Hwhaaaa?

[ponycake]

I've paid $400 for MOC ponies before and have spent many, many thousands on them altogether. I've even grossly overpaid for a MOC, by like $200 I think it was. Of course it only matters what you want to pay. My shock was just that I saw it sell for a normal MOC price that shot up to a rare greek MOC price and did not expect it could go that far. I wouldn't say that's the 'going price,' just that someone really wanted it. Well, actually a lot of people wanted it because everyone bid great prices for it. It's interesting to read past prices though. Seems very variable.

And if I hadn't seen it sell for I think $60, I probably would have paid that much for it myself. Kind of annoying to be implied that I meant this as a 'bash this silly buyer' post. I don't think it even went near it. Or I guess we just shouldn't post auctions and be surprised when the price reaches so high?

To be clear if I'm not, this is an amazing item that I still want myself, and I'd be happy to own it even at that price if I didn't want to wait on chance that it'll come around again for less.

[FantasticFirefly]

I knew you weren't trying to bash the buyer, more shock it went so much higher then the last one you saw MOC. In the past though these threads (in the comments) have gone in the direction of calling the buyer uninformed or crazy for spending so much.

[Whippycorn]

I hope it didn't seem like I was saying the buyer was silly to pay that much. If I had the money to spare or had saved up for something special, I could imagine myself spending that kind of money! I'd happily drop £££ on Indian and Greek ponies right now! It's just never likely to happen because I appear to be rubbish at saving up. 

[Artemesia's Garden]

I hope it didn't seem like I was saying the buyer was silly to pay that much. If I had the money to spare or had saved up for something special, I could imagine myself spending that kind of money! I'd happily drop £££ on Indian and Greek ponies right now! It's just never likely to happen because I appear to be rubbish at saving up. 

Same!

[hathorcat]

I can appreciate that the whole thing was a "wow...look at this price" kind of thing But as Firefly says in the past they tend to deteriorate. No one truly means their comments when they say them in a negative way - I dont think they are even ever meant in an insulting way, even in the threads we are referring to. I am just giving an example of seeing it from the other side when you are the person winning the same item everyone is going "wow" at [and not wow as in "what an amazing win" but wow as in "what a high price and here are the reasons I would never pay that"]

I think its always best thought of as if you bought something you desperately wanted, you knew you had paid more than many others would pay...you click on to your favourite pony forum to share your new found pony and see a thread with people being amazed at the price you paid and pointing out that its normally so much cheaper. If you put yourself in those shoes, would you be put off sharing what you had won? Maybe not everyone, but I know a lot of people would.

[squishy turdl]

I think that is well said Hathrocat... Hathorcat (why can't I spell that right)

That MIB movie firefly is damn awesome, I wish I had the money to spend on that..!!! I agree the arena isn't a place to shame anyone about what they spend on ponies... I have a husband for that! 

[Haruna]

oh gosh please dont open it *head desk*     so pretty, thats a difficult one to see let alone buy in package!   congrats to the winner and seller.   i love that set.  i have the pony but of course not the exclusive tape.  i wonder if there are any extras in that one that arent in the normal release...

There aren't any extras on it; just the regular movie. It would be pretty awesome if there were some extras, though! Is the tape sought after by collectors?

[MiRaja]

I always hate threads like this. I have seriously and happily over bid/paid on several items in the past only to then see threads like this start; watching the silly price comments, or newbie bidding accusations or eye rolling over a high price does tarnish the win, you feel you cant brag or enjoy if other collectors judge you for paying that amount of money.

It was sold by a seller who is incredible and highly respected by a lot of collectors - you know you are getting exactly what she is selling and always in minty condition, for that reason her auctions always sell higher than on average. As an item it does not come up too often [I bought mine for $100 about 5 years ago and then sold it for $230 2 years ago]. I would love to buy it again and honestly if I was not in the middle of swapping jobs I would happily have bid higher on it than I did [although not won ].

Considering some of the prices MIB FS Applejack has been going for - $250 for a pony which was pretty readily available and is part of a current line, meaning the same release could show up at any time - or some G4 "prototypes" which have absolutely no providence at all as to being real. Is $400+ for a MOC G1 of which only a small amount exist and that will never be produced again really that surprising?

So for me, well done buyer - you have purchased an awesome and a hard to find item, if you are here I hope you brag and make us all jealous for now owning such a cool piece - I am sure you will love it. And congrats to the seller for a great price!

I full agree with this.  I see the prices people are paying for the NEW stuff, like FS Applejack, like you said, or the 'limited' release Funkos and what not, and I want to cringe.  But paying that price for G1?  MIB?  Omg, someone call the radio station.  It is a bit shame-y and also obnoxious.  It's why I rarely brag about anything. . .  I pay what I feel is a good price for ME.  I paid $50 for a Taffeta at one point, only for one who had all of her accessories come up go for $64.  But I don't collect accessories, and the one I got is absolutely beautiful and near mint.  I don't care if it's nearly $25 over the going price for a NM Taffeta, I wanted that Taffeta.  These G1 ponies, the ones MIB are getting so rare.  Just ya'll wait twenty-thirty more years from now when you see a MIB but for once or twice a year like for some of the antique dolls I collect.  Wait til you see the prices then.  And it'll be worth it.  $400 is not really that much.  $400 really won't even buy you a nice modern BJD, or a German Bisque doll.  Hell, it's less money than most people's rents or house payments, or a set of tires for your car.  For a collector, however, it's an investment.  In ten years, I guarantee you the buy can turn a nice, tidy profit on it if they choose to.  Prices are only going to go up on MIB, especially with people who debox ( Your pony, your business, but I don't respect the practice when there are still so many nice, NM ponies out there that can be had.  To me, it's just blatant money privilege to be able to afford to throw the value of something that easily.  ).  Nevermind the prices of some of the Nirvanas!  I would say Movie Firefly MIB, on her card, with her tape is JUST as rare as Greek Ladybird, but try getting a Greek Ladybird for $400!  Ha! 

[Spectrum]

Ehh, I don't think it's really that bad of a price. In the span of 3 months, 4 Ladybirds have popped up on eBay. Can't really say the same about MOC Movie Firefly. 

Also, the whole investment thing MiRaja mentioned is spot on too.  G1s will, in general, most likely be more expensive 20 years from now. Probably (and hopefully) not way more expensive for more common ponies, but already pricey ponies will just continue to hike as more of them disappear from the market. A MOC Movie Firefly will probably be higher than $400 in the future.

(And heaven forbid, but one day, G3s may not swamp thrift stores and flea markets!  )

[MiRaja]

Ehh, I don't think it's really that bad of a price. In the span of 3 months, 4 Ladybirds have popped up on eBay. Can't really say the same about MOC Movie Firefly. 

Also, the whole investment thing MiRaja mentioned is spot on too.  G1s will, in general, most likely be more expensive 20 years from now. Probably (and hopefully) not way more expensive for more common ponies, but already pricey ponies will just continue to hike as more of them disappear from the market. A MOC Movie Firefly will probably be higher than $400 in the future.

(And heaven forbid, but one day, G3s may not swamp thrift stores and flea markets!  )

Hahaha, I think it will be awhile on G3's.  Have to remember they made far, far more G3's than G1's.  After all, there were less people on the Earth in the 80's than the 2000's.  Also, toys are more disposable now more than ever, so more were made.  When I was a kid, I rarely got new toys.  A few new barbies, a few new transformers, and my most cherished childhood toy, a N64, which I still have.    But other than that?  Thifted. 

But definitely a great investment piece there.  And investing in these pieces ARE a good idea.  I really don't suggest investment on loose, singles unless they're nirvanas or super rares, for me, most of my pony collection is just something nice.  I don't have any MIB, as I don't like anything MIB because I can't touch it or display it or play with it.  I'm a child, what can I say.  However, my doll collection and kimono collection?  Definitely an investment.  I probably have only spent a couple of grand of JUST the American dolls I have ( I've been a buyer/trader/seller, etc for some time, so it's very hard to calculate the actual money I've spent on my dolls.  It's not much, because I'd buy, then sell, invest profits in nice dolls, then sell those, and work my way up ) But I can easily say with the 15 or so dolls I have in just my American Antique collection, on a BAD day at auction, I could get $15 GRAND for the lot of them, as I have some very, very, very rare dolls in there, and it's been 15 years of collecting and just lucking onto a good one here, a backwater antique store, someone cleaning out their family items and having no clue what they have, or just a hidden ebay auction.  I have one doll in my collection valued at around $3000 ( she is from a very rare set of dolls, and of that set of dolls, she is the only one I've seen pop up in auction.  As far as anyone knows, there are only TWO of this doll left.  One that's in a Mme Alexander book, and the one in my collection.  I paid $250 for her.  She is an unmarked doll, and someone had her listed just as a composition doll.  I spotted her, as did a few other broke doll collectors, and I was luckily the least broke of the lot of them.  She'd be worth twice that if she had her original clothes and didn't have two broken fingers! ). 

These are dolls from the 1940's, I'm talking about.  Just think what ponies are going to be worth 40 years down the line?  It should be quite interesting.  And I think prices are really going to skyrocket within the next ten years.  Will probably double.  Prices have definitely doubled if not tripled within the last 10 years.  Mimic ran at about $50-60NM when I first got back into collecting at around 2006-7, and she runs more like $100-120NM.  Right now is still a time to buy, but I guarantee you once the economy perks up worldwide ( hopefully ) and everyone has more money?  Yeah. . . 

[Radha]

   I've never seen that MIB- lovely

   As for wondering at prices...I think it's important to remember that we are all spending more than we need to, in that we spend anything all.  After all, none of us need small plastic ponies! (Regardless of what our inner voice tells us )

   MiRaja, I do like your point about viewing them as investment pieces, although investing in luxury items is always tricky, isn't it? Prices can go up and down based almost completely on whim (no bottom cost such as you might see on food or shelter items).  I do see vintage toy booths more and more as I go antiquing now, though, and auctions on true antiques (like your dolls) often go for what seem like amazing prices. And considering that 'packaging', per se, is a relatively newish thing, items still in package that are 'vintage' are really just now coming onto the market.  Things are always worth what people are willing to pay for them, since that's the definition!  Hmm, maybe I do need to try to buy some MIB items...

 

[MiRaja]

And considering that 'packaging', per se, is a relatively newish thing, items still in package that are 'vintage' are really just now coming onto the market.  Things are always worth what people are willing to pay for them, since that's the definition!  Hmm, maybe I do need to try to buy some MIB items...

 

Depends on relative.  Packaging has been a part of toys for at least 100 years.  Most antique bisque dolls came in boxes at some point or another, but I've only seen a few with said packaging still intact, though packaging DID used to be more than just a cardboard box.  A MIB Shirley Temple circa 1930's will easily set you back a couple of grand, and Effanbee's first run of Dydee dolls ( also circa 1930 ) will run you nearly the same.  Actually, I find the 1930's - 1950's to be the golden era of packaging and accessories.  Dydee was a baby doll that came with everything a REAL baby would need, just miniaturized depending on the size of the doll.  In the deluxe packaging, she came in a TRUNK, not a box, which opened up top for her crib, she had anywhere from 2-8 drawers which were filled to the brim with accessories.  Blankets, tissues, bath sponges, a metal spoon sized just for her ( the Dydee spoons ALONE go for $45 or more ), q-tips, blankets, bottles with real rubber nipples, changes of clothes from snow suits to Sunday dresses, to Christening gowns and the list goes on.  NOW that was some packaging! 

And that's just one example, though Dydee was definitely the most lavishly accessory'd doll of the time, far more so than Tiny Tears or Betsy Wetsy who, mint in their packages, and layettes are valued anywhere up to a $1000 depending on which version, size, and amount of accessories. 

So, I wouldn't exactly call packaging too new.    I would say it's every bit as old as the modern iteration of toys produced in factories or shops, versus made at home prior to the 1850's.  I also say it's a great indicator of how things will go for memorable toy lines from a few decades ago.  I don't at all think toys from the 1980's are anywhere near the quality of what was produced in the 1930's - 1950's, but it's the memorableness that really counts in the end, else no one would pay such money for what essentially amounts to 'old toys,' no matter their artistic qualities. 

[ponycake]

There's nothing shamey about saying wow this sold for $60 and then $400+. Sorry. I also don't feel like I need a reminder we're all spending more money than we should. I certainly know that with a full wall of them, a second wall starting, and a desk covered in boxed ones. The point, as I said before, was holy crap I can't believe the difference in price from this low end to high end. More than one person was willing to pay $400. Several people were willing to pay more than $100, $200. That's totally fine. A lot of people wanted it at the same time and it drove the price way up. I was responding to my shock. I really thought it'd end at about $120 and no one else would bid. Then I checked and saw a lot of bids and $436 or whatever it was and was just totally shocked.

[ponybanker]

I remember seeing this at toys r us back in the day

[Mermaid]

Oh soooo beautiful! Congrats to the buyer!

I wish hasbro would re-release her with a DVD! That would make my dreams come true!