Why have all the PFs depreciated so significantly?

[Collector Freak]

Why don't these things hold their value?

 

[Darth Loki]

So far only the exclusives have.

I think you need to factor in that you can get one from a retailer for about $50 cheaper, so knock $50 off SS's price to start with and they're pretty close. Han goes for just under $200 (occasionaly can be found for closer to $150), which is about right. Leia and Obi are a little higher than $200, but I'm sure Leia will be the cheapest of them all soon enough. Greivous just isn't a main character and I'd imagine that's what's causing his regular to drop.

Another thing I think that's hindering the value of at least Luke is the likeness. I know I'd own one if it actually looked like Mark Hamill.

 

[Collector Freak]

Even the exclusives are dropping. All but Han, it seems so far.

 

[JustinLuck]

I think the likeness of Obiwan is the best, followed by Leia. The others don't impress me at all.

For this scale, the likeness should be much closer.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

I dont collect SW but I would assume the 12" are more desirable..

 

[pixletwin]

I think it is still too early to tell. Wait till the online retailers unload theirs and this becomes an ebay only type item. I believe then you will see its true value rise or drop.

 

[jason2885]

I hope they drop so I can afford them. I would like to have the ANH set but Im not sure I can pay 250 - 300 per. If they were all 150 I would be getting them. This could also be just valley in the prices and by christmas they may all be 400 a piece I mean you never know.

 

[Mini-Rock]

Simple really, the market is flooded with these pieces. Anyone of them (except for the Exclusive PF Han) are readily available. Same thing happened, and still happens, with MR, GG, Code3, and Attakus. We'll have to wait for the pieces to "sell out" before we can determine if they hold their value.

Why don't these things hold their value?

 

[occulum]

Simple really, the market is flooded with these pieces. Anyone of them (except for the Exclusive PF Han) are readily available. Same thing happened, and still happens, with MR, GG, Code3, and Attakus. We'll have to wait for the pieces to "sell out" before we can determine if they hold their value.

I agree. With many of the most wanted characters having just come out or still yet to come its way too early to tell what kind of long-term value these will yield. Pieces dont generally start increasing in value until theyve been off the market for awhile.
and being quite expensive, many collectors tend to sell what they currently have to afford the new releases and/or to just make the space to display them. The price also significantly reduces the number of collectors that are even into the line when compared to the 1:6's.

2-3yrs out after the reselling/flipping dust settles and these pieces find their way into permanent homes/display cases Im sure many will start rising in value.

.. but I will say that seeing how the PFs clothing/design hold up in the long haul as far as deteriorating is concerned will make a difference too.

 

[tomandshell]

I dont collect SW but I would assume the 12" are more desirable..

To me, the 12" figures are cute toys that keep me busy in between the "real" Star Wars products--the PF statues. I can't personally get over the feeling that something smaller and poseable is a toy. And as great as the Sideshow 12" bodies are, they still pose awkwardly and can't get into (or maintain) a suitably lifelike pose for my tastes. I don't want to play with it or pose it, just take it out of the box and have it look as realistic as possible, and that is what the PFs are designed for. In my opinion and experience, you simply can't get a 12" figure to pose as naturally as a sculpted statue--show me a picture of your 12" Skinner talking on his cell phone, please. They are nice for what they are, but I absolutely prefer the PFs over the 12" figures. (And I know that I am probably in the vast minority here! Don't attack me personally, and please note that I am voicing my opinion and not stating objectively that "all 12" figures suck"--because they don't. I am stating an opinion and a personal preference.)

As for the value of the PFs, I think that Darth Loki is on the right track. The more expensive the item, the greater the discount from retailers. That discounted rate is what the price goes up or down from for most people, not the Sideshow MSRP. However, that doesn't explain the exclusives. My personal theory--the edition sizes are too large. There simply aren't that many people faithfully collecting this line. They made 1250 of the Exclusive 12" Luke. They made only 100 less of the Dagobah Luke PF. Many of those will be cancelled or sold on eBay. There aren't that many dedicated collectors of this line, just a lot of people buying in anticipation of a flip. If each exclusive was between 250-750 pieces, and each regular approximately twice that, these would hold their value, and there would be enough for the true collectors. But then the scalpers would have a field day. Ironically, they are making more PF figures than there are collectors collecting them, but if they reduced the numbers then the scalpers would move in and then we would be complaining in the opposite direction. Since I don't plan on selling them, the value doesn't bug me that much. It's annoying to see an exclusive go for less than retail, but I'm not going to wait around and take a chance on that happening every time, so I order direct from Sideshow ASAP and don't look back.

The bottom line is, these things are expensive and the number of people who can afford (and who choose) to collect them is probably only about 2/3 of the total number of figures made. But it's only been a little over a year since the first one shipped. Maybe over time the line will become more popular and they will all end up in the homes of true collectors, and begin to escalate in value. But it will take a while for the supply to dry up as we wait for the flippers, scalpers, prospectors, fair weather collectors, mind-changers, uninterested prize winners and trustworthy retailers to dump theirs on the market.

 

[JohnnyFavourite]

Simple really, the market is flooded with these pieces. Anyone of them (except for the Exclusive PF Han) are readily available. Same thing happened, and still happens, with MR, GG, Code3, and Attakus. We'll have to wait for the pieces to "sell out" before we can determine if they hold their value.

Yes and all the different manufacturers have got their license the same time.
For example you can buy a GG, Attakus statue or Sideshow PF.
That' s a lot of competition which drop the prices.

 

[88th division]

I agree with you 100 % Tom. The supply far out numbers the demand. But as you said it is a double edged sword. If you make to many they sit on shelves, make it limited (IE. Wolfman, grey Hulk, etc..) and the flippers get involved.
I also order from Sideshow when they go up for preorder. I don't want to miss any either.
Value wise, as I look at the five PF's I have on display I am happy in the fact that I have them. Even though when I first saw them on the site I had no intentions of getting into 1/4 scale. Now I am moving my collection into more high end pieces (As I can afford them). I guess the bottom line is, if you worry about the value maybe collecting is not for you. I have collected many things over 25 years some I made money on some not. But I had fun doing it the whole time. So have fun collecting! After all that's what this hobby is all about.

 

[JohnnyFavourite]

I agree totally with 88 dievision, get what you like and some rare pieces!
If your look at your collection, you know what i mean!

 

[Rook]

Speaking for myself, I lost all interest in picking up a PF Luke as soon as I saw the PF Luke and Yoda. I abandoned thoughts of getting a PF Leia as soon as I saw the awesomeness that is the PF Boba Fett.

Again, for myself, the price of these things makes it such that I can't grab them up as quickly as they come out. So I have to wait. And, while I'm waiting, invariably, something infinitely cooler is announced.

In short, spacial and financial constraints limit the number of these most people can pick up. And as the quality improves with each piece, the demand of the earlier pieces will, naturally, depreciate.

 

[PosterBoyKelly]

Well the 12" figures are toys, but they look just as good as the PF, they're cheaper, they're more posable and due to their size they're easier to display. You get the quality of design, for less money, and more display options, I see why the 12" are more desirable than PF. I can't afford PF. Maybe one day I'll be able to get ONE, but like alot of people, it's more realistic to go 12". I'd rather have a bunch of 12" than 1 or 2 PF. I'm not saying the PF suck, they kcik major backside, but even if I could afford them, I think I'd go 12" just because of my options for display. That'sall just me though, I think the 12" line is a plauge on the PF and effect them in a major sense. Now that people have a cheaper-just as good option, they're going for it.

 

[The Josh]

To me, the 12" figures are cute toys that keep me busy in between the "real" Star Wars products--the PF statues. I can't personally get over the feeling that something smaller and poseable is a toy. And as great as the Sideshow 12" bodies are, they still pose awkwardly and can't get into (or maintain) a suitably lifelike pose for my tastes. I don't want to play with it or pose it, just take it out of the box and have it look as realistic as possible, and that is what the PFs are designed for. In my opinion and experience, you simply can't get a 12" figure to pose as naturally as a sculpted statue--show me a picture of your 12" Skinner talking on his cell phone, please. They are nice for what they are, but I absolutely prefer the PFs over the 12" figures. (And I know that I am probably in the vast minority here! Don't attack me personally, and please note that I am voicing my opinion and not stating objectively that "all 12" figures suck"--because they don't. I am stating an opinion and a personal preference.)

WOW!! So the 12" SW figures aren't "real" Star Wars Products? That's kind of harsh. I know you're not meaning anything by it but I think the level of money we're shelling out for these they qualify as "real" Star Wars products (I think I might have chosen a different way to say what you meant). I don't think you can consider these toys either. I mean I don't any of us that are going to go out in the back yard and jump these around like when we where kids.

I love both and think both bring something really cool to a collection. I think collecting these items is a win/win for us as fans of SW. Now, if I had to pick one or the other I'd go PF but I love the 12" too.

 

[Bannister]

Another thing I think the 12" figures have going for them is that there is alot more variety. You are only going to get certain characters in pf, so if your favorite character is more obscure, there is a better chance you will see them in 12". I also agree that the reason the pf aren't holding value is the edition sizes.

 

[tomandshell]

That's why I put the word "real" in quotation marks, to try and show that I was being tongue in cheek in the use of the word. By "real" I meant the ones that I was personally more enthusiastic about and interested in. They are obviously a real Star Wars product, and some of the best on the market right now. But for me they are just appetizers leading up to the main course.

(And the backyard is the first place mine go after they are opened up. )

However, I do consider the 12" figures to be toys, although I don't mean that to sound negative, or to imply that they are for kids to play with. They are toys for adults. You can change their clothes around and switch their accessories and pose them. That to me makes it a toy, and I don't personally think that the word "toy" is an insult or slur. It just describes what it is. They are the nicest quality toys around, but I put action figures and fully sculpted statues in two different categories and prefer the second over the first. For people who consider the 12" figures to be the main event in Star Wars collecting, I won't argue. But for me they are secondary.

 

[The Josh]

That's why I put the word "real" in quotation marks, to try and show that I was being tongue in cheek in the use of the word. By "real" I meant the ones that I was personally more enthusiastic about and interested in. They are obviously a real Star Wars product, and some of the best on the market right now. But for me they are just appetizers leading up to the main course.

I get ya and knew where you where coming from. I just was suprised to see you post that. It doesn't bother me for folks to feel this way but I think to keep someone from freaking who is totally a 12" nut I might have worded it differently. Maybe, that's because I get a lot of my posts taken the wrong way.

(And the backyard is the first place mine go after they are opened up. )

Touche

However, I do consider the 12" figures to be toys, although I don't mean that to sound negative, or to imply that they are for kids to play with. They are toys for adults. You can change their clothes around and switch their accessories and pose them. That to me makes it a toy, and I don't personally think that the word "toy" is an insult or slur. It just describes what it is. They are the nicest quality toys around, but I put action figures and fully sculpted statues in two different categories and prefer the second over the first. For people who consider the 12" figures to be the main event in Star Wars collecting, I won't argue. But for me they are secondary.

I disagree even with calling them adult toys but I get what you're saying. It's all good.

 

[tomandshell]

If my use of the word "toy" is offensive to any of the 12" fans (and I include myself in that group), then I apologize. I don't think of that word as being negative and didn't mean to insult the fine work that Sideshow does. I just meant that of the two lines (both of which I like and both of which I pay good money to collect) I prefer the PFs. But I didn't mean that because the 12" guys come in second that I don't consider them to be high quality items. I wouldn't have them all on order if I didn't like them!

The Medicom Toy or Hot Toys items like the Alien or Rambo figures are high quality collectibles aimed at the adult market, but identified as "toys" in the title. If I use the word again in the future, please understand that I am referring to something interactive as opposed to a static fully sculpted figure, and not meaning something cheap or meant for kids.