Mego Star Trek Figure Prices Plummeting!!!

[Bionic Joe]

At this time here in the U.S.A., Gas is near 4 bucks a gallon, the price for food, engery and just about everthing is going up all but our pay checks, So must of us nolonger has the extra money to spend on a collectable, Something has to be cut, i need gas for my car to go to work, i need to eat, i need to make my house payment, sorry but no matter how nice that MOC figure is i need to pass on it to put gas in my car or pay other more vital bills

[Manspider]

I still think our generation is just getting old and don't care about collecting.

We have a couple new strays, but not enough to keep the collecting spirit alive.

People that want only repro's (no slam against them)
They're not even really collectors.... They wont stay in it for the long haul.

It's a shame, but I think TOY collecting in general is dying.

I strongly disagree with you.
Toy collecting is alive and well. Stronger that ever. Have you seen the dealer rooms at conventions such as FX, NY Comic Con, Chiller, Big Apple etc... The crowds are larger than ever, and people are "collecting." The crowds weren't as large 20 years ago. Not to mention the popularity of Ebay. The collecting spirit is evolving and thriving. And why do you consider yourself more of a real collector than one who enjoys collecting repro's?

[Mikey]

And why do you consider yourself more of a real collector than one who enjoys collecting repro's?

Because I just am

[Dave Mc]

This conversation always goes south eventually because some that are totally happy owning the repro assume others are all about the money, and some that go all original have their own thoughts about how the reproductions ruin the hobby the way they enjoyed it.

Personally, and this is just my POV, while I enjoy the repro figures, I tend to consider buying them "gathering" more than collecting. It's a fine line that exists in my head. You can gather anything that is common and easy to find. To "collect" means (to me) that you are looking for something "collectable" which to me means something harder to come by. Now before anyone goes whipping out dictionary terms at me, or accusing me of thinking I'm more a "collector" than anyone else, I clarify once again that this is my personal feeling about how I collect and where I draw the line between what I gather and what I collect. I gather DVDs and CDs each time I buy one at Best Buy. I collect things I can no longer buy new, like original Megos.

But one thing is certain, it has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with challenge. I can pick up a repro CTVT Space 1999 comlock online in about 30 seconds. It took me 6 months to get an original, and when I did, it was a little victory in life.

But really, collecting is individual, and we all have things that are fun for us. Some HATE the hunt, some live for it, some love to put things up behind glass and never touch it, some like to play. It's all good, but let's not take this to the collecting love vs. money debate, because anyone that thinks it's one or the other is dead wrong.

[livnxxxl]

I to had noticed a dip in the Trek Mego's although I did not want to be the first one to sound the alert. You will be seeing a big dip in a lot of other stuff as well and it is not just because of EMCE releasing repros of some of the original figures. Some are beginning to feel the domino effect of the ecomony which is sliding off the map like California in case anyone is keeping up with the news. Having said/typed that I believe that this can be good and or this can be a bad thing depending on what side of the fence you are sitting on and how many originals you have of course. For me it makes no difference as I will own and continue to buy whatever I need to complete my collection. I am in this for the fun and not for the moolah. I do not consider myself a new collector as I have a pretty vast collection. When you start talking moolah with some it really seems to suck the life out of collecting for some of the newer collectors. This is easily to understand why EMCE is and will continue to be so popular with the newer collectors.

[grayhank]

Well I for one just spent close to $500 combined for an original Romulan, Mugato and Talos. So I'm thrilled the prices are dropping. At least now my Star Trek Megos will be complete. I just finished out the POTA and have all the WGSH and Oz Megos...that leaves 4 Megos (Teen Titans) that I want and I'm officially done with Mego.

So it's nice that EMCE is picking up where Mego left off. I think once the new characters start hitting, the hunt for original ST Megos will be back on. When toylines are updated it brings a renewed interest in the older ones. I never bought a single vintage Star Wars figure until the past couple of years. I've been buying the '95 relaunch figures from the start. So once I got to that point where there wasn't much new happening, I backtracked and bought all the vintage.

[rche]

On the missive of old crotchety original collectors vs. new collectors; There is really nothing that separates ones interest in collecting repro vs. original. One says they are a more collecting collector because the item they are after is not readily available on the shelf or ordered at Wal-Mart. OK. I am a product of the 70s and I think I am in the same boat background wise as many of you. I have never stopped collecting toys, tho I have curbed my appetite on many occasions as my life has taken its twists and turns. I personally still get the thrill of the chase when I have to drive 30 miles to the nearest metro just to see if a comic/toy shop has the thing I have taken a fancy to. My budget for toys is limited by some of my life decisions and the chase sort of happens whenever it can and will. This may be just to take the occasional extra jaunt to WM to see if there is some new Hasbro out. For most items out there, including ultra rare high dollar stuff, one does not need to go much farther than ones cpu. If you put a price cap on the item, I suppose it gets a little more difficult. But, if you view it that way, it isn't really collecting either, merely waiting. Perhaps trolling. The collecting part is in your head and how you view whatever it is you are attempting to amass. I think the analytical term for it is 'hoarding' actually and anyone who is set up that way mentally is in for 'the long haul' whether they want to be or not.

Trying to hold to the original topic and not the hijak - collecting prices may not be the same as they were years ago, but the market is also vastly different. Again, here is the cpu we all use to some extent for our hobbies. This is so much different than hitting the cons and using bulletin boards and reading Toy Shop every month. But.... it has also allowed us to get closer to many items we may never have seen in the stone ages. I am personally not into 2ups or hand painted hard copies, but if I was; there are remarkable easier paths to finding those sorts of rarities nowadays. It really never ceases to amaze me just HOW MUCH STUFF is sold and traded on a daily basis on sites such as these and, of course, auction areas like ebay. You would think all the destroyed toys would have been tossed like our moms asked, but there they are. I think that has a greater effect than the repros, tho it is probably tied together a little. Perhaps Mugatos are showing up because EMCE has announced a release. Perhaps not. There is a new Indy movie coming out this year and right now Indiana Jones is cropping up in quantities unheard of. If you want to get ahold of some of the difficult pieces. Boom, there they are. Not because of repros, tho Hasbro is making new figures, but because 90+% of the folks that remember they have this stuff in the attic are interested in seeing if they can get a buck out of it and they know the internet is the place to find the folks who want it. If every grandma who ever emptied her sons cach out still had to go to a convention to do it, we all would still be waiting for quite a few more 'finds'.

OK, time to get off of this post and see if I can find the bazooka for that Indy figure that melted when my friends and I put the M80s on it 25 odd years ago.

collectively yours
rche


btw: Monkey Tennis - I am right there with you on the old Gorn. I like the Brady sculpt and all, but there is something to the resourcefulness of MEGO that is part of the appeal of MEGO.

[MegoGeek]

I strongly disagree with you.
Toy collecting is alive and well. Stronger that ever. Have you seen the dealer rooms at conventions such as FX, NY Comic Con, Chiller, Big Apple etc... The crowds are larger than ever, and people are "collecting." The crowds weren't as large 20 years ago. Not to mention the popularity of Ebay. The collecting spirit is evolving and thriving. And why do you consider yourself more of a real collector than one who enjoys collecting repro's?

VINTAGE toy collecting is dying.

How many dealers at these shows have any kind of substantial quantity of pre-1990's toys?

All you get at these shows is booth after booth of overpriced Marvel Legends, Modern Star Wars, McFarlane and other garbage.

[draconianguard]

VINTAGE toy collecting is dying.

How many dealers at these shows have any kind of substantial quantity of pre-1990's toys?

All you get at these shows is booth after booth of overpriced Marvel Legends, Modern Star Wars, McFarlane and other garbage.

Most dealers I talk to at shows say the usually bring their crap to sell at shows and save the good stuff for ebay.

[MegoGeek]

Most dealers I talk to at shows say the usually bring their crap to sell at shows and save the good stuff for ebay.

That's another problem with these shows. It becomes the dealer garbage dump where people bring stuff just to blow-out.

[livnxxxl]

Most dealers I talk to at shows say the usually bring their crap to sell at shows and save the good stuff for ebay.

Good old eBay! You gotta love that.

[HardyGirl]

I am a toy collector. I don't collect for the thrill of the hunt, or to see my collection rot away in their boxes. (though I do admit a have a FEW toys that are NFRB, or MIP). I collect toys b/c I'm an overgrown kid who loves remembering the 70s and enjoys regressing once in awhile. I don't use these as an investment, I'll probably not get rich off my collection. If I'm unable to get an original b/c it's too pricey or too obscure, a repro is the next best thing. It's something I can take out, play with and enjoy just the same as the originals. This doesn't make me any less of a serious collector. My toys mean as much to me as those who consider yourself more hardcore, true collectors. I love the fact that EMCEs are available to whoever wants to cherish those memories and share those memories w/ future generations.

[Seeker]

I am a toy collector. I don't collect for the thrill of the hunt, or to see my collection rot away in their boxes. (though I do admit a have a FEW toys that are NFRB, or MIP). I collect toys b/c I'm an overgrown kid who loves remembering the 70s and enjoys regressing once in awhile. I don't use these as an investment, I'll probably not get rich off my collection. If I'm unable to get an original b/c it's too pricey or too obscure, a repro is the next best thing. It's something I can take out, play with and enjoy just the same as the originals. This doesn't make me any less of a serious collector. My toys mean as much to me as those who consider yourself more hardcore, true collectors. I love the fact that EMCEs are available to whoever wants to cherish those memories and share those memories w/ future generations.

[Mikey]

I love THE HUNT

When I got my complete Fist Fighter Robin for 9 bucks on a fleamarket .... and put it on my shelf ... It was one of my biggest trophies.

The HUNT, is what makes this hobby lasting.

Ask anyone who's been here since day one 6 years ago

[toystalker]

i think vintage colecting here in the uk is at a tidy high, the last toy fair i did there was around 1000 dealer tables and about 20,000 visitors came through the doors in 2 days, there were ages of all sorts men women and child

lots of the dealers agreed seem to be in there 50 - 60 age group but most of them all had there kids or someone younger with them on there stall, im one of the young ones there at 34 lol, well they will probably inherit the colection anyways so its best to be invloved lol

i had customers of all ages buy something off my stall, the young kids are all interested in the old stuff, they just cant always afford it so they settle for something of less value which sometimes turns out to be not so old, i always have a bargain bin on my stall with clearance lines, toys of all ages and collectors of all ages buy them up.

also the fact that colecting/dealing is all such great fun but its a multi million pound/dollar industry, its a business. there are always toys i see at fairs that i cant afford, and folks come to me and cant afford certain lines on my stall, thats just business, i cant say hey i tell you what because its fun and because you like to collect i will give the toy to you here for a huge discount... there are table fees, travel and overnight expenses, i have to put that on top of my items cost to make money.
but yeah vintage tv related collecting is very much alive here