The MLP Arena

Pony Talk => Pony Corral => Topic started by: Marshie on September 03, 2020, 02:20:53 PM

Title: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Marshie on September 03, 2020, 02:20:53 PM

Do the pony collectors here have more luck finding ponies in the wild at thrift shops, garage sales, or flea markets? I'm trying to make a game plan for this weekend when I plan to search all stores and garage sales I can for some G1 ponies! Was just curious where you all have more luck finding some ponies?

Cheers! :frolic:

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on September 03, 2020, 02:33:32 PM

Thrift stores 100%. If you can find a store like Savers or 2nd Avenue where donations are not local, but are shipped from various places, that's your best bet. Goodwill tends to be entirely miss for me. Garage sales are an entire miss as well, they're very reliant on the demographics of the area. Flea markets sometimes, not as often as thrifts.
For specifically G1 ponies, you might get some misses. Might be worth picking up G3 and G4 to sell/trade online though, I pick up all ponies even if doubles to fund the harder to find acquisitions.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: SpacePinto on September 03, 2020, 02:34:29 PM

I only buy my ponies on eBay.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: SunPony on September 03, 2020, 02:54:17 PM

I've had the most luck at flea markets, followed by thrift shops, then garage sales.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on September 03, 2020, 02:57:35 PM

Quote from: SpacePinto on September 03, 2020, 02:34:29 PM

I only buy my ponies on eBay.

Oh yeah, on this note, eBay lots are excellent for acquiring ponies for a discounted price if you don't mind putting some work into them. A lot of my G1 were acquired from vicious G1 lot buying when I got my debit card. Always an option if you don't find anything good!

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: banditpony on September 03, 2020, 03:39:06 PM

It kind of depends on each area, I bet.

On a holiday weekend -- flea market -- no doubt in my mind. It's best to be early, because there is always someone else hunting (including vendors).

But I'll say in my area (within 50 miles), the flea market always yielded more finds then the thrift stores... and the best finds...

Small note about goodwill.. in our area it's only the goodwill outlets that had vintage ponies. There was an area in the back where the workers would dump plastic toys, and people would be grabbing them, putting them in their carts... then you'd pay for toys by the pound.. (so a pony could come up to be a quarter). It was too competitive for me, lol.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Leave a Whisper on September 03, 2020, 04:45:31 PM

Swapmeet. But namely with G3. I still find them now and again.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Ponyfan on September 03, 2020, 06:11:11 PM

G1 pony luck is terrible where I live.  I’ve found one pony at a garage sale over 10 years ago and a few overpriced ponies at antique stores.  I have bad luck at thrift stores too. 

One time at Savers (potentially yucky thing in spoiler relating to bugs)

Spoiler

I found a bag of Beanie Babies. One of them was a Beanie Baby that I really wanted when it came out but it was hard to find and a lot of people wanted outrageous prices for it.  Inside the sealed bag with the toys was a dead bug.

Ponyfan

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Sunset on September 03, 2020, 08:14:01 PM

My best luck is usually at flea markets.  There are still a lot of misses but flea markets give the most bang for your time.  *edit to clarify that the kind of flea markets I’m talking about are the kind that pop up only on the weekend or once month and tend to be outdoors.  Not the kind that are permanent and indoors.  I’ve only had luck with one of those just the once. (And that was the kind of store that looked like it was owned by a hoarder and I had to dig for the ponies in a back corner and hope that nothing fell on me while I did it.)

Unfortunately, none of the thrift stores in my area are the kind that sell much in the way of toys.

Garage sales are almost always too much work.  Having to look them up, plan out a route, drive all over, only to come up empty handed.  Now I only do garage sales when I see a listing that either specifies My Little Pony or there are pictures that look promising.  I did one time get up early and go to a a garage sale that advertised loads of (G4) mlp and even though I got there at the start time I still didn’t beat a couple of ladies who I absolutely know run a booth at my local flea market.  But it was all good, they went for the larger toys like the talking ponies and the fashion styles.  I got my pick of the brushables.  In a way, it’s kind of reassuring.  Their prices aren’t unreasonable and they do all the work of driving all over town.

I would also advise checking your area’s Craigslist regularly.  The older crowd may be more comfortable with it and I have twice come home with two large hauls from people selling off their adult children’s collections.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Marshie on September 03, 2020, 09:15:49 PM

We have a antique store in the area I love going to, I may try that one out tomorrow before I go into work. Thanks everyone for the input and I hope you all have good finds in the future!!

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Eighties_Otaku on September 03, 2020, 10:25:49 PM

I used to find lots at garage sales like 15/20 years ago now it's basically nothing. It does depend on the area and who lived in the house/still lives there.

I use to find a ton at thrift stores again 15/2o years ago. I still find some, but not as much. Lately more so because of competition of non-collectors and covid really messed up the inventory with lower hours, weird stock levels, weird stocking time sand very picky inventory.

There aren't really fleamarkets here. I used to find some on and off but thrift stores top it all.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Harmonie on September 03, 2020, 10:57:09 PM

I've run into more MLPs at local vintage/antique shops. Even there, they're still rare, in my experience. A local one has had a booth with G1s for a couple of years now. One in my college town had a bag of G3s. Other than that, pretty much nothing. A heavily played with G4 with marks and a hair cut was all I've seen at a garage sale, and flea markets I've rarely been to but think I only saw a G3.5 toy there and it wasn't one of the brushables (although I know nothing about G3.5, TBH).

This makes me miss going out to these. My mom and I used to love that, but the virus has made that unsafe. =(

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Taffeta on September 04, 2020, 12:46:55 AM

I don't think I've ever been to a garage sale, not really a big thing where I grew up.

When I started recollecting in 1995 the best place was carboot sales.

Second hand or charity shops rarely yield anything pony for me, esp G1. It's occasional but not regular.

I probably acquired over a thousand ponies from carbooting, for my own collection and to trade. It may be more. I think my sister and I gutted out this local area quite well because there was only one other collector here back then and she sold her collection - about 2/3 of that we obtained and kept or traded (she had 600 ponies and a ton of accessories, so that was a big deal).

...Now the best place for G1 is the toy fair, when it runs, which this year it hasn't since February. There is an increasing G1 presence at that, and I have bought a couple of MOC sea ponies there as well.

The carboot sale overall still has the highest return but most of that was in the past. I did pick up some good G1 ponies at the one down in the south east though. I miss living there so much and hope to go back when all the covid madness is done.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: LadyAmalthea on September 04, 2020, 08:23:15 AM

I've only gotten them on Ebay so far. I never found anything locally in our charity shop prior to everything shutting down last spring. I had a day planned today to go to a town about 20 minutes away from my son's school while he was in class, since he only has 1/2 days on Fridays, where there are lots of antique/flea market-type shops that I  thought we could go pony-hunting in. I got my girls all packed up to make it a day trip, and then after dropping my son off I lost my nerve and came home. Now I'm kicking myself because it's a beautiful day, and we should have gone.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Shy Violet on September 04, 2020, 09:28:47 AM

I used to find tons of G1's at garage sales 10-15 years ago, now nothing.

My all year round flea market had a vendor with a toy booth until last Spring. He had been there at least 20 years and now his booth is gone, I hope he just retired. He always, always had G1's plus tons of other 80's toys but he had them priced expensively. So I'd go look every 6 months or so and buy a couple more rare ones but otherwise I prefer to spend less on my ponies.

Thrift stores have been good to me. Most of the time I find nothing but I always checked once a week pre-covid and once in a while I'd find some.

I've checked some antique shops and only 1 had some ponies. I bought what I didn't have and the rest sold and they haven't gotten more since.

It's going to be different in every area so I suggest you check regularly and get a feel for your area.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: starbritesprinkles on September 04, 2020, 03:21:26 PM

In recent years, I've had the best luck with Facebook Marketplace, just picked up a little lot the other day. I used to have good luck at the two local flea markets on Sunday. We'd go every week, but it's harder to do that alone with two small kids since my husband changed shifts. I don't check the thrift stores regularly, so I may miss out sometimes, and the Goodwill Outlet is... it's something. Garage/yard sales are too much hassle to me to look up or drive around looking for, get kids in and out of car seats, etc. I am anti-community yard sales since 10 years ago when some old fart backed his truck up over the hood of our car while I was still in it with one leg out the door. I only go if I see ponies in pics online.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: SilverLinedStars on September 04, 2020, 03:23:10 PM

Lately, I have seen maybe one or two G1 ponies at antique malls. And before that, I hadn't really seen G1's at flea markets or thrift shops since 2003-ish. Granted, I did not spend a lot of time looking but I think after that point many G1's already got bought up by collectors or got tossed out as junk. Most of my G1's were either from ebay or close friends who also had ponies growing up. I inherited a few small collections that way! There's a vintage toy shop about an hour away that I'd like to visit. They carry all kinds of neat stuff and I often wonder if they ever get anything G1 MLP.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Safflower on September 04, 2020, 04:11:33 PM

Let's see... I think the winner for amount of G1s goes to Goodwill just because of a lot with about 12 ponies. I've had far more separate scores at antique malls though. Craigslist seems to be the best for local lots too.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Loa on September 04, 2020, 04:53:21 PM

Yes and no. I used to, but I only find G3 & G4 these days.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: goddessofpeep on September 04, 2020, 11:48:41 PM

Flea markets and antique stores mostly.  I have found the odd garage sale pony though. Flea markets are generally my most reliable source though.  I live near “The Largest Flea Market in the World”, and I usually find something when I go. 

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Mana Minori on September 05, 2020, 09:03:21 AM

I have more fortunate finds at thrift stores. I rarely go anywhere else.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: glitterball on September 05, 2020, 09:35:42 AM

Most G1 pony purchases that I make are via ebay.

I always have a quick hunt in charity shops when I get the chance, I have the odd bit of luck now and then, most recently after lockdown was first eased and I found a glow n show pony wearing Tex's hat!

I kick myself that in the past I used to see so many G1 ponies at bootsales, but, as an artsy teen I had grown out of them and was more interested in finding vinyl records and vintage clothing.

I am seeing so much more G4 and Monster High (before C-19 put a stop to me venturing out; some bootsales have reopened but how can folk keep their distances properly?) A huge annual charity bootsale is due locally to me, one that brings London traders with their vintage stock to sell, but that has been postponed too. I used to get some lovely costume jewellery from this sale, a few years ago...

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Queen Sophie on September 08, 2020, 08:28:31 PM

So far no luck and I remember seeing a g3 somewhat plush baby pony At goodwill and at the time I didn’t want it but now I regret not buying it! :sad:

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: brightberry on September 08, 2020, 10:02:46 PM

I have no luck for G1.   :(

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Taffeta on September 09, 2020, 01:39:29 PM

I had a very lucky find at the last carboot I got to before I left the London area (have no transport to get to any here), of two MH dolls, one of which I had been looking for for a while. I think I picked up in the last 3 years 20 or so G4s, several G3s and five? G1s.

One was Sugar Sweet who I restored and then couldn't bring myself to part with even though I had her already. One was Rollerskates Melody who I am still intending to sell when Covid stops dictating my life. One was sea pony splasher, one was Posey and one was...oh, I'm wrong, it must be six as I had mum and baby applejack who my sister ended up with. She guilted me about separating them, so I gave them both to her :P Baby was in good condition, mum was bait. :/

So that's not bad for modern carboot times.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: brightberry on September 09, 2020, 01:41:17 PM

Wow Taffeta, I'd be thrilled to find a baby pony... especially baby Applejack.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Taffeta on September 09, 2020, 01:45:27 PM

Quote from: brightberry on September 09, 2020, 01:41:17 PM

Wow Taffeta, I'd be thrilled to find a baby pony... especially baby Applejack.

Yeah, nowadays it's pretty unusual :/

We were lucky in that unlike Glitterball I didn't grow up and start buying cool teen stuff at the boot sale in the middle 1990s ;). Between us sister and I probably obtained around a thousand ponies over the five or six year period. Some for us, many for trade. There were a lot of baby ponies. Many baby Applejacks. Many Ice Crystals >.> It's kind of hard to describe, I don't know if we have any photos but I wish we did. >< The idea of coming home with at least two or three ponies every week is pretty much unheard of now. Sometimes it'd be eight or nine. A couple of times it was more.

...But those days are long since gone. Even the carboot sale that we got them from is gone. Sad times.

Finding any G1 pony at a carboot sale now is definitely exciting. Toy fairs are better.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Shaiyeh on September 09, 2020, 01:58:11 PM

I've had luck at carboot sales/kids' carboot markets (not sure if that's a huge thing in other places but we have that sometimes in sweden) in the past, but those aren't really an option right now. Lately I've been really lucky in 2nd hand shops. I think a lot of people went through storage during quarantine, haha. Just the other day hubby came home with 6 ponies for me, 2 g1 and 4 g3, and just a few days before that I scored a g1 from the same shop. (and they _always_ have fakies, too) So I'd say 2nd hand/charity/thrift shops, if you want to go physically looking ^_^ good hunting! :lovey:

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on September 09, 2020, 02:16:48 PM

I'd love to hear if any ponies were found! ^.^ I'll have to remember to request off from work next holiday, I went to the flea the day after Labor Day (Google had said that the flea was closed on Labor Day itself, which was a LIE), and it was bare, but it was cool to be up early in the fog. I'm making a note to head over on black friday morning and take a look.

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: lordalexander74 on September 09, 2020, 04:10:49 PM

There's an antique mall in Cookeville TN that gets new ponies of varying generations in every so often. Course I pick up a few that I don't have yet whenever I'm in town. Leaving the armfuls of G1 Fireflies, G2 McD toys, G3 Pinkie & Rainbow dash of course. Still a decent looking Show Stable at that mall, last I checked.

Flea markets are hit or miss. There's an asian lady that always has a bucket or two of MLP toys at her stall in the corner of the Sevier county TN flea market. Found a decent haul of pony toys at a flea market in Rockwood TN.

Thrift stores/2nd hand shops are hit or miss as well. Once and a while a pony will pop up, though I did snag nearly three dozen G3 ponies at a thrift store in Crossville TN

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: Glitter Yolk on September 11, 2020, 06:55:19 AM

Definitely flea markets! On certain lucky days I come across a toy booth! I rarely find anything at thrift stores (mainly goodwills where I am), and I have never found anything at a garage sale, sadly. :(

Title: Re: Do you have more luck at thrift stores, flea markets or garage sales?
Post by: invaderhorizongreen on September 13, 2020, 10:48:08 AM

This year has been better at the flea market, and some yard sales. Lately nothing so far, and the thrift store it hit or miss.