Collectors Tips and questions

[CyberiusPrime]

Hello everyone,

I've recently purchased from Myer the Optimus Prime YOTH and the Optimus Prime and Gaia Unicron set. Now being a collector (and having young children), is it worth getting another copy of each for my catalogue if available? I know being a Jap release it may be difficult to get down the track.

Some advice and guidance would be great.

Cheers

[GoktimusPrime]

I personally don't see the point in getting two of the exact same toy. Just save your money and stick with one of each IMO. (this hobby^lifestyle choice is damn expensive enough as it is collecting just one of each toy! )

[Sinnertwin]

There's no correct response to a question such as yours. Collecting anything is a reflection of your individual tastes & choices. If it's affordable to do so & that's the direction you want to go, then collect 2,3, 4 or as many of any particular figure as you like.
The most important piece of advice i can offer is to collect because you enjoy doing so, not just because any item is or may be perceived as rare.
All the best

[Trent]

Collect Transformers because you like them and you enjoy the hobby. If you're after an investment, try here.

[UltraMarginal]

I think the responses you have above are all very good, if by Catalogue you mean you want to have a Mint In Sealed Box copy of everything you have out of box, is it for Posterity or Investment.

As noted above, Investing in Transformers for profit is a long drawn out process. Some items appreciate abnormally fast, some do the exact opposite. Transformers is experiencing a boom like never before in this last decade, it will be a long time before it experiences another massive growth like this. in my opinion.

keep in mind that something like a Fortress Maximus that has appreciated greatly and is now worth around a grand or two MISB, has been stored in a safe, dry environment for nearly 30 years. there's outlay on storage, and there's the chance of a Re-issue being produced which cuts into the perceived market value of an original. (which has happened)

A Gaia Unicron/Optimus Prime set purchased at Myer this year, if it appreciates more than the existing cash inflation rate, may not appreciate greatly for another 20 years, when the kids now who started with Transformers prime have grown up and have a disposable income to buy a MISB version of the toy they so fondly remember from when they were young.

There are other forms of investment that are quicker and much more profitable.

If this is the sort of investing you are thinking of doing, I urge you to consider the volumes you will need to store and maintain for an indefinite period of time on the chance of long term profit. Other items can be flipped in the short term, ie, prime legions Rot gut, ace vehicon etc have only been released here and in a couple other countries and have a high value on the secondary market in America, but there is a fine line between flipping a few toys here and there and being a filthy scalper.

If you are intending to keep doubles for posterity because you expect your kids to wear out your open toys while they are growing up, then maybe that's much more worth your while, as you will still have a pristine example of these toys you really like a few years down the track when your kids are a bit older and move more towards appreciating than playing hard.
I will be getting a sealed copy of generations skids at some point because G1 skids was my first transformer and I want one sealed forever.

[drifand]

Some people "collectors" become scalpers because of this. You have some

1. for your own to play
2. for MISB status
3. Because is so good I have 1 more to sell

anything above > scalping

of course there are some who have just nothing to do with their money and buy an entire stock and show an army of it. They may not be selling but still a bit over the top by not letting others have one.

[UltraMarginal]

without totally derailing this thread.

Scalping with respect to transformers is the act of buying lots, if not all of an item on available shelving to drive up aftermarket demand and then sell at higher aftermarket prices.

just buying one or two and selling one later because you've decided you need the money or just don't want it anymore is not scalping.

[drifand]

without totally derailing this thread.

Scalping with respect to transformers is the act of buying lots, if not all of an item on available shelving to drive up aftermarket demand and then sell at higher aftermarket prices.

just buying one or two and selling one later because you've decided you need the money or just don't want it anymore is not scalping.

Someone can say the same for 4 boxes and so on. Like said, some of you are collecting in terms of an investment. This will turn into scalping one way or another. I can't say the same for someone who buys 10 and opened all of them though.

List goes endless, we have some will have 2 for displaying one in robot and one in alt mode. one for his future kids, one more just to have it misb.
But if you ask me, thats just as bad as not sharing the love to others who just want one.

[Sinnertwin]

You know what the beauty of all this is, it's a free market. Don't like the price on offer? Then you've got no obligation to buy it. You do? Then go right ahead. It's only because of people walking around thinking the sky will fall if they don't get their lump of plastic that we have scalpers.

[GoktimusPrime]

Yup. Scalpers wouldn't survive if people didn't keep feeding them.