Monday, February 2, 2009

Hard to find Transformer Arcee figure

Arcee is a born hunter. Before joining the Autobots, she passed her time tracking turbofoxes on Cyberton with some of the other speedsters, taking great pride in approaching as close as she could to them, quickly and silently, before tagging them with her bow. She's brought those skills with her to Earth, where she passes the days stalking unsuspecting Decepticons until she draws close enough to strike. Convert this Autobot figure from she-robot mode to motorcycle mode and back again! It features a converting crossbow with a firing projectile in robot mode! Transformer Toys

Transformers Takara Henkei Classic D-03 Astrotrain


Transformers Takara is going to release their version of the classic line. Takara will be making some modification to some of the parts and colors of the figures. This is a must collect if you want to fully own the classic line.

Transformers Takara is going to release their version of the classic line. Takara will be making some modification to some of the parts and colors of the figures. This is a must collect if you want to fully own the classic line.

TRANSFORMERS D-03 AstrotrainDesc.: 6-inch Transformers Astrotrain PVC figure. Transformers Henkei! series. Box packaging. This version is in original anime colors exclusive for Japan market only.

Astrotrain first appeared in season 2 and was a part of Megatron's forces on Earth. Although typically a secondary character, Astrotrain was a main player in two episodes. In the episode "Triple Take-Over", he and fellow Triple Changer Blitzwing froze Megatron and Starscream and took leadership of the Decepticons for themselves. Leading an army of drone-like locomotives, he was defeated and forced to return command to Megatron at gunpoint. Transformer Toys


Monday, January 12, 2009

Transformer Toys Guide

Transformer toys is just like collecting any other toys or action-figures. It is considered to be a trend by some and for others, part of a growing urban culture. Transformers toys were the first 'transforming robots' (robots that could change their robot-forms to other forms such as vehicles like cars, airplanes, ambulances and many other forms) in the US in the mid-80s. There is a whole world to it and all sorts of related topics - like the trading of the toys, market and price for it, demand vs supply, scarcity and many more. For most fans like myself, Transformers Generation 1(G1) have been the best-ever toy line series in the Transformers Universe and would actually be the best for those intending to start collecting them as a hobby or/and investment.

This is due to the fact that most of the characters in Generation1 are said to have made the biggest impact and have remained since then. Imagine buying Optimus Prime as an 8-year old - not knowing the value it would come to be 20 over years later and not thinking much of safekeeping it.

There are generally those who buy the toys for hobby and those who buy them as an investment or even those that buy them for both purposes. For those who buy them for investment purposes, the condition of the toys remain an important factor in determining the price when(and if) sold in future. Those who buy them for investment purposes either keep them as it is - with the box intact and unopened even or open them but handle with utmost care. When opened, do make sure that none of the accessories, which are normally small in size go missing or any part gets missing or damaged.This would come to be referred to as Mint and Near Mint conditions.

The scarcity and number of production is also a major factor when price is mentioned. Of course a toy figure which is mass produced would not be as sought after and hence, not as highly priced as those limited-edition releases. Limited-edition could simply mean a release that has a different colour-scheme than that of the original or released as a Commemorative issue ( for example, in conjunction with the 25th Anniversary of the series ). Some of these limited-editions come with certificate of authenticity and are numbered accordingly - say, 1-1000 ( a limited edition of 1000 toys produced.

Do bear in mind that Transformer toys released in different parts of the world could differ due to the different releases in US, UK and Japan. Some same characters have different names. For example, Optimus Prime is known as Convoy in Japan. Many other characters are named differently in Japan and comes in different packaging ( obviously with Japanese characters and all ).

With the release of the 2007 live-action film and the upcoming sequel to it, Transfomers : Revenge of The Fallen, demand and thus pricing for Transformer toys and other related merchandise are expected to be on the increase. For current collectors, be on the lookout for more of these toys and for would-be collectors, this would be a good time to start collecting. If you are unsure of which toy to buy, just check out the many sites that are fan-based for some tips and a useful Transformer Toy Guide.

Starting A Transformer Toy Collection

First off you need to know the differences between the generations. Generation 1 transformers were the originals. Their life span was from 1984-1990. To the true transformer fan, these toys are the only ones that count. All of the generations pale in comparison.

Now collecting G1 (generation 1) transformers is just not as easy as it once was in the 1980s. If you could somehow build a time machine and stroll into a "toys r us" store in 1987, you'd be a very rich man. It's basically the same concept with baseball cards from the 50s and 60s . The people that lived during those times didn't know the gold that was staring right in their face.

Since a time machine is not an option, here are some tips for starting your transformer toys collection:

1) Really enjoy what you're doing. If you're just going into this to make millions of dollars, you're doing it for the wrong reason. Try to fully understand that these toys are kind of like a time capsule from the 80s. They represent pop culture as well as the simplicity of the time. Back then, this is what kept kids entertained, not the internet.

2) If you are going to be a serious collector, then look at the AFA Graded Transformer Toys. These are transformers that are in their original sealed box. They have never been taken out of their box and they have been professionally graded. A grading of 80 or higher is what you're looking for. The highly graded transformers are worth thousands of dollars, depending on which transformer.

3) If the Graded Transformer toys are a little out of your ballpark then focus on the sealed transformer toys. Its the next best thing to graded transformers. You can buy them at significant discount and then have them graded. Hopefully the box and toy are in good condition which will lead to a high grade, which then leads to big sales and profits.

4) If you are just interested in collecting the toys themselves and not really interested in making a business out of it, then just stick to the buying used transformer toys. They are by far cheaper and more common then the sealed or graded transformer toys. And, while they not bring in the big dough as long as you take care of them, their value does nothing but go up. Your Transformer