UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

The first auction on any M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors mind right now is the Dr. Bombay auction at LittleRubberGuys.com. As of writing this, the bids are already at $900 for the Beta Non-Poster figure.

The last Non-Poster figure, an Alpha Robin Mask, sold for $1202.77. Before that, the second ever, Drunken Master (another Alpha figure) sold for $1,025. Even though this marks the fourth known appearance of Dr. Bombay it seems completely reasonable that his final price will be north of $1,000.

The final price of this auction will be $1,150.

The price and value of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures is often a hotly debated topic. In many cases the dissonance seems to be rooted in miscommunication. However, the prices of Non-Poster figures ultimately bring attention, and hopefully new collectors, to M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting.

Unfortunately the high prices of Non-Poster figures (and other high priced auctions) also have a negative impact. The second auction, M.U.S.C.L.E men . mummy ? Muscle Men Kinnikuman ? YSNT ? RARE, is an excellent example of the negative impact – a perfectly common figure at an exaggerated price.

This auction will not sell.

So how can this type of auction be countered? It can’t. There will always be stupid sellers. However, collectors and resources like the University of M.U.S.C.L.E. can serve as knowledgeable resources for the uninformed. Being able to provide tangible evidence and clarity to the hobby may encourage resourceful sellers – resulting in auctions like the ones below.

The third auction, 1980’s M.U.S.C.L.E. Men Vintage Toys – One PENNY Starting bid!!!!!!!!!!!, should be the official model for selling 4-packs. There are so many factors that can influence the price of a sealed M.U.S.C.L.E. 4-pack. The two biggest factors are always condition and figure assortment. A damaged 4-pack with popular figures is likely to sell for exponentially more that a mint 4-pack with unpopular figures.

Not only is the starting bid great; the shipping cost and auction picture are ideal. The only potential downside the seller has mixed feedback.

The final price of this auction will be $9.50.

The fourth auction, LOT OF 3 DIFFERENT COLORED NIKU MUSCLE MEN, is actually from the same seller as the 4-pack. While the starting price isn’t as automatically attractive, it does highlight an interesting shift. Several years ago the Niku figures (#60 & #189) were two of the most popular figures. Two more recent auctions ($8 for one custom figure & $38.91 for 15 figures) may suggest that the Niku figures have lost some of their popularity. The fourth auction will certainly offer some additional insight into the popularity of figure #60.

The final price of this auction will be $12.50.

The fifth auction, 1986 the M.U.S.C.L.E. mega-match Game Bunch of Beastly Brawlers Includes 10 Men, is for the Mega-Match board game. Auction Watch has only had a few individual board games featured – which is probably the best reason to highlight it.

The current price, as of writing this, is $24.99. Considering that the last spotlighted board game sold for $21.16, it seems unlikely that the price will increase significantly.

The final price of this auction will be $29.50.

Follow-Up: The first auction sold for $1,770, which was $620 more than the predicted price of $1,150. The final price of a Non-Poster figure is very difficult to predict. The final price likely surprised many M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors.

As predicted, the second auction did not sell.

The third auction sold for $13.50, which was $4 more than the predicted price of $9.50.

The fourth auction sold for $10.49, which was $2.01 less than the predicted price of $12.50.

The fifth auction sold for $34.33, which was $4.83 more than the predicted price of $29.50.