What's Going On?

     So. What's going on? Absolutely nothing. Monday nights have been really slow the past two weeks and there hasn't been anything to write about. The thought crossed my mind, maybe too many people from the auction house I attend read this blog and are watching us. I put that thought to bed as we haven't really been bidding on much. Don't get me wrong, we have been bidding on, and winning items, just nothing to really write about. You must also know that I wouldn't keep anything from you either. If I lost money on an item I would definitely let you know about it. Why? Because this blog is supposed to be informative and educational. You are to learn from my successes as well as my failures.

     Well, what should I talk to you about? How about one of the best scores I have ever had. This is the story of the best action figure boxlot I have ever won.

     Don had a double booth on a Monday Night that would still make me drool to this day. Boxlots of still on the card action figures. I wanted just about every box in the booth. As you already know, toys are my specialty, however, action figures, they are my outright favorite thing to deal in. I can honestly say that I know just about everything I need to know when it comes to action figures, especially figures from the 1980's. If I let you win a boxlot of GI Joes or He-Man figures, it is because it is no longer worth my time and effort to try and resell them for a profit.

     The boxlots in this booth ranged all over the board. There were Star Wars figures, X-Men figures, Alien figures, McFarlane figures, and Star Trek figures, all from the 1990's. Then there was my box. What was in it you ask? Slow down, we'll get there.

      Don, being a smart auctioneer, decided to choice out all of the boxes of action figures. This tactic would surely net the highest price for each box. And so it began. Bids were flying in from all areas surrounding the booth. People that I have never seen bid on toys before were throwing up their hands. I silently cursed as the first round of bidding was over. $95 for first choice. Wave good-bye to the box with about twenty-eight X-Men figures. I valued that box at around $115(meaning once all was said and done, I thought I could sell the contents for $115), so I figured my night was over because everyone was going to overpay. Bidding starts again, there goes the $45 Star Wars lot for $50, see you later $30 Star Trek box for $27.50.  Frustrated and a little put off, I finally win a box for $10 and laugh at everyone around me and say "thanks for letting me have the best one for $10." I was joking, partly. I thought I could off the box for $40, so in fact it was still the best potential for profit margin at the prices I saw everything else sell for.

     When I got home I started sorting my new box of action figures. There were about fifteen total. They were less mainstream as the other boxes so that is why I got them so cheap. There were some Cadillacs and Dinosaurs figures, there were some BOTS Masters figures, and some VR Troopers figures. Nothing big right? Well at the bottom laid these two guys:

     Don't be fooled by the price tag. I actually love the fact that the price tag is still on them, it actually tells part of their history. Remember Mighty Morphin Power Rangers? Of course you do, they are still on TV. Well, VR Troopers, also made by Saban, piggybacked on the success of MMPR. It was basically the same show. Cheesy fights with the same enemies where JB Reese, Ryan Steele, and Kaitlin Star always won by the end. It was popular enough to launch a toy line. First came the regular action figures. They did so well that they released Deluxe Editions. Then, right at the time of the Virtual Armor release, the popularity of both the show and the action figures fizzled out. You guessed it! Clearance those figures out of the store. In conjunction with all of the circumstances, not many of the Virtual Armor figures were even made. What you see pictured above are two of the RAREST action figures of the 1990's.

     I sold each figure for $150 a piece. $300 for just two of my figures. Once all was said and done, the VR Troopers figures sold for around $400 because this guy was hanging around in there too.

     Air Striker was the rarest of the villains and was produced in a limited run.

     The Cadillacs and Dinosaurs figures ended at about $40 and to this day I still own the BOTS Masters figures. Not because they are good or anything. I just have never sold them.

     I ended up being right. It was a poor attempt at a joke but it rang true. I did buy the best box of action figures. It was probably the best box of action figures to ever go through the Harris Brothers Auction House on a Monday Night.

     I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope even more that the next few Monday nights are eventful to say the least. Keep Your Eyes Open!