Do you have any posts on your collection? I like Transformers, but never collected them.
I collect Star Wars stuff as well, which is sometimes harder to find bundles of. But, I do a similar thing, like selling my doubles to put towards completing figures I have.
I will have to get them out of storage - I know I have an incomplete original Trypticon (no battery residue either) which is the prize of my collection at the moment. The original run was much better at the cars than they were good looking robots.
I have been on a Blokees kick lately for newer takes on the G1 characters.
I had an incomplete Metroplex but someone offered me more money for him than he was worth to me to keep so he left.
I am trying to piece together an original US Megatron and then get the other two color variations from Japan.
I know I have a few Go-Bots too, a few knock-offs of course (like the bubble blowers).
I really wanted the Star Wars crossover figures but could never find them at a decent price as scalpers here locally ruined that run. Same thing for teh Delorean and other movie/TV transforming toys.
Thats amazing, I'd be really interested in checking them out if you take them out of storage in the future.
I love seeing peoples collections, and hearing about the details of particular lines.
About 2 weeks ago I bought my son a transformers toy in a collectibles shop, nearly all of them were between €30 - €50, but this particular one was €10 on sale, so I snagged it.
He's only 3, so I didn't want to spend too much on it as it will most likely lose pieces. I find that even Star Wars figures are a bit too pricey to buy for kids, where as when I was a kid they were more afforable.
In general, I think the current pricings are blocking the new generations of fans and collectors from entering these hobbies.
Prices for vintage and new is financially degradingly horrible. The Star Wars figures, and GI Joe of the same scale, are disgustingly high for what fans are getting. In my area, they are $20+ for the original scale size figures, then they have a larger scale, at least for GI Joe, that dwarfs the original for $27 (makes no sense other than gouging fans on those smaller figures).
I have been trying to find the Altered Beast action figure ($10 which is a great price for a basic articulation figure) but he is always sold out and scalpers have him listed at $35+ on local swap websites.
Same for modern Transformers - all plastic but somehow costing MORE than the originals, even when inflation is considered. So sad that so many potential new fans will be left out of this hobby due to price gouging for the sake of "nostalgia".
There is a local mom and pop game used game store that is trying to turn into a culture stop, something like what most Gamestops are now but for older stuff. Last year I brought my Trypticon in and wanted to get an appraisal on it. They said best they could give was $5 in store trade, no cash. I get he is not complete but over the years collectors have offered $80 to $100 for him because he does have some key pieces that are hard to find (though he is missing many others, cheaper to replace, pieces).
I get they need to make money on these things but they had an incomplete Optimus Prime priced at $145. I can only imagine what they paid some poor unsuspecting person trading that in.
This same store has Super Mario Bros 3 on NES, damaged label, priced at $45.
I would hate to look up all the toys I had as a kid growing up. I lived in the aftermarket, yard sale hand me downs - getting a new toy, in box, was rare for me. I was fine with it, I was very much about the quantity angle growing up.
Even there new fans are kind of screwed. Everyone prices yardsales at "eBay prices" some even tape printed screenshots of the asking price on eBay for that item. Not solds that are MUCH lower.
So sad.