as most people rip open the packs or try to take the sticker off. It doesn't raise the value by having it there, but that was the toy store I went to when I was a kid.

    There are lots of people out there that collect these. They're fun and it's fun to watch the cartoon too. My oldest just started getting into super hero's and we watched an 80's Super Friends tonight. He loved it. Best of luck with these and I hope you both have fun.


  • << <i>have contemplated something similar to this, we aren't into the toy stage yet...not sure if he will find the gi joes and transformers that I played with as "cool", but I have told myself once he gets to age 8 or so I will buy him a duplicate of the toys he's really into. will just leave these ones in the box for him and hidden, then give them to him for his birthday at age "x" or so.

    but as far as recouping your money, considering this auction would probably repay for a few of his toys.

    optimus prime

    and thank you for posting this...I just found and bought this. was gonna use this as my example and bam! I think it was a steal

    aircraft carrier

    last few have sold for $2500ish >>



    I still have my aircraft carrier. Don't have the box, but everything is still there.
  • I recently went to an estate sale that advertised "vintage sports cards and toys". I got there a few minutes early, and there were about 6 other guys already waiting to go in. So I'm thinking that I'll be competing with these guys for the best cards. Nope. They went straight for the toys. I realized that I must be in the wrong area of buying and selling collectibles.
  • begsu1013begsu1013 Posts: 1,943 ✭✭
    yep. not everyone collected cards. everyone played with toys!!! 80's toys are on fire.


  • << <i>yep. not everyone collected cards. everyone played with toys!!! 80's toys are on fire. >>



    Yes! 80's everything is coming back. People our age can finally pay for the things they wanted, but couldn't have when they were kids or things that were discarded/lost, i.e. Mom selling everything in a yard sale when you go away for college. I'm fortunate my parents to do that. My kids play a lot with my gi joes, transformers, hot wheels, etc. My grandmother recently found the GI Joe Tomahawk helicopter fully intact in her garage and she also was throwing an old plant that finally died out and a bunch of gi joes that I buried were in there too. She cleaned them all and set them aside for my kids.

    I was a big fan of Go-Bots when I was a kid too. Along with those, Real Ghostbusters, He-Man, MASK, Micro-Machines, COPS, GUTS, etc.
  • Guru, What do you think of the AFA Graded figurines ?
    It is an area I have also been thinking of picking up a few items. I think the "cool" factor, at least for me is very high, but would run into storage issues if I got to deep.
    image



  • << <i>Guru, What do you think of the AFA Graded figurines ?
    It is an area I have also been thinking of picking up a few items. I think the "cool" factor, at least for me is very high, but would run into storage issues if I got to deep. >>



    They are cool, but I don't buy them or send stuff in for grading. There's something about being able to hold the figure or package myself.
  • MULLINS5MULLINS5 Posts: 4,517 ✭✭✭
    I've never gotten into toy/video game grading because the companies seem like knock-offs (GEM, PRO etc) of the card world and I'm not really interested in learning more about them.

    Kinda like what Guru said, these items were meant to be handled, unlike most of the sports cards we collect, where condition and preservation are super important.
  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭
    I think collectors felt the same way about coins, cards,comics, when grading first became available for those collectibles too. I think preservation and condition would be a high priority for any collectible. There are still people who don't collect that ask me "can you take it out of the plastic slab". I think if toy grading ever becomes accepted as a reasonable way to protect and have a qualified, unbiased opinion about the condition, then graded toys may become more accepted among collectors.
    image

  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I collect WWF LJN figures and AWA Remco figures and have busted out quite a few that were mint on the card to display.

    The AFA graded examples can go for really good money and they look pretty cool in the graded cases.


  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭
    I was just thinking about picking up a few of the more popular Star Wars characters. I figure they will be popular for many years, and it is something I could give my kids at some point, since they are both big Star Wars fans.
    image

  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭
    Could't help myself. I put in a bid on this tonight. Didn't win it, but it is still cool. I really need to find out more about these things before I start bidding on them.



    image
    image

  • skrezyna23skrezyna23 Posts: 908 ✭✭✭
    For myself, I collect loose MASK, LOTR, SW POTF2, STAR TREK DS9 9" figures, all 3.5" Star Trek Playmates, and various cool looking Batman figures.

    I have looked into the Super Powers but even loose are pricey for me. Also thought about He-Man but I don't have my own storage.
  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭
    How big are the AFA slabs like the one above ?
    image

  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I picked up this pair in the past six months. They are pack fresh. There are many of us who couldn't afford these toys when we were growing up so it is fun to buy them once you can.


    image



  • skrezyna23skrezyna23 Posts: 908 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I picked up this pair in the past six months. They are pack fresh. There are many of us who couldn't afford these toys when we were growing up so it is fun to buy them once you can.


    image >>



    My friend had a lot of those wrestlers. It was pretty funny throwing them off the ropes like a slingshot. Volkov, Iron Sheik, Junkyard Dog, Hulk, Macho Man, Bret Hart...
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>I picked up this pair in the past six months. They are pack fresh. There are many of us who couldn't afford these toys when we were growing up so it is fun to buy them once you can.


    image >>



    My friend had a lot of those wrestlers. It was pretty funny throwing them off the ropes like a slingshot. Volkov, Iron Sheik, Junkyard Dog, Hulk, Macho Man, Bret Hart... >>




    I have seen a Bret Hart mint on the card sell for over $5,000. Feedback was left for the item. I don't think it generally goes for that but it is one of the most valuable from the series.

    There are some variants that bring big money. The Miss Elizabeth I posted is the standard version and there is a very rare figure with a purple dress. I have read it goes for north of $1,000.


  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭
    Does anyone know if there are any differences between two figures that have been graded say; AFA 85 Nm+, and one figure is listed as used in an auction title ? How does the seller know it is used verses the other one that isn't listed as used ? Or are they both "used" and one is just listed that way ? Seems as if they both grade the same it wouldn't matter.
    image

  • DavisDavis Posts: 705 ✭✭
    Damn...I remember these. Loved them as a kid. Probably had a bunch of them and ripped them apart. I think a Superman and Batman would look cool in the office. A nice waste of money image
  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭
    Well, I just couldn't stand it any longer I just had to have one. I just bought my first graded vintage toy.......... Oh, and after some research I found out that the difference between one used and one taken from the package by AFA is the "U" designation, which stands for uncirculated. Anyway, here it is, what do ya think ??

    image


    Here is a close-up of the cert........

    image
    image

  • frankhardyfrankhardy Posts: 8,044 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have been looking for an ORIGINAL Nerf Hoop from back in my childhood days. I'm talking about the one with the metal door hanger. I have had it on my eBay search list for a while and nothing has come up.

    Shane

  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I have been looking for an ORIGINAL Nerf Hoop from back in my childhood days. I'm talking about the one with the metal door hanger. I have had it on my eBay search list for a while and nothing has come up. >>



    I slammed many a paper wad through those hoops. Good Times.
    image

  • tennesseebankertennesseebanker Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I have been looking for an ORIGINAL Nerf Hoop from back in my childhood days. I'm talking about the one with the metal door hanger. I have had it on my eBay search list for a while and nothing has come up. >>




    Here is one, I don't know if it is like the original ones we played on back in the 70's, but it looks close...........

    Nerf Hoop
    image

  • SouthsiderSouthsider Posts: 1,043 ✭✭✭
    Like this one?

    image
  • curchcurch Posts: 590 ✭✭✭
    Collecting toys is tons of fun.....I have a few image
    Always looking for vintage wax boxes!
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