Help wanted: What is the value of my collection?

**RobertDD** · 11-05-2007

Hi all,

I haven't been posting for a while and have been here less and less as I am a Action Fleet collector (and Titanium Ultra, which is the same thing to me) and that line is deader than dead these days.

However, the other day my wife told me I had to add the collection to our insurance, which makes a lot of sense, except I don't know what it's worth. So here's the question:

I collected everything called Star Wars Action Fleet in every paint variation, including the elusive three button remote At-At, the white ring X-wing Alpha, the green A-wing without decals, etc, etc. You get the drift. I also collected every Star Wars Titanium Ultra. The collection is complete, mint, loose (no boxes) and has been housed in a custom made glass case (except for the Titaniums in their plastic bubbles, as I just did not have the space in the case anymore).

What, would you estimate, is the value of this collection today/what should I insure this for? You guys are the experts.

I posted some photo's of my collection a while back: http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?t=23960

PS: Just to make this entirely clear, this collection is not for sale now and never will be.

Thanks all!
Robert

**Blue2th** · 11-05-2007

The only "up to the minute" way is to go on eBay, click on completed auctions on the left tool-bar (of the category-item you choose) then go to the upper right of those items listed and choose "highest prices"

This will show you what each example of your collection is going for in completed auctions of the last 30 days in today's market. Though it is an on-line auction, it is better than magazine guides which are sometimes out-dated. Though I'm sure some of your items could be in Lee's Action figures magazine. So between those two you should get a ball-park estimate of worth.

**RobertDD** · 11-05-2007

Hi Blue,

I do realize that I could get an up to the minute price off of ebay with a lot of work, researching selling prices of older auctions, etc. Four or five years ago I did excactly that and I knew what I should to pay for the items I did not have yet, and at what price I was getting a great deal. There are a few problems with that method, though:

1. Ebay sells mostly mint in box, my collection is mint but loose. How does that affect the price?
2. Prices on ebay are on a per item basis. I have a complete collection. How does that affect the price?

Furthermore, I know some out here are watching ebay like a hawk, like I used to, and are up to date on current pricing, I am not anymore.

I suspect the way to put a price to a collection like mine is to attach a price to highly sought after items (and I do not know which ones those are, especially for the ep1 and later stuff I know prices have been on the rise for some of them) and then add in a token amount per ship that doesn't fetch a premium (like $1, or maybe $2?).

As far as I know, and last time I checked, Lee's was/is terribly incomplete and inaccurate and misses some of the rarest items in my collection, so I wouldn't want to use that.

Most importantly is that the figure I come up with isn't mine, but is yours, the experts', figure.

So I ask once again, what do you guys think it is worth?

**LTBasker** · 11-05-2007

Well, your stuff may be loose but it's safely kept in a very nice display cabinet, so their value would be slightly higher than normal if you were to ever resell them. People tend to pay more when they have proof an item has been very well taken care of.

I'd start at retail for everything and then raise prices depending on rarity and/or how much extra you might have paid. I can't actually see any reason to lower a price from retail if that's what you paid, because it's not like these are widely available. And, who knows if they'll suddenly become rare between now and if something eventually happens to your collection?

But right off the bat I'll just say it's probably worth ONE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS!

**RobertDD** · 11-05-2007

Originally Posted by LTBasker

right off the bat I'll just say it's probably worth ONE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS!

Sold to the gentleman in the white suit!

But seriously, I think retail for most of this is too much...

**El Chuxter** · 11-05-2007

I'd say at least twelve dollars.

**Blue2th** · 11-05-2007

I don't know but it's a funny thing, that I notice, and even people like Adam Paulus of Galactic Hunter, who mentioned the oddity in his column, that people will bid on loose figures more than MIMB. Providing they have all their accessories. Some times even not depending on rarity.

This could be for a few reasons:

Alot of people like loose.

You/they save a bundle on shipping. Especially combined shipping (you calculate the savings-be reasonable)

They know what to expect.

Next time you do a search, compare loose to MIMB (which is very decieving sometimes)

**Darth Duranium** · 11-05-2007

Hard to value a collection like that... have the same problem. Sounds like you have protos and ultra-rare variants... these would probably worth more if you broke them out of the collection.

Most collectors like me are missing only a few AF vehicles and don't need dupes of everything we already have. I don't remember some of the variants you mention... I'll have to look at Sicqnus' great site again, if they're in there. Probably are...

Currently, some of the AF EP 1 ships are worth the most, I'd think. The Sith Infiltrators, the Royal Starships, the Alpha Droid Fighter, and the Alpha Naboo Starfighter go for a hefty price due to the cancellation of the AF line mid-wave. The Tie Defender and Rebel E-Wing are pricey, too.

As for Titanium Ultra, the first Republic Gunship and the Falcon are worth a little more than most but most are pretty flat, price-wise. The Ultra Galactica was going for $50+ but has bottomed since a dollar store chain got their hands on about ...oh, a million of them. Frack 'em.

For the rare ones I mention, the boxed price is not much more than the loose price... they're that rare.

I'd buy a Star Wars collector price guide and use that to price the collection...higher numbers, in my view. I'd use retail as the bottom price, too. Always over-insure as depreciation comes into play.

eBay is too much of a bargain for stuff like this, if you're a savvy buyer. Savvy?

I'm sure we could help out with some of the rarer ones, though. Your pic is kinda distant and glare-y, if you know what I mean. Post some better pics and we'll take a boo...

Your collection? I bid 3 quatloos.

**2-1B** · 11-05-2007

hi Robert, how does your insurance rider work? Do you need PROOF of their value ? Is there a ceiling to how much you can declare in value for whatever premium you are paying ?
If so, I would just declare it near the maximum reimbursement your insurance would allow in case something awful happened. eBay is a pretty up and down guide for value so that isn't very concrete. At least with price guides you can have something timestamped and published which is something the insurance company will accept as proof of "value."

Plus, those price guides usually overstate the value on something and people rarely pay it, so in the event of destruction, at least you can get a few extra dollars out of it.

**RobertDD** · 11-06-2007