I thought the results from the previous Auction Watch would be interesting. Frankly, they are a little underwhelming.
The Red #153 seller’s $0.99 opening bid certainly paid off. There were 19 bids and 10 different bidders. I expected the price to go higher than $26 and it did. The final price was $56.99. That makes the $83, in a lot of 92 other figures, from a few months ago look like a steal. Only three years ago that figure would have been unsold for $34.30. But that’s the #153 figure. Expect the unexpected.
I said I wouldn’t be surprised if the Super Rare Can sold for more than $100. It didn’t even get to $100. If I look at it another way, then it almost sold for three times its original price. Maybe that suggests some people love it as much as me? Maybe? If I didn’t have any of the figures featured in the previous Auction Watch, then this is the one I would have spent the most money on.
I also said 68style is the kind of M.U.S.C.L.E. seller we need to support and continue to encourage. Collectors did.
The same three or four people ended up in most of the top three bidders for these figures. To me, that suggests new collectors wanting to become Master Set Fools. I have been on that same silly journey for nearly 20 years and have only three figures to go. This quixotic task does not prove your M.U.S.C.L.E. fandom or commitment. I couldn’t suggest any more strongly to skip it. But anybody willing to start probably isn’t willing to accept my advice. So it goes.
Looking through eBay I feel the divergence between greedy sellers (with outrageous prices) and M.U.S.C.L.E. fans (starting their listings at $0.99) is growing significantly. It feels like listings are only one or the other. I hope the trend continues.
Unfortunately, none of the over-priced shit or $0.99 listings spoke to me this week. I wanted to list figures like this and see what the results would be from a $0.99 starting bid, but I hate eBay. I couldn’t muster the motivation.
Instead I did about the dumbest thing possible. I went looking for hidden gems on eBay. To me, hidden gems are the M.U.S.C.L.E. figures that show up unlisted in other lots. My successes have been far and few between, but enough to keep trying every now and then. I shouldn’t have tried this time.
I wasted way too much time scouring those old searches. WAY too much time. I did find a listing with a Star Wars figure I’ll keep an eye on, but I only found one miscellaneous lot that had M.U.S.C.L.E. figures: Lot of Toys Some Vintage Toy Box Clean Up Air Raiders, Chipmunks, Thunder Cats.
And it had three regular Color figures.
So much time was wasted on this stupid task. What was my original purpose? I lost sight of whatever original concept I had when I started. It was 100% lost to the process. Instead it became a manic search for a single hidden M.U.S.C.L.E. figure. Success?
My pessimistic takeaway is that many of the odd lots I saw seem to be toys from Dr. M.U.S.C.L.E.’s childhood (who is currently 13). And Google has made just about everything easily identifiable. There aren’t too many gems left to find.
My optimistic takeaway is that gems can still be found. With enough patience and dedication you could probably, eventually, score a nice little find. My body no longer contains the sufficient levels of patience and dedication, but maybe somebody out there has it.
#1 by Brian DeMars on April 14, 2021 - 12:52 pm
Say what you will about Mr. ARForbes, but the man is an unmitigated genius when it comes to finding rare figures in obscure lots. Some of the greatest finds in muscle history are thanks to his diligence scouring every nook and corner of ebay. Lots of work, but when it pays off, it REALLY pays off!
#2 by Chad Perry on April 14, 2021 - 1:55 pm
Being a fan of Alex makes total sense for you Brian. Total sense.
#3 by Brian DeMars on April 14, 2021 - 5:05 pm
I’ll take the lack of substance in your reply as reluctant agreement that arforbes has great skill in sniffing out hidden gems. I know you don’t like the guy, but I also don’t believe bias has a place in a university.
#4 by Chad Perry on April 15, 2021 - 10:37 am
Oh, my goodness. Do you think this is a real school? You’re worried about the academic rigor of the “university?” It’s not. You might be the first person to be so confused by the theming of the website.
With that said, for it to actually be bias it would have to be untrue. I dislike you, Brian, and Alex because you both scammed other M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors which is true.
An example of bias would be disliking you because I think people named Brian are not very smart. While you have provided data that you are not very smart, I don’t have it for all people named Brian. That would be an example of bias.
If we’re going to be academically rigorous, then I’m more concerned with your Irrelevant Conclusion (a basic logical fallacy). You have taken a secondary premise (which is related and true) and used it to validate your conclusion. Because you’ve accepted all of your information you believe your conclusion. The only problem is that wasn’t the point of the Auction Watch.
Of course, all of that is meaningless when you accept the truth. I like the truth. Alex found awesome stuff. Alex scammed collectors. You scammed collectors. All true.
If we want to talk about things lacking substance, then how about your email efforts? Remember this:
Where is all that substantive data? You got real quiet.
#5 by Brian DeMars on April 15, 2021 - 11:08 am
Wow, there are some serious leaps in your logic there. The data in the original post tells an interesting story: you’re discouraging collectors from spending time looking for hidden gems. Alex has found countless hidden gems by using non-traditional searches. If you love the muscle community, why would you not advocate that as many people as possible cover as much ground as possible so that new super rares and undiscovered colors are found? The only possible conclusion a highly intelligent person like myself can arrive at: the dean of this university is desperate to get those last 3 color figs, and the best chances for that to happen is if you throw other collectors off the trail. Well my friend, we’re too smart for that and rest assured we will be combing every possible avenue, and our FB group will continue to grow the community through teamwork and positive collaboration.
#6 by Chad Perry on April 15, 2021 - 11:55 am
What are you talking about? Your response feels like you read something else entirely. First, no response to your lack of substance? It’s probably easier for you to keep ignoring that truth.
But, as I’ve said ad nauseam, I like the truth. It’s objective. It uses data. You can document it. And you can’t run from it. For example:
Here’s an example of the truth. You are trying to charge a guy $15 for a Flesh #195.
Now that we’re level set on the meaning of truth, let’s walk through your previous post.
Where? Show me the passage. Show me the sentence.
I said I wouldn’t encourage collectors to become Master Set Fools. I’ve said it many times on this website. I have also said why I wouldn’t suggest it.
I also said I don’t want to go through all those searches anymore. But since 2010 I have shared all of those “hidden gem” searches, because I hoped someone else would be successful.
How do you know? Seriously, how do you know? I don’t know anything about what Alex really did because he never shared any information. He certainly never shared it with me. Maybe you guys had scammer-mutual-respect brainstorming session? Did he share it then?
In fact, you were so distrustful of Alex you didn’t believe the Red #131 and #135 existed. But I don’t want to do that speech again.
Again, where did I say this?
My love for M.U.S.C.L.E. has helped everybody discover new M.U.S.C.L.E. items and information, but nobody wants to read that resume.
I’m not a dean. There is no dean. It’s me – Chad Perry. That is who is looking for the last three figures. And I’m not looking for the best chance to add those figures. If that were true, then I would have spent any amount of money to win this figure because that would be the best chance.
I didn’t bid. I’m not rewriting my collection philosophy. You can find it all over this website.
Are you speaking for everyone? Ok, weird.
Good. I’m glad people will be searching. I’m glad people will be working together. I hope everybody has tremendous success. Was I supposed to be against that?