AFA Grading

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Originally Posted by Megatron

You misunderstood my post. I never said anything about the price.

Also, the reason why I pointed out the fact that it had been on eBay for months was just to show that I have not yet caved in and bought it, even after contemplating it for so long. In the end, I couldn't do it, not because of the price, but because of the AFA thing. I just wouldn't feel good about it.

And hey, if you know of anywhere that I can source the vintage MISB G1 items that I'm after at a decent price, by all means point me in the right direction. I have looked everywhere and nothing.

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Network. Message collectors who collect MISB items, find their contacts etc. For example a MISB Jazz could be found for $350-$400AU. Hes not rare and many collectors who want one have one. An AFA one would go for for $500-$550 Ask sellers if they would do a deal off ebay etc. It is a matter of trust and there is risk but the payoff can be well worth it.

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Originally Posted by iamirondude

don't do that. you'll cause a riot. what i can't understand tho is that how can a piece that is AFA graded can go for 3 or 4 times the amount of the ungraded item(even if the ugraded item is in better shape).i can understand that you've gotta put a premium on top for the grading but won't it be just the same as going down to the local hardware and getting the perspex your self?

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LOL

AFA is a load of balls, when I first learned about them, I thought, yeah thats cool. But then I really thought about, and I wondered, who has made them an "authority"? Themselves and those who believe they have authority (the consumers) thats who.
I purchsed an MOSC Rippersnapper once and the card and bubble are sweet as, but it had been sent to AFA and deemed ungradable because there were some staple holes in the card that had been dotted in with black marker, the item is still in it's acrylic prison but I got it at a steal because nobody bidded on it due to its ungraded status. Crazy!! Its still an MOSC G1!!

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Originally Posted by Skullcruncher

Network. Message collectors who collect MISB items, find their contacts etc. For example a MISB Jazz could be found for $350-$400AU. Hes not rare and many collectors who want one have one. An AFA one would go for for $500-$550 Ask sellers if they would do a deal off ebay etc. It is a matter of trust and there is risk but the payoff can be well worth it.

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It's amazing what you uncover just by talking to people, who know people, who know people.

It never hurts to send someone a friendly message. Be polite, be friendly, be a bit chatty (depending on the person), and you never know.

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Originally Posted by Jetfire in the sky

AFA is a load of balls, when I first learned about them, I thought, yeah thats cool. But then I really thought about, and I wondered, who has made them an "authority"? Themselves and those who believe they have authority (the consumers) thats who.
I purchsed an MOSC Rippersnapper once and the card and bubble are sweet as, but it had been sent to AFA and deemed ungradable because there were some staple holes in the card that had been dotted in with black marker, the item is still in it's acrylic prison but I got it at a steal because nobody bidded on it due to its ungraded status. Crazy!! Its still an MOSC G1!!

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Ha you might have purchased that from me - to me if its been touched up its not Mint any more so its OSC - thats the same as the criteria for AFA.

that's a good idea there. there's a perspex company here that's up near the airport and i might just head down there and see how much it would cost to bang up a couple of standard cases that you can join together and make a display of. with the collector what if he had done the paperwork all correct and properly but they still opened it up. if it was me i would be hunting down the turd that did it.

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Originally Posted by iamirondude

that's a good idea there. there's a perspex company here that's up near the airport and i might just head down there and see how much it would cost to bang up a couple of standard cases that you can join together and make a display of. with the collector what if he had done the paperwork all correct and properly but they still opened it up. if it was me i would be hunting down the turd that did it.

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I look forward to seeing the quotes there could be some market for it.

Just ask for compensation and as Cat said being polite will actually work wonders. Recently AFA have compensated a couple of situations where they have been in dispute with a customer. (both with the item being damaged somewhere along the line) Its just not good customer service if they dont.

i've gotta head down that way tomorrow for my weekly doc app so if i have time i'll stop in but what i might do is take down a couple of tf's and joe's and see how much different size boxes will be for loose and boxed examples and i'll post the quotes.

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Originally Posted by Cat

It's amazing what you uncover just by talking to people, who know people, who know people.

It never hurts to send someone a friendly message. Be polite, be friendly, be a bit chatty (depending on the person), and you never know.

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Originally Posted by Skullcruncher

Network. Message collectors who collect MISB items, find their contacts etc. For example a MISB Jazz could be found for $350-$400AU. Hes not rare and many collectors who want one have one. An AFA one would go for for $500-$550 Ask sellers if they would do a deal off ebay etc. It is a matter of trust and there is risk but the payoff can be well worth it.

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Ah. I thought you may have known about a specific site or contact that actually sells them. Networking to find a specific item, especially a rare one, takes time and it can be a hit or miss affair. It's mostly via networking that I've come across items I never knew existed and didn't know I wanted, until I found about them through casual conversation. So that's really good.

I'm surprised to hear that a 1984/5 MISB Jazz, and specifically one that is available for sale, is not rare. Is this true?

So, yeah... of course. Networking is always the best option. And it's fun, too. :)

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Originally Posted by Jetfire in the sky

LOL

AFA is a load of balls, when I first learned about them, I thought, yeah thats cool. But then I really thought about, and I wondered, who has made them an "authority"? Themselves and those who believe they have authority (the consumers) thats who.
I purchsed an MOSC Rippersnapper once and the card and bubble are sweet as, but it had been sent to AFA and deemed ungradable because there were some staple holes in the card that had been dotted in with black marker, the item is still in it's acrylic prison but I got it at a steal because nobody bidded on it due to its ungraded status. Crazy!! Its still an MOSC G1!!

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It's so simple in it's execution, isn't it? Anybody with eyes, internet access & an opinion can be a toy grader. There's no recognized university degree that i'm aware of that you have to complete successfully, in order to display a diploma behind your desk that reads:

Jetfire In The Sky
Master Toy Grader

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Originally Posted by Sinnertwin

It's so simple in it's execution, isn't it? Anybody with eyes, internet access & an opinion can be a toy grader. There's no recognized university degree that i'm aware of that you have to complete successfully, in order to display a diploma behind your desk that reads:

Jetfire In The Sky
Master Toy Grader

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Its the same with many different types of appraisers. Insurance assessors quite often don't even know what they are valuing for insurance assessments/claims.

AFA is the only company really in the game and they get plenty of business so you can sit there and mock them and the collectors that like the service, but their making money and the haters, well they just continue to get even more bitter.