Using Summer Hayes G1 Inventory to Price Ponies

[teresat]

Do you use it to do price checks? How accurate is it now that the book is 4 years old?

I realize that prices are cyclical for ponies but is the book too high, too low, or just a good average.

Sometimes it's hard to find a good range of prices for a pony here at the Arena, the old Arena, or Ebay.

Thanks!

[PinkRosedust]

I don't know what the prices are like in the book - I can only assume they were accurate/fair at the time. However with how prices fluctuate I would think that going by a several year old guide, you may be off on some of them. :/ Maybe only use them as a last resort.

[Diamond]

I would not, I believe Summer did not want to make it a price guide but had to get the publisher to print it.  Not saying they are totally out of whack but for the most part they seem high.

[hathorcat]

Personally I find it easier to price "as current"...most ponies do and will for some time I would say stay in a similar price bracket - Tootsie is always "cheap", Sweet Scoops is always "crazy expensive". But these are collectables so the market does fluctuate depending on who is popular at the moment, the time of year or even if there is a surge/decrease in the number of collectors [and the economy does also have a small influence if it takes a dip a lot of us dont all have the same flexible money as we used to].

Also there are a lot of ponies who take unexpected surges or dips in popularity...Red Roses is a good example; her average on ebay in recent months pushes the $60 mark sometimes and she has been around that rate for 12-18 months-ish. However, 4 or 5 years ago she was more like $35-40. TAF Buttons is another pony who found this pattern. And then at the other end  you have ponies like Anchors Away who were pushing the $70-80 mark and is now more like $15

For me the books are AWESOME and who can resist having a pictorial book with such gorgeous pictures and information; the prices were no doubt perfect at the time and will continue to be a good guide but unfortunately collectable prices are want to fluctuate a lot or even a little.

[Glacia471]

I would use it to get a general 'idea' of prices (or what pony in the set is the most sought-after, stuff like that), but would definitely ask for a PC if I was looking to buy or sell specific ponies. Prices fluctuate all the time, so the way to get the most accurate price would be to simply ask around here

[teresat]

Thanks!

In the book Mimic is priced at about twice as the rest of the TEs in her group. So I can tell the she is the expensive(!) one in her group. There are a few other ponies like that. Leaper comes to mind.

Thanks again!

[bluerose9978]

I also have a guide in my sig. I started it by asking for price checks from people, but their answers varied too widely, so I started going off completed eBay auctions. That way, I have better understanding for how much a buyer is willing to pay rather than how much the seller wants to get.

[teresat]

Awesome bluerose, thanks!

[hathorcat]

I also have a guide in my sig. I started it by asking for price checks from people, but their answers varied too widely, so I started going off completed eBay auctions. That way, I have better understanding for how much a buyer is willing to pay rather than how much the seller wants to get.

I agree current ended auctions are always the best price guide - as to get to that price at least 2 or more people must have been willing to pay the price

[HavACrumpet452]

Any price guide for collectables and antiques is outdated in a year. Some items fluctuate less than others. Ponies have taken a dive recently in price. However, Mimic and Leaper are definately the higher priced ponies in their categories.

[SweetTune]

I would not, I believe Summer did not want to make it a price guide but had to get the publisher to print it.  Not saying they are totally out of whack but for the most part they seem high.

Just to clarify, my publisher did requiret that prices be added, but I did manage to convince them to let me use price ranges instead of just a plain dollar amounst so it would provide more ove a "range."

Also, the prices are based of EBAY market prices (usually on the higher end of the price). You can typically get better deals collector to collector on the forums.

[xeevee]

I personally feel most of the prices are a good ball park.  Most price checks I see fall into the zones in the book.

[svleonard]

The prices in the Hayes inventory seem fairly accurate for the vendors at the Pony Fair, but on Ebay? No.  They are too low.  It's difficult to find a mint or near mint pony on Ebay for twice what the Hayes guide prescribes.  Usually, you have to pay 2-4 times the amount on Ebay unless you want a pony with marks and tailrust and haircuts.  Honestly, I think some of these Ebay sellers think their baity ponies are worth much more than they actually are 

[hathorcat]

We can all moan about ebay prices and sometimes some sellers [for BIN prices] are asking far more than the pony is worth but prices on auctions are indicative of what [more than one] collector is willing to pay. So while ebay does tend to price itself above collectors sites, I dont think we can condone every ebay sale as above average. Just my thoughts...

[bluerose9978]

We can all moan about ebay prices and sometimes some sellers [for BIN prices] are asking far more than the pony is worth but prices on auctions are indicative of what [more than one] collector is willing to pay. So while ebay does tend to price itself above collectors sites, I dont think we can condone every ebay sale as above average. Just my thoughts...

Agreed. If you just check out the completed auctions, you'll see a lot of ponies go far below what sellers on collector sites list them as. I think most BINs are overpriced, so I don't use them in my price guide.