Show off your Weekly Finds.

[horrorhunter]

I'd love to have one of those!    I created a search, at eBay, so I can stop missing them when they come up.

A Saved Search on eBay is the best way to get a shot at some of those HTF or high demand items.

I'm a big Monster Times fan so getting one of these is great for me. It's not spectacular as a button, but the logo is classic for fans of the publication.

[horrorhunter]

I would have suggested Windex.

I prefer Goo Gone, but it wasn't necessary in this case.

[John Pertwee]

My first Pop Top MPC, and for $20

[marsattacks666]

My first Pop Top MPC, and for $20

Awesome

[horrorhunter]

My first Pop Top MPC, and for $20

FYI, it's a repop. Maybe you already knew, but since you didn't mention it...

The original Pop-Tops were purple, orange, and yellow. The repops show up in just about any color. Even repops in the original colors usually look different in person, but it's hard to tell in pictures. Originals even smell different and the plastic is a different consistency if you know what to look (and smell) for. Also, the excess plastic flashing on the hand is a good clue. Originals usually didn't have much excess flashing like that. The molds are old and worn, and the current makers south of the border aren't big on quality control.

I'm not trying to be negative, just trying to help. $20 isn't too bad a price for a repop. I've seen them sell for more. I like the blue for Pop-Tops, and it displays well. Not a bad purchase.

[skully]

Horrorhunter,  I too was thinking the exact same thing, I actually was going to post later on almost word for word just what you said. 

[horrorhunter]

Horrorhunter,  I too was thinking the exact same thing, I actually was going to post later on almost word for word just what you said.

Yeah, UMA is best when we try to help each other. Sharing knowledge is one of the best things about UMA.

I've loved MPC monster toys since I was 5 years old in 1964.

[skully]

Yes,  I too bought many when I was a kid, 10 in 1964,  bought many cards of the full figure sets, and many of the pop-tops also.  And here again, there was a find made on these around the same as the Horrorscopes, full carded sets, header bags of pop-tops, boxed shooting sets, when they were found and selling,  compared to todays prices,  quite the bargain for around a hundred or so for the carded sets and maybe a bit more for the bagged pop-tops.

[horrorhunter]

It's amazing how much many of these collectibles have increased in value over the years. In 2001 at Monster Bash I bought all 4 of the MPC Pop-Tops 2-packs MIP for $150 total. Now just one of the 2-packs sells for $500-$1K and that includes the packages containing brittle figures that may be falling apart. Prices on key back issue comic books are even more extreme. Check out what Marvel Bronze Age monster keys are selling for and have your mind blown- Werewolf By Night #32, Tomb Of Dracula #s 1 & 10, Marvel Spotlight #s 2 & 5, Ghost Rider #1, etc. Even 2nd and 3rd appearances of popular characters are getting expensive. Who would have thought a book like Strange Tales #169 (1st Brother Voodoo) would sell for hundreds of dollars in high grade? And these aren't just a few crazy sellers asking ridiculous prices... the books are actually selling for these prices regularly. A few hundred bucks invested in the right collectibles back in the '70s or '80s would make someone very well off now. We wonder why we didn't buy more and be able to cash in later but life gets in the way and the increases are gradual enough to be obscured by time and other needs.

My main motivation for buying my collectibles is that I value them beyond their market worth. I grew up with them and I appreciate them far beyond monetary value. I never really had enough extra money to do much investing, and I probably wouldn't have any of this stuff if I hadn't gradually bought it over the years to keep and enjoy. Duplicates are what I would sell for a profit. My collection stays with me. 

[skully]

Horrorhunter,  great statement and very true.  I've mentioned similar statements pertaining to why didn't I save this, or buy more of that,  it's just that we really didn't realize what some of these items would actually be bringing now.  I really don't know if the up-trend will continue or not,  but I agree fully with valuing my remaining collectibles beyond market worth right now.  Sure,  I could go on and on with remembering what I sold in the past because of life getting in the way, bills coming due, getting divorced, wanting a better auto, or whatever,  it truly amazes me as to what I once owned, it would border on legendary,  but I still have quite the collection left,  and as of right now, at least, it's not going anywhere.   Your observation on comic values is terrific.   It goes with other things also which you have mentioned.  My problem was I always thought that I could purchase something again after I sold it,  only to painfully find out that there weren't any more,  or,  terrific competition pushing prices into oblivion. 

[Hepcat]

Horrorhunter,  I too was thinking the exact same thing, I actually was going to post later on almost word for word just what you said.

My first thought on seeing John Pertwee's Pop-Top was "Huh?! But it's blue!" Horrorhunter had already posted by then though.

[Hepcat]

My main motivation for buying my collectibles is that I value them beyond their market worth. I grew up with them and I appreciate them far beyond monetary value.... Duplicates are what I would sell for a profit. My collection stays with me.

Precisely my feelings too!

[horrorhunter]

My problem was I always thought that I could purchase something again after I sold it,  only to painfully find out that there weren't any more,  or,  terrific competition pushing prices into oblivion.

I'm in the same boat, skully. In 2006 I got the bright idea to sell my Superhero comics because I was more interested in the Monster stuff and I thought my collection was getting a little too cumbersome at 15K+. I sold a few books and got top $ retail for them because I thought I could simply buy them back later if I chose to for a small increase in price. Then the MCU happened. I was lulled into complacency because of the way the market had been since I started collecting in the '70s. Now, those early Avengers issues I had, and some other keys, are selling for 5-10X what they were when I sold them. I still have Avengers #13 and up complete, but I may never again own the whole run the way I used to. I changed my mind later and would like to have them back but now affording them is tough. I still have over 99% of my Superhero comics and I'm really glad I finally came to my senses and decided to hang onto my books. 15 or 16K comics and monster mags is only as cumbersome as you think they are. They seem like a very light load now, and I'm so glad I kept as much as I did. I'm REALLY glad I didn't sell any of my Monster/Horror comics because those are my favorites.

The lesson learned by me is to be careful what you do that may turn out to be hard to undo.

[skully]

Horrorhunter,  true words indeed.  I once mentioned that at one time, I had over 6000 vintage un-built boxed model kits, the 2 car garage was literally bursting at the seams with carefully stacked rows of metal shelves barely being able to walk through the rows created by them, but still rather orderly.  That is only part of what I collected,  not including all of the monster stuff, monster magazines, and the piles (literally) of original art I once owned.  I can fully understand the magnitude with 15 or 16k comic books and magazines, that's impressive.  As with everything mentioned,  even though prices have risen to such degrees,  comics, magazines, model kits (with possibly the exception of the mint in box Godzilla's Go-Cart  I once owned),  pieces like this can still,  with a little luck,  be eventually found again for future purchase, even if it's for an arm and a leg price wise.  However, the art that I once had, (dozens and dozens of original Aurora paintings, monster magazine covers, all 6 monster wallet paintings, etc.) will never be had again, art is a one of a kind collectible, and once it's gone, it's gone.  Don't get me wrong,  I still kept a few dozen pieces of my original art pieces, along with practically all of my monster mags, probably close to 7 or 8 hundred mags, along with a good portion still of the monster toys, quite a few model kits,  and my ever-growing Halloween stuff.  Sad what I sold, but quite happy with what I have left.

[horrorhunter]

Horrorhunter,  true words indeed.  I once mentioned that at one time, I had over 6000 vintage un-built boxed model kits, the 2 car garage was literally bursting at the seams with carefully stacked rows of metal shelves barely being able to walk through the rows created by them, but still rather orderly.  That is only part of what I collected,  not including all of the monster stuff, monster magazines, and the piles (literally) of original art I once owned.  I can fully understand the magnitude with 15 or 16k comic books and magazines, that's impressive.  As with everything mentioned,  even though prices have risen to such degrees,  comics, magazines, model kits (with possibly the exception of the mint in box Godzilla's Go-Cart  I once owned),  pieces like this can still,  with a little luck,  be eventually found again for future purchase, even if it's for an arm and a leg price wise.  However, the art that I once had, (dozens and dozens of original Aurora paintings, monster magazine covers, all 6 monster wallet paintings, etc.) will never be had again, art is a one of a kind collectible, and once it's gone, it's gone.  Don't get me wrong,  I still kept a few dozen pieces of my original art pieces, along with practically all of my monster mags, probably close to 7 or 8 hundred mags, along with a good portion still of the monster toys, quite a few model kits,  and my ever-growing Halloween stuff.  Sad what I sold, but quite happy with what I have left.

The collection you still have is of legendary status, coupled with what you sold over the years it would be increasing magnitudes of legendary. I have houseful of collectibles, but as valuable as they are they would equate to a drop in the bucket monetarily compared to your collection. Still, all of our collections have special personal value to us, and mine would be impossible to replicate even with an absurd amount of money, because I built it to my specifications over my lifetime. For all we've both lost I believe we're both doing very well at this point. We have enough things we love to keep us entertained for the remainder of our lives. The people I feel bad for are the ones who liquidated their whole collections 20-30 years ago and now decide they want to start collecting again. That really has to hurt.