Set loose from an AFA tomb

theforceuk said:

I have to say I buy graded and ungraded and more of my ungraded MOC have been damaged than the graded ones.

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I'm sure that's quite true, as MOCs can't suffer a number of different accidents if they're sealed rather than not. I'm just having a gentle joke above, as transparently the one thing a graded MOC can't have is the blister being supported, and hence sadly being graded cannot always guarantee a MOC holding its value in cases like the poor Yak Face pictured. AFA cases offer excellent protection in most respects, but sadly not in that particular one, and if the figure punches through the blister or if the entire bubble comes free because adequate support could not be provided during transit (which is of course where most damage of this kind is likely to occur), then it makes a mockery of the rest of the protection the AFA cases offer :-(

Snaketibe said:

theforceuk said:

I have to say I buy graded and ungraded and more of my ungraded MOC have been damaged than the graded ones.

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I'm sure that's quite true, as MOCs can't suffer a number of different accidents if they're sealed rather than not. I'm just having a gentle joke above, as transparently the one thing a graded MOC can't have is the blister being supported, and hence sadly being graded cannot always guarantee a MOC holding its value in cases like the poor Yak Face pictured. AFA cases offer excellent protection in most respects, but sadly not in that particular one, and if the figure punches through the blister or if the entire bubble comes free because adequate support could not be provided during transit (which is of course where most damage of this kind is likely to occur), then it makes a mockery of the rest of the protection the AFA cases offer :-(

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I have got a graded figure in transit to me I hope it doesn't do a Superman like that Yak did, if it does I will join the anti grading protestors!

Wreck-It Ralph said:

I don't collect any of that Toy Toni stuff so it doesn't affect me.

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I think the point he was making was just because something is graded, it doesn't mean it's going to be legit. AFA have made many mistakes not just with the Toy Toni scandal but also with other fakes, reseals etc

I personally don't see any value that grading adds to a piece other than providing a display case which, I think we all agree, offers very little protection to the bubble - hence why people are happy to break them out and use a GW alternative.

When I was buying Star Wars MOC everything was pregraded which became the norm for me. That all changed once I moved onto ESB where most of the stuff I have bought ungraded and got it graded afterwards. I understand in many instances a Star case would probably offer more protection than a graded case but I have really got into displaying my collection so I like a high level of uniformity meaning everything has to be graded to maximise the display. I don't risk sending stuff to the states like some collectors as I see it as an unnecessary risk so I grade my stuff in the UK. If it is something really rare I same day grade it so there are no couriers involved reducing the risk even further.

I am not sure if professional restoration has crept into Star Wars yet like it did years ago with comics. Comic graders actively look for any kind of restoration and unlike Action Figure Graders restoration is allowed it is just graded as restored copy. If Action Figure Graders looked out for any kind of restoration which could include Ink Touch Ups, Re-attaching of bubbles and graded them as restored then maybe they would not let themselves so wide open to manipulation.

Wreck-It Ralph said:

I don't collect any of that Toy Toni stuff so it doesn't affect me.

What I find most bizarre about grading are the collectors that buy graded items only to crack them out. Surely by buying a graded item you are supporting the industry you allegedly hate. What I find even more absurd are collectors who buy graded crack them out and then expect to sell them later for the graded price. Whether people like it or not a professionaly graded item is worth more than an ungraded item, if you want to retain its value then keep it in its Acrylic Tomb!

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I will only buy graded if I don't really have the choice as in they do not come up too often in any condition. If I have the choice then I will always go for ungraded.

And by the way Toy Toni's have been known to be graded by AFA so not really a guarantee that you do not have one already.

I only collect Palitoy Logo'd MOC 12-45A, I didn't think TT did any of those card types.

Wreck-It Ralph said:

I only collect Palitoy Logo'd MOC 12-45A, I didn't think TT did any of those card types.

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I did not know that you only collect the Palitoy logo MOC's and in that case then you've nothing to worry about.