Highlights and Lowlights of 2012

[Ploughmans Lunch]

+
1. Back into collecting again, which isn't too bad.
2. Announcement of MP Soundwave and Encore Fortmax, along with reissue of US Ultra Magnus (which I hear has short missile and long stacks, wew).
3. Figuring what I want for a collection of Transformers

-
1. Spending and reselling a huge amount of classics/stuff because I couldn't reign in my spending.
2. Money spent/lost on things I should've been more patient about
3. Couldn't entirely kick the habit, though it's probably been a bit curtailed and that's fine.

[Jetfire in the sky]

It's the opposite for me - my reissues cost me more than my originals. Also I like to keep both my original G1s and reissues; typically with the reissue in robot mode and the original in alt mode. I've already cleared shelf space to display my original Fortress Maximus in battleship mode (my Brave Maximus is displayed in city mode), as I intend to display the reissue in robot mode. I love reissues - keep 'em coming!

I seriously dislike re-issues. I saw my Predaking go from an easy $500 to, well, now one just sold for less than $160 and that was a mostly die cast version!!
While the Takara one with the sexy handle is nice it's a bummer how it changed the value of the originals. And I agree with you Gok, most of the time the re-issues cost more !!! WTH!!
No one is to blame but collectors and some scumbags who try and sell re-issues/fakes as originals. Also now when buying original G1 it has become more of a cat and mouse game for accessories and it bugs me somewhat how someone can say "Oh I have 150 G1 Transformers" and then you look at them and a large chunk are re-issues!!!
End Rant Probably should have put words in capitals as the rant went on hehe.

P.S. Loving the Lovefest Shape

[Jetfire in the sky]

Highlights:

3. Announcement of TF4, 5 & 6.

Lowlights:

3. Announcement of TF4, 5 & 6.

This couldn't be more ture, it's a chance to right all the wrongs or cash in on another new bunch of suckers: toys, merch, the works.
I think the cash bit will win.

[GoktimusPrime]

I seriously dislike re-issues. I saw my Predaking go from an easy $500 to, well, now one just sold for less than $160 and that was a mostly die cast version!!

As far as I can see, reissues are a win-win situation for fan/collectors - it gives people a cheap and legitimate means of getting a G1 toy that's in new minty condition (imagine a reissue Monstructor or Pyro that you could buy cheap without fear of it crumbling from GPS), and anyone trying to buy vintage toys off the secondary market will find it getting a bit cheaper. Every fan's a winner.

The only people who would be "disadvantaged" would be sellers, but it just means that their profit margin is reduced... they're STILL going to sell that toy well above its original price! Besides, reissues are always announced many months before their release dates -- the smart thing to do as a seller if you wanted to maximise the sale price of a vintage toy is to sell ASAP _before_ the reissue comes out, or sit on the toy for 5-10 years until the reissue is in less supply and try again.

While the Takara one with the sexy handle is nice it's a bummer how it changed the value of the originals.

I don't see how the aftermarket price of a toy would affect its inherent/intrinsic value at all. Consider the following...

* Laser Optimus Prime: one of the best Optimus Prime toys ever made IMHO, just love it. You can buy one now MISB on eBay for $129, which doesn't seem that high considering this toy came out in 1995 -- the reissue is likely to be keeping the aftermarket price of this figure down, especially considering that it's arguably better looking than the original. But that doesn't affect my opinion of this toy -- I still love it, whether this toy sells for $300 or $30.

* G1 Monster Pretenders: I bought these toys MOSC from Kmart for however much they were selling for at retail... a few dollars each. I don't hate the Monster Pretenders per se - but they're not my favourite toys, and if anything, the GPS on Slog and Bristleback has actually made me like these toys less now because I can't play with them no more. But the cheapest set of MOSC Monster Pretenders I can see on eBay atm is selling for US$899. This hasn't made me like my Monster Pretenders more than before.

And I agree with you Gok, most of the time the re-issues cost more !!! WTH!!
No one is to blame but collectors and some scumbags who try and sell re-issues/fakes as originals.

I think it's mostly due to inflation. I think the average price of most reissues is actually reasonable -- it's just that I bought my originals in the 1980s and 90s, a time when my Transformers comics cost me $1-2 an issue and petrol was 32c/L, whereas reissues today cost more in a time where my TF comics cost about $5-6 an issue and I'm lucky if I can pay $1.23/L for fuel. My original G1 Constructicons cost $8-9 each MOSC, so the whole set cost about $50. Encore Devastator retailed for a whopping 10500JPY ($120) - so more than _double_ what the originals cost. But to be honest, I think the inflationary prices of most reissues has been pretty reasonable. Reissue Hot Rod sold for 2500JPY ($29), and the Hasbro version sold at TRU here for $25, which is about nearly the same as what the original Hot Rod toy sold for in 1986.

and it bugs me somewhat how someone can say "Oh I have 150 G1 Transformers" and then you look at them and a large chunk are re-issues!!!

I count reissues as G1s (although the majority of my G1s are originals), but yeah, I know what you mean.

[kup]

I also count re-issues as G1. They are essentially the same toy re-released.

However personally, I would not count an official retooled/repainted G1 mold as a 'reissue'. I see it as a new toy.

For example, I would not count the latest 'golden' Predaking set as a re-issue. The G1 toy did not look like that. However I would count the prior Takara Predaking reissue with the G1 faithful colors.

The same goes for that new Ehobby repaint of Encore Devastator with the new head. To me, that is a retool/repaint and would not consider it as a reissue or part of my G1 collection because 1985 Devastator never looked like that.

There is nothing wrong with retools/repaints and if done well enough I will buy it and proudly display it in my collection but would not count as part of my US G1 collection.

[5FDP]

I seriously dislike re-issues. I saw my Predaking go from an easy $500 to, well, now one just sold for less than $160 and that was a mostly die cast version!!

It's been said a million times already, but toy collecting in general is a bad investment idea.

and it bugs me somewhat how someone can say "Oh I have 150 G1 Transformers" and then you look at them and a large chunk are re-issues!!!

That's an interesting point and would make a great discussion on it's own

[GoktimusPrime]

That's an interesting point and would make a great discussion on it's own

Done

[5FDP]

I was giving Jetfire in the sky the opportunity to start the discussion as it was his comment

[Skullcruncher]

+
1. Significant collecting progress made on the TF JR line
2. Several unique G1 Takara non toy purchases
3. Viewed many cool collection photos.
4. Taking a break from TF Collecting/searching for 3 months

-
1. My faith in TF Collectors/fans is at an all time low.
2. TF4 - same haters, same complaints
3. More G1 reissues. Enough already.
4. Ultra Magnus.

[Kazza]

1. My first year collecting TF's
2. Pretty much aquired all Masterpieces
3. Joining this forum

1. The amount of $$ sunk into my first yr ($6-$7k)
2. No more room to display TF's so they wait on the floor
3. Impatient and impulsive buys, just to fill my plastic crack addiction