Nope.
Ughhh...I guess I'd better explain.
A little over a year ago I wrote a post detailing some of the little nuggets of gold that I managed to scoop up from the rapidly drying stream. Don't even bother reading it. Those deals are gone forever and not even an Artisan Doron Changer sells for a good price anymore. In the past year I've monitored the outlets and, well, there really isn't much left to buy, let alone find a decent deal on anything interesting.
I'm not here to moan about the good old days when I picked up things like the ancillary Power Animals from Gaoranger for $10 a pop, I understand that time is money and we're heading to a future of possible reissues sprinkled with Super Minipla to kinda satiate the need to new old stuff.
Availability is becoming a big problem. I have two toys left on my collection list--and I don't expect to find them any time soon, nor do I expect to get them for a song. There are a handful of other toys that I'm "interested" in--they aren't at all rare, exciting, or sought after. They've been 100% unavailable for two years. I check all the time and they haven't popped up on any of the usual sites in years. The hell?
In my usual searches I came across something that I made me pause. I am going to show you the image that broke my brain:
It's obvious what site I took this from, so I feel like this was posted as bait to accept a price cut and move on. Crackhead sellers are nothing new and the site that this was posted to is known for haggling. That said--DX Tetra Boy, in all of his azure mediocrity, has always been rare. The seller mentions this about both items in the description along with sentimental feelings. Even is there is an extra zero in that price, it's still a headache-inducing amount.
I bought two DX Tetra Boys to make one good set back in the day, and even at the $150 or so I paid total for both, I paid that price begrudgingly since it was one of the last 90s Sentai Mecha I needed for my full set. Imagine my dismay when I did a look around and total junkers were pegged at $60+. At least both of the ones I got came with boxes and accessories!
It got me looking into prices for other 90s mecha. The news is not good. Junk is pulling unwarranted money and sellers are definitely having the market since we're at a point where collectors aren't holding out for the perfect examples anymore. The cold, dead grip of Fear Of Missing Out has finally come for 90s and 2000s toys... The people that can now "afford" the toy they missed out on are here...
I'm just writing this post as a stark contrast to my previously sunny demeaner. I'm aware that I bought the important stuff in my collection at a time when prices were completely bottomed. Prices crept up, but available was always good. If I had an idea for a video, I made it happen in short order with quick turnaround. Prices continued to creep, and people began to settle for lesser condition. The decent stuff got expensive...then the OK stuff got expensive...and now the junk is starting to fetch premiums.
I used to say that you didn't have to look too hard for deals with a casual search. Now you have to look harder, pay more, and be willing to accept less...much less.
Good luck on your collecting! If you're thinking about something from the late 00s........now's the time!!!
See ya!
-CC
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