What prompted you to start collecting monster toys?

Hepcat · February 16, 2011, 02:44:01 AM

Quote from: Toy Ranch on February 15, 2011, 06:55:45 PM
At first space toys, but I could not afford to buy the toys I wanted. I sold my space toys and turned to the more affordable monster toys.

What are the really expensive space toys?

bigbud · February 16, 2011, 05:46:14 AM

Hep, some of the battery-ops from the late 50's through mid 60's are big-time bucks.........Buddy

Toy Ranch · February 16, 2011, 08:36:53 PM

Look at this:

http://toys.shop.ebay.com/Robots-Monsters-Space-Toys-/19192/i.html?_trkparms=65%253A15%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1&rt=nc&_nkw=robot&_catref=1&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=16&_sc=1

Hepcat · February 16, 2011, 09:49:15 PM

Eeeeeek! I'm just glad those space and other robots don't interest me.

bigbud · February 18, 2011, 03:32:35 AM

Hep, Toy Ranch is right, many of the space toys do command high prices, but most of what you are seeing on E-bay are Buy-It-Now sucker searches. A repro Mr. Atomic for $995....please! One I do see that is doing well is the Nomura Batman BO......$1,300 with 12 hours left. That is REAL value, as he is in a REAL auction and commanding those prices, not a Buy-It-Now joke........Love, Buddy

werewolfwoman · February 18, 2011, 03:37:04 AM

i like how you put it buy-it-now sucker searches HA ha

toys-of-terror · February 18, 2011, 03:12:10 PM

my journey into monster/horror collecting started at a young age when my father brought home a copy of The Evil Dead on beta from the local video store. I was terrified and fascinated at the same time, Everytime i went to the video store with my pops i gravitated to the horror section and would pick up something new every week or two. I remember going into the local book store with my mom and seeing a copy of Fangoria, I still remember it like it was yesterday. I begged until i got my treasure and a fiend was born. I had to have every issue. After a few years, my interest turned to toys/movie posters/models and after i got a job the more expensive prop collecting. My love for the classics Universal Monsters Came many years into my collecting but now dominates my interest and my collection.

werewolfwoman · February 18, 2011, 07:34:39 PM

Quote from: toys-of-terror on February 18, 2011, 03:12:10 PM
my journey into monster/horror collecting started at a young age when my father brought home a copy of The Evil Dead on beta from the local video store. I was terrified and fascinated at the same time, Everytime i went to the video store with my pops i gravitated to the horror section and would pick up something new every week or two. I remember going into the local book store with my mom and seeing a copy of Fangoria, I still remember it like it was yesterday. I begged until i got my treasure and a fiend was born. I had to have every issue. After a few years, my interest turned to toys/movie posters/models and after i got a job the more expensive prop collecting. My love for the classics Universal Monsters Came many years into my collecting but now dominates my interest and my collection.

i loved going to the local video store as a kid and i always picked a horror movie, there was nothing like walking through the horror section trying to find just the right movie for the night then grabbing some reeses pieces on the way out.. netflix can't compare i miss those video store days

Monster Bob · February 18, 2011, 07:55:22 PM

Quote from: bigbud on February 18, 2011, 03:32:35 AM
Hep, Toy Ranch is right, many of the space toys do command high prices, but most of what you are seeing on E-bay are Buy-It-Now sucker searches. .......Love, Buddy

Boy, I'm noticing that more and more, too, esp. with Monster stuff, which usually goes unsold. It seems like there are more way overpriced Buy-It-Now's than auctions these days. Page after page of old and newer stuff (like Sideshow stuff) that is either much more than original retail (newer stuff), and in the case of vintage, unprecedented wishful thinking, I suppose.

In the case of the newer collectibles, I always wonder what the seller was thinking when they bought the stuff. Dumbass monster collectors will pay anything? Or 'this monster stuff appreciates in value like all get go'...or what?

bigbud · February 19, 2011, 01:42:41 AM

I'm with ya, Bob! Seems insane......nobody is gonna pay those prices! E-bay has played with the charges on the Buy-it-now category at times. When they relax charges the Buy-it-nows grow dramatically. I'm a very small time E-bay seller (maybe 5-10 items a week at most), the problem is when I do the auction thing my items are buried for buyers by page after page of Buy-it-now. I do not do Buy-it-now either to buy or to sell. E-bay is an AUCTION site......but money dictates policy.....unfortunately ......Bud

Dr.Terror · February 19, 2011, 02:36:48 AM

The Uni monsters have made me feel warm and fuzzy since childhood, especially images of certain items. So now that I'm an adult and am in charge of what I buy, i like to surround myself with all the monster stuff that makes me feel warm and fuzzy. For me it's not a hobby, its a lifestyle because I've always considered myself a monster fan who buys monster toys instead of a collector. I've noticed alot of collectors haven't seen or aren't even familiar with the source material which always makes me scratch my head.

Hepcat · February 19, 2011, 03:30:54 AM

Quote from: Dr.Terror on February 19, 2011, 02:36:48 AMI've noticed alot of collectors haven't seen or aren't even familiar with the source material which always makes me scratch my head.

By "source material" I take it you mean the movies. But keep in mind that not everybody became a fan of the Universal monsters from movies. My own first exposure to the characters was the original Aurora monster model kits. It's those kits that are therefore my source material, followed by the monster wallets. To me they provide the gold standard by which I measure all other Universal monster imagery.

toys-of-terror · February 19, 2011, 09:56:20 AM

Quote from: Hepcat on February 19, 2011, 03:30:54 AM
By "source material" I take it you mean the movies. But keep in mind that not everybody became a fan of the Universal monsters from movies. my own first exposure to the characters was the original Aurora monster model kits. it's those kits that are therefore my source material, followed by the monster wallets. To me they provide the gold standard by which I measure all other Universal monster imagery.

Agreed, I would say that reading old issues of Famous Monsters made me insterested in Universal Monsters, I haven't seen every single Universal Horror movies but i've seen and love the standards. I would love to familiarize myslef with some of the more obscure films of the genre. I know some of you guys on here are experts so im surrounded by good company

Dr. Madd · February 19, 2011, 04:34:29 PM

Quote from: Hepcat on February 19, 2011, 03:30:54 AM
By "source material" I take it you mean the movies. But keep in mind that not everybody became a fan of the Universal monsters from movies. My own first exposure to the characters was the original Aurora monster model kits. It's those kits that are therefore my source material, followed by the monster wallets. To me they provide the gold standard by which I measure all other Universal monster imagery.

Mine was books in the library and the remco toys.

werewolfwoman · February 19, 2011, 09:38:13 PM

i think many of is come from different points of reference for our knowledge of the source material, i grew up watching the films but others came to their interests in monsters from toys or books, in my opinion none is better than the other after all we all love monsters and come to this forum to share in our interests and learn more about universal monsters.