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Post by 1oldrobot on Apr 2, 2013 18:27:21 GMT -5
its pretty simple, not all japanese are hip to auction sites. and may not like the idea of auctioning vs straight sales. that may seem odd, but true. another reason that weve all heard before and is very true is that japanese sometimes dont think outsiders "get it." i collect a lot of japanese stuff outside of toys, and it works the same in those venues, as well. btw, i dont think thats a gripe on their part as much as it is their own occasional reasoning. i know folks in america are in love with the notion that people are "exactly the same, no matter where you go," but thats really not true. id say japanese much prefer private face to face transactions. old school. bigger shops are the places i avoid unless i just want to see a great collection. grab a directory to whatever shotengai youre near. then the real hunt is on. for hardcore collectors, i think you know auction sites arent the right hookup. if something i wrote hurt someones feelings, oh well. but i think the person who scored the gordian is alive and well here on this board. kinda my original case and point. as for the seller of the gordian and BF, there was a potential buyitnow price. ive got the emails. he came out waaaaaaaay ahead in the end, so congrats to him. DOE, hi there! not in tokyo so much. in SF now on my way back to nagoya for guitar distribution stuff im doing. i spend most of my time in nagoya and osaka. when near tokyo i stay at my friends places in kamakura and yokohama.
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Post by wrcfan on Apr 2, 2013 19:43:31 GMT -5
The not sending out of Japan has nothing to do with pricing of an item. Most Japanese take pride in their products and want them only for their own, they do not want outsiders to have them. I know of some Japanese vintage tin toy collectors and they only collect stuffs that are made in Japan too, they do not want anything made elsewhere eg. German, US tin toy etc.
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Post by txjumbo on Apr 2, 2013 21:29:37 GMT -5
Lol. I watched that auction to the bitter end....no way man. That was insanity! Even if I had lotto millions...no way!
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Post by 1oldrobot on Apr 2, 2013 22:57:56 GMT -5
good thinking txjumbo. 45 cents worth of plastic, unless its filled with platinum and hand grenades, just cant get such tall scratch out of me. i know how japanese stuff is especially cool and addictive, but obsessing really isnt so fun. and even stateside, if you keep a watchful eye once you know what youre looking for, youll find great deals over time. but i suppose people want me to concede that if you need that shot in the arm of a jumbo fix, ebay and YJP are the most available outlets that everyone else can see, too.
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Post by glane21 on Apr 3, 2013 0:21:59 GMT -5
good thinking txjumbo. 45 cents worth of plastic, unless its filled with platinum and hand grenades, just cant get such tall scratch out of me. i know how japanese stuff is especially cool and addictive, but obsessing really isnt so fun. and even stateside, if you keep a watchful eye once you know what youre looking for, youll find great deals over time. but i suppose people want me to concede that if you need that shot in the arm of a jumbo fix, ebay and YJP are the most available outlets that everyone else can see, too. I don't think anyone disagrees with you that YJ and EBay are going to be the places that nutty jumbo prices will be seen. But you have to concede that you are in a unique position compared to most in that you are frequently in Japan for business, and I assume, speak the language. So you essentially get a free shopping trip each time. The rest of us would have to pony up thousands for flights and accommodations and still have to a) know where the hell to go and b) be lucky enough that said jumbo was in one of those shops at the hundred dollar price when we were on this one-time trip. When you crunch those numbers and odds, maybe the sales price on the Gordian makes more economic sense to a buyer, eh? And no, I did not Bid on the Gordian. But I did buy my MIB, unused Dangard off eBay a few years back for a price that was at the time a bit out there. Now incomplete ones sell for more. That same seller has another Dangard listed in the same condition at a price that really makes me smile. Today's insane price may be tomorrow's bargain. |
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Post by magengar on Apr 3, 2013 0:29:15 GMT -5
I often imagine that Japanese retailers (or any retailers overseas) don't wanna deal with foreign transactions, because at some point in history some folks have tried to (or actually have) rip (ripped) them off with a forged check or CC. In that case scenario, I wouldn't blame them for not wanting to sell outside of their country. The only way to buy a specimen (given that it's Not available here in the U.S.) is to actually travel there and buy it in person. For all anyone knows, once in a while that one particular specimen may become available here in the U.S. perhaps through some local auction venue such as eBay or whatever... just be prepared to shell out serious money if you seriously want it. Our diverse community has hobbyists of different financial levels. If anyone can afford a high-priced specimen for their collection, the rest of us can enjoy seeing it displayed inside that cool Ikea shelf and behold its beauty. At the end of the day, whether prices are driven Up or brought Down, what matters is that the specimen went to a good home and has been rescued from the black holes of obscurity.  zozo-mag |
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Post by glane21 on Apr 3, 2013 0:35:43 GMT -5
its pretty simple, not all japanese are hip to auction sites. and may not like the idea of auctioning vs straight sales. that may seem odd, but true. another reason that weve all heard before and is very true is that japanese sometimes dont think outsiders "get it." i collect a lot of japanese stuff outside of toys, and it works the same in those venues, as well. btw, i dont think thats a gripe on their part as much as it is their own occasional reasoning. i know folks in america are in love with the notion that people are "exactly the same, no matter where you go," but thats really not true. id say japanese much prefer private face to face transactions. old school. bigger shops are the places i avoid unless i just want to see a great collection. grab a directory to whatever shotengai youre near. then the real hunt is on. for hardcore collectors, i think you know auction sites arent the right hookup. if something i wrote hurt someones feelings, oh well. but i think the person who scored the gordian is alive and well here on this board. kinda my original case and point. as for the seller of the gordian and BF, there was a potential buyitnow price. ive got the emails. he came out waaaaaaaay ahead in the end, so congrats to him. DOE, hi there! not in tokyo so much. in SF now on my way back to nagoya for guitar distribution stuff im doing. i spend most of my time in nagoya and osaka. when near tokyo i stay at my friends places in kamakura and yokohama. Ok, but if they won't ship to the US because they feel we don't get it, then I assume they also would not sell to me in person if I somehow managed to find their store since I'm not Japanese. Because, you know, I'm not going to buy it and leave it there, it's coming home with me. But you on the other hand clearly have a big opportunity to make a mint flipping jumbos from these shops that won't do auctions. |
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Post by 1oldrobot on Apr 3, 2013 7:02:54 GMT -5
ive thought about buying and flipping, but it would take up too much time and id hate to sell something like that myself and see it on ebay a year later after someone quits collecting. i understand the japanese perspective pretty well. plus, how do you part with them once youve got them? like all of us here, i think theres something special about jumbo collections, but im sure some casual hobbyists may get the fever a little more than others and overpay in the usual venues, driving prices higher among a small group. in this case, i guess i really dont mean to point fingers at any one person as much as i was trying to state the above. and if someones got an annuity payment dedicated to robots, right on. on this transaction though, both pieces could have been had for less than half the price of the gordian. i think hardcore collectors would know to find that out first?
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Post by glane21 on Apr 3, 2013 8:34:39 GMT -5
I may not be a hardcore jumbo collector because I only wanted the Marvel Comics trio (Bowfist Raydeen, Combattler, Dangard) and then I was done. Gordian and the rest do nothing for me to even worry about tracking prices on them. I think if I were then I would try to work an arrangement with you or someone like yourself who knows how to source them at more reasonable prices and pay you a fee for your efforts.
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Post by Dragonclaw on Apr 3, 2013 14:27:45 GMT -5
Yeah, that price horrified me and made me happy that Gardian isn't one of the few I still want. As much as I like the Jumbos I only gravitate to the ones I have an attatchment to (I went after Combattler and Danguard to have the Marvel trio, which became my 3 favorite robots because of the series  then Raider and Poseidon from having the smaller Shogun Warrior versions and playing the heck out of them as a kid) Unfortunately my Japanese hookups all dried up recently so I'm at the mercy of what shows up in full view for now. If anyone happens to come across a loose / displays decently / needs some love Tetsujin (The first GoDaiKin I ever got...it was a Christmas gift from my 'new' sister...yeah it was from my parents since she wasn't even a year old, but the sentimentality stuck...even as adults she picks up Tetsujin pieces to surprise me with every now and then so i associate the character with that bond), Sun Vulcan (The first GoDaiKin I bought with my own paper route money), Voltes V (As a kid both my uncles, who have since passed away, were stationed in the Phillipines so I got lots of Voltes memorabillia for Christmases and birthdays) or Leopardon (I'm a huge Spiderman fan and I've loved the robot design since my first bootleg VHS purchase of the show in the late 80's) I'd be happy to assure anyone hooking me up with them or pointing me to someone that could that they will be going to a loving home in a collection that they would never be leaving. There are other characters I certainly like a lot, but having other representations of the characters in my collection is fine. The jumbos with their shelf pressence means a lot to me and I try to reserve it to characters that have that deeper pull for me. So while Gardian, Godsigma, GodMars etc are all cool pieces, I don't feel compelled to own them like I do my remaining 4. |
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Post by luclin999 on Apr 3, 2013 18:03:22 GMT -5
I am also glad that I wasn't that interested in either of those auctions.
To be honest even if I had been based upon the condition that they were in I doubt that I would have been willing to pay more than about $750 for the BFJ or $1300 for the Gordian.
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Post by christ on Apr 3, 2013 19:41:08 GMT -5
I agree entirely. Gordian is not the most amazing jumbo- just one I don't have. Once it went over 2K I couldn't even consider it.
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Post by wrcfan on Apr 3, 2013 22:08:03 GMT -5
I have the Popy as well as bootleg chogokin of Gordian and I think the JM looks fantastic. I wish to have one but not at that price.
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Post by zambot3 on Dec 3, 2013 13:49:42 GMT -5
1oldrobot wrote: good thinking txjumbo. 45 cents worth of plastic, unless its filled with platinum and hand grenades, just cant get such tall scratch out of me. Read more: robotjapan.proboards.com/thread/21187/3-550-01?page=2#ixzz2mRH9Fb8mKind of late in the game but with that logic, why are rare stamps and coins worth anything? Isn't it just a piece of paper or metal? If you wanted to go further, why is platinum worth anything? Is it something people need to survive? So yes, I'd rather buy a professional sports team than let's say the Mona Lisa worth about $10 of canvas. All about supply and demand. I know some of us collectors hate to see things go out of hand in price because we want the toys but unfortunately, some Jumbos are rare. Take the Gordian which I've seen 3 loose ones go through the past year or so on Ebay. It's averaged about over $3500 and these aren't perfect specimens either. As long as people want it, they'll be paying for it. Of course the price can go down if someone finds a box of these hidden in some place of Japan but as we all know, Jumbos are a rare breed of toy. They were too big to keep around unlike some other toys. In my opinion, Jumbos are pretty cool. Don't remember another line of toys that were this big with the great quality and different characters to choose from. I'm all for someone rereleasing all of these but until then, the high prices won't be going away anytime soon. |
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Post by MazinKaiserSKL666 on Dec 3, 2013 14:45:06 GMT -5
I wholesale cars for a living. I've done it for 15 years. During my dealings I came across a 2002 Trans Am WS-6 with 21,000 miles on it last year. Looked brand new. I paid about $3,000 more for it than I know I should have. Ask me if I care. It's black on black with 21,000 original miles on original engine and never been in an accident with original almost flawless paint. Three reasons I paid thru the a$$. It's my holy grail car, I'll never find one in this condition with these miles again and lastly and most importantly... I'll NEVER sell her. I'll drive this car and mod and bolt on her until I die. Now with jumbos or any other collectibles, if it's hard to find and you want it and your not going to sell it then what does the "going price" matter (within reason)? I just got a Sun Vulcan off YJ for $120000 YEN. After Celga fees and exchange rate and double shipping I'm in just under $1500 USD. I know full well that the last one sold on EBay although not as complete as mine went for like $1250 USD and If I waitind I may have found one cheaper later. But so what? I had the money and I wanted it and I'm not ever going to sell it. So what it "should" be worth doesnt really matter to me. I feel I paid what it was worth to me. Now I have it and if it's worth $10,000 tomorrow or $10.00 tomorrow it is irrelevant. In my collection is where he shall remain. Now as for $3000+ for that Gordian perhaps the buyer needed it to complete his collection or maybe it's his all time favorite bot and he's never going to sell it. Or maybe he got carried away and now in the aftermath he's asking himself "what the hell did I get myself into?" and he's not going to pay for it.... At the same time I'll speak out of both sides of my mouth here and say that it is debilitating when you have the $$ for something and bid on it and some lunatic bids way outside the stratosphere for it and well beyond what you would have imagined that anyone would pay for it and you can no longer afford it. All you can do is stare longingly at the pictures and wonder what it would have been like... Sigh... Been there... LOL!!
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Post by xTIMMYxCOREx on Dec 3, 2013 14:50:28 GMT -5
@mr Ginrai: basically 2 last second snipers come out with their guns blazing at the very end to cause this ;D best doe Why would anyone bid BEFORE the last two seconds. It's counterproductive to everyone except the seller! |
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Post by MazinKaiserSKL666 on Dec 3, 2013 14:52:15 GMT -5
@mr Ginrai: basically 2 last second snipers come out with their guns blazing at the very end to cause this ;D best doe Why would anyone bid BEFORE the last two seconds. It's counterproductive to everyone except the seller! True... That's how I roll. Otherwise you're just BEGGING for a johnson measuring contest of wallets |
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Post by zambot3 on Dec 3, 2013 15:10:10 GMT -5
I understand where everyone is coming from. I really wanted that Voltes V but cannot come close to affording it. As a jumbo collector, I want to get all in the entire line. Nothing more fun than finding and purchasing a Jumbo you don't have and putting it next to ones you do. That's part of what makes collecting fun. But I am a realist and know I cannot afford most of these.
The way things are going, I don't think you'll find anything not released in the US for less than 4 figures.
I also really wanted that Gordian. He's shaped differently than most of the other Jumbos. My point is, it wasn't just 2 super collectors wanting to get it. With 3 being sold for $3500 or more within the year, that price isn't as crazy as this original thread claims. Probably one of the most expensive mamushkas in the world.
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Post by zambot3 on Dec 3, 2013 15:16:43 GMT -5
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Post by Mr. Ginrai on Dec 3, 2013 15:29:02 GMT -5
There's also the "taking the plunge before prices get any higher" strategy. I recently threw down a fairly large sum to acquire a near unused godaikin t28 MIB. I had been getting sick of never coming across one on my general toy hunts and then watching prices continue to rise and rise. I finally said screw it, bought one and got it over with. If I stumble upon another one, maybe I will upgrade or downgrade depending on how much room there is price wise.
As far as collecting, my dad always had said that collectors are a type of person that usually want to have one of everything they collect (be it every release in a toyline, or as many figures of character x etc). This is why it's nearly impossible to be a modern collector without some focus.
This is why companies like franklin mint (back when they were doing high end diecast of classic autos) shot themselves in the foot. They went from releasing four cars a year at a couple hundred dollars a piece, to 6 to 12 and beyond. Some people just can't afford it. The company's goal is to make as much money as possible selling product, but they sacrifice long term profit for short term when they pump stuff out by the ton.
Once the number of releases at retail or the prices in the aftermarket exceed what is reasonable for discretionary spending (aka fun money) you see a lot of people start to drop off, unless disposable income is peaking in a particular segment of a group of collectors. Because for those that jump ship, it's no longer enjoyable, they can't reach their "goal"
This is what I think is happening with jumbos. They got hot again because those that were kids then are mature now. Prices continued to rise normally until the recent past where they are just insane, even for incomplete items. Combine that with the rift of US/Euro/Japan only releases and you have a hot bed for high demand across the board.
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