Grand Champions Experts! i'm curious

[babylicketysplit]

   

Okay so i casually collect Grand champions horses, i have my entire childhood collection still minus 3 or 4 that got lost in a move as a kid.   i am sentimental about them, and also rescued a big trunk of them a few years back from being burned by my aunts neighbor in a trash barrel! 

So i got nipped by the bug again (darn you childhood nostalgia!)
     and so i just started browsing ebay to see if maybe any job or bait lots for cleanup were around.  they used to be pretty easy to come by.   and my jaw about hit the floor seeing some of the high prices a lot of the auctions were bringing.   

Grand Champions expert collectors please may i get some education on why and which horses are considered so valuable.    I want to know so just in case i dont customize or try to rehair any that might be considered sacrilege  .   and also if i see any at the thrift store or flea market which to keep a general eye out for to not leave behind. 

i can post pics of my collection later     i would love to see others too! 


recent auctions that blew my mind:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-GRAND-CHAMPION-HORSES-Bridles-Figures-Lot-Mare-Stallion-Foals-1996-/321377794254?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad39bf8ce&nma=true&si=2FlJxsUBtNsZzn2EQ%252FOVv1n8FCA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grand-Champion-Feed-Nnuzzle-Mare-N-Foal-/221398157993?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item338c5bcaa9&nma=true&si=2FlJxsUBtNsZzn2EQ%252FOVv1n8FCA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Feed-N-Nuzzle-Grand-Champions-Model-horse-Paint-Stallion-Camouflage-1997-Card-/181360830034?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a39f2a652&nma=true&si=2FlJxsUBtNsZzn2EQ%252FOVv1n8FCA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Greased-Lightning-Grand-Champions-Sorrel-Quarterhorse-colt-Excellent-condition-/221409855975?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338d0e49e7&nma=true&si=2FlJxsUBtNsZzn2EQ%252FOVv1n8FCA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


there is also a live auction i wont post links to thats on ebay right now that is at the 400 mark for TWO.     im just baffled.  GC horses used to be a cheap guilty pleasure for me lol, and to see them surpassing the prices of breyers is crazy.

[kaoskat]

Yikes! I had no idea they were so valuable!

[babylicketysplit]

ive been looking for this particular accessory for forever!  and this buckskin jumping horse.  they tease with the site still running LOL. 
http://www.grand-champions.com/50074.jpg
http://www.grand-champions.com/53451.jpg

If anyone wants to trade or sell let me know!    i dont think they ever got released in the states. 

[LunaDehligt]

I think i have a Grand Champion and i love it ^^

[NovelNerd]

I have a late old trunk full of GC (although I sold the nicer ones years ago). To my knowledge those should not be bringing those prices! The ones that are pretty expensive are the larger special edition ones that are very detailed.

Lol I should pull out my trunk this summer and try to sell my only ones again.

[Eternia]

Wow I sold mine too soon!

[Thunderwing]

Something strikes me as odd about those listings. It is like they were listed by the same person. They are on separate accounts, but the style is very similar. I wouldn't be surprised if it is just 'bidding up the price' type of thing. That was happening in the SSC circle for awhile. Somebody would bid the price up to a crazy amount, and then not pay, basically to bump up the average selling price. My theory is that they had some of their own to sell, and wanted the ebay prices crazy-high so they could say 'this set sells for $200 on ebay, I'm only asking $100!'

[melodys_angel]

...

And here ours were going to be thrown out!

I have no idea which one we have other then some make galloping noises o.o

[babylicketysplit]

melodys_angel, there are a few that make sounds i think.  i know the real huge ones are the action and sound stallios (i have the buckskin and the bay ones    
But there was also a line of classic sound stallions before them.

from what i have gathered the ones that seem to be sought after from what ive just noticed over the years (basic knowledge here experts feel free to correct!)  But the last type of action stallions with the full articulation seem extremely hard to find.  i have no clue on prices but i know i never see them for sale other than the one going for a pretty penny at the moment on ebay.   the ones with really unique shading and seldom used moulds toward the end of line also seem near impossible to spot around (at least for me).  and the jumping action stalions on the hedge stands seem unique and hard to locate as well.  I have the bay with the white socks jumper. 

EDIT:  Here are some of my GC horses 
https://picasaweb.google.com/116832912685484526024/GrandChampions

[TWILIGHTCOOKIE]

I used to have tons of Grand Champions back in the day. The only one I have left is one of the giant(traditional Breyer sized) chestnut reining horse that I believe is part of the collectors line they launched. I have never seen one like him for sale so he must be rare or htf.

[TexasGal]

Ok, I can step in here and actually say I know a thing of two about this! 

First off, I have collected GCs longer than I have MLPs, so here is a brief history, which will help explain the super high prices. 

The line started to falter back in 2003-ish, and the original company was sold off to a new company that kept some of the old molds, but started bringing in new ones.  Great idea, but it was awful in execution.  The poses were whonky, they reused the same horses from previous years, and it wasn't even the good ones!  it was a downhill slide into failure of the company.  Now, you can no longer buy brand new GCs, as they are no longer in production.  The company even had some employees that reached out to collectors and sold off prototypes and a bunch of old stock. 

Fast forward to today.  Prices back in the early 2000s were great, and reasonable.  Nowadays, there is a new crop of youngsters that are our version of "bronies" (please don't take offense, it's the only thing I can compare/relate them to) that are popping up and over pricing things WAY too much.  I all but stopped collecting GCs for almost 8 years due to that fact, plus, the drama that circulates WIDELY among the collectors.  Seriously...we have some big drama llamas in there.  BUT, do not be put off by that.  There are some awesome gals in the groups, and if you want, you can friend me on FB and I can introduce you to the GC groups and better experts than I, as well as some great customizers and people that are friendly.

The price hike has to do with there being fewer and fewr to go around, plus the nuttiness of the new collectors driving the prices up insanely high.  The horses aren't honestly worth that much, and you can still come across them often enough that it's not worth as much as they are garnering.  If they are being sold by one seller, *goes to look* it generally is by a certain girl who actually hunts them down and tries to resell them to add to her income.  It can be a good second income, if you play it right.  I just lost out on a big auction that I wanted badly, all because I couldn't afford $150 on three horses.  I could cry, as they were my super grails, but I can't see paying that much, when I have a community that i can pester and hope to find them through later. 

So, be grateful, pony community, that you have ponies still in production, and that g1s are still fairly easy to come by.  GCs are not, and it's a huge part of my childhood that I wish was still around.  I still would love to purchase from y'all, BTW, if anyone has any, LOL!  Just don't beg for $100 per horse!  I can't quite do that, LOL! 

Post Merge: May 05, 2014, 07:44:10 PM

I used to have tons of Grand Champions back in the day. The only one I have left is one of the giant(traditional Breyer sized) chestnut reining horse that I believe is part of the collectors line they launched. I have never seen one like him for sale so he must be rare or htf.

I would love to see a picture of him, if you have it! I can identify him for you, if you would like, or at least attempt to do so.  =]

Post Merge: May 05, 2014, 07:46:29 PM

melodys_angel, there are a few that make sounds i think.  i know the real huge ones are the action and sound stallios (i have the buckskin and the bay ones    
But there was also a line of classic sound stallions before them.

from what i have gathered the ones that seem to be sought after from what ive just noticed over the years (basic knowledge here experts feel free to correct!)  But the last type of action stallions with the full articulation seem extremely hard to find.  i have no clue on prices but i know i never see them for sale other than the one going for a pretty penny at the moment on ebay.   the ones with really unique shading and seldom used moulds toward the end of line also seem near impossible to spot around (at least for me).  and the jumping action stalions on the hedge stands seem unique and hard to locate as well.  I have the bay with the white socks jumper. 

EDIT:  Here are some of my GC horses 
https://picasaweb.google.com/116832912685484526024/GrandChampions

Ok girl, first off, DO NOT sell off the rearing or the sliding stop stallions.  Those are your real big ticket items there.  But if you do, let me know first, as I have hunted for them for years, LOL!  You have a great collection there!  A good variety and beautiful condition, as if they had been very well loved ;] 

[Rhini]

Ohh I had these two when I was younger, still some of my favs  I find them a lottt at goodwill, I guess I should start picking them up!

My friend had the gray mare and baby, I was always super jealous of them, I used to bring over my chestnut and make them a family 

Also those auctions are hilarious examples of shill bidding if I ever did see it.

[TexasGal]

You know what the sad part is, it's not always shill bidding...that's really what they are going for, and it's ridiculous!

[TWILIGHTCOOKIE]

@Texasgal..I will make a OT pos t for my chestnut Grand Champion when I find him in my totes sometime over the next few weeks.

[melodys_angel]

Maybe I should dig them out and take pictures.

I doubt what I have is rare by any means (and they were hand me downs so not perfect in condition I don't think!) but if I do have something someone else is after...