MovieChat Forums > Toy Hunter (2012) Discussion > Your greatest antique mall, garage sale ...

Your greatest antique mall, garage sale or flea market find

posted 11 years ago by Heart_Wrencher
10 replies | jump to latest

I've had several since I began collecting vintage toys. But my best by far was more than just a monetary score. As a kid, I would visit my family in England and some of my fondest memories were going to boot sales with my aunt. This was back in 1993 when vintage Star Wars collecting was really gaining steam; And the sellers at these boot sales knew it. 2-5 quid for a beat up figure was the common going price. After a half day of rummaging though Ewoks, Weequays, Vaders and Tusken Raiders with no capes. I found a white as white can be POTF Luke Stormtrooper in a suitcase full of random toys. The asking price... 50p! Again this was back in 1993, before ebay. I'd always wanted a Stormtrooper Luke but wouldn't even dare to even dream of obtaining one. And here it was for 50p. Nothing vintage toy collecting wise, has yet to top the excitement level I felt that day.

[–] dereksevilclone 11 years ago

That, my friend, is an awesome story :) And Stormtrooper Luke has always been a favourite of mine. I remember seeing him for sale in a department store as a kid & wanting him desperately, only to never see him again until I finally acquired mine in 1995.
My best find was probably finding a loose, almost dead mint Knickerbocker LOTR Samwise and Gollum at a flea market around 2002 for $2 a pop. Still have 'em!
I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

[–] Heart_Wrencher 11 years ago

Very cool. It doesn't get more holy grail than that Knickerbocker LOTR line. And your find was legit apposed to Jordan and his bogus Ringwraith find.

[–] dereksevilclone 11 years ago

SAdly, Samwise had no accessories with him. And it briefly inspired in me the desire to collect the remaining Knickerbocker LOTR, as it was a small series. Then I saw the prices of then others - particularly Ringwraith and Gandalf - online. Looks like Gollum and Samwise are going to be very lonely.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

[–] Heart_Wrencher 11 years ago

After collecting the entire vintage SW line, I went after the Mattel Battlestar, Clash of the Titans, Flash Gordon and those Remco Universal Monsters. But I stayed clear from that LOTR line for that very reason. Too rich for my blood.

[–] dereksevilclone 11 years ago

We are brothers! I LOVE the Mattel Flash Gordon and Clash of the Titans lines! Both are lines I desperately hungered for as a kid, but just never could find (poor distribution coupled with very short shelf). Still need the Kraken and Flash's inflateable starship :( And did you ever see this images of a Clash of the Titans cardboard Kalibos' lair...? It was apparently offered in a catalouge one year, and I have yet to see one surface in the secondary market :( Looks awesome, though!

I DON'T BELIEVE IN CASUAL SEX. I ALWAYS WEAR A TIE.

[–] Heart_Wrencher 11 years ago

Never heard of that playset. Had to google it lol. Looks great. Reminds me of that Palitoy Death Star playset. I'm right along with you on the Kraken and Flash's starship. Those are items I've been watching and bidding on for years. I just don't see myself shelling out what those items have been going for. The Kenner Super Powers line also comes to mind. I've been after the Hall of Justice but just can't seem to nab one at a price I'm willing to pay.

[–] mstheroff 11 years ago

I think my biggest surprise was running across a 1978 Mattel Tarzan figure based on Big Jim's pal Big Jeff or possibly a MIB Kenner Six Million Dollar Man movie viewer. I know there are a lot more valuable items out there, but they were the most surprising to find for me.

[–] hightp 11 years ago

Hey mstheroff, do you remember what he Six Million Dollar Man Movie Viewer was going for? I had one as a young teen and loved it. There was a similar item from Fisher Price that had some Disney Cartoons and Sesame Street stuff as well but the cartridges weren't interchangeable.

He who fights and runs away, lives to run away again!

[–] Heart_Wrencher 11 years ago

Speaking of the Six Million Dollar Man... I just pre-ordered this:

http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ZC65002

[–] scifi1980 11 years ago

Some guy at a local flea market let go BOTH a loose 12 inch Vintage Storm trooper AND........get this? IG-88!! For $20 freakin dollars! No accessories, but they are in damn fine shape.

At first I thought, no way in hell is he gonna let go the Stormtrooper let alone IG-88 go for less than $50 a piece. The yoyos at the flea markets tend to peddle the bottom of the barrel condition SW stuff and the quality is usually a 3 at best on a scale of 1-10 and they want full bookprice.

I asked him kind of hesitantly, and he said "Take em both for $20." I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough. This was between 98-2000 I think. I still find It hard to believe. As it stands now, IG-88 without any accessories goes for $100 minimum on eBay and buying the guns and bandolier will run about $45 a pop.

Another one of my proud finds, while not purchased in one of the locations mentioned in the thread title, some guy at an indoor mall toy/baseball card show let me buy the vintage Transformers G1 Predacons/Predaking set loose with all they're proper decals, all they're swords and guns along with instruction booklets and to sweeten the deal, they were the first edition, die cast metal waste versions before they switched to plastic molds completely. He let them go for a flat $50^_^

That's still my favorite G1 score of all time. PredaKing was probably the best looking and easily the most massive of the Gestalts back in the day and alittle while later I sold an all plastic version of Rampage the Predacon with all decals and weapons and he went for $20 just like that, so im thinking in reality I should of paid $125-$150 for a complete metal set.