I thought it would have one bid. I thought that was a given. Terri-Bull is popular enough to have a collector that needs/wants the figure.
My curiosity was how many bids the figure would have. It had none. I am surprised.
I am more surprised that it has been relisted at $2.99. I will never understand this approach. If I want to sell something, then I need to set a price people will pay. If I learn price X is too high, then why would I keep price X?
Keeping price X suggests I believe I’m smarter than my buying audience and/or I don’t really want to sell the item.
Thankfully the second auction sold. I had guessed the final price would be $257 ($0.68 per figure).
It sold for $227.63 ($0.60 per figure). I won’t break my arm patting myself on the back, but that’s pretty close. Maybe the expensive shipping factored in to the final price.
I do not care what people spend on the M.U.S.C.L.E. toys, but this sale price made me happy. I think it was a feeling of nostalgia. I notice, and comment, on lots of ridiculous M.U.S.C.L.E. listings. It can leave me feeling like the M.U.S.C.L.E. hobby is in trouble.
Seeing a $0.60 per figure sale price left me feeling hopeful and that the M.U.S.C.L.E. hobby hasn’t changed too much.
The next two auctions also felt like throwbacks to me.
I hoped that these two auctions might provide some insight into beat-up M.U.S.C.L.E. poster prices. I’m left feeling like M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors don’t really value beat-up posters.
The SC-less poster sold for $0.74 per figure. While a bit high, it’s within the range of an average figure price.
If we use $0.74 per figure on the SC poster lot, then $31.08 of that price is the 42 Flesh figures and poster. That means someone paid $92.42 for the Satan Cross figure. That’s probably also a little high, but it’s a great lot to pick up a SC and poster.
Has the bottom dropped out on beat-up posters?
The original $79.99 opening bid (with a $199.99 BIN) was dropped to $60 after I had written Auction Watch. When that happened I had to place a $60 bid. It was too good to ignore.
It ended up selling for $107.50.
The Lutteurs sold for $61. Higher than in the past, but I do not care about the price. That’s not the story to me.
The story for me is the five bidders.
I. Am. Shocked.
I can’t believe there were five collectors, willing to spend money, on this oddity. I think it’s great, but I’m shocked there are that many people.
Thankfully there are only four three auctions worth watching this week.
Unfortunately, it is a Salmon #179.
There are only three potential buyers for this figure: (1) a Master Set Fool; (2) a prospector; and (3) a clueless buyer.
The roughly nine dollar BIN doesn’t seem terrible at first glance, but the last Salmon #179 sold for $0.99.
I imagine the Master Set Fool already has this figure or is willing to wait. As a prospector it’s a shitty gamble. That really leaves the clueless buyer and the BIN isn’t a great price for six figures.
Could I be wrong? Maybe. The only thing that would be more shocking is the second auction selling.
The second auction, M.U.S.C.L.E Muscle Men Vintage Poster Original Mattel 1980’s Toy Collector, is a beat-up poster.
The opening bid price is $99.99. I would normally say this price is absurd because of the condition of the poster.
But the two aforementioned posters make this listing utterly hysterical.
After I finished laughing I wondered, “What would this poster actually sell for?”
If the auction started at $0.99, then it would certainly get some bids. I think it would hover around $5 for most of the auction. It would probably sell for around that too. The only thing that could push it higher is some nut putting in a $20 safety bid. That could push the price into the teens.
The third auction, M.U.S.C.L.E. Action Figures (144) and Hard Knockin’ Rockin’ Ring, won’t have any problems selling.
The listing started at $0.99. I expect this lot to climber a little higher than normal. Those Flesh figures look to be in exceptional condition.
Plus the ring seems to be in decent condition. The red clamp seems to have more stress fractures than the blue side. Obviously the box is destroyed, but I don’t think any bidder is going to care about it.
As of writing, the price is already at $50. I think it’s going to end around $110. I figure the buyer is willing to spend $20 on the ring and about $0.63 per figure. Although those Flesh figures look really, really nice.
I wouldn’t be shocked if it ended up around $130 or even more. I’m not a mint condition guy when it comes to M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. If I was, then this would be an auction I was targeting for upgrades.
