Starting a G1 collection

[RarityDash]

Hello! I am fairly new on the arena, so most of you probably have not heard of me, but as my first topic (other than my intro) I have a question.
Since I am younger than most people here, I do not have the ability to buy online myself, and convincing my parents to buy me ponies from ebay has proven more difficult than expected. I have mainly been a G4 collector since I can just walk into a store and buy whatever I want.
Older ponies, obviously, aren't that easy to obtain. The only time I have ever seen a G1 in person was at a vintage costume and toy shop last fall. They had maybe 10 ponies total, along with some sort of cardboard building-type thing. (no clue what it was) Adults were $15 and babies 12. However that shop is about an hour and a half away, so my chances of going back are slim.
So, to get to the question part, where can I get G1's? What ponies should I look for/ start with?
Thank you for taking your time to read this and hopefully give me info
-RarityDash

[MikeysGrrrl]

Welcome

Great places to look for ponies are thrift stores, flea markets, car boots, craigslist/kijiji (I didn't see where you were from), yard sales etc. Obviously places like ebay and here are great, however I'm sure you're already aware that you have to be over a certain age to buy or trade which is why you are seeking out other avenues

[RarityDash]

I keep wanting to go to yard sales and flea markets, but there aren't many yard sales this time of year, and the only nearby flea market closes for the winter since it's outdoors. And I even sort of remember seeing ponies there last year. I will have to force my friend to bring me in the spring because someone in her family sells there. I am too young to buy or trade here, and convincing my parents to let me use their ebay accounts has been difficult since it is their money and not mine. I am still looking for info on inexpensive but cute ponies I might want to look for and their average prices

[Stormness_1]

When I was new, I would trawl the sales threads just to get an idea of what I wanted and what price was reasonable for those ponies. I started a want list, and got to know those ponies and what they sold for. Dream Valley is great for photos, it's what I used to identify ponies too when I first got started! However getting those particular ponies when you're an 'in-person buyer only' (as I have been sometimes when I'm trying to stick to a budget) tends to be pretty hard. When you're buying in person, you really need to know your values, or at least have a general idea of what you'd be comfortable paying for ponies, because you never know what you could find. That way, whatever you happen to find, you're comfortable in buying it, knowing you got an okay price. There's nothing worse than posting a brag or PC, only to find you got ripped off!

As for where to find them, classified websites and trading posts that allow pick-up are great. Be sure to be safe. Take someone with you, or meet up in a public place to exchange items/money. Also, by the time you get organised and figure out your values and buying plan, scope out the local thrift stores and classifieds, and have that down, it'll be flea season again, and you'll have a whole new pony hunting world to explore. Good luck, it's always great to see new pony peeps appreciating the beautiful G1's we all love so much!

[Majesty]

I know you were told you can't buy ponies online but why not try asking if you can buy ponies here.  It's a lot safer for the most part.  Just look at the feedback of the seller before you considering buying any ponies.  If you don't use paypal (like me) then a lot of members here will consider money order or well-concealed cash.

[RarityDash]

I just looked around the for sale forum and classifieds of this website, and found a few ponies I like that are under $10. However. I don't think I am permitted to buy from here since the rules said you had to be 16 (which I am not). More help is still appreciated

[MikeysGrrrl]

I agree that it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the arena, strawberry reef and my little wiki. Between those three sites you'll learn a lot about ponies from all generations, you'll learn about variations and nirvanas, prices, common ponies, restoration etc.

[brighteyes]

I think your best bet at this point would be craigslist (as long as your parents go with you to pick up any ponies, never go alone!), flea markets, thrift stores and antique stores.  You can also take this time to learn about all the different sets, special releases, mail orders, accessories etc... by visiting http://www.kimsites.net/dreamvalley/ and then looking at the price check archives here on the Arena so that when you do find ponies you will have a good idea of their value.  If you can show your parents that the 12$ list price is really a good deal because the pony is actually worth 25$ they might be more apt to let you get it. 

You might also be able to ask people you know who grew up in the 80's if they have any of their old toys kicking around their attics.  You never know, some of your parents friends may be willing to help you jump start your collection. 

[elish2]

Hmm, there are websites like etsy.com and ecrater.com or even Bonanza.com are where people sell some ponies (you still have to double check prices as some people can still ask way too much for some things). Also you can do craigslist or just scour the thrift stores.

Would your parents be more willing to buy items for you if you give them the money when you went to purchase things?  I mean, especially for the etsy/ecrater kind of things? They could just be with you when you purchase it, that way they can see what exactly you are spending?

[NoPonySpecial]

Would your parents be more willing to buy items for you if you give them the money when you went to purchase things?  I mean, especially for the etsy/ecrater kind of things? They could just be with you when you purchase it, that way they can see what exactly you are spending?

Exactly, I've done this for years, buy stuff with my Mom's account, then just gave her the money. Actually, I still do for ebay. I just never got around to making an account there. 
Until you get a steady income, it might take a while to build up your collection. That's the breaks, I guess. Have a want list handy for birthdays, though!

[hathorcat]

Welcome to the Arena I hope you are enjoying it here! Thank you so much for taking the time to look into the rules.

You are correct, our rules prevent members who are under 16 from selling ponies or from participating in trades/swaps, however, we do not actually have a rule which says you cannot buy if you are under 16. If you have the permission of the person whose money you are spending, as long as you have researched [checked the feedback of] your seller and if your seller is happy to sell to someone under 16, then you can use our For Sales forum to find those G1 ponies.

That being said, purchasing things over the internet, no matter what age you are, is something you should always do with caution. And if you are using your parents paypal account/money it is something you obviously have to do with them.

Have you spoken to your parents about perhaps adding to your collecting via the Arena? Its a friendlier avenue than sites like ebay, often ponies are a little less expensive and you always have the trader support forum here to answer any questions you may have about the sell/buy process. Your parents can check out the For Sale forum themselves, look at feedback of sellers and they can even sign up and make their own accounts if they wish to make the purchases on your behalf.

If you still prefer to buy in real life, then the recommendations here - CL, garage sales, thrift shops - are your best bet

Good luck in tracking those G1s down

[RarityDash]

Everyone here is such a great help! I have been bought stuff online through my parents, but convincing them is tough. Maybe showing them how nice the arena has been to me will convince them. Luckily, my birthday was at the end of December, and I got about $150, so now is when I have the money to buy. A little off topic, but last night I dreamed a few random ponies had been added to my collection. Most of them were well known ponies I could recognize, but there was a pink G1 unicorn with rainbow hair. I thought she was really pretty, and if there is a real pony that fits that description, could you just give me the name so I could look her up and see if her price will possibly let me get her.
Thanks everyone so much 
 
-RarityDash

[MikeysGrrrl]

Pinwheel?

[ponycake]

Sounds like Pinwheel to me too. Here's a handy site for looking up ponies by body color.

http://www.strawberryreef.com/Index/G1/pink.html

I hope you get a collection started. If they agree to let you do one purchase you could go for a lot on Ebay maybe and clean them up and do their hair nice.

[RarityDash]

Could have been Pinwheel. I'm looking at ebay and similar sites, and I'm thinking of buying a pony with slight flaws as it seems to lower the price a bit as I don't really care about small things. I mean, if the pony has no hair and a mustache drawn on in sharpie I would pass, but a small mark doesn't bother me. I said it before, but you guys are all so amazingly nice to a newcomer like me. I will keep looking and convincing to get my G1. Expect a post with 89 pictures when I do.