how does the 25th anniversary affect the vintage joe market?

[firefly69]

hey guys,

 

This was briefly mentioned a year ago, that if hasbro came out with a new line that mimicked but (according to hasbro) improved upon the 80's joes, that people might lose interest in the old school joes and the value of the vintage line will decrease.

 

I for one love these figures, from the pics anyway, and would probably look to unload all the comic packs etc that I have bought in the past to collect this issue solely.

 

What do you guys think? Have you seen e-bay prices move lower? Or is this another line which probably won't stick and hasbro will try again in a few years?

[GILTYONE]

I don't think it will! They are totally two different kinda molds and sizes! Its not like the transformers numbered reissues, they are almost dead on and most people could be happy wit that and that would and is hurtin old school transformers! Old school joes are safe for now lol.

[kidmold]

I don't think it will! They are totally two different kinda molds and sizes! Its not like the transformers numbered reissues, they are almost dead on and most people could be happy wit that and that would and is hurtin old school transformers! Old school joes are safe for now lol.

 

=======

25th will bring an entire group of collectors back to the GI Joe line! it will be the start of an entire collectors group and prices for vintage figures will steadly rise as demand out paces supply.

 

Remember that there 5 figures for 2-3 months and then 5 more (Yes I know about the 5 packs, but really there are 3 purchases every 2-3 months) that is not enough to keep a Newbie interested so they will start to go back and get the figures from their past and then some will become completest. The fact that Diecast is at a 15 year low means more collectors looking for something to collect.

 

Now if Hasbro has short produced the figues by being in safe mode then the figures will become a ebay dealers dream and then the race is on.

 

Go back and look at Hot Wheels in 1995 and hold on.

 

Have Fun,

Fred

[robot_sonic]

25th will bring an entire group of collectors back to the GI Joe line! it will be the start of an entire collectors group and prices for vintage figures will steadly rise as demand out paces supply.

Just like the VvV figs did? Just like the comic packs did? Just like DTC stuff did?

 

My point is that you're not going to see a massive influx of new collectors to the hobby. There might be some, but not much. New fans who are attracted to these Joes will largely be what I call retail collectors. They are guys who buy toys at retail: regardless of what the line is. They like to buy stuff that's out and once it's gone from retail, they move on to the next retail toy wave.

 

Currently, vintage Joes are up a bit from the beginning of the year. Not much and deals still about, but there has been some movement. However, this can be attributed to the fact that there is NOTHING to buy at retail right now. No new retail product has dropped since last October. So, people with money are spending it a bit more freely on vintage stuff. However, bottom has completely dropped out of new sculpt figures and there is pretty much no market at all for them right now. Once the 25th stuff hits retail, a lot of collectors will start spending their money there. When that happens, you're going to see vintage prices drop a bit. But, the vintage Joe market is pretty mature at this point so you're not going to see a wholesale drop.

 

One thing to note, though. This only relates to loose figure prices. The price for high end carded items is completely separate from the loose figure market as the players in each are largely different. You're going to see a steady appreciation of high end carded items for some time, but that's not due to anything other than the fact that they are truely rare.

[ARROW]

My point is that you're not going to see a massive influx of new collectors to the hobby. There might be some, but not much. New fans who are attracted to these Joes will largely be what I call retail collectors. They are guys who buy toys at retail: regardless of what the line is. They like to buy stuff that's out and once it's gone from retail, they move on to the next retail toy wave.

 

This is my feeling too.

Newcomers to this line and hobby are more likely going to stick with the new aesthetic of these figures, over the older ones. The original RAH do not seem to date all that well, and as each new generation of sculpt arrives, they look a bit more dumpy. My guess is the vehicles will remain in constant demand, because their aesthetic doesn't really change and the new figures can work with pretty much any vehicle.

 

Personally, each new item that comes along, if it looks better than the previous will replace those items. I don't have the strong emotional connection to the original line like some folks do, and my motives aren't sentimental in that respect.

[Devilbat]

I've not priced stuff in the last few weeks, but in my experience, at least back in the spring, it seemed as if vintage figure prices on eBay seemed to drop somewhat. I had assumed that everyone was stingy in anticipation for the anniversary stuff and that the older stuff wasn't in as much demand.

 

Like I've said many times before, I own very few vintage Joes and could spend the next few years just collecting them. And, if I had the money, I would. The vintage figures are always a given to me; I'll always have an interest in them, no matter how they age or how dated they become. The bottom line for me is price; I want only carded fiogures, so you can imagine how expensive that would become. That's what sacres me away, the MOC prices.

[Three Storms]

25th will bring an entire group of collectors back to the GI Joe line! it will be the start of an entire collectors group and prices for vintage figures will steadly rise as demand out paces supply.

Just like the VvV figs did? Just like the comic packs did? Just like DTC stuff did?

 

My point is that you're not going to see a massive influx of new collectors to the hobby. There might be some, but not much. New fans who are attracted to these Joes will largely be what I call retail collectors. They are guys who buy toys at retail: regardless of what the line is. They like to buy stuff that's out and once it's gone from retail, they move on to the next retail toy wave.

 

Currently, vintage Joes are up a bit from the beginning of the year. Not much and deals still about, but there has been some movement. However, this can be attributed to the fact that there is NOTHING to buy at retail right now. No new retail product has dropped since last October. So, people with money are spending it a bit more freely on vintage stuff. However, bottom has completely dropped out of new sculpt figures and there is pretty much no market at all for them right now. Once the 25th stuff hits retail, a lot of collectors will start spending their money there. When that happens, you're going to see vintage prices drop a bit. But, the vintage Joe market is pretty mature at this point so you're not going to see a wholesale drop.

 

One thing to note, though. This only relates to loose figure prices. The price for high end carded items is completely separate from the loose figure market as the players in each are largely different. You're going to see a steady appreciation of high end carded items for some time, but that's not due to anything other than the fact that they are truely rare.

 

 

I agree. The "loyalists" who stuck it out will hoard these things up like mad, but that's about it. Casual collectors and some who notice them while passing them in a store will will pick up a few.

[obiprime]

Prices go up!!! Happens every year the week of the con, thats the best time to sell your joe stuff. And this being the 25th anniversary ill bet prices will be high.

[kidmold]

25th will bring an entire group of collectors back to the GI Joe line! it will be the start of an entire collectors group and prices for vintage figures will steadly rise as demand out paces supply.

Just like the VvV figs did? Just like the comic packs did? Just like DTC stuff did?

 

My point is that you're not going to see a massive influx of new collectors to the hobby. There might be some, but not much. New fans who are attracted to these Joes will largely be what I call retail collectors. They are guys who buy toys at retail: regardless of what the line is. They like to buy stuff that's out and once it's gone from retail, they move on to the next retail toy wave.

 

I disagree 100%.

 

Having been thru it a few times before, there are some factors that make the 25th anniversary extreamly different than anything before it.

 

First Hasbro will have a marketing budget for the 25th ann and there will be media coverage at some point on the line, that is just a given for something as iconic as GI Joe.

 

Second and this is the important part of the puzzle, is that the average kid was between 5-8 that played with Joes when they hit in the early 80's. That child is now in his early 30's. Has finished school, may have his first child, and is at a point in his life when he will have a small amount of expendable income for the first time.

 

25th Anniversary product either thru advertising, Media coverage, or product placement at the store level will draw this key group in any collectible, into the market, and much like any other collector based item, the fact that there will not be a glutten of new product the new collector will start to search out other ways to fill the urge that they feel as they get excited about their new hobby.

 

It is a timing issue as much as a media issue. The only fact that could hurt this process is the fact that Hasbro is a TOY company and has little or no savy to cultivate a collector base.

 

Have Fun,

Fred

[Stevy Maximus]

25th will bring an entire group of collectors back to the GI Joe line! it will be the start of an entire collectors group and prices for vintage figures will steadly rise as demand out paces supply.

Just like the VvV figs did? Just like the comic packs did? Just like DTC stuff did?

 

My point is that you're not going to see a massive influx of new collectors to the hobby. There might be some, but not much. New fans who are attracted to these Joes will largely be what I call retail collectors. They are guys who buy toys at retail: regardless of what the line is. They like to buy stuff that's out and once it's gone from retail, they move on to the next retail toy wave.

I agree. There IS a healthy contigent of casual GI Joe collectors/buying base out there. People who do like the line, just not enough to go out of their way to get their product, the "casual collector" as I've termed it (not counting parents and kid buyers).

 

I view this product line as equivalent to the Transformers Classics line, it will spark a healthy bout of interest from casual fans with little to no media tie in support (outside of existing DVDs and comics). Nostalgia can be a major force at retail (see the STar Wars vintage line, or even Transformers Classics), but I think it remains to be seen just how long the legs are on the brand this time around.

[lance838]

...if anything the Vintage Joes/Cobras (MOC and loose) will continue to climb (due to more interest by the 30 somethings that will want their sons and daughters to play with the figures that they did) .... the 25th anniv. figures are a tribute to the original and not meant to replace what we grew up with. The vintage joes are VERY hard-to-come-by in mint condition... even on EBAY. So this will have no effect, only help the value of the vintage stuff since the new figures will always be much easier to find! Everybody will be buying the "NEW" figs and save MOC for the future... as an 8 year year old kid myself (back in 1982) we didn't save them MOC... we blew them up and had battles in the sandbox trenches...... long live the orignal Joe and Cobra figures!!!

[Pit Viper]

So will G.I. JOE become like Star Wars? I know I didn't give a damn about collecting the vintage stuff when there was new ones on the shelf.

[gscbr]

...if anything the Vintage Joes/Cobras (MOC and loose) will continue to climb (due to more interest by the 30 somethings that will want their sons and daughters to play with the figures that they did)

I don't agree that there is a significant contingent of 30 somethings who are intent on their children playing with the same toys they did, rather than let their children play with toys they choose to. parents today behave just like your parents did, they just buy the toys their kids ask them to buy without interest in what those toys are.

 

the parent/collector is the only people who buy their kids the toys that they- the parents- want, and that is not only an extremely small percentage of the toy, and Joe, buying public, but an extremely pathetic one, and aren't going to affect the value of vintage Joes. I don't care what toys or cartoons my kids want to watch or play with. I liked Joes, but I have no interest in making my child into me.

[Serpentor878]

[quote name=

the parent/collector is the only people who buy their kids the toys that they- the parents- want, and that is not only an extremely small percentage of the toy, and Joe, buying public, but an extremely pathetic one, and aren't going to affect the value of vintage Joes. I don't care what toys or cartoons my kids want to watch or play with. I liked Joes, but I have no interest in making my child into me.

 

 

Its not about making a little carbon copy of you, its about sharing great memories with your children. I dont think anyonw here is going to force their kids to play with joes or any other figures. Of course I will buy what ever toys my son is into but im also going to intruduce him to a part of what made my childhood pretty great.

[lance838]

...if anything the Vintage Joes/Cobras (MOC and loose) will continue to climb (due to more interest by the 30 somethings that will want their sons and daughters to play with the figures that they did)

I don't agree that there is a significant contingent of 30 somethings who are intent on their children playing with the same toys they did, rather than let their children play with toys they choose to. parents today behave just like your parents did, they just buy the toys their kids ask them to buy without interest in what those toys are.

 

the parent/collector is the only people who buy their kids the toys that they- the parents- want, and that is not only an extremely small percentage of the toy, and Joe, buying public, but an extremely pathetic one, and aren't going to affect the value of vintage Joes. I don't care what toys or cartoons my kids want to watch or play with. I liked Joes, but I have no interest in making my child into me.

 

 

...thats not exactly what I meant... you're taking what I said out of context...and this thread is really about the value of vintage joes! So lets get back on track with that question...

[pesatyel]

Well first of all, I think we have to actually get these things IN HAND before we can really say. What if they suck? What if they are infinately better than anything before?

 

I think there will be a brief spike in prices and such of older stuff as the overall awareness of G.I. Joe increases. But I don't think people's buying habits will really change.

[DPrime]

It can't do anything but gather more interest, in my opinion. To what extent, however, no one can be sure. Prices/sales may increase but a lot of us may not even notice.

 

I don't think the vintage line will go down in price, to be quite honest - at least not when you're talking about high quality, mint loose toys and certainly not boxed/carded stuff from the first half of the series. What will probably be noticeable is a major drop in prices/interest in the JvsC, VvsV, etc stuff. Just look at Star Wars - the vintage stuff from the '70s and '80s will always be collectible, but hardly anyone seems to want the stuff from the late '90s or 2000s once they started doing the really high quality stuff, starting with the VOTC line up until now.

[firefly69]

I think you guys are right on about the mint MOC carded vintage toys being valuable regardless. I am interested in what pesatyl stated. Let's say for arguement sake that these are the best joe toys ever!!! That said, do you think the vintage loose toy buyers that always wanted a version one snake eyes, firefly, stormshadow etc. will even care to buy vintage. I for one, based onthe pictures don't even care about the vintage if these are as good as they look. I have all the comic packs and I would even sell those because the construction on these look a lot better (in my opinion).

 

To me it's kind of like buying a classic car vs a new car. Let's say ferrari for example. Some classic ferrari's hold their value and still look good, but others look dated in comparisson to a good new offering. I guess I am wondering if these are the figures that will finally make collectors say, yeah the vintage look dated, and I am going to buy these ones now. What do you guys think?

[pesatyel]

I think you guys are right on about the mint MOC carded vintage toys being valuable regardless. I am interested in what pesatyl stated. Let's say for arguement sake that these are the best joe toys ever!!! That said, do you think the vintage loose toy buyers that always wanted a version one snake eyes, firefly, stormshadow etc. will even care to buy vintage. I for one, based onthe pictures don't even care about the vintage if these are as good as they look. I have all the comic packs and I would even sell those because the construction on these look a lot better (in my opinion).

 

To me it's kind of like buying a classic car vs a new car. Let's say ferrari for example. Some classic ferrari's hold their value and still look good, but others look dated in comparisson to a good new offering. I guess I am wondering if these are the figures that will finally make collectors say, yeah the vintage look dated, and I am going to buy these ones now. What do you guys think?

 

Hmm... "best ever"?

 

So we have

 

Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Duke, Roadblock, Scarlett, Cobra Commander, Cobra, Cobra Officer, Gung-Ho, Destro, Baroness, Flint, Hooded Cobra Commander, Storm Shadow 2, and Snake Eyes 2.

 

I think, for most of them, the new figures won't affect the secondary market all that much. Most of them had SO many versions over the years. Add on that, for most of them, the version that the 25th figures are based on where, well, weak. There might be a spike, but if the 2th figures ARE superior, well then that spike won't be long.

[CapnJeffro]

So will G.I. JOE become like Star Wars? I know I didn't give a damn about collecting the vintage stuff when there was new ones on the shelf.

 

I tend to have to agree with you. As Star Wars figures get better with nicer sculpting and articulation, I find less reasons to hold on to older out dated models. I have a hunch I might feel the same about GI Joe. If I get a certain character remade in one of my favorite 'vintage' costumes... I have little reason to care about the original. But maybe I'm an anomaly in this aspect.

[lance838]

The original series of figures of almost any toy-line has always been the most saught-after...it's because it was the-first-of-it's- kind. In the 25th anniv. case these seem to be nicer sculpts etc. but the original has nostalgia behind it and obviously staying power...and hard-to-find in MOC condition (like I said before)...I've always wanted to own a complete original 1982 series MOC and have only a few more figures to complete the set. That said... I still plan on completing them even though I will have the entire set of 25th figures in-hand.

 

I think it's pretty cool to have a vintage snake eyes standing next to my 25th anniv. snake eyes so that I can see the progression over the years....don't you? I'm turning 33 next month and I don't plan on playing with these new figures like I did in 1982!

 

Honestly...I really wouldn't care if prices came down some on vintage.... this way I could own the rest of 'em... and then watch prices sky-rocket!! #US1#