Thrift shopped out and discouraged

[daystar217]

Wow, so many responses!
Thanks for the encouragement. After reading how hard it is for some of you to even find G3's, I went back the next day and picked up the four bags of G3's for $16.
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i do see G3s a lot but buying them made me fall for the dang things, so proceed with caution. You may end up wanting to keep them. 

I can see that happening! I bought them for trading, but now I'm thinking I might want them for my kids. I don't know which G3's are rare but these look pretty common. I found another one at a different junk shop today (We're getting a new roof on our house and I had to get the kids out of the noisy work zone for the past few days.) She was only $.50.
So I spent my pony budget for the month, but I'm excited that there are people in the arena with G1's to sell or trade! Maybe next month?

[josiekat]

That's a nice set of G3's! I love that blue baby one! And I agree. Once they are in hand, you may end up starting a G3 collection!

[EnaRocketQueen]

Those G3s look so nice- if they'd have been in a shop near me I'd have pounced on them! 

[gullideth]

I got discouraged same as you, I hunted every thrift and flea only to find no G1 ponies.  The other 80's toys I pick up if they are collectable and sell them online to buy ponies online.  It really does work out if  you know what to pick.

Regardless, don't give up!  I found some very rare petites at a yard sale once and my grandma scored a mimic at a yard sale for 2.00.  Yard sales are really the best, fleas second best, then thrift shops.

[reanna-mator]

Glad you went for the G3s. They do look very nice. Don't give up, when I got frustrated with the shop nearest me, I often found that I had good luck right when I was thinking of giving up for a while.

[Eternia]

I have only found one G1 in a thrift store in my entire life. one.

[nemubones]

It has been scarce to find them in thrift shops but they do show up. I have better luck at flea markets and antique shops nowadays but even then its still the luck of the day.

[Terra]

I've had good luck at flea markets, but not so much thrift stores.

NOW.... There was one thrift store that was a pretty good resource for them near my old home. Usually beat up g1s, but I'd buy them none the less!  Later on I kind of connected the dots, and realized they were probably being stocked by a fellow that ran this awesome vintage toy trading store in the area. That is, that he would donate the baits he got in pony lots to savers in exchange for store credit. 

SO that was sort of an unusual circumstance (I miss that store dearly!). Like others have said, we've kind of gone past the stage where kids from the 80's are unloading their old toys at the good will. Its still possible though! But you may have better luck at flea markets, because there are people that make their livelihood picking up old stuff from thrift stores and estate sales and reselling it.   That's going to vary a lot by location of course!

[scarletjul]

I actually haven't been at a thrift store in about 6 weeks (I've been too busy.)  However...

In general, I find g1s about once every 4 or so months.  They just aren't that common.  Strangely, g3s are becoming less common, as well (and when I do find them, they're always Core 7.)  I run into g4s way more often than any other era of pony.  Lots of Pinkie Pies. 

I think this comes down to a few things.  One is that people gave up their ponies awhile ago.  Two is that people are more savvy.  Either they know to sell their ponies on eBay, etc or some reseller is going to the thrift stores and *they* know to see ponies on eBay, etc (I see those people fairly often.)  Three is just luck.  Either you got there at just the right time or you didn't.  I've been to the store enough times to find the accessories but not the ponies.

As for g3s, I know there's members here who collect them.    Looks like you found some pretty ones, anyhow.

[Epona]

That's a nice lot of G3`s. I`d be thrilled to find that many. Especially Non-core 7.

[Lucky_Ladybug]

That's great that the G3s were still there for you to get! What a nice lot! They all look in such good condition. That would totally thrill me; I've only seen very dirty Ponies at the local antique store and I just couldn't deal with that. (I'm not one of the enthusiastic Pony cleaners here.)

[lovesbabysquirmy]

That is a great lot of G3's!

[Sunset]

I saw a g1 for the first time in a long time at my local flea market.  Sadly, I left her behind.  It was a baby Surprise in the worst condition I've ever seen.  Absolutely covered in rust stains with a ragged neck seam and cut hair.  I suppose I could of customized her but I have too many other projects right now.

[SilverHealer]

In my years of searching, I've only ever found a regrind-plagued Majesty and maybe two G3s.

I have a friend who manages to find a bunch of G1s downtown, though.

[ghouldilocks]

Wow, so many responses!
Thanks for the encouragement. After reading how hard it is for some of you to even find G3's, I went back the next day and picked up the four bags of G3's for $16.
visitors can't see pics , please register or login

i do see G3s a lot but buying them made me fall for the dang things, so proceed with caution. You may end up wanting to keep them. 

I can see that happening! I bought them for trading, but now I'm thinking I might want them for my kids. I don't know which G3's are rare but these look pretty common. I found another one at a different junk shop today (We're getting a new roof on our house and I had to get the kids out of the noisy work zone for the past few days.) She was only $.50.
So I spent my pony budget for the month, but I'm excited that there are people in the arena with G1's to sell or trade! Maybe next month?

That is MUCH better luck than I have ever had at a thrift shops! I usually only ever find fakies, McDonald's ponies, or the occasional G4/EqG. I sometimes get lucky at antique malls or flea markets, though more often than not, they're overpriced. It's pretty rare when I come across a really good lot of G1 in the wild that's priced secondhand instead of being priced like a collector or with wishful thinking, lol

I'm of the mind, though, that when I find ponies in the wild, I never leave them behind unless the price is just really over the top and I can't justify it, or if they're a common G4/McDonald's ponies.