Awesome and interesting. Or awesome, interesting, and terrible. I think it is the former combination, but I could be probably be convinced otherwise without too much effort.
The first auction, Muscle Men Figurines Kinnikuman – Lot of 28 + 4 Misc Figures, 1 Transformer?, is awesome. It is a huge lot of Future Strength figures, plus a few painted counterfeits, and a couple I don’t know – or care about.
The lot of figures is starting at $8.76. I think it is an incredibly fair opening price for such a unique lot. I think it is also going to attract the niche of M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors that love these types of figures.
Instead of going on and on about how much I love these figures I want to share my fear. I’m afraid those oddball figures are desirable to someone; that they’re the Non-Poster figures of some other line of figures. I fear that the winner would just throw his “extra” figures in the garbage or the untouched “extras’ box.” (I assume everyone has something like this. The catch-all box for extra figures you don’t collect but somehow come into your possession.)
The second auction, M.U.S.C.L.E. 4 Pack w/ Claw Vintage Wrestler Wrestling MUSCLE MEN Mattel 1985, is interesting to me because the 4-pack is in such poor condition. It is possible that someone dying to have a #153 4-pack will keep it closed. However, in this condition, it seems like an opener to me. And the “opener” is looking for a mint #153 figure.
This auction feels like it is actually a mint #153 auction, which makes the $19.99 opening price interesting.
We see people overspend on #153 all the time. Would someone pay $20 for a mint Flesh version?
Or am I being crazy? Regardless of condition, is this a #153 4-pack auction?
The third auction, 1985 Mattel Muscle Men Action Figure Lot of 30 vintage sealed 4 packs, could be seen as awesome, interesting, or terrible. I didn’t think it was awesome or terrible. I thought it was interesting.
The opening bid price works out to $16.67 per 4-pack. I don’t think that is a terrible 4-pack price. But that’s a final price for fair condition 4-packs. If you purchase this lot, then you probably plan to sell a fair portion of the lot. Who wants to spend more than $17 on a 4-pack in, at best, fair condition? And $17 per 4-pack provides the reseller zero profit. Why do it?
That’s why the $1,200 BIN ($40 per pack) is so surprising. That price is only reasonable to the person with an extra $1,200 burning a hole in their pocket AND wants 30 4-packs in fair condition.
I’m very interested to see what happens with this lot of 4-packs. If I was forced to make a prediction, then I would say nothing happens with this lot of 4-packs. It will be relisted twice with the same prices. Then someone will contact the seller and close the deal off of eBay. If I had to guess that price, then I would guess $300 for the lot. Single 4-packs listings, for $25, will be listed not long after.
That’s just my best guess.
