When is "Original" not "Original"

[Blackthornone]

lol, you think some chinese factory worker sits at the end of an assembly line and numbers each statue as they come out of the mold in numerical and chronological order? what happens if more than one statue is brought out of the molds at exactly the same time then?! will there be a tear in the time-space continuum? Use your brain please?

You are being practical. Practicality has next to nothing to do with collectibles. Collectibles like art are about making something that is perceived to be special, for emotional "reasons" or motivations. A statue shaped like Captain America is perceived to be special because it looks like Captain America, which has a history and a character that stands for something, which people like. Because of people's emotional attachment to Captain America, they will buy the statue, because they perceive it to be special. The statue doesn't DO anything. It has no practical value. People only buy it because of the perception of specialness that lies behind it, and there are a lot of other causes for people perceiving things to be special, like numbers. Most people think lower numbers are more desirable, and so they are higher valued. Some people have special numbers that when combined with a statue they like, they would pay 4 times as much for, but would never tell anyone they would. If a statue was of an unknown subject, despite the fact that the craftsmanship is as great as a Captain America statue, it wouldn't sell for as much money.

 

[Batman29]

Thanks everyone for your input.

Obviously the reason I started this thread is because I like to represent my articles as accurately as possible, and what is acceptabe for original.

I appreciate how this has also turned into numbers. Plainly though, is that in some cases numbers do matter for value. Here is an example.

I own the Hard Hero #48 Chrome statue (yes, the one that only one of the 500 was chromed). Not only was that significant, but the fact that #48 was the first appearance comic number was important too. Plainly put, it is simply worth more than the others because it is #48 and of course the chrome. Yes, it really is in the true word, "original", lol.

So, first appearance numbers on statues, in my mind, if we were looking soley at value, would pull in a bit more.

Honestly, how many of you have seen an edition number 1939 for Batman (the first year) or 1938 for Superman? #27 for the Batman? Super rare indeed.

And then there is the low numbers. Well, for some collectors it is worth more for them. It is part of the gandre for them to collect this. For me, I have many low ones. I have to say though, the first appearacne ones, comic number ones, or year, or a movie year, are the most significant.

And heh, how come some of you are climbing up on Blacthorne's case? I think he made some pretty good points!

 

[NIGHTCRAWLER]

Get a life man...before it's too late

too funny

 

[amarcord]

Well, the fact is that the more a mold is used, the more it wears out. Whether the manufacturer starts with high numbers or low numbers doesn't change that. The number of molds is irrelevant, because no matter how many they have, they all wear out. This is why the fit and finish of a lot cars of a certain body style towards the end of the run isn't as great as the first ones were.
But yes, if they start the numbers arbitrarily, then to the true connoisseur, they would have to find out what were the REAL low numbers, so if they started at 2000 instead of 1, then 2000 would be the low number, or maybe they started at 1500 and jumped all over the place. Basically,the desire for low numbers is based upon having what is closest to the first, because the first of something is always worth the most.

I agree.
Some casts have less defenition just like some are not painted so well.
The production number has no meaning to me, as long as the piece looks the best possible way I am happy.