TK-7785
Jedi Master
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2017
- Messages
- 942
This one bounces around my noggin every once in a while and after watching yesterday's auction at Aston's I thought I'd throw it out there for discussion.
There seems to often be a disparity between the relative rarity and the prices attained or expected of comparable items in this hobby. Everyone knows about old Yak Face and how for many years he was on a pedestal as "the rarest" loose figure. Probably something that has an element of truth when you look at the American market. As they never officially got him at retail it could be argued he is a more illusive figure over there. Certainly not nearly as likely to find him in an childhood collection as you are here. And that's the thing, he's not really that rare here, yet he's still often perceived as the pinnacle of a complete loose collection. Personally I've found it harder to come across a mint EV-9D9 than a mint Yak Face. Or even an Imperial Dignitary with no nose rub.
Then we have accessories. The infamous black palace plasters I have found to be easier to acquire than a true black Han Endor blaster. In this instance the opposite of the USA Yak Face situation could be said of the Han Endor pistol. In the US Kenner release Han had the black smugglers blaster, where as is seems the vast majority if not all Euro trilogo released Han Endors had the earlier blue black blaster. Perhaps explaining why the black smugglers blaster is so much less common over here. However, we also got many Kenner carded ROTJ figures here too, so who knows. Then again he was the only figure released with that accessory. Even so, rarely do I see for sale posts touting the true solid black smuggler blaster for sale. It's usually just chance or luck that one comes in a lot or with a loose figure.
I'm sure there are plenty of other examples of certain items being chased somewhat disproportionately to their rarity?
There seems to often be a disparity between the relative rarity and the prices attained or expected of comparable items in this hobby. Everyone knows about old Yak Face and how for many years he was on a pedestal as "the rarest" loose figure. Probably something that has an element of truth when you look at the American market. As they never officially got him at retail it could be argued he is a more illusive figure over there. Certainly not nearly as likely to find him in an childhood collection as you are here. And that's the thing, he's not really that rare here, yet he's still often perceived as the pinnacle of a complete loose collection. Personally I've found it harder to come across a mint EV-9D9 than a mint Yak Face. Or even an Imperial Dignitary with no nose rub.
Then we have accessories. The infamous black palace plasters I have found to be easier to acquire than a true black Han Endor blaster. In this instance the opposite of the USA Yak Face situation could be said of the Han Endor pistol. In the US Kenner release Han had the black smugglers blaster, where as is seems the vast majority if not all Euro trilogo released Han Endors had the earlier blue black blaster. Perhaps explaining why the black smugglers blaster is so much less common over here. However, we also got many Kenner carded ROTJ figures here too, so who knows. Then again he was the only figure released with that accessory. Even so, rarely do I see for sale posts touting the true solid black smuggler blaster for sale. It's usually just chance or luck that one comes in a lot or with a loose figure.
I'm sure there are plenty of other examples of certain items being chased somewhat disproportionately to their rarity?