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

The first listing didn’t sell, even after the seller added a 15% discount ($25.49). The MUSCLEMANINA also didn’t sell with its $75 price tag.

The price tag of $34.33 for a piece of 10-pack history really surprised me. I wasn’t the only one. I took a look at the winner and they only had a feedback score of three.

Let me ask a question, “Why would a ~40 year old toy collector recently join eBay?”

It seems that most M.U.S.C.L.E., or M.U.S.C.L.E.-related, collectors are going to be in their 40’s (+/- 10 years?). It seems improbable that one day you decide to start collecting toys and join eBay for the first time in 2017 or 2018. Am I crazy?

I can see a new user, with a feedback score of ten, if you’re collecting Flush Force. But is that a M.U.S.C.L.E. collector? If anyone has a possible explanation I would love to hear it.

Finally the Purple #153 lot sold for $511.01. Another winner with minimum feedback. Hmmm. Am I weird for thinking that’s weird?

I emailed the seller, algigli0, to participate in an eBay Entrepreneur Exchange. I’m assuming they will say yes. They seem super fun based on the feedback they left for the recent 90 figure lot from Auction Watch #241:

♥¸¸.•*´¯`♥ ✿ ~♫♪♫ YOU ROCK ♫♪♫~ 5 ST☆R BUYER~FAST PAY,THANKS! ✿ ♥¸¸.•*´¯`♥

How fun! What fun things are we going to look at this week?

The first auction, M.U.S.C.L.E. MUSCLE MEN POSTER 1985 MATTEL ORIGINAL VINTAGE, is a poster with a $59.99 opening bid price. We have seen a lot of posters lately. We saw: (1) unsold at $50 in AW #244; (2) unsold at $99.99 in AW #240; and two sold posters in AW #239 – but those were in large lots of figures.

Posters, historically, have always come down to condition. I’m starting to wonder if we’re seeing a shift in poster trends.

Maybe you need to have figures with your poster if its going to sell?

I think it is obvious that a poster in very good to mint condition would be able to sell without figures. However, maybe the beat-up posters need the figures in modern collecting?

Maybe there aren’t any M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors still looking for “starter” posters?

If that is true, then the second listing, M.U.S.C.L.E Muscle Men Vintage Poster Original Mattel 1980’s Toy Collector Rare, will never sell.

This second poster is even worse condition than the previous one.

Does that give the terrible $60 poster a chance to sell? God, I hope not.

The M.U.S.C.L.E. poster world seems to be in flux. If I had to offer a hypothesis, then it would be that the flux is caused by a lack of buyers. These posters have been selling on eBay for two decades or more. Realistically, how many M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors want a beat-up poster at a premium price?

It sure seems like the price of beat-up posters is in the trash. The only thing that surprises me is that it didn’t happen sooner.

With that said, I think the next poster in epic condition is going to sell for a small fortune.

The third auction, Vintage 1985 Mattel M.U.S.C.L.E. Hard Knockin’ Rockin’ Ring Wrestling Arena,Box, is thankfully a listing that will sell.

The listing does not include the figures, but the box and ring are in pretty nice shape. With an opening price of $19.99 there’s not much to complain about. The only possible complaint is that the ring has a little stress fracture in the red clamp.

I was going to make a joke that Elvis is selling the ring, but I doubted anyone would get it. The seller is in Kalamazoo. I have been to that Burger King. I was bummed to see it had closed. I have no idea why I was bummed.

The fourth auction, 10 muscle wrestlers and container, was selected as a bookend to the unsold Sunshine lot. It felt like the yin to that yang.

I know that it’s not totally a Sunshine lot, but there are quite a few Sunshine figures plus a #153 figure. It seems like a moderately popular lot of figures.

The opening bid of $15 seems like a fair final price. I’ll be curious if it goes higher.

I think it’s a good bookend because it shows you can get more of a premium on nice lots, but you can’t pretend M.U.S.C.L.E. figures are priceless antiques.

I don’t believe Elvis was ever seen in Grand Junction, Colorado after his death, which means I don’t know how to wrap up this Auction Watch.