Y'know the Tyderian Shuttle was the Imperial shuttle they used in Return of the Jedi. The rebels used it to get to the forest moon. For some reason, back then the big kit on display was the collector's piece.

You NEVER know with Star Wars stuff. It's so bizarre. Sometimes a character you never heard of suddenly becomes hot. Or there's a mistake like someone forgot that Yoda's lightsaber is supposed to be on the left instead of the right. When things like that happen it can literally shift an entire market.

I'm a real sucker for SMURFS. I have a small collection right now, but would really like to start collecting again. Bought most of my stuff from Ebay, and also sold some on Ebay for a few months. It was loads of fun!

One of the guys that runs the IWA wrestling has a huge collection for sale all in box stuff if your from Australia and want to buy rare toys i think he has a list. [email protected]

Oh, forgot all about two lucrative collectible areas:

Slot Car Racing, Train sets.

I've seen train sets more elaborate than Buckingham Palace. Slot car sets as well.
If you have or can find the right sets and pieces you can retire.

SMURFS! We were just talkin' about the Smurfs at an animation gathering! There are some serious Smurf collectors out there. I mean SERIOUS! They have Smurf everything and then some!

The original books by Peyo, dolls, toys, lunchboxes you name it.

What the trick is with Smurfs are rare characters and rare issues like a certain type of Smurf doll or bed sheet collection etc. If you have them and some celeb's agent is looking for them you are in the catbird seat. Now here's the goodie about the Smurfs: Since there are so freakin' many of them if you have a set with like 20 or more Smurfs in that set each can go for $50 a piece depending on the manufacturer. You have to hunt and promote and stand your ground. Because there are speculators and brokers out there that will find you then offer you a lower bid because they're going to buy you out and resell to their clients.

I'm gonna start collecting Transformers once I get this thing called the Internet figured out :winkwink:

yeah i knew which ship it was, shuttle tydirium was carrying "parts and technical crew for the forrest moon (endor)"
got any pics of it? id love to see it

I don't wanna diverge into baseball cards because that's a whole nother industry but I remember a heart breakin' story when one of my tenants came to me with a collection of old cigarette baseball cards. These cards originated from the old days when baseball cards were issued inside packs of cigarettes. We're talking from about 100 years ago. He had rookie Babe Ruths etc.

His grandfather left him like several boxes of these things including the later bubblegum cards. Shits were worth a fortune beyond!

I don't wanna tell you what happened to his collection or you would freakin' cry your eyes out. Let's just say the lesson is don't leave your collections in the hands of others without a contract. Also get insured for your collections.

Y'know, I'm beginning to think Transformers are a more solid form of currency than the dollar! Those old Megatron die cast jammies are worth the time and effort.

One day they'll be as valuable as the old Barbie dolls. It scares me to see how much those Barbie dolls are worth. I remember when they came out and girls would treat them like royalty, stash them away in their attics and sure enough, here comes 'MOM' and her rummage sale. Fortunes wasted in a blink of an eye.

just thought id post some cool star wars memorabilia

these are two seperate statues, limited edition. both are in 100% perfect condition (except for some dust) with COA and have been removed from their boxes twice (once for the photo). these are some of my favourite pieces (sentimental value) so i thought id share. if anyone else has any cool items post some pics

http://www.whitefoxxx.com/garbage/PDR_0060.jpg

more info please, ive got alot of old hornby HO trains and accessories here too.

One of my sites: 1970s Bronze Age Comic Book Cover Showcase :thumbsup

Don't mind the ads, lol.

I have a huge toy collection (70s and 80s), also Hot Wheels (rare and redline), comics (Silver and Bronze), some lunchboxes, etc. Toys and collectibles rock.

Rock on!!! I remember these sculptures! Save them!!! Also I see my banner on the screen above. I am honored!!!

i will keep them, they are 2 of the very few pieces i am not going to sell. hmmm, i am going to have to dig up my star wars cards and comics too. im sure when i go through everything i will find plenty of forgotten treasures

oh by the way, the yellow bits on the bottom light up too and it looks really cool

Oh you make me sick! :)

If you've got Hornby HO trains you are a rich dude. Just check out the prices on some of this stuff. It's obscene! :)

Here are a FEW links. The hobby train business is so huge it takes days just by the web to get the data. Big action on the auction market though. I mean BIG.

http://www.mrmodels.co.nz/kitset-mod...os_Hornby.html

http://toys.listings.ebay.com/HO-Sca...columnlayoutZ3

http://www.casulahobbies.com.au/default.php?cPath=48

wow ive got some of the stuff listed on those sites (only looked for a sec though) but the most noticable was The Flying Scotsman Set which was priced at $480 (and out of stock)

thanks for the info :thumbsup

oh and my dad has a huge collection of toys too, like cars and stuff, ill have to find out what they are worth too

Ja, keep them! Again, if you have a collection make the time to itemize, itemize, itemize.

One thing to take into account is that many guys sell their collections in their teens to buy cars or pay for college. Then they end up growing up wishing they hadn't and want to buy em' back but the prices have gone up by then. So it's wise to hunt by age groups too. 25 and up is your target area. Also targeting wives who shop and kids who are looking for that special thing for 'Dad' or 'Mom'.

Once you've established a buying hub people will beat a path to your door. So my advice always is itemize, categorize, INSURE against fire, theft and especially FLOOD. Make sure it's got the flood insurace because some policies make you 'think' you're covered by flood and you're not.

One thing about Star Wars and Star Trek, if you don't get the item when it's on sale, you'll have to hunt it down. I saw a dude with a leather Star Trek jacket the other night. I have to have one. Can't find it. Will have to nag pals at Paramount Studios to get me one or have to go to Vegas and hunt one down.

So here's another trick. When a new sci-fi show starts, BUY THE TOYS! It may get cancelled like 'Space: Above and Beyond' and then years later all the stuff is rare if not impossible to get. Like the original 'Battlestar Galactica'. There are big named celebs who will buy everything Galactica based.

NOOOOO!!! You've got the 'Flying Scotsman' set???? You've got the 'Flying Scotsman' set???? AAAAHHHH!! You make me sick!!! :)

That was the FIRST item I saw on the list because we have an old set at my grandpas. Been there since time began!

my dad likes fire engines, so he has plenty of fire engine toys. here is the first one i pulled out. if anyone knows anything about this kind of shit let me know!

http://www.whitefoxxx.com/garbage/PDR_0061.jpg

with the hornby stuff, are these kind of things worth anything?

http://www.whitefoxxx.com/garbage/PDR_0062.jpg

oh and heres another cool star wars peice, its not vintage, but the some of the newer ships and creatures are worth quite a bit

http://www.whitefoxxx.com/garbage/PDR_0063.jpg

FUCK YEAH!!! Classic fire engine toys are ruthlessly sought after! Especially by the various fire deptartments. Reason why is for historical purposes. You have to hunt the right buyers so you get the best value. What I would do is just get in contact with the various fire dept. unions which must have message boards or lists and just jaw with them awhile. Now if the item is really classic you're in the big bucks because of the museums and curators who climb mountains to find this stuff. It's highly specialized though. Certain models have specific hats, hoses etc. that are particular only to that issue. So you have to read the box and instructions to itemize exactly. Now on the plus side, some models are 'authorized' meaning they had an expert fireman or company that made that engine or the curator themselves. Takes homework and a keen eye. I'll see if I can dig up some links for you on it. I know that old engines from the old cities like Boston, New York, Philadelphia are the ones to look out for.

Now there're also brand names like Coca Cola that put out toys too. Check the list of links I posted earlier in the thread for starters. If you're lucky you'll run into the big shot reps who'll buy the stuff outright. If the piece is very sought after they'll fly someone to inspect it! It happens!

That's when you do your bartering. If they feel it's that important to first: get back to you, second: ask for more info and third: send a specialist, then you're talking a good 5 figures. The more interest and communication means the higher the price you can command.

With big ticket collectibles it's like selling fine art. That kind of money calls for proxies and attornies to validate the item and transaction.

That means you can rest assured you'll get a good to great price and confirmation you can bank on. Once you get a rep for doing fair trade any other items you have could be scapped up faster than you can load a text page on DSL.

That's the 'Boba Fett-Slave 1' with the carbonite Han Solo included? I forgot when it came out. I know that people fought in the isles for it.

As for the Hornby check the box side for year, issue etc. That infor is important. Sometimes companies re-issue things with identical if not very close packaging designs. It's all important info for getting the best value.

hes got boxes of stuff like that, i dont think its too old though, maybe 15 years or so.

thanks for the info, you really know what you're talking about! im afraid my knowledge is limited to star wars

Wait a minute. Is that the Busch from the Annheiser-Busch Milwaulkee? They used to have horse drawn fire wagons. When was that item issued? Looks recent issue of an historical line.

Thanks! Yes you should get them all categorized. Some could be worth 4 or 5 figues depending on various criteria. Reason I know about collecting is cause I come from collecting country. Everything from old weapons to clothing, furniture, toys, tools and especially comic books. I worked in comics for a long time and met some serious collectors. Especially from Japan and European houses. They know what they're looking for.

Sometimes a series can be only a few years old and command big money. Sometimes a series or item can be 100 years old and not command more than $100. It varies greatly.

For example, DC Comics who puts out Batman, Superman had a series that's gone on for over 40 years now called 'The Legion Of Super Heroes'. It's popular but no 'X Men'. Yet personally would buy up every Legion book prior to 1978 because I'm fond of the art, stories and characters who for my money are some of the best pieces of fiction done in the past 50 years. Now here's the kicker: People used to toss out those old Legion books. They considered them 'corny' because of the designs and moral stories. So now people hunt them down.

Weird ain't it?

It's like those old 'Li'l Abner' comic strips. People don't remember who 'Li'l Abner' was but that strip had the hottest drawn babes in any comic strip and for good reason:

Frank Frazetta drew the strip as a ghost illustrator for a long time. Yes THE Frank Frazetta whose paintings nowadays command stupid enormous money. One of the guys on this thread posted a statue based on Frazetta's paintings. I believe from the 'Death Dealer' series. You can see Frazetta's work on the Molly Hatchet album covers.

So nowadays you can't get the old 'Li'l Abner' original art. Especially the stuff Frazetta did.

yeah its a reinssue thing, ive seen them selling some that my dad has in shops for anywhere between $200 and $600, but havent seen many. its not an old one. There is a card with it, it says the engine is the "1905 Busch Self Propelled Fire Engine" and its got some info about it, doesnt mention Annheiser-Busch Milwaulkee though.

i have some star wars comics, only a few really old ones (late 70s) most are early-mid 90s. i dont think i have anything valuable there though. i know of got some rare cards that will fetch a few $$$ though. im going to have to photograph everything to sell it, its gona take me days!

i love all these toys because it reminds me of my childhood, i think thats what its all about. my dad's collection includes some "chipperfield's circus" models, which he has bought over the last 5 years because he had them as a child, and they are the pieces he is going to keep. its all good fun :thumbsup

Asher you're KILLING me!!! "Chipperfield's Circus"??? Oh, those old circus toys especially the wind up ones fetch a fortune.

Old Emmett Kelly and Keystone Cops, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplan... Alllllll good!

Busch is the same as the Annheiser-Busch I'm sure. I'll have to dig that up.

Board games are fetchy too. Old copies of 'Life', 'Monopoly', 'Hands Down' etc. are highly prized just because people had a great time with them as kids. I have friends who have old games parties. What's funny is how some games have lots of pieces and if you miss one piece the whole game is off so there are people who sell lost pieces or remake them!

yeah the chipperfields are pretty cool, i dont know if he has any wind up ones though. i didnt know board games were worth anything, amazing the stuff people buy. he has some "corgi classics" which are reamkes too because he couldnt find all the original chipperfields stuff

no date, and yeah its the carbonite one, unopened and box is in perfect condition so im hoping its worth a few $$

the turntable with no data says R.414 (its where the glare in the photo is)

Dang! Just saw a 10" 'Cheech Wizard" model. Gotta get it. Anybody from the old days remember 'Cheech Wizard" by Vaughn Bode'?

Most of my toys, cars, comics, etc. are in storage now since I moved to Florida, until I get some more space. Here are a few of the HotWheels (that aren't in storage) I just grabbed off my shelf...

http://www.gweeb.com/images/jaks/a-few-hotwheels.jpg

The El Rey Specials are, I would say, the most beat up cars I have, but they're so hard to find in good condition so I still love them. :)

99.9% of the stuff I collect is for my own pleasure :) so even the beat up stuff is cool nice cars btw.

Mongoose Funny Car! I remember when the first was it 'Snake vs Mongoose' or 'Cobra vs Mongoose' dual race Hot Wheels set came out. A must have.

The most desirable Hot Wheels cars I can recall are the original versions of:

Splittin' Image
Silhouette
Chapparal
Mach 1

They had those axles that warped after a long run and they had to reissue them with the newer axles. Then you would put them in a Super Charger and slab Crisco on the track and watch them fuckers fly!

One guy showed me how to tweak a Super Charger so it would throw the cars out faster. It was damn near lethal.

Hot Wheels lost their charm for us back in the early 70s after moms throughout the country realized that the plastic race tracks made good spanking tools. Worse than a switch or a belt.

After that we burned them Hot Wheels tracks! Went on to 'Sizzlers' which came with tracks but didn't need em'.

Thanks, and yes, it's fun just to have them, and know that they were played with and enjoyed by some kid somewhere. :)

I'm still looking for a nice Snake vs Mongoose boxed set. I see them every now and then but my money has been going towards comics for a while now so I have yet to pick one up.

Monkeysnap: I also have one of those Hulk "Scene Machine" vans packed away at my grandmother's house.

There's gotta be a set out there. Might cost a good penny though.

Did you ever collect NASCAR hot wheels?

I love that thing. Anyone who doesn't know... there's a little peephole-like thing in the back window. When you hold the van up to the light and look through it you see a Hulk scene. :thumbsup

I've seen sets on eBay every now and then but like I say I spend most of my collectible money on comics now, and other than that I really like the loose cars and never got too much into the boxed sets. Back about 6 years ago I sold my carded cars collection (a few thousand) and kept all of my loose cars. I wish I hadn't sold the cards now though, but that's how it always goes when you sell a collectible (don't even get me started on the Silver Age comics I sold back about 10 years ago, I might cry).

I never got into the Nascar HotWheels though. I'm not really a Nascar type guy but I do love the Papyrus PC game, and I've got my force feedback wheel right here as testament to that, lol

Didn't know about the Hulk toy thingie. That's what I get for not being a kid in the 80s I guess. Now I want one.

Never sell your silver or golden age comics. You can actually borrow against em'. They're like legal tender!

Here's a lesson I learned early in comic collecting: It's who loves what that makes it valuable. That goes with all collectibles.

One day at a board meeting I was telling the producers about a comic I'd read in the 80s. It was the funniest damned comic book and should be developed into film. It was called 'DESTROY! The World's Loudest Comic Book'. It was so funny people couldn't eat, walk while reading it. Just a big comic with a single story. Yet when we tried to find the comic book it was nowhere to be found at the time. Time was running out and we couldn't find an issue. Guys I had known since childhood who owned every comic known to man couldn't find it. Then the run-around. " I might be able to find one but I have to climb every mountain, crawl every swamp, etc. So TMALSS it was too late to get a copy. People had em' but they knew something was up if we were trying to get one. Sucks but that's business. You've gotta do it stealthy sometimes.

Monkeysnap, what's with your sig?

Not sure, what do you mean?

Well I was a kid in the 70s, which is when that one is from, 1979 (although it could of course qualify as early 80s. :))

I spent a few years making my living by dealing in rare Silver Age comics, and I still do some selling now, so I'm not techically "just" a collector. :thumbsup

What I meant is in your sig it says 'Sig Swap'.

What kind of service is it. I got confused when I went to the site.

Interesting. It's hard sometimes to know if things come across as easily understandable when you're so deep in it. I thought it was fairly well explained but if there's something specific that's confusing please let me know.

******* is a banner exchange for forum sigs. You sign up, upload your 120x60 graphic ad button, grab our special code and use it in your forum sigs. Every time your sig shows 2 buttons of someone else's, your own button gets shown in another sig.

We have members posting with our sig code at almost every adult webmaster message board there is, so ******* is a great way to get your ad button shown on all those forums. You can put any button in along with any URL to send clicks to, so a lot of our members put in webmaster referral buttons with their ref code attached, and get sign-ups from all over the place.

If you don't want to use the exchange system yourself you can always just purchase an ad exposure campaign and let our members show your button all over without you having to do anything yourself.

Unless you can physically post several times every day at over 70 adult webmaster message boards, you simply can not get the sig coverage ******* can give you.

And finally, we do have an affiliate plan, which is where the text link in my sig goes to. People can sign up to refer ******* ad sales, and they get paid when a sale goes through.

I hope that made sense, lol. :1orglaugh

You're right about video game nostalgia, but the way it works is that 20 year olds now grab an emulator and a rom and replay their childhood games in their PCs, so I wouldn't stockpile too many playstations if iI were you...

talking about video game nostalgia, i just bought a sega master system II and a SNES with som of my old games from ebay :thumbsup