Transformers Collection for sale on *PAWN STARS*

[Demonac]

I think that you guys are seeing it from the side of a collector buying, which is not the case.
The intent is to buy, then on sell for profit.
At a minimum, they'd be looking at doubling what they paid. For them to do their job properly, they need to pay as little as possible.
The 'labour' for a non collector would be fairly time consuming if those toys were all loose like that. You'd need to identify them all, work out if there are any bits damaged, and then try to put every weapon on the correct toy.

If the guy selling was serious, then his toys would be on eBay, not trying to get market value on his toys from a dealer.

[bowspearer]

I think that you guys are seeing it from the side of a collector buying, which is not the case.
The intent is to buy, then on sell for profit.
At a minimum, they'd be looking at doubling what they paid. For them to do their job properly, they need to pay as little as possible.
The 'labour' for a non collector would be fairly time consuming if those toys were all loose like that. You'd need to identify them all, work out if there are any bits damaged, and then try to put every weapon on the correct toy.

Hardly, a quick talk to his "specialist" friend, would have pointed him in the direction of tfu.info ,which would have made the time and research increadibly streamlined.

There might be a grand's worth of labour there at a real stretch (and only if he was paying $50/hr for the labour side of it with identifying parts, allowing $500 labour for packing, shipping, pricing and displaying), but 5k is SERIOUSLY pushing it.

If the guy selling was serious, then his toys would be on eBay, not trying to get market value on his toys from a dealer.

Certainly the guy is in a business, but there are certain times you can push for pawn shop markups and other times when it's just not going to wash. When you're talking about collectibles, especially rare collectibles, then it's just not going to work.

That said, while not so much eBay, if he did want a secure option, then possibly selling the lot at a professional auction house specialising in vintage toys, would be the better option.

[Aqua Prime]

Personally I think at $20000 he's probably undervalued his collection. He had 2 rooms with TF's (the room shown had the most) and over 1000 toys. That works out $20 per toy at least. Granted that some of the TF's you wouldn't get $20 there's a tonne of them that you'd EASILY get over $20 for. Balancing that out.
Even IF the dealer gave the bloke $18000 or $20000 there's still plenty of room there to make money from the dealers side. The dealer's comment about $5000 worth of labour sounds pretty off though. I reckon the guy who owns the collection would have all the little weapons sorted for each transformer so there would be very little sorting on that end. Perhaps having to pack and unpack them, handling and getting them ready for sale might be worth $2000 tops, but really the dealer was just being a business man. Offer a lowball, try to pay as little as possible to try and make as much as possible. He even knew that his offer of $5000 was an insult/ slap in the face but he still said it. It was pretty clear from his body language that he (the buyer) didn't particularly want to buy or deal with the toys.

BTW If I was offered a Fortmax with box for $1000 I'd take it

[bowspearer]

Personally I think at $20000 he's probably undervalued his collection. He had 2 rooms with TF's (the room shown had the most) and over 1000 toys. That works out $20 per toy at least. Granted that some of the TF's you wouldn't get $20 there's a tonne of them that you'd EASILY get over $20 for. Balancing that out.
Even IF the dealer gave the bloke $18000 or $20000 there's still plenty of room there to make money from the dealers side. The dealer's comment about $5000 worth of labour sounds pretty off though. I reckon the guy who owns the collection would have all the little weapons sorted for each transformer so there would be very little sorting on that end. Perhaps having to pack and unpack them, handling and getting them ready for sale might be worth $2000 tops, but really the dealer was just being a business man. Offer a lowball, try to pay as little as possible to try and make as much as possible. He even knew that his offer of $5000 was an insult/ slap in the face but he still said it. It was pretty clear from his body language that he (the buyer) didn't particularly want to buy or deal with the toys.

BTW If I was offered a Fortmax with box for $1000 I'd take it

Therein lies the difference between a pawn shop owner and a collectibles and antiques dealer.

[Dante112011]

20000 for that lot...Granted that I didn't see all the boxes he had and most of them SEEMED complete (or if he had the parts somewhere) I'd do that deal...Would have to sell my car first, but would do it. Possibly another 7-10gs there if it's done right.

$5000 for labour? Get serious...that comment shows how little you know...If you weren't interested, don't waste his time. $500-$700 for labour at the absolute tops!!!!! Sell it piecemeal and you'd make pretty good, but ebay and paypal fees would really sting and take a fair slice of the pie!!!!

[kup]

That said, while not so much eBay, if he did want a secure option, then possibly selling the lot at a professional auction house specialising in vintage toys, would be the better option.

I seriously doubt that. Several of those places 'idea' of vintage toys are china dolls, 1950s toys and so forth. Most people would have no idea what a TF collection would be priced at.

The only place where 'the crowd' would understand a collection's worth would be at a strict TF event where a lot of people present are collectors such as Botcon.

[griffin]

Attending several live toy auctions myself, I concur - non-vintage toys (post-1970) don't generate enough interest to come anywhere near ebay results. Even at BotCon, when the Hartmans auctioned off their collection, a live 'short' auction still didn't draw much attention/value to their toys. Ebay allows for a collectors all around the world to bid, with about a week to find it, think about, and bid on the item... the other two examples has a lot less people able to access, know and bid.