Star Wars Collectibles on eBay - What to Buy Episode 179
The Action Figure Grader reviews notable Star Wars collectibles available on eBay, covering vintage Kenner figures, graded comics, and rare international variants. He highlights auction items ending Sunday, including full Marvel comic runs, graded carded figures, and a warning about Toy Tony fakes. The video was recorded early due to the host's upcoming vacation in Florida.
Summary
The host, known as the Action Figure Grader, opens by explaining he is recording this episode of 'What to Buy on eBay' earlier than usual because he is heading to Florida for a vacation with his wife. He reminds viewers that eBay affiliate links are available in the video description and thanks his Patreon supporters.
On the action figure side, he begins with a loose graded Ahsoka Tano VC102 (re-issue from 2022) graded CAS 90+, listed at $75 with a make-an-offer option. He argues this is a reasonable deal since grading alone typically costs $50-60 plus shipping. He also highlights Toy Wars UK's custom Wampa with Luke Hoth, both graded UKG 80%, and a Spanish Pock Luke X-Wing graded UKG 80% — a figure he considers underpriced given how tough early Spanish figures are to find in high grade. A UKG 85% solid dome R2-D2 is also noted as an auction highlight.
Jeff's Collectible Empire is featured with multiple items at auction, including an 85-grade Taiwan Emperor's Royal Guard, an ungraded 20-back Luke X-Wing, a Cloud City playset with box (no figure), and a Master Replica Jedi Training Remote. A particularly rare item highlighted is the 'Special Offer' version of the action display stand — distinct from the mail-away version — which the host says he has almost never seen for sale, currently at $305.
A 12-inch Boba Fett with unused contents (not factory sealed) is showcased, along with several mint-on-card items from another seller featuring Case Shells acrylic cases by Tom Hogan. These include a 77-back Wicket with Kmart price sticker, a Power of the Force General Lando Calrissian, an IG-88 on a rare 48-back transition Return of the Jedi card, and a Kenner Canada 47-back Imperial Hoth Stormtrooper — similar to a 47-back Imperial Commander he featured the previous week.
The host closes with an important collector warning: a Palitoy 45-back with straight 90 sub-scores across the board is identified as a 'Toy Tony' — a figure assembled after the fact by an individual named Tony. He explains that UKG and AFA graded some of these before identifying the practice, and that the double-stem blister can make them appear legitimate. He notes a TIE Fighter Palitoy UKG 90 at auction is also a Toy Tony, stressing that while the grade doesn't truly apply, these items are still desirable as clean early ESB Palitoy examples.
Key Insights
- The host argues that a loose graded Ahsoka Tano VC102 at $75 is essentially a fair deal because grading alone costs $50-60 plus shipping, meaning the buyer is largely just paying for the grading cost rather than a premium for the figure itself.
- The host states he is shocked that the Spanish Pock Luke X-Wing graded UKG 80% has not sold yet, noting he personally paid more for his own Spanish Pock Luke X-Wing ungraded, and his copy only graded a 70 — emphasizing how difficult early Spanish figures are to find in high grade.
- The host says the 'Special Offer' action display stand — distinct from the plain cardboard box mail-away version — is something he cannot recall ever seeing for sale before, describing it as a genuinely rare item currently at $305 at auction.
- The host warns viewers that a Palitoy 45-back with straight 90 sub-scores should raise suspicion of being a 'Toy Tony' — a figure assembled after the fact — and confirms the featured example is definitively a Toy Tony, noting that UKG and AFA graded some of these before identifying the practice.
- The host identifies the Kenner Canada 47-back Imperial Hoth Stormtrooper as a tough find, noting it features French language text on the back, and connects it to a similar 47-back Imperial Commander he featured the previous week that sold via his affiliate links.
Topics
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to Access