Blood for the Baron!

wolforrest wrote:Surely if the figure is mint and the parts are all original along with the reseal being of such immense factory quality that pricing would be pretty much the same as if it where original wouldn't it?

If collectors and graders cannot tell them apart why worry?

I only really collect loose stuff but like having the boxes purely for background display purposes.
I do however appreciate moc misb pieces a lot but the prices they command and care needed to preserve them makes it a collecting habit I am happy to steer clear of.

My sentiments exactly!

buddusky wrote:I'm up to page 100 of 140 something and it's fascinating reading.

It's gripping, aint it?

With the silly amounts of money involved, in the world of vintage M.O.C. Star Wars collecting, it was inevitable someone would try a major scam sooner or later.

It's all down to knowledge, the more people know the more anal they are and the bigger deal it is!

Until I joined the T.I.G forum I thought I was obsessive about small insignificant details... I can now relax as, after seeing the extremes of some variant hunters, I can be considered as being just a casual collector.

It's variations on another level without any form of parameter...it's crazy! It gives SteveD's VCD a touch of normality!

I think even our Mr D would find counting even the tiniest of (lets face it trivial) details, such as: slightly darker shade of brown boot paint app', counting as a variation a tad over excessive.

It's mind blowing really, I had absolutely no idea how seriously some folks take this kind of thing.

Fair play to the guy responsible for this site:
http://leia.bespin.info/

That kind of in-depth research takes true dedication, personally I'm more than happy to have examples of both the major neck paint variations.

That's quite disturbing Ed!

Apparently there's a fire sale going on as everyone tries to jettison their reseal MOCs to unsuspecting buyers!

There was a Jedi MOC Boba Fett on eBay BIN for £1000, checking the photos it had a red dot next to Chewie on the Cardback which I think is one of the signs of a reseal. However, it's now gone.

I've told Steve to read the Threads, he may pass out at the level of variations!

Steve, if you're reading this don't visit this site, it'll give you nightmares:
http://www.highasakoit.co.uk/starwars/starwars.php

That's like porn, and my worst OCD nightmare, rolled into one!!!

I might add in the thoughts as I've also been watching this.

Its a mess, nothing is set in concrete and far too many people are jumping on bandwagons. A lot of the evidence is circumstantial really and people are making things fit their viewpoints.

The source of these accusations isn't that great to be honest and there is clear animosity between ToyToni and Jason Joiner which is making matters worse. There is no clear smoking gun and as yet no definitive proof that ToyToni didn't just buy a huge batch of figures that originate from a production run which means they all have the same characteristics. Toni's silence isn't helping either, but for me the biggest problem is the mechanics of the whole thing, how is he sealing these figures with near perfect factory seals? How come no one has come forward sooner and ratted him out before?

I'm still in the camp of innocent until proven guilty and the evidence for me just ins't there, or there are other explanations for them. Plus to be honest some of it is getting to the point where collector have convinced themselves their viewpoint is right and not even hard evidence to the contrary will sway them.

I'm hoping that it is all false and can be proven as such but until we get clear evidence the matter won't go away. PS it just goes to show that just because the AFA call themselves an authority and put a shing sticker on it doesn't mean squat.

Cheers Rich, it's good to hear your opinion on this...knowing the present climate, you've got a much better handle on what's on here than I have.

I've never really followed the vintage M.O.C. market, just how badly has this affected values & have there been any adverse effect on the A.F.A's reputation?

Also have any other vintage toy lines been implicated in this or other such controversies in the past?