That smile was instantly washed away as I started looking at eBay. There are just so many truly terrible listings.
Instead of trying to slog through my normal eBay search, I needed to do something different; something new. This week I thought I would use some of my pre-children, time-to-waste eBay searches. It might not result in M.U.S.C.L.E. results, but I can’t stomach terrible M.U.S.C.L.E. listings this week.
The first listing, Delacoste France SOPHIE the GIRAFFE Vintage Rubber Squeaker Toy Lot of 2, genuinely shocked me. $88 for two used baby toys caught me off-guard.
Why would someone spend $88 (or $44 each) for a teething toy that can be purchase for $24 on Amazon?
I know M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors shouldn’t throw stones from their glass houses. But this doesn’t seem like a genuine collectible. The toy is unchanged for decades – which is a huge part of its appeal.
Why would anybody want an old one? Sure, maybe if you owned your own from childhood. I could see that being on a shelf. But if your slobber-filled giraffe is gone, and you desperately want it on your shelf, then why not buy a new one?
This isn’t like wanting a vintage NES system instead of those “new systems. I can understand the argument for wanting the original system.
This is like wanting a vintage NES when you could go to the store and get a brand-new NES off the shelf.
The second auction, Miniature Toy Lot 28 Plastic 2.5″ Red Firefighter Fireman Action Soldier Figures, stopped me in my tracks. It was a longshot, but I needed to inspect that picture and prayed the second picture would have more figures.
I haven’t looked for a M.U.S.C.L.E. figures, in a lot like this one, for many, many years. I was flooded with some fun nostalgic feelings as I did it. There wasn’t a M.U.S.C.L.E. figure to be found – which isn’t surprising. I don’t think I ever found a huge lot of unidentified M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. I know I did find some figures and a sealed Nestle Quik once. That was pretty exciting.
When I found the Quik figure they were still pretty obscure and demanded a pretty decent price. Finding one in a random lot was so thrilling. Those days are gone. Today they are much easier to find and they are about $20 each.
The third auction, NBR – Numbered Rubber mini Figures. Used See Pics, was almost purchased by me. I remember years ago I sold a Great Beast for…something. I don’t remember the amount, but it must have been enough for me to sell it individually.
While I would have preferred this lot to be M.U.S.C.L.E. figures, I’ll settle for a MIMP discovery.
Years ago it wasn’t too unusual to see M.U.S.C.L.E. figures listed like this lot. I know I scored some good deals this way.
I didn’t buy it because I hope a MIMP collector scores it. Plus, buying and flipping the lot sounded like torture to me. I can’t stress how much I hate selling stuff on eBay.
In fairness, if someone flips this lot and it sells for like $600 – that might sting a bit. But it would only be momentary. I don’t care enough about MIMP to follow through on this lot.
The fourth auction, LOT 30 VTG CRACKER JACK GUMBALL MACHINE PRIZES CHARMS Cereal TOYS Hong Kong, was another Canadian lot I needed to inspect.
There’s no obvious hint that the lot contains a M.U.S.C.L.E. figure. But these types of lots require hope and effort. Frankly, 20+ years of M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting doesn’t inspire me to explore eBay with feverish hope and effort.
I haven’t looked at these oddball lots in so long it was easy to muster some effort and hope. I don’t think these oddball lots will be searched again, but I enjoyed it much more than my normal M.U.S.C.L.E. eBay searches.
I spend my professional time helping people understand how little tweaks and changes can make things better. I like to think I try to do that in the M.U.S.C.L.E. community too. I need to remember to do that for myself too. This Auction Watch was the best little tweak I’ve made for myself in quite some time. I hope you liked it – and if you didn’t…you get what you pay for.
#1 by GreyEagle06 on November 18, 2020 - 2:13 pm
I enjoyed this, I think you should do this more! Not necessarily on a regular basis, maybe just like once a month.
#2 by Chad Perry on November 18, 2020 - 4:34 pm
Thanks!
#3 by Pete V on November 18, 2020 - 5:44 pm
That MIMP lot was a great deal. I was really into them when I was a kid. I had complete sets of the first two series. I auctioned off all of my MIMP figures during the mid-00’s. I kind of regret that.
#4 by Donny on November 18, 2020 - 6:16 pm
Fun update on the MIMP lot: seller quickly cancelled my purchase, claiming to have lost them…
So, I hope that validates your tweak to the auction watch. eBay sucks the fun out of so much more than M.U.S.C.L.E.!
#5 by Walker26 on November 19, 2020 - 10:56 am
Maybe look at bigger toy lines once in a while like GI Joe and Transformers, and see how nutty those auctions can go.
#6 by Chad Perry on November 19, 2020 - 11:33 am
In all seriousness, I don’t understand your point. The listing, as of 10:28am on 11/19, is still active.
As for validating, I don’t need it from anything M.U.S.C.L.E.-related. That would be a very, very sad existence.
And Bill, I’m not looking at other toy lines. There are plenty of, much better, GI Joe and Transformer websites. I’d rather try to be the best M.U.S.C.L.E. website – as sad as that sounds.
#7 by Donny on November 19, 2020 - 1:50 pm
The “validation” was misunderstood sarcasm…
As for the auction, the seller magically found the lot late yesterday and relisted it (for the same price oddly). My point was more that eBay is chock full o’ bullshit.
“Mark it zero, next frame.”
#8 by Chad Perry on November 19, 2020 - 2:05 pm