Glenn Strange Candy bucket Question

[John Pertwee]

Depending on your point of view as seller or collector, ebay has helped and destroyed the market on various items. Case in point, vintage cameras. The bottom dropped out of that market when ebay came around. It sucks for sellers, but is great for buyers.

[Anton Phibes]

I see unmarked items at swap meets, flea markets, and even yard sales, and when the question is asked "How much?" The answer is often "It's going for ____on ebay."  My reply is always: "Then why haven't you listed it there?". Bottom line: you can put any inflated asking price you want on an item. If people think its too high....then it is. To them.

Even green in completed auctions can be bogus. Someone can easily put $900.00 on a DST Metaluna Mutant and have a buddy shill BIN it. Never pay. Then a non paying bidder complaint be filed so no fees are paid. All anyone sees is a green $900.00 ended listing. Suddenly everyone thinks a DST Metaluna Mutant is worth $900.00.

Its a little far fetched sounding....but the market on things can be manipulated this way, whether we choose to believe it or not.

[John Pertwee]

Very true. I always hate that some dealers answer your question by pulling out their phone and looking it up on ebay.

[horrorhunter]

Those shill bidding shenanigans are probably not very common, and would have little effect on the perceived value of an item. Just because one or two items sell for a ridiculous amount doesn't translate to real value for most people. It's like that DD Mego-style Dracula selling for that lightning strikes you price of $1500 or whatever (if that even went through). I don't think anyone actually believes one is worth that as fair market value. They seem to consistently sell for around a third of that or maybe a little more, so the real value is probably around $500-$600. We always hear about these shill bidding schemes, but I haven't seen any proof that this is a widespread problem. The vast majority of the time the active marketplace decides the value of an item due to the perception of what it's worth. It's just people buying and selling, with very little Machiavellian antics afoot.

[skully]

It was just about 2 or 3 weeks ago, I was bidding on some Halloween items on e-bay, the person that had the items lived actually close to me I found out. The items were set to go off on a Sunday. So, before I left the house that early Sunday, I put in my top bids, almost knowing I'd win. Well, later that night when I arrived home, and checked my bids, I found out I'd lost to all the items with him by the next bid. The next day, I get an e-mail from the seller, saying that the high bidder e-mailed him saying that she had other bills to pay,and couldn't go through with her bids. I e-mailed him back with my phone #, so he could call, he did. But, he didn't accept my under-bid. He actually had the pieces up at Renningers outside, looking for better money. He was set up with a table there. Long story short, he was probably shilling his auctions, and he admitted to me on the phone when I called him, he was looking for more money for the items, he thought they were worth much more. All I wanted to do at that point was to just slug this jerk, I'm sure there's a lot of crap going on with e-bay.

[Anton Phibes]

It's like that DD Mego-style Dracula selling for that lightning strikes you price of $1500 or whatever (if that even went through). I don't think anyone actually believes one is worth that as fair market value. .......It's just people buying and selling, with very little Machiavellian antics afoot.

HH---That DD Dracula did sell/go through for that much. The fella who bought it thinks its worth that much should he re-sell it. It turns out its the same dude that I got my 2 Peter Cushing DD's from on the secondary market. I asked if he had Dracula and Frankenstein, and he said he did. But he wanted 1500.00 each for them. Because thats what he paid for them. Obviously he wasnt going to get that kind of cash from me. Maybe not from anyone.


I would love to believe ebay was just people buying and selling.....but unfortunately I know better. I have a couple of acquaintances who do nothing but run one another's auctions up. Ebay's never caught on to their antics, and I wouldn't buy anything from either of them if my life depended on it. Especially not in auction format. So this craziness is out there in operation.

[horrorhunter]

I would love to believe ebay was just people buying and selling.....but unfortunately I know better. I have a couple of acquaintances who do nothing but run one another's auctions up. Ebay's never caught on to their antics, and I wouldn't buy anything from either of them if my life depended on it. Especially not in auction format. So this craziness is out there in operation.

I'm sure it happens, but I believe it's sensationalized and it doesn't have that much impact on established values. Most buyers ignore ridiculous extremes and just wait for a reasonable deal. I draw the line on what I'll pay for an item regardless of silly bids or asking prices, and I believe most people do the same.

For most items it takes years of trading to establish real values. Those DD figures are exceptions because of extreme scarcity. If DD started ignoring their self-imposed low production runs and reissuing everything you would see that change. DD reissues have been brought up in other threads but I don't think Martin will sell out and do that. It would hurt DD in the long run and he knows that.

HH---That DD Dracula did sell/go through for that much. The fella who bought it thinks its worth that much should he re-sell it. It turns out its the same dude that I got my 2 Peter Cushing DD's from on the secondary market. I asked if he had Dracula and Frankenstein, and he said he did. But he wanted 1500.00 each for them. Because thats what he paid for them. Obviously he wasnt going to get that kind of cash from me. Maybe not from anyone.

I've kept an eye on those DD Hammer Mego-styles market activity and from what I can tell the retail on them should be as follows:
     Dracula          $500-$600
     Frankenstein   $400-$500
     Werewolf        $400-$500
     Mummy          $200-$300
     Either Cushing $150-$200
     Any 2nd Series $100-$150

These are just guestimates, of course, but if I needed any of them I certainly wouldn't pay any more than those prices. IMO that guy that paid $1500 for Dracula got screwed about $1000 worth and probably didn't even get kissed afterward. Most DD figures are good investments but nothing is the magical pot of gold at rainbow's end. To be quite honest it's hard to get more than 200 bucks out of me for anything anymore. I'm just glad I bought those DD Hammers when they first came out because otherwise I would probably never own them.

How do you see the current values on some of those DD figures, Anton?



Yeah, yeah, I know.. straying off topic again. But really, how much can you say about a candy bucket?

[Anton Phibes]

Id say those estimates are pretty accurate. Lets just say its a really good idea to get em when they are first released. Because even if you are able to find them on the secondary market....someone might throw the candlesticks away,lol.

[Haunted hearse]

Depending on your point of view as seller or collector, ebay has helped and destroyed the market on various items. Case in point, vintage cameras. The bottom dropped out of that market when ebay came around. It sucks for sellers, but is great for buyers.

The popularity of digital Cameras may have also hurt.  It's so easy to use the new cameras, and it's getting more difficult to find photolabs, that can develop pictures taken with the more old fashioned cameras.

[Hepcat]

Not to mention finding flashcubes or film for the old fashioned cameras. Just try to find 110 film these days.

[Mord]

Id say those estimates are pretty accurate. Lets just say its a really good idea to get em when they are first released. Because even if you are able to find them on the secondary market....someone might throw the candlesticks away,lol.

Any word on the candlesticks? Martin couldn't help you?

[Anton Phibes]

He did have a set in the parts bin that were already painted. Its a good thing he over produces breakable (or in this case disposable) items in case of loss/damage. I should get them soon. Yeah!!!~

[Hepcat]

It was just about 2 or 3 weeks ago, I was bidding on some Halloween items on e-bay, the person that had the items lived actually close to me I found out. The items were set to go off on a Sunday. So, before I left the house that early Sunday, I put in my top bids, almost knowing I'd win. Well, later that night when I arrived home, and checked my bids, I found out I'd lost to all the items with him by the next bid. The next day, I get an e-mail from the seller, saying that the high bidder e-mailed him saying that she had other bills to pay,and couldn't go through with her bids. I e-mailed him back with my phone #, so he could call, he did. But, he didn't accept my under-bid. He actually had the pieces up at Renningers outside, looking for better money. He was set up with a table there. Long story short, he was probably shilling his auctions, and he admitted to me on the phone when I called him, he was looking for more money for the items, he thought they were worth much more. All I wanted to do at that point was to just slug this jerk, I'm sure there's a lot of crap going on with e-bay.

The nerve of the guy! I wish you had slugged him.

I've just very rudely said "No" when asked after an auction whether I'm willing to pay my maximum bid because the top bidder backed out. The bastards have no business knowing what my maximum bid was, and I'm not willing to be scammed.

[skully]

Hi Hepcat!!  Yea, maybe I should have!!  It's something that I'd NEVER do if I were ever to be a seller on e-bay. Honestly, to me right now, it's no real big deal, I do check his auctions every Sunday night, because that's when he puts on his new items, but, I'll never, EVER, bid on anything of his again!! If you want more info, send me an e-mail.

[Allhallowsday]

...
Clinton Plastics made
1. Glenn Strange Candy bucket for trick or treating large hole on top strap riveted on sometimes inside or outside.

...

This pic was taken by me... I kept the one on the left.  A member of this forum owns the one on the right.  They both have "popped" straps that are not torn and could be reinserted onto the grommets with patience, a steady hand, and good eyesight.