the dracula rings

[Wolf Man]

Ok, why was your ring more expensive from Christopher Lee's site and what is a VAT?  Call me ignorant. 

There are several "real" Dracula crest rings on E-Bay right now. 

This thread gets more interesting and informational all the time.  Thanks for posting all this as my favorites are getting more meat. 

[Toy Ranch]

VAT is value added tax, it's a Canadian thing
Actually, we have it too, but I think it kicks in at $500 and it's called "Duty".

[moonvisage]

The basic price stated is £49.99
Here is the invoice run down sent to me as i bought it wolfman:

Product subtotal: £49.99

shipping world quote: £1.58

subtotal excluding taxes: £51.57

VAT: £8.75

total for this order: £60.32

products on order: 1 x dracula ring - £49.99

To try and answer your question wolfman,although i am no expert,V.A.T  is a tax the british government put on all items and products,to earn money for themselves.V.A.T ,surprisingly,stands for: Value Added Tax.
One nasty ploy sellers use,is to use the term: INC  V.A.T
Most people think this means Including V.A.T in the price stated,but more frequently,it actually means: Inclusive of V.A.T .... which means: V.A.T  NOT included in the price stated.Sellers are allowed to use this manipulation of the term INC,in the u.k,which draws in and hoodwinks millions of people into buying what they think is an item at a pretty cheap price,only to find they then have to pay Value Added Tax.
The V.A.T i paid on the dracula ring is: £8.75  which is a lot of bloody money from one transaction for the government.

[Toy Ranch]

Ah, the British call it VAT as well.  But I think it's not charged if you buy it from the US.  I've never been hit with VAT buying from the UK.

[moonvisage]

When we in the u.k buy anything from abroad,as soon as it hits our shores,we are forced to pay another kind of tax called: Duty Tax.I don't know much about duty tax,whether it is part of V.A.T  or an extra individual tax.It may be included in the shipping price when we pay,or slapped on us when it arrives.I have heard people get letters from customs and excise demanding payment of Duty Tax when an item arrives from abroad,but i am unsure of the circumstances.A lot of the time,the letters say: Pay Up,Or Lose The Item!

[Toy Ranch]

A friend of mine in the UK told me the other day that any item over $20 in value he has to pay 100% tax on it.  So if he buys a $500 item from the US, when it arrives, he has to pay $1000.  OUCH!

[moonvisage]

The government can be pretty brutal to people here.I do know,that if an item on ebay says: $100.00, which is about £50.00 here in the u.k,by the time we actually recieve the item,we pay £100.00.so,when i see $100.00,i know i will have to pay the exact same equivellent in u.k pounds £100.00.They literally double the price with taxes.
By the way Toy Man,I have just been to another forum trying to find stills and pictures of the original Bela Lugosi Ring,from the film dracula 1931.The members there seem to be incredible at acquiring really rare pictures etc,so i thought i would ask them for help,regarding pictures and stills of the dracula ring.I used the magnificent array of ring pictures that you condensed into a small strip side by side to each other,as it is perfect for comparrisons,to show them.I really hope you do not mind me using the picture you created,and acknowledging you in the thread i started at the  monsterkidclassichorrorforum?
If any of the members there,can supply a close up still or picture of the ring,i will post it in this thread,so we can all study it,and see which modern repro dracula ring is the closest to the original dracula ring worn by bela lugosi.If you want to check it out,the thread is in the Universal Horrors section there.

[Wolf Man]

That is indeed terrible!  I did not have to pay that for mine.  I am sorry you have to pay more than most of us for the same product.  That is just plain wrong.  I hate when there are taxes and or hidden charges added like that.  

At least on the good side you will be getting a good prop to add to your collection.  

[moonvisage]

Thank you very much wolfman,that is a really kind and considerate thing to say.Sometimes we can get deals on used items on ebay,where we pay only what we finally bid to pay.that's why i buy most of my things from ebay.If i win an item for $100.00 / £50.00 in uk money,I only pay the £50.00,instead of £100.00

[Wolf Man]

Well, definately good luck with E-bay.  I mentioned earlier there are two historical Dracula crest rings for bid.  I will keep my eyes peeled for you and if I run across anything will let you know.  I hope that will help. 

[moonvisage]

wow,that is incredibly kind and considerate of you wolfman.I seriously appreciate that.Thank you so very much.

[Nicole]

Point being that the ring and the "crest" look to be different metals, and it would be super easy for a jeweler to make a silver ring to hold the FM pin.

Here is the plated pin in unused shape-



The lower pic is my wedding ring, hand made in 14kt by a Hispanic jeweler I know (my design), just to show what is possible. The gold 'bats' ring would be much tougher to make.

I dig that wedding ring, Bob. Very cool.

Now that the mystery is solved, do you know where I could find one of these pins? Are they very hard to get?

[Monster Bob]

thanks, Nicole. I would say ebay would be the place to find one of these, though honestly, I haven't seen them around but a couple of times.

[moonvisage]

Seeing as this Crest Of Dracula Ring does not have a price stated,i have just sent an email to Dimensionaldesigns.com enquiring about the price and shipping to the United Kingdom.

http://www.dimensionaldesigns.com/crofdrri.html

[moonvisage]

Also,at another forum,a very kind gentleman went out of his way to take a close up of the original 1931 dracula film ring.it is a still from the actual film itself,taken by the gentleman Count Gamula himself,and blown up so we can actually see it.
Here is a picture of it: