The awesomeness is much less confusing. This looks to be a lot of seven Firm MUSCLEMANIA figures – which are simply the best kind. Lots of things are debatable, but Firm versus Stretchy is not one of those things. That is what makes the opening bid so appealing.
I do a lot of complaining about price. An opening bid of $9.99 ($1.43 per figure) for these figures is not something I will ever complain about. Plus there are not any doubles and you get a nice mix of figures. This is a great lot of MUSCLEMANIA figures.
Sadly, everyone that likes MUSCLEMANIA already owns these figures. Maybe a new collector will be born with the purchase of this lot.
The second lot, VINTAGE M.U.S.C.L.E Men Wrestling Figure Muscle 83 Red Grape Green Flesh Mattel, is an awesome lot of 83 figures with a $0.99 opening bid.
The shipping is reasonable at $6.80, the pictures are numerous and large, and the figures appear to be in very good condition. I don’t have a single negative thing to say about this auction. I would argue this is a perfect eBay lot of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures.
It will serve as an interesting counterpoint to the third auction – which was never my original intention. Originally I planned on simply highlighting this fantastic auction.
However, almost immediately after seeing the second auction, I saw the auction that would become the third auction spotlighted.
The third auction, M.U.S.C.L.E men lot m.u.s.c.l.e. muscle, really surprised me. My surprise is not necessarily negative. It is just pure surprise.
When M.U.S.C.L.E. lots start to get as large as 201 figures the price-per-figure often drops below the “norm.” This lot is starting exactly at the “norm” with a $0.50 per figure price.
If eBay was currently filled with only terrible single figure auctions (and sometimes it feels that way), then I would be a little less surprised. But with that absolutely fantastic second auction I just can’t imagine a bidder wanting this lot over the other one.
I also hope the winner of the third auction recycles all of those plastic baggies. I am always offended and disgusted by the amount of plastic baggies I have accumulated over the years.
Recycle!
Finally I want to point out some Class A auctions. You don’t have to look to hard to find Class A figures listed on eBay with utterly absurd prices. (Just in case you are curious.) That is why I was so impressed with Sugarpappy’s six Class A auctions. They aren’t even remotely crazy. In fact, they are probably perfect examples for selling a Class A figure.
If you disagree, then you’ve probably spouted one of the three high price explanations. Even worse, you don’t care about the bottleneck it creates.
I don’t expect any of these auctions to sell for more than $20. Most of these figures have remained unsold on eBay for less money. But Class A auctions are always interesting to watch. And when they start at $0.99 collectors have the opportunity to see what a figure might sell for and not what a seller imagines to be the value.
Thank you and good luck to the seller, sugarpappy, for doing something good for the M.U.S.C.L.E. community!
#1 by Neverwhere on February 17, 2016 - 1:02 pm
Since collecting again, Class A figures have been the biggest head scratcher for me. How do sellers not understand that unless it’s a highly-desirable sculpt (e.g., Claw, Sunshine), your Class A figure really isn’t worth a lot of money?
#2 by sugarpappy on February 17, 2016 - 7:02 pm
I think those class A’s are worth much more than $20 by the way.
#3 by Chad Perry on February 18, 2016 - 9:57 am
That’s the fun part to watch! We don’t know what will happen. But I am curious, why do you think they are worth more?
I’m not trying to be mean – only realistic. I am basing my guess on years of collecting experience and auctions like the two below.
First, the last #179 figure sold for $1.29 and the time before that $2.47.
Second, this #179 has been unable to get a single bid, starting at $12.95, for years.
But M.U.S.C.L.E. prices are crazy, so you never know what will happen.
#4 by Chad Perry on February 22, 2016 - 12:38 pm
$56 with 7 hours to go on the MUSCLEMANIA figures.
It has to be shill bidding, right?
#5 by sugarpappy on February 22, 2016 - 9:40 pm
I put a wink and a thumbs up at the end but it didnt go thru. I was just hoping they would be more than 20. The 179 has hit a new low 70 cents.
#6 by Frank on February 23, 2016 - 10:47 am
So there’s no good reason why those Musclemania went for so much? I was considering going for them, but my max bid was going to be about $20! Ha.
#7 by Chad Perry on February 25, 2016 - 11:24 am
Nope, not a single good reason.
I honestly think it was shill bidding. Your $20 bid is right around where those figures would normally sell for. I would have guessed the lot’s final price was $21. Three dollars per figure seems like a fair price. (Not good, but fair.)