Hot Toys - DX16 / DX17 - The Phantom Menace - Darth Maul and Sith Speeder

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Most of the time statues does look better tho. And statue collectors tend to plan their display much better.

Having, multiple times 4 thousands dollars of HT figures crammed into one non dustproof $ 60 ikea display case, to the point where adding even 3 $300+ finely crafted HT figures literally changes nothing and they independently need "shelf presence" to be worth it... Is a case way too common for 1/6 collectors. I mean maybe don't order the $550 die-cast Ironman reissue #26639 and buy a decent shelf and rgb leds strips and invest in some mat black background instead of your yellow or even wood/brick wall that throws all colors off.
Yes you can pose them. But be realistic, it will be a museum pose 99% of the time as HT hates decent stands and should have offered dynamic stands as standard for years.

Another thing is that statues, bust, props, helmets etc can attract all fans.

1/6 are only artificially going up in value because some other 1/6 collector missed them earlier. And the only one wanting to pay the inflated price are the kind of people that would pre-order it anyway and don't need 2. So we sometimes get 20+ figures of the same seller on eBay that will all only go at retail price or less.

The price point is also nuts. When two 30 cm and thin figures could get you a fiberglass 1:1 wearable helmet or real metal weapon prop, there no way the average wealthy fan wanting a single treat for Christmas is going to choose Jyn Erso and a Shore Trooper 1/6 instead of a Vader or death trooper helmet full fiberglass & screen accurate for the same price point. ��

Yes there's some stupid spike or story like HT Dr Strange going for 1600. But none was actually sold, people waited for the IW one instead, just like Zelda skinned exclusive Nintendo DS at $600 since 2008 and $10k USD 2007 Lego Millenium Falcon that are unsold on eBay for literally since the the kit went OOP, and they'll still be there unsold when I die.��
I hope you don't see HT figures as an actual investment like real estate or company shares.

That said. There's a couple 1/6 I can't pass on since the 1/4 scales figures or statues alternative, while leagues ahead in terms of quality and dynamics, are also just too expensive or will never exist.
The XM studio maul is basically what triggered HT to make this. But shipping it to West Europe will make it easily in the North of 1600€ after taxes and there like only 3 places where there's still a single one available while not out for another year or two... So getting the 1/6th maul AND speeder for 300€ max from HK or Singapore is literally the only way ��
 
It’s called inflation beeatches. Deal with it.
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It’s called inflation beeatches. Deal with it.
If life was that simple, we would all be smurfs. :lol

Inflation is a natural part of an economy. Stagnant wages are not. This, herein lies the problem.

Joe Blow loves Star Wars, DC, Marvel, drinking, smoking and chicks. Joe barely makes above what he did ten or fifteen years ago. Joe had a good run with his expendable income. Joe bought all the Star Wars dollies, DC figures and Marvel merchandise he could get his hands on—after the drinking and the women, of course.

But along comes inflation, worker strikes (both foreign and domestic), trade wars and greed—disguised as “innovative technologies”—to ruin all the fun. Joe now has priorities to think of. Joe likes women. Joe likes drinking and smoking. But he also really likes his collectibles. Joe can’t give that up either. So, he’ll spend less of his hard earned money, which holds more value than all the modern trinkets out there, and focus on a select few types of collectibles, from even fewer intellectual properties.

Now, Joe isn’t alone in this. John and Jim have both decided to join him in his way of thinking. Before long, others also see this new enlightenment and begin to refocus their buying habits.

Next thing you know, company profits are down worldwide and everyone sits around scratching their heads. “But, we made what they wanted?”


And that’s just it. Do people want this **** bad enough to go into debt? No. So, a lot of us are already using foresight and avoiding that entirely by channeling our inner geeks, our love for these properties, in new ways. That means resorting to less figure lines, switching to smaller scale stuff for everything else or making compromises we didn’t use to have to make.

Sure, Joe, John and Jim lose out on some stuff in the end. But so do the big guys. As a collectible toy maker, you want people with money to spend that money—not hoard it. And that’s exactly where the hobby is pushing some people now. Oversaturation is also playing a key part in things as well.
 
Like Chaver and several of you that have posted similar thoughts, I've been getting a little discouraged with the hobby's higher prices. That and lack of display space have me being even more selective on figure purchases.

I'm feeling the effects of burnout as well. I've easily got over two dozen figures that I've received in the last year or so that have remained in their boxes. I open up the packaging to take a quick look and back they go.

Another issue is that with many of the figures that I have, I'm at the point where they are being replaced with simply newer versions. I understand the whole progress in 1/6 technology and such, but it can be somewhat discouraging at the same time.

Just to bring this back to HT's Maul, I would like to pick up this figure to replace my old SS one but to be honest, I have yet to pre-order and I'm not sure I really need it my collection, especially at this price.

Yeah it's strange. After 80+ figures, I have those moments where I feel slightly burnt out or even bored with my collection... but yet I still get excited by the next cool HT preview and still get the same thrill when I unbox a figure for the first time.

It's like I really do feel like an addict at times with this hobby, always looking for my next fix. :D
 
Yeah it's strange. After 80+ figures, I have those moments where I feel slightly burnt out or even bored with my collection... but yet I still get excited by the next cool HT preview and still get the same thrill when I unbox a figure for the first time.

It's like I really do feel like an addict at times with this hobby, always looking for my next fix. :D

I agree. I'm in the same boat! :duff
 
What's the best Hot Toys figure? The next one[emoji16]

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I struggle to see beyond the etched tattoo out lines. I imagine it makes them easier to paint, but it totally adds a toy like quality to an otherwise awesome looking figure.
 
If you need a reason to pass on this, look at the price. That's what did it for me. Think the relaxed sculpt is pretty damn good tho.
 
Yeah it's strange. After 80+ figures, I have those moments where I feel slightly burnt out or even bored with my collection... but yet I still get excited by the next cool HT preview and still get the same thrill when I unbox a figure for the first time.

It's like I really do feel like an addict at times with this hobby, always looking for my next fix. [emoji3]

I agree. I'm in the same boat! :duff

I’m finding the space to be an issue now. I need more shelving but that means I need to finally buy a house, which will certainly alter my buying practices. Or ... sell a bunch off, at the risk of just repurchasing them in the future. Already done that with a couple figures.

So right now it’s not 100% fun getting figures that I then have to put something away to make space for the new one. I think I’m up to 34, or 38 when outstanding pre-orders arrive.
 
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