Before we start this week’s Auction Watch we need to review last week’s Auction Watch.
Surprise was not my reaction to the three above listings not selling. However, I was surprised that from the time of writing the last Auction to today’s Auction Watch the Salmon #3 has increased its price three times. It went from $8 to $18 and finally it stopped at $20. That made me smile.
Pretty recently I mentioned that $150 seems like a fair price for a SC 4-pack. I wouldn’t pay it, but I don’t think it’s crazy either. The $31 final price was refreshingly sane too.
I hope that Brian finally got his tube for $100. That would make me very happy. I think two things kept the price down on this listing: (1) past tube shenanigans; and (2) a less attractive tube.
Finally there was the odd lot. It sold for $15.50. I put in a high bid of $21. I would happily pay around $15 when I like a custom figure. The extra $6 was because I knew I had to assign some value on the other figures. When I don’t like a figure(s) I can’t bring myself to pay anything for them. I don’t have any interest in selling them later. I was quite surprised when I won the lot.
Last week featured many 4-packs and, for better or worse, the trend continues this week.
The first listing, 1985 Mattel M.U.S.C.L.E. Musclemen Plastic Figures Mint in Unopened Package, is interesting to me given what we saw last week and what is available this week.
The starting price is $8.95. Admittedly the condition of the 4-pack is not never good. It’s not the worst collectors have seen, but it is very far from the best.
However, I think the four figures in the pack are awesome.
Can the figure-mix be more important than the condition of the 4-pack?
I think the answer is, “Yes.” I have several 4-packs in my collection. I think all of them are in much better condition than this 4-pack. However, I feel compelled to place a bid – especially with its low-ish opening bid. That’s what makes the second listing so strange to me.
The second listing, Vintage M.U.S.C.L.E. Men Action Figure 4 Pack MOC, has me totally confused. As of writing there are 34 bids and the price is at $75.
Why? What am I missing?
The figure mix isn’t very notable. The condition of the 4-pack isn’t extraordinary. And the price tags, which I often love, aren’t supremely interesting.
What is going on?
Even if the seller was shilling up the bids, the other buyer is still in the mix. Why would they be willing to spend so much money on one 4-pack?
If they are crazy enough to spend more than $32.50 on their 4-pack, then maybe the should consider the next listing.
The third listing, Lot of 8x MUSCLE 4 Packs, Unpunched Sealed, M.U.S.C.L.E, has eight 4-packs with a $260 BIN.
That’s $32.50 per 4-pack. And they look to be in pretty good condition.
I have often said large lots like that don’t appeal to me anymore. The idea of having to sell them makes me want to vomit. I would rather spend my time doing almost anything else.
However, I wouldn’t pay twice the price for a very, very modest convenience.
Given all of the 4-packs in this week’s AW, it’s the one in the worst condition that appeals to me the most. Ladies, do you agree?
(I say ‘ladies’ because the metrics suggest most UofM users are women.)
The final listing, Japanese Rubber Keshi Keshigomu Figure M.U.S.C.L.E. Kinnikuman Kinkeshi Premium, is either a candidate for AOTW or the poster-child for balancing price and convenience.
The figure comes from Volume 2 of the new Kinnikuman figures. It is in the variant clear-red color.
I love this figure. I basically spend $170 on it. This figure has a $29.95 BIN price tag.
However, I’ve gotten better at my Kinnikuman purchases. I hated that I spent so much money. Like M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting, it becomes a much easier when you educate yourself, relax, and look around. I saw these sets selling for about $55 on LRG. On Mandarake this entire clear-red set sells for 6,000 Yen or $55.
Why not spend the extra money for the entire set?
(Was the ladies joke clear enough?)
