Why are some ponies so expensive? Specific examples?

[Khoufu]

I'm honestly curious why some ponies are so expensive, G1 mail-order aside. Sweet Scoops? Mimic? Cutesaurus? G3 Portobella? Etc.
I'm not complaining about price, I'm genuinely curious.

[DappledHazel]

I'd like to know that too. I'm guessing they're not as common as the other ponies. They weren't as popular as the other ponies so not as many are around?

[LadyMoondancer]

Because there are less of them around, and/or because they're very popular. 

A lot of the more expensive ponies are mail orders, which are less numerous than store sold ponies (generally).

[Taffeta]

Mimic is 20 years of collectors overcharging each other for her. I don't know where it began, but she was already going for a silly amount back in the late 90s, so it just formed a habit.

I think it also follows trends and sudden ebay bidding wars and whatever. Supply and demand, mostly. It's when store ponies supersede mail order releases that things get a bit crazy...

Sweet Scoops is mail order so that explains that

I wasn't aware Portobella was that expensive O.o.

The one I don't get is G4 Starswirl. I get that she has limited distribution and I also get that she's pretty. But I don't get why someone was selling her for $200 around Christmas. And I genuinely wonder how long she'll hold the $80 pricetag, too. Is she the G4 Mimic? Answers on a postcard...

[Khoufu]

I wasn't aware Portobella was that expensive O.o.

The one I don't get is G4 Starswirl. I get that she has limited distribution and I also get that she's pretty. But I don't get why someone was selling her for $200 around Christmas. And I genuinely wonder how long she'll hold the $80 pricetag, too. Is she the G4 Mimic? Answers on a postcard...

Thanks for your input. Portobella isn't THAT expensive, but she's still like $30 while most g3s are like $5-10

[Jorgito93]

Mimic is 20 years of collectors overcharging each other for her. I don't know where it began, but she was already going for a silly amount back in the late 90s, so it just formed a habit.

I think it also follows trends and sudden ebay bidding wars and whatever. Supply and demand, mostly. It's when store ponies supersede mail order releases that things get a bit crazy...

Sweet Scoops is mail order so that explains that

I wasn't aware Portobella was that expensive O.o.

The one I don't get is G4 Starswirl. I get that she has limited distribution and I also get that she's pretty. But I don't get why someone was selling her for $200 around Christmas. And I genuinely wonder how long she'll hold the $80 pricetag, too. Is she the G4 Mimic? Answers on a postcard...

Wait what, 200 dollars ? Damn, i should buy all the Star Swirls i see since she isn't that rare here, might make some money to buy other ponies.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

G4 Star Swirl - limited distribution, mostly in Europe/Great Britain

G3 Portobella - TRU exclusive, therefore limited distribution and higher prices at retail

G1 Cuteasaurus and Mimic are fan favorites so they always climbed in price

G1 Sweet Scoops - mail order, self-explanatory

MOST expensive ponies are a mix of fan favorite and mail order ... once you pay $50 for Mimic, you gotta make at least $60 when you sell her, once you pay $60 for Mimic, you gotta make at least $70 when you sell her, once you pay $70 for Mimic....  yeah, see how that happened! 

[Mareacooda]

I feel popular and demand determine prices....  I see times ponies go low and times extreme high... 
Breyer horses did the same pattern some models went high other times same model went cheap.
Look Beanie Babies and other types collection went high other not...

[Mami Tomoe]

its all about popularity thats why the funkos are so expensive

[Ponyfan]

SS Twilight is another popular one but I don't know what her going price is now. When I got back in to ponies I was sad to discover that she was consistently going for high prices (although not as high as Mimic). I wanted to get her because my childhood one had gone missing. I finally found one for a price I could afford.


Ponyfan

[bright rabbit 1]

Talking about expensive ponies, these Build-A-Bear ponies Shining Armour, and Pony. People are selling them at ridiculous prices.

[Taffeta]

G4 Star Swirl - limited distribution, mostly in Europe/Great Britain

I never saw her here. That doesn't necessarily mean she wasn't here, but if she was, her distribution sucked.
Mine came from a day trip to Lille, where I found her by complete coincidence in Galeries LaFayette. I almost didn't buy her, as I already had Rarity, but she was so pretty :/ Never imagined she was going to go like this O.O.

Jorgito, you definitely should start hoarding her. Although I think she's more usually around $80, it's still ridiculous for a pony that was out only a few years ago.

If Portobella came in the release I think she did, she wasn't any kind of exclusive here store-wise. I mean, I had three of them MIB at one point and had trouble trading them off...
With Lickity Split, right?

[Zapper]

Afaik, G4 Star Swirl came in a playset as a secondary pony. I think it was Rarity's carriage. And for some reason not all countries got the same secondary pony in the set.

I have her and thanks to this thread I'm excited  I think Bronies also add to the popularity because they only buy G4. All first year Playful Ponies can go for crazy prices when the right people bid on them. I sold my FS Applejack for a crazy 60€ back in the day because a specific guy in Poland really wanted her.

[Taffeta]

Yes she did come with that carriage and I only saw the carriage here without her. I genuinely think of her as continental...

[Skylar]

its all about popularity thats why the funkos are so expensive

I wouldn't say that. I have had a bunch of Funkos on my sales page for pretty cheap forever and no one will even look at them!