Peoples opinion on the secondary market for unproduced and pre-production items.

[katsal]

Hi all,

I thought I would open a group discussion to see what collectors thought and felt regarding the current state of Gi-Joe unproduced and pre-production items.
This focus is a niche area of collecting in any hobby. Many of the items only exist in finite samples. Often locked up in peoples collections and at times seldom come onto the secondary market.

This discussion is inclusive of packaging material to figure prototypes to carded samples and molds. Anything that relates to the pre-production process, and or results in an unproduced item sample.

I thought I'd put it out there with a few questions:
What are the sought after items in the Gi-Joe 3 3/4" arena or other.
Do Gi-Joe prototypes such as the cancelled Manimals and Ninja Commandos come onto the secondary market from time to time.
Have prices continued to increase in this area.
How proliferate are customs and fakes, and is this hurting this area of the hobby.
Are people still collecting these prototypes.

Starting with these base questions should get the ball rolling.
If anyone feels some more discussion on other areas is necessary please feel free to add your opinion. After all it is an open discussion.

[Doomsun]

I have a decent collection of prototypes, definitely not like some of the guys around here, but it is slowly being built up. I'd say my most sought after or 'grail' would be a 2UP. The only problem with them is that no one wants to sell and when they do, you do not have much of a choice as to which character you could get. It makes it hard to spend $5K+ on one without being able to pick one out yourself. Manimals come up way more frequently than Ninja Commandos at least from what I have seen. In fact, I have not seen a Ninja Commando for sale - if they have been sold recently its private transactions not on ebay or publicly known.... Prices have definitely climbed, at least for the 1982-1994 ARAH stuff. The most common prototypes from the 00's are not as desirable and don't cost much. I haven't run into fakes/customs but Im sure they are out there. Some of my most recent pick ups include: Palitoy straight arm Grandslam proto, a Hasbro Flying Fighters A-10 warthog box print sample that looks like it would have used the Cobra Rattler, 1992 DEF Shockwave proto, 1993 Battlecorps Snow Storm, 1993 Battle Corps LAW. Those have all been picked up this month. I missed out on two protos from 2003 Tiger Force 5 pack (Jinx and Stalker) they went for more than I wanted to pay 230+ each, but at least I made the guy that won them pay hard for them.

[TOPSON]

Doomsun covered your questions well. I too have a decent collection of prototypes. I personally only focus on ARAH. Nothing newer than 1995. As far as sought after items, that all depends on the collector. I personally have decided to focus on figures only. I used to collect all aspects of ARAH, but I have decided to get out of the preproduction vehicles and non-toy items. For me, the canceled/unproduced items are a major focus in my collection and these types of items typically do not show up on the secondary market. Personally, I have done a lot of trading with other collectors or found those types of items from former hasbro employees. Of the canceled items (Ninja commandos, Mannimals, Battle Corps Rangers, unproduced star brigade concepts), manimmals are the most common and they do pop up on ebay with some sort of regularity. Personally, I have owned a few zig zags and a few other of the 1994 manimals and they basically all came from ebay. Just need to watch for them and pay for them when they do pop up. Being willing to pay for them is the big thing. ARAH prototypes are still rising in value, so expect to pay alot for items. Especially 2-ups and pre-1986 characters.

Katsal, do you collect ARAH preproduction items?

[the_great_old]

I know a ninja commando budo sold a few years ago for something like 1,3k.
Funny thing was that the guy who sold it got in out of a $2 bin in some shop in Rhode Island. There was a thread about it at the time.

[katsal]

Thanks for the replies people.
Especially to Doomsun and TOPSON it was greatly appreciated.
TOPSON to answer your question. No I do not have any ARAH preproduction items in my collection.
My collection only comprises of carded figures up until mid 90's with the only prototype being the Saving Private Ryan 12" doll which was something I always wanted when I saw it advertised in the toy magazines back in the day.
I am looking at possibly entering this area, but it certainly depends upon what items are made available. So I guess I will keep my eyes open in future.
If anyone is keen on sharing pictures, I would be grateful to see peoples collections shared within this thread. Possibly with some information about what the specific items are and what stage of the process they belong too.

[troynos]

I've dipped into the prototype/pre-production market and I like getting/finding these gems.

I have a decent little collection going. Mostly 25th/RoC/Resolute but do have a couple of ARAH prototypes.

[bronty]

I asked about the state of the original art market in "misc items" but perhaps I should have posted in here. Wondering if anyone has any comments about it as I'm curious to learn more. I understand very little packaging art is available from the key series but I'm curious as to what's sold and what other stuff has made it to market, etc. Anyone have any input?

FWIW I have but one little piece myself (posted in misc items).

[Witchblood]

I personally would love to have a set of ninja commandos even if it was a counterfeit set as long as the ninja moves worked, but I could never afford what the real ones go for.

[4-Cobra]

I have both Versions of the HISS Driver from the Unproduced Wal-Mart Collection,that's pretty much my Prototype Collection.It took me a few Years to finally get them,and when I was able to get the 1st one it wasn't but a Month or so later the other Version Showed up.So I was Glad to finally get them.I'd like to be able to find the Alley Viper from that same Collection as well..There was a Viper that was around back in the Mid-2000's,and it was a Prototype Figure.I think it was a Blue/Red Color I can't remember exactly,and I can't seem to find a Picture of one either.But I remember seeing a few of them,and one Seller on e-Bay had a few of them.But he was selling a Big Lot of Vipers & 1 of those was in each lot,and they went for a pretty good price.I tried to Buy just 1 of them from him but he wanted to keep them with the Lots,and it worked he got more for the lots with them included.Does anyone remember the Viper I'm talking about????

[FREAKYMOFO87]

I love finding unproduced items and was extremely lucky to find a pimp daddy destroy mint on board which was released in small amounts in toys r us, and a killer whale mint on board, the killer whale is so much more better looking then the released version, guess Hasbro doesn't always have the best of taste. got them both from a man who got them from a Hasbro employee at a show at rhode island