To buy or not to buy? Tips for newbies interested in Nirvanas?

[doxiechic16]

I've been really drawn to the posts of members sharing photos of their gorgeous Nirvana ponies lately.  I've also been browsing the sales thread and checking out some Nirvanas on ebay.  I've seen some that are very reasonable (less than $50 USD) and some that are...ummm....so NOT in my price range.  For most US release G1s, I have a pretty good idea of what's a fair price to pay and what is "ebay outrageous," but I don't really have any idea where to start with Nirvanas other than searching through PCs here.  I don't plan to really build up a collection of Nirvanas (that's how it always starts, isn't it? lol), but I wouldn't mind picking up a variant or two of some of my favorites or perhaps getting a few gloriously colorful Argies.   

What resources do you use to determine what's a fair price for Nirvana ponies?  How do you decide if it's a good time to buy or to hold off for a better price?  Is there a Nirvana newbie FAQ somewhere on here that you can link me to?       

[pinkkittywinks]

You need to figure out which ponies you'd like to add to your collection, then find out what the price range for each is

The best way to find out about prices is to follow price checks, follow the nirvana sales forum and watch eBay

While there are some nirvana ponies that are very expensive many are easily affordable

Love pkw xxx

[doxiechic16]

Thanks for the advice, pinkkittywinks!  I suppose I should look back through the Nirvana pictures, make a wish list, research prices, and stick to the list as much as possible.  I think I might start with some of the reasonably priced Argie adults or babies.   

I have a bad habit of being like "Oooo, pretty! I want that NOW!" and over-paying on pony impulse purchases.   

[SeashellnBubbles]

For me cheap is best...I'll never pay "worth price" for a Nirvana if i find them hidden in lots or need closer inspection because the pic is poor. I have no idea the usual price for ponies until i go to sell them.
Sometimes I'll take a roll of the dice, Pony Roulette is what i call it, on auctions from overseas. To buy a Nirvana pony here in canada or the States would be several times what I'd pay in Europe for it...what is more common over there is Nirvana to us, like the Italy ponies or Macau. I played the Ponies in this last large lot i bought from France...I bought it for the Sweet Berry Kitchen and the G2's but also for the Lemon Drop that i had a hunch about. She turned out to be an airbrushed-eyes Lemon Drop, and the other was a Macau Cotton Candy!
I got started just kind of randomly buying cheap Nivanas to see what felt right, and ended up landing on Macau...so those are the ones i'm after presently

[pinkkittywinks]

Thanks for the advice, pinkkittywinks!  I suppose I should look back through the Nirvana pictures, make a wish list, research prices, and stick to the list as much as possible.  I think I might start with some of the reasonably priced Argie adults or babies.   

I have a bad habit of being like "Oooo, pretty! I want that NOW!" and over-paying on pony impulse purchases.   

being patient is vital sometimes when collecting nirvanas. You have to remember that most ponies will pop up for sale again at some point.

I would have a look at mlp wiki and some of the threads here in the nirvana forum.

It's also important to research the ponies and find out about their characteristics, since many are very different quality to the Hong Kong and China made ponies.

Love pkw xxx

[hathorcat]

As PKW says, just ask

That's what all the forums are for and why we have such an awesome Nirvana board. You can simply post your wish list here and ask what members think a good value is and get honest and accurate opinions.

Because certain ponies can go up and down in popularity and availability, its hard to price a lot of nirvanas which are not either relatively common or extremely hard to track down as they can jump up and down. Any set price guide is only going to give an over view and it only takes a month or two for them to change, sometimes significantly.

[LadyGuinevere]

There are also a lot of factors to take into account with Nirvana ponies - where the seller is located and payment methods accepted can have a big impact on price, as well as things like condition. Some ponies are really not easy to find mint! If in doubt, asking here is always a good idea