new to G1 transformers - any advice anyone?

[danaustin1975]

Hi,

I just wanted to say hi to the community, I've come over from rebelscum a star wars forum, as I'm a star wars collector. Someone at CybertronCa the Canadian Transformer site put me onto this website as its for UK collectors so thought I'd see what's going on over here.

I've just got into collecting Transformers, infact am about to buy my first transformer on ebay. I found 12 G1 transformers in the loft, all in good condition, some with weapons, and it got me thinking about collecting as I loved these toys when I was young.

Does anyone know the consense on reissues? I've seen a lot of them on ebay, though I'm not too sure about the prices some of them are going for at BIN's from HK and China - are these toys really worth these BIN's? I might wait till I see one on auction to see what its really worth.

I'm tempted to get the reissues as they're near identical to the original toys, but then again, they're not vintage. What do you guys think about these reissues? If anyone knows a thread about this, I'd be interested to read it, just don't know what to think about them yet.

After looking at ebay prices, transformers are certainly more expensive than star wars on average. I'm hoping to find bargains, but I want to collect boxed, not necesarily mint, just boxed, I've been told MIB go for around £75 each, so I'm hoping they're not all that expensive.

Anyway, if anyone has any pointers or advice, I'd like to hear your thoughts, I'm just starting out so open to hearing any thoughts.

[Phill]

Best advice I could give you is to start with the Encore releases. They're as sood as the originals, sure they're not vintage, but they look good enough and are about 99% accurate to the originals.

If the Encore releases aren't enough for you, then you could always hunt around on E-Bay for the Takara Bookcase collection (TFC) and EHobby releases. There's also the Hasbro Commemerative Series, but they're altered to meet western toy safety laws.

If you go for the TFC collection you'll find Convoy, Megatron, Soundwave and Soundblaster are the most expensive. Also some of the EHobby ones can get pretty expensive.

[danaustin1975]

Thanks Phill,

that really helps, I didn't know what to think about re-issues, but I can see that to the collector these re-issues are valuable; I came from a perspective of star wars collecting, where modern items are not really valuable to the collector.

This is good news, as re-issues are more in my price range than say $150 per boxed transformer. I've seen some Encores and Ehobby releases they look amazing, so I'll start collecting them, though I haven't seen any TFC yet, I'll keep an eye out. I don't mind some being expensive, just on average its nice to be able to buy the transformers.

I was just wondering, if a transformer is vintage (from the 80's) G1, isn't it more valuable than a re-issue? I'm going to buy a Metroplex soon vintage complete, and I was advised on another thread to wait for the re-issue in the summer, but my methodology is that it is vintage, so I'd sooner have an original toy. Is that good thinking in this hobby?

[Phill]

Not sure what its like in other collectors markets, but in the Transformers one, the reissues don't directly affect the prices of the originals.

It all really comes down to your own personal opinion on it.

I know some people out there hate that the Encore releases say Takara TOMY on them, but for others it doesn't matter what name is on the box, they've got the figure they had as a kid, in better condition, and cheaper than a classic one.

Like any collectors market however there are loads of people out there who are only interested in the originals, and that's the only thing that will do.

[danaustin1975]

Well, I'd like to just concentrate on vintage G1, but prices are just out of my reach so I haven't got that luxury for now. I'll still get a few high end pieces, the transformers that go for £70 odd, but I'd be just as happy with a re-issue selection, and it looks great.

Are all vintage boxed transfomers this price though? I'm watching one at the moment which is ending soon going for under twenty quid, maybe it'll jump. I saw a Rodimus Prime boxed go for twenty quid the other day, I just missed it.

Thanks for your comments Phill, it helps.

[Tarantulas]

Reissues are a godsend for any collector. I don't want to pay over £100.00 for a figure just so it has a box most of its accessories and at best minimal play wear.

I'd much rather have the exact same figure mint ready for me to open and stick on the stickers on. I don't care what year it was made. Take for example Metroplex. My original Metroplex was the stickered thighs and plastic wheels. To replace him I'd like the chromed thighs and rubber wheels. To track one down in decent condition and then try to hunt down all its numerous parts would be frustrating and expensive. No, much better to get Encore Metroplex who will most likely be the top end version. It may even have minor improvements to boot.

My most recent reissue was Sky Lynx. It was never released here and when looking for a second hand one prices started at £70.00. Then you needed to track one down with a box and with its electronics working. Reissue Skylynx is pristine, walks and all its clips are strong and unbroken. On top of that the mouth gun has been colourd black and his eye windows have struts to seperate them.

My advise is where you can don't hesitate to pick up a reissue. Spending loads on a vintage piece is only worth it if your intention is to sell it in ten years time. That's if there are no reissues of those figures which will adversly affect the price. A figure is often only as expensive as it is difficult to track down.

[Loosecannon]

Just be careful of KO's....

[danaustin1975]

thanks Tarantulas,

that's the kind of thing I've come to realise while scouting ebay, it seems the originals are really expensive whereas re-issues are cheap which is affordable and then you don't have any problems with the toy, such as tracking down extra pieces.

I will be careful of KO's, but so far the first transformers I can afford are vintage, so I'll have several before I get into re-issues (I want to get Ultra Magnus, Prime, Rodimus, Kup and Blur which I've seen in the £40 - £50 range boxed), but I can't see the harm in getting say the Dinobot and Insecticon re-issues, and maybe ones like Jazz and Prowl (the originals are dead expensive as you know), so that's my plan.

I'm really looking forward to getting Metroplex (I didn't know he came with rubber or plastic wheels etc) but it'll kick start my collection nicely. I could wait for the re-issue but I'm not worried about minor details. I'm never going to sell my toys, so I'm not collecting for value, but am collecting for display.

You've answered one question I've had - when you get a re-issue, do you open the box? I guess its ok to. I like the transformer in robot mode on display, then the box behind it, rather than a box with the transformer in. In star wars, opening something is almost forbidden lol.

Haven't heard of Sky Lynx, infact I'm seeing G1 transformers all the time on ebay that I've never even heard of.

[Galvy]

in your last post you say dinobot re-issues and insecticon reissues. be aware that the dinobots are remakes(kos) . other board members can tell you about the quality of them ( i own none), yet for uk buyers its a great way to get a mib swoop.

and welcome by the way

[Devil Soundwave]

Apr 15, 2008 5:57:37 GMT Phill said:

Bbut they're altered to meet western toy safety laws.

*boooooo!!!!! hissssss!!!!***

[danaustin1975]

I don't know anything about what's a good re-issue and what's something to avoid, so thanks for that. I just saw the dinobots going for a BIN at £100 on ebay, and I thought that's an easy way of getting them instead of paying near that price for each of them.

So I take it I shouldn't buy the dinobots or insecticon re-issues?

Thanks

[Hellhound]

TF KOs fall into two categories - cheap and nasty (these tend to be combiners) and 'good' ones.

There have been quite a few of these, such as Dinobots & Metroplex as mentioned, Mirage and Gnaw and lots of different versions of Optimus P.

They're also quite expensive, I bought a KO of Swoop and paid c£40. Was it worth it? Yes & no. It wasn't as well made as the Hasbro/Takara reissues. On the other hand, at the time neither company were doing reissues, and I'd never be able prepared to pay for a near-mint pukka G1 version.

There was a website about current KOs, but appears to be either down or defunct:

kotransformers.com/

If you go down the vintage-only route, be aware that there are a plethora of versions of most 'classic' characters. Plastic & stickered legs vs rubber & chrome legged Metroplex' will be the least of your troubles!

This is quite a useful page, I don't think it's updated too often these days but you'll either find it fairly interesting or it'll put you off for life!

www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vquanda.html

[Hellhound]

Oh, just remembered, Takara released the Insecticons as TFC 16.

[Xbot]

I really don't care if it's a re-issue or vinatge as long as it displays well is all that matters to me

[danaustin1975]

Thanks guys,

your input is invaluable, its given me more info to go on; from what I know from star wars, its best to research what you're going to buy before you buy it.

Yes, I've noticed a lot of these combiners on ebay, especialy from HK, they usually go by without any bids and on looking at them they look very bright and plastic lol.

I've decided I'll go down the vintage route as far as I can afford, then when i get out of my depth, I'll look at the official re-issues from Hasbro or Takara, I'll especially look at Encore and E Hobby pieces. But maybe I get by without spending $$$$ on transformers? Maybe I'm lucky? Or maybe I'm not lol.

Bought the Metroplex last week for just over fifty posted, it was either that transfomer or Blurr - for my first buy I went on size lol (shallow I know).