Why is Mimic still so expensive?

[LuckyTwirlerina]

It seems like her rarity has really toned down from what it once was, because there's almost always one for sale somewhere. I understand that she's popular with collectors because of her unique colour combo and theme, as well as perceived rarity, but it just doesn't seem to make sense to me why she would still be 4-5x the price of the other ponies from the same set after she's become, dare I say, relatively common. I honestly kind of doubt she was produced in significantly fewer numbers compared to the other girls in the second TE set? Plus, it almost seems like Bright Eyes is harder to find these days... And I don't think she would specifically have lower sales because of her green colour. As striking as it is to some of us, it's not like she was the only green TE unicorn, and Fizzy has always been a pretty reasonable price. So... why Mimic?

I'm just starting to wonder if the "hype" will ever die down so I can get her for a more reasonable price. I really love her because parrots aren't really a common motif and I adore birds, not because she's generally sought after, and I've already been watching her from a distance for several years with almost no change. Thoughts?

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Oh she has never been rare, except in the days before Internet sales - she was harder to track down in thrift stores and such.  Likely because she wasn't a popular pony when she was on shelves.  Well, not as popular as the other ponies in her set.  That is where the idea that she is "rare" came from and continues to this day.

She is, however, a collectors' favorite because of her unique colors and symbol - so she has always been high-priced.  Her price has kept pace with what "expensive" means to G1 collectors.  Twenty years ago, paying $25 for her was outrageous and insane, because you could still go to yard sales and find G1s for a dime, a quarter apiece.  I paid $5.00 for a nearly complete G1 Lullabye Nursery, with the box AND Baby Tiddly-Winks.  Best spent allowance EVER. 

Because of this, I think she will always increase in value.  If you really really want her, I think you should bite the bullet and pay what the prices are now.  What is she now, a $80 pony in nice condition?  Her price rose during the height of the economy to almost $120.  I bet that in another 10 years, she's going to be at that price again, even if we are in another "recession". 

People still do find her secondhand, because as you said, they did manufacture thousands of her.  Best of luck on the pony hunt to find her! 

[mlp4me]

She's still expensive because I don't have her! Once I have her she will drop in price by $25, I just know it... 

[MiRaja]

Prices will continue to increase with more and more collectors.  Right now G1 ponies are not THAT old, so while the best time to buy may have been 10-15 years ago, it's really now or never for some of the really collectible ponies.  While she's not exactly rare, no, she will eventually become as such.  Mimic is still not at all as common as Peachies and Lickety-Splits, and that disparity will only increase with time and the influx of new collectors into the MLP fandom. 

I got a good price on my Mimic and a fairly good one at that.  And she came from Canada with a whole bunch of other ponies loaded in so I probably only paid about $40 for her after I had sold everything else. 

[Taffeta]

I even found Mimic at a carboot sale in the UK. Twice. Where she wasn't sold. So yeah.

I think part of the thing with Mimic is that there is an accepted value so people pay it. I sold one of those Mimics I found for $50 if I remember right, on Ebay...and that wasn't my price, it was Ebay's.

I still consider Mimic one of my favourite ponies. SHe was my first ever trade, and I love my Mimic to death. But whether she is or isn't rare has always been a question. I think she's rarer than some others, she's not as rare as she is supposed to be. But it might also be regional. Remember, she's not MEANT to be available in all areas, and she was in the animation, where others were not. It's quite an endearing cartoon. Plus I think that someone said once that in a set of Y5 Twinkle Eyes sent to store, there was one Mimic in a box whereas two Lockets, etc. So she is more rare than her set in terms of production. But a lot of it is collector affection, too.

Same goes for the Mountain Boys. Look at Ice Crystal vs Thundercloud. Yes, Thundercloud is probably more common because of his colouring, but Ice Crystal is not significantly more rare than Thundercloud to command such a wide price range (at least last time I looked at these two it was the case). Fans love Ice Crystal's colour scheme, so they bid higher, so his net value increases...and so on.

One more thing - Ebay is not a reflection of how rare or common any pony is on the general second hand market. People are more likely to list a pony they know is valuable than one who they know isn't. Mimic probably comes up more on Ebay than she is found at thrift stores, because she's easy cash when people are short of money and sell from collections. Same goes for most "rare" ponies. The market online and what is considered rare doesn't generally match the market in real thrift store or carboot sale terms.

[hathorcat]

She was not any more rare than any of the ponies in her set...at least in the US market. The set was sold in assortments of 6; so she exists in equal numbers to the others - or at least she was distributed in equal numbers. However Locket and TTT and Speedy were also sold within Europe in a different set; this therefore means these 3 are the easiest to find of the set and that rightfully makes the other 3 the harder to find. It should be noted that due to the nature of the MLP line you tend to find pink, purple and white ponies are more populous - just check out the most common pony [not the most popular but the one which turns up the most] in a set they are almost always in these colours. That probably is why Locket is almost a common pony.

Bright Eyes, Quackers and Mimic probably turn up on ebay in equal-ish numbers. And while Mimic is always the most expensive, BE and Quackers are often high in price as well.

As others have said; it really is down to the fact that rarity does not equal sought after and only sought after is guaranteed to increase the price not rarity. She is just one of those ponies most collectors want in their collection; we have come to accept that an acceptable price for her is right up there [which keeps BINs and owner set prices high]. A pony is worth what at least 2 people are willing to pay and unfortunately its a vicious circle so long as people are willing to pay, people are going to charge that price.

[gabumon]

maybe it's because she was the Star Character in the Golden Horseshoes episode and we all think we're getting a pony with. ahem...  Golden Horseshoes included!!!

[achab1984]

She's still expensive because I don't have her! Once I have her she will drop in price by $25, I just know it... 

That always seems to happen to me to! LOL

[Sapphire-Light]

I even found Mimic at a carboot sale in the UK. Twice. Where she wasn't sold. So yeah.

I think part of the thing with Mimic is that there is an accepted value so people pay it. I sold one of those Mimics I found for $50 if I remember right, on Ebay...and that wasn't my price, it was Ebay's.

I still consider Mimic one of my favourite ponies. SHe was my first ever trade, and I love my Mimic to death. But whether she is or isn't rare has always been a question. I think she's rarer than some others, she's not as rare as she is supposed to be. But it might also be regional. Remember, she's not MEANT to be available in all areas, and she was in the animation, where others were not. It's quite an endearing cartoon. Plus I think that someone said once that in a set of Y5 Twinkle Eyes sent to store, there was one Mimic in a box whereas two Lockets, etc. So she is more rare than her set in terms of production. But a lot of it is collector affection, too.

Same goes for the Mountain Boys. Look at Ice Crystal vs Thundercloud. Yes, Thundercloud is probably more common because of his colouring, but Ice Crystal is not significantly more rare than Thundercloud to command such a wide price range (at least last time I looked at these two it was the case). Fans love Ice Crystal's colour scheme, so they bid higher, so his net value increases...and so on.

One more thing - Ebay is not a reflection of how rare or common any pony is on the general second hand market. People are more likely to list a pony they know is valuable than one who they know isn't. Mimic probably comes up more on Ebay than she is found at thrift stores, because she's easy cash when people are short of money and sell from collections. Same goes for most "rare" ponies. The market online and what is considered rare doesn't generally match the market in real thrift store or carboot sale terms.

The UK Tales daddies are way more rarer than the Mountain boys right?

However I don't seem this tree daddies to reach even half popularity like the MB have 

Maybe they lack of popularity is because they are in a pose used for mares .... and they are married 

[MorningGlorysParadise82]

I can say that as a child & collector it was easier for me to find the ponies like Sky Rocket and Locket for my collection before I found Bright Eyes and Quackers. I was always a sucker for the non-pink/purple ponies/toys so I got TTT instead of Bright Eyes or Quackers. 
Sadly, I, too, lack a Mimic and probably will for many years, but for now I shall be okay with that. I wish you luck on finding her!

[Sabrina]

She's still expensive because I don't have her! Once I have her she will drop in price by $25, I just know it... 

That always seems to happen to me to! LOL

Lol! Me too!

[ponybanker]

its hard to say. I have found 5 Mimics second hand and have only found 1 Quackers ( cut tail) and 1 Bright Eyes.

[mlp4me]

its hard to say. I have found 5 Mimics second hand and have only found 1 Quackers ( cut tail) and 1 Bright Eyes.

That's it, I'm moving a few states over... LOL

[MiRaja]

its hard to say. I have found 5 Mimics second hand and have only found 1 Quackers ( cut tail) and 1 Bright Eyes.

That's it, I'm moving a few states over... LOL

Forget that, move to Greece.    I think that would be more lucrative than hoping to find Mimics and Punzies.   

[claricesponies]

its hard to say. I have found 5 Mimics second hand and have only found 1 Quackers ( cut tail) and 1 Bright Eyes.

That's it, I'm moving a few states over... LOL

and I'll be moving North