SurlyJ
Super Freak
Newsletter just came out. 2000 ES for Smaug. Open for the mini Smaug.
Statue Weta Workshop Smaug the Terrible Statue
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SolidLiquidFox
doing it...for all of us
Just caught that as well. That's a lot more than anticipated.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
Yeah I'm a bit surprised but I get it. I still expect this to sell out, just not quickly. May not become a grail due to the ES, but it will still be an awesome statue to own and should be good that if people can't afford it right at release, they won't be totally hosed trying to get one. Hopefully the high ES helps keep the price closer to $500-600 than $700-$800.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
Eh, I don't mind the high ES. Selfishly would have preferred 1000, but for collector's in general, a higher ES helps more people than it hurts.
SolidLiquidFox
doing it...for all of us
If some of you are banking Weta dollars then get the Balrog first, wait for those points to convert and then use them along with a 10% off coupon from a book or something.
MrPickles
Super Freak
I wish the pictures from the newsletter weren't so small...
A little higher than I expected but 2000 is still a fair ES. Should keep Smaug in the 600 ballpark.
Might not sell out quickly but I do think over time it will be a grail for Middle-earth collectors. I don't believe ES makes a grail so much as the desire for one to own that character. There are plenty of Middle-earth pieces with higher than 500 ES that are highly desired. So I think it's a little early to say this won't be a grail like some pieces. Time will tell.
2k isn't a high ES.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
Good points Josh. The quality and demand for a statue determines it's grail status down the line more than an ES does and in the grand scheme of things, particularly when this is basically the only full size Smaug statue ever, 2k isn't particularly high.
I'm glad they also listed the size of the base. I tried to tell you all how big that freaking base was but the numbers help tell that tale. 21 1/16" is a massive freaking base and I believe bigger than anything they've done before.
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Name me a 2000 ES middle-Earth statue that's a grail. Right now I can't think of one. Original Balrog was 1000 and Cave Troll was 750. This will never reach Azog status IMHO. Plus the fact that this will be expensive(I think $699). Unless a ton of dragon nuts and Hobbit Smaug lovers come out it will take some time to sell. We are still waiting for Barad-Dur to sell out after a couple of years now. Plus we are still waiting for Radagast, Tauriel and Thranduil to sell out as well as any LE dwarf that Weta did. We will see how fast this sells or maybe it's how slow?
I guess you're right considering that there's no exclusive or anything and this is the overall ES. Still wish it was smaller
Sent from the Cockpit of the Millenium Falcon
I just think we get too wrapped up in saying the ES determines the grail of something. I mean the RWOS is a grail and it has an ES of 5000, Sam and Bill has an open ES and is a grail, etc. It's gonna be the only large scale Smaug we get so over the long term it should be something fans of Middle-earth will want.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
Yeah, unless they decide to make some big fire breathing flying Smaug for Battle of Five Armies, which I highly doubt, this is it for Smaug. From Weta at least. Maybe SS will do something for him worthwhile.
The RWOS has an ES of 5k, Sam and Bill is an OE, Strider statue is an OE, and I've even seen the Sauron statue get called grail with an ES of what 9500.
That's my point. Another thing to remember for folks the final value doesn't mean grail either. It helps I suppose but it's the way people want the item in their collection that really I think determines that.
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When LOTR was god back in the day yes. Those days are long gone. Those pieces can be gotten at low well below grail prices now. Only the Cave Troll and Daddy Rog can still be considered that. Even Sam and Bill and the Ringwraith ain't commanding grail prices like the old days. Witch king in true form might be close to that too. Sauron can still be gotten for cheaper than if Weta made it Today. The stone trolls I consider a grail, even the Watcher in Waters piece is much cheaper to get now. Grail does have different meanings for some I will grant that. Either way I'm ordering it when it's in stock next year unless something really strange happens
No things don't sell as well as they used to but those pieces are still grails. There are no ifs, ands, or buts that they're still among the most desired of the SSW line. They may not command Balrog prices but they're still selling for a nice sum and still desired but lots of us who have been doing this a while. Grail can vary from person to person but I think if we're honest those pieces are still grails for those of us who have been doing this for a bit.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
To me grail can mean a few things:
- HUGE aftermarket price increases... usually needs to be 200% minimum if not 300-400%
- Perfect piece that is considered the single best representation of a character. Kind of thing people put at the center of their display and catches everyone's eye when they walk by it.
- Incredibly hard to find. This doesn't have to mean it is ridiculously priced or the most amazing piece, but something that due to either a very low ES or people simply never wanting to sell theirs, finding one to buy, at any price, is a challenge and requires lots of patience.
Now, these 3 things often overlap and are a result of or affect each other, but something can also only have one of these qualities for me to consider it a grail. I think this will hit the middle category and a year or two down the line will hit the first.
- HUGE aftermarket price increases... usually needs to be 200% minimum if not 300-400%
- Perfect piece that is considered the single best representation of a character. Kind of thing people put at the center of their display and catches everyone's eye when they walk by it.
- Incredibly hard to find. This doesn't have to mean it is ridiculously priced or the most amazing piece, but something that due to either a very low ES or people simply never wanting to sell theirs, finding one to buy, at any price, is a challenge and requires lots of patience.
Now, these 3 things often overlap and are a result of or affect each other, but something can also only have one of these qualities for me to consider it a grail. I think this will hit the middle category and a year or two down the line will hit the first.
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