What are action figures really worth these days?

superash · 01-23-2008, 08:31 PM

Alright well I am in the mood for selling things lately and I have a huge action figure line. Mostly DC, Star Wars, and some other mis. But while I am looking at selling them how do I figure out what they are really worth?

I know I can look in the toyfare price guide but do they really go for that? And are people really collecting action figures anymore?

I mostly got out of collecting action figures cause there was so much of the same thing out there. The last things I was collecting was the Alex Ross Justice figures, right up to I think series 5, when I gave that up. I just don't find it fun anymore to collect them.

So what's the response to the above?

**nbr3bagshotrow** · 01-23-2008, 09:13 PM

Ebay. CHeck the completed auctions.

**JadeGiant** · 01-23-2008, 09:25 PM

if it is time to purge, put them up on eBay and let them go ... don't worry about the price as you are not likely to recoup your investment across the board ... just my opinion ... I have some stuff that I plan to sell and will start it low and watch it go

patrickwm68 · 01-23-2008, 09:31 PM

It all depends on what they are. Star Trek figures don't sell for sh!t on eBay but Star Wars do.

The old McFarlane Movie Manics figures sell really well on eBay.

riderV3 · 01-23-2008, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JadeGiant

if it is time to purge, put them up on eBay and let them go ... don't worry about the price as you are not likely to recoup your investment across the board ... just my opinion ... I have some stuff that I plan to sell and will start it low and watch it go

Word.
It kinda depends but if they can be sold, 5 bucks, two or even a buck as long as you don't lose money on shipping, let it go.

Nowadays you can't even get back what you paid for most of the statues/busts, plain sad.

Am trimming down my action figures as well along with some busts/statues.
I simply don't expect to earn any mula from any of them jusy hope they can at least go away so I can have my closet back so my outfit doesn't have to hang on the doors...

I buy action figure without any hope of re-selling them, simply for my own pleasure.

patrickwm68 · 01-23-2008, 09:40 PM

I purged 90% of my toy collection a couple years ago, didn't make sense anymore to spend that kind of money on little plastic figures that were just sitting in boxes in my closet.

Sledge Hammer! · 01-24-2008, 01:03 AM

It depends on a number of factors, whether they are loose or carded, overall condition, and rarity of the piece(s) in question, but overall they're only worth whatever you can get for them frankly. Price guides mean nothing when it comes to figs like these. And chances are, on most stuff, what you get is going to be less than what you paid originally, maybe far less. Especially if they're loose. But again it depends on the lines and individual figures.

You talk about having Justice figures for instance, well chances are that you'll be able to make quite a profit on The Flash if you have him, even loose, as that piece really sells and has become much wanted and hard to come by (or at least it was last time I looked), same deal with Aquaman. But characters like Cheetah, Sinestro and Poison Ivy and so on barely rate much interest at all. And due to the recent release of the Justice Box set with Superman, Hal Jordan, Batman and Wonder Woman, those four now aren't anywhere near as in demand as they were even a few months back.

Pretty much you throw up your stuff and you takes your chances. If you have a few rare and in demand pieces then that might sub for the pieces where you sell far below cost, and then overall you might, if you're very lucky, break even, but that, I think, is about the best you can hope for, and even that is being pretty hopeful in most cases. But again, it depends on the exact figures that you're trying to move.

Just don't count on making any kind of a huge profit against your original investment, that's all I'm saying. Best of luck though.

superash · 01-24-2008, 01:56 AM

LOL thanks everyone for the info.

Ya I know I wasn't going to make a profit on these. That is why I am wondering how much they are really worth. I only really got into collecting figures mostly because I loved the variety of the figures and poses. But it just isn't fun anymore to have them either sitting in a box or hung up on my wall still in their packaging.
I still think they are pretty cool little figures, but I have just been moving more into the statues and kit arena, and can't look back.
I know I do have some that are worth a couple bucks. I do have all of the Justice figures series 1-5 still mint in package. So I guess the Flash is worth something.
I just want to get rid of them and not have them cluttering up my closet anymore. So ebay here we come!!

Sledge Hammer! · 01-24-2008, 05:32 AM

Just going on the Justice figures, and especially as they're still in package, you should make a bit of coin of Flash, Aquaman, Black Canary & Joker, those four (and in particularly the first three) still have high demand. Likewise if you have one of the retailer exclusive angry/red eye Superman figs, those still go for a decent amount as well. So don't put low buy-it-nows on these guys.

A few months back you would have made good money on Hal Jordan GL, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman too, and you'll probably be able to still break even on most of those now, but they're just not worth what they once were.

Bizarro, Black Adam, Hawkman and Green Arrow you'll likely about break even on. Maybe if you get lucky enough to get two competing bidders you might make a bit extra, but usually about break even I'd say.

Cheetah, Sinestro, Shazam (Captain Marvel), Zatanna, Poison Ivy, Plastic Man, Solomon Grundy, Black Manta, Parasite, Martian Manhunter (both regular and variant), Brainiac & Red Tornado you'll likely take a bath on, and in some cases that's if you can sell them at all. The same demand just isn't there for most of these guys, and Ebay is still frequently littered with most of them.

Still, who knows how things will fare on the day, a couple of highly competitive bidders and you're set. Anyways, best of luck.

superash · 01-24-2008, 06:33 AM

Hey thanks alot Sledge Hammer! Will keep that in mind. Of course those aren't the only ones I will have up for sale. Lots of other DC figures. I do hate to get rid of them, cause I still like some of them. But when I look at them just sitting in a box in the closet I just don't see the point in it.

I have a ton of the Superman matel figures from the early to mid 90's. I know those aren't worth anything, but it is almost a complete set of them, only missing Superboy and Sharkman. Otherwise I think I have them all. But I will be lucky to get $20 for them all. LOL just as long as the damn ebay listing fees don't add up to too much I will be ok.