For M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors unsure of whether they want to start collecting MUSCLEMANIA figures, or just want to add a few of these side notes to their collection, this is a perfect lot. The figures appear to be the “Firm” type of figure, which is certainly the better of the two types. There is also a nice assortment in terms of both colors and sculpts. Perhaps most important, the lot has a low starting bid and fair shipping.
MUSCLEMANIA collecting will never have the popularity of M.U.S.C.L.E., but given its odd similarities to M.U.S.C.L.E. these figures, even just a couple, can be an interesting addition to a collection. Or it could be the in-hand proof needed to be 100% confident that the figures are ugly and rightfully hated by some people.
The second auction, HUGE Flesh Colored M.U.S.C.L.E. Men Lot of 149 Muscle Men No Repeats, is interesting because it represents a weird reaction that probably only M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors experience.
The lot appears to be a decent enough lot – fair price, 149 figures, clean, etc. However, when a picture features a pile of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures a M.U.S.C.L.E. collector’s heart momentarily stops with the thought, “I wonder if there’s a Non-Poster figure in there?”
The love of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures and collecting forces even a rudimentary scan of the pile before allowing the collector brain to say, “Don’t be stupid.” The seller of the lot seems to have broken out the clean from the dirty figures too. It would be even funnier if the lot that actually contained a Non-Poster figure came from this lot instead – because not a single collector’s heart skipped a beat from this picture.
The third auction, Rare Muscle Men Vintage Monster M.U.S.C.L.E. Gumball Display Kinnikuman, is one that should instantly look familiar to longtime M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors.
Around 2008 or 2009 (maybe even a little earlier) a seller on eBay listed a large number of gumball machine display cards like the one in the current third auction. Once they were discovered M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors quickly bought all of the best M.U.S.C.L.E.-centric cards the seller had.
The original price of the display cards were probably around $10 to $15 each. Once they started to sell the seller tried to increase his price; sadly for him the best cards were already long-gone.
These M.U.S.C.L.E.-centric display cards do not come up for auction very often – which might suggest that a $100 BIN is a pretty fair and reasonable price. Sadly counterfeit M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting is one of the tiny niches within the tiny niche of M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting. If this seller is able to sell this card at $100, then it will be to a new counterfeit collector that was not one of the original buyers in 2008 or 2009. It will be interesting to see if a high dollar amount buyer has entered the counterfeit niche.
The fourth auction, Mattel Dealer Catalog 1986, Wheeled Warriors, MUSCLES, Princess Power, MOTU!, is an auction with an interesting bid of auction history.
Back in May of 2013 this catalog came up for sale and it did NOT sell for the price of $59.99. That is a bit surprising as these catalogs often sell in that price range given the much larger audience of potential buyers. Now, about four months later, the same catalog is back with a starting bid of $69.99. Interesting logic.
This is a very interesting piece of M.U.S.C.L.E. history – but only for the most ephemerally focused of M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors. The starting price is certainly high, but not so much higher that it completely eliminates the chance it will sell.
This is an auction that will sell…if it finds just the right buyer, and only the right buyer.
The fifth auction, Lot of 122 Vintage Mattel MUSCLE Men Color & Flesh w Rare Satan Cross Kinnikuman, marks the return of Satan Cross to Auction Watch.
The Satan Cross figure has almost exclusively shown up in overpriced single figure auctions lately. That is the reason Stan Cross showing up in a large lot of figures is so interesting. What will the final price of this lot be?
If this lot ends with around $111 or more, then you might see single figure Satan Cross auctions selling much more quickly around the $50 price point. If it ends for less than $111, then single figure Satan Cross auctions will have to start lowering their prices if they have any hope of selling their figures.
It will be interesting to watch.
