Anyone else hate the AFA? I mean, on one hand they are providing a service for less informed "collectors" (more like speculators) who want to make sure their "investment" is the top of the crop, but on the other hand I feel they are destroying the hobby of collecting in general. Anyone agree?
I am not only talking about the U-Grade practice (which is stoooopid to take a mint figure off card!). U-grade works for minted coins, that's about all. What I'm also getting after is the "graded vs. ungraded" +60% market value increase because the AFA says it's xx grade B.S. I mean, all AFA is really doing is saying that the way THEY look at action figures is better than the way collector A or collector Z looks at figures.
What if you don't agree with the AFA grade? What if you have a "ungraded" MOC figure that is in as good or better condition than the AFA one? Can you command the same price if you want to sell said figure? No. Why? Because you don't have your figure sealed in a plastic box with a sticker taped inside that says it's in EX condition? Utter stupidity in my opinion. I pass right by AFA graded figures and their ridiculous price tags when trying to collect. Anyone else feel like they don't support AFA price gauging for any figure in the same condition?
AFA, I believe, was created for retail shops to boost profits for resellers (i.e. not genuine collectors, but those profiteers that want to maximize their margins). If you look objectively at the "grading" practice, you basically have taken a figure loose or MOC, sent it to the AFA, and you get back basically the same figure. Nothing physically has changed with your graded figure besides someone else has looked at it and ascribed a condition and value level to it, encased it in a god awfully ugly and bulky acrylic box that costs maybe $5 to construct (see Tap Plastics or your local shop), and sent it back to you.
So what is the value coming from? Basically, the AFA is fooling you into thinking that they are the premier "action figure authority" on planet Earth, and whatever they say has to be the gospel for any figure/blister/cardback in any condition. After all they do put "A" "F" "A" in big bold letters to reinforce their mantra. But as mentioned above, all they are really doing is telling you that your cherry POTF MOC Luke Stormtrooper Outfit is, well, a cherry POTF MOC Luke Stormtrooper Outfit. Oh, and all for an outrageous price, too. Let's also not forget that the reseller, non-collector, profiteers have to tack on their AFA processing costs onto the back-end of the sale to further maximize their gains.
To me this is really putting the average Joe collector (sorry Joe) at a disadvantage as a buyer, and thus making it orders of magnitude harder to get those difficult, if not only popular "rare" figures in high grades (or even decent grades). Common figures now with an "AFA80" mint loose grade are least a couple hundo bucks on Ebay, which is just dumb. I used to be able to pick up loose figs for like $5 not too long ago. Now everything is a minimum $20 for below average condition loose and incomplete figures. Thanks AFA. Thanks so much. Appreciate You
Ok. I've vented enough. Who's hungry? Anyone trading vintage SW for modern SW? Hit me up! Lemme know how you feel about the AFA too, while you're at it.
I am not only talking about the U-Grade practice (which is stoooopid to take a mint figure off card!). U-grade works for minted coins, that's about all. What I'm also getting after is the "graded vs. ungraded" +60% market value increase because the AFA says it's xx grade B.S. I mean, all AFA is really doing is saying that the way THEY look at action figures is better than the way collector A or collector Z looks at figures.
What if you don't agree with the AFA grade? What if you have a "ungraded" MOC figure that is in as good or better condition than the AFA one? Can you command the same price if you want to sell said figure? No. Why? Because you don't have your figure sealed in a plastic box with a sticker taped inside that says it's in EX condition? Utter stupidity in my opinion. I pass right by AFA graded figures and their ridiculous price tags when trying to collect. Anyone else feel like they don't support AFA price gauging for any figure in the same condition?
AFA, I believe, was created for retail shops to boost profits for resellers (i.e. not genuine collectors, but those profiteers that want to maximize their margins). If you look objectively at the "grading" practice, you basically have taken a figure loose or MOC, sent it to the AFA, and you get back basically the same figure. Nothing physically has changed with your graded figure besides someone else has looked at it and ascribed a condition and value level to it, encased it in a god awfully ugly and bulky acrylic box that costs maybe $5 to construct (see Tap Plastics or your local shop), and sent it back to you.
So what is the value coming from? Basically, the AFA is fooling you into thinking that they are the premier "action figure authority" on planet Earth, and whatever they say has to be the gospel for any figure/blister/cardback in any condition. After all they do put "A" "F" "A" in big bold letters to reinforce their mantra. But as mentioned above, all they are really doing is telling you that your cherry POTF MOC Luke Stormtrooper Outfit is, well, a cherry POTF MOC Luke Stormtrooper Outfit. Oh, and all for an outrageous price, too. Let's also not forget that the reseller, non-collector, profiteers have to tack on their AFA processing costs onto the back-end of the sale to further maximize their gains.
To me this is really putting the average Joe collector (sorry Joe) at a disadvantage as a buyer, and thus making it orders of magnitude harder to get those difficult, if not only popular "rare" figures in high grades (or even decent grades). Common figures now with an "AFA80" mint loose grade are least a couple hundo bucks on Ebay, which is just dumb. I used to be able to pick up loose figs for like $5 not too long ago. Now everything is a minimum $20 for below average condition loose and incomplete figures. Thanks AFA. Thanks so much. Appreciate You
Ok. I've vented enough. Who's hungry? Anyone trading vintage SW for modern SW? Hit me up! Lemme know how you feel about the AFA too, while you're at it.
Last edited:
(Bootleg accessories, etc.)
