AFA Y80 Teela 8 back

[GFunny]

Anyone know what the value of this item is and is anyone interested in buying it?

[Aeolus]

I have one listed on ebay right now for $450 with a buy it now for $500. It has the Tale of Teela Comic. It is priced low to try and move it, there is an AFA 85 one listed for $1,250 a few months ago so based it on that.

[GFunny]

No way your the only person here with an opinion. Anyone else? Could it go for $350 or maybe $600? I mean it is an 8 back right?

[VaultsofGrayskull]

An AFA rating only means something to the people who think it means something. This discussion has taken place here before.

There is nothing official or remotely professional about the AFA grading system. It is a private company who display no credentials or proof of expertise on their website. They've also been known to change their unchangeable grading system.

Nothing is worth an extra $1000 just because it's in a hard case.

[GFunny]

An AFA rating only means something to the people who think it means something. This discussion has taken place here before.

There is nothing official or remotely professional about the AFA grading system. It is a private company who display no credentials or proof of expertise on their website. They've also been known to change their unchangeable grading system.

Nothing is worth an extra $1000 just because it's in a hard case.

Ok, then with that said, what is the going rate for a teela 8 back in about c-8 condition with yellow bubble?

[Asher99]

Ok, then with that said, what is the going rate for a teela 8 back in about c-8 condition with yellow bubble?

A picture of the figure will help a lot to answer your question.

- - - Updated - - -

An AFA rating only means something to the people who think it means something. This discussion has taken place here before.

There is nothing official or remotely professional about the AFA grading system. It is a private company who display no credentials or proof of expertise on their website. They've also been known to change their unchangeable grading system.

Nothing is worth an extra $1000 just because it's in a hard case.

It's arguable how much extra worth a figure has if graded by AFA but IMO it's unquestionable that a graded figure it's more worthy than a figure which has not been graded.

[VaultsofGrayskull]

Sorry, I have to respectfully disagree. If the grading were by a recognised body with expertise then maybe, but not when it's by a private company with no credentials just using their own method.

[SunDevil]

Sorry, I have to respectfully disagree. If the grading were by a recognised body with expertise then maybe, but not when it's by a private company with no credentials just using their own method.

I am an AFA fan but I certainly respect your viewpoint. AFA is certainly not a government body with a credential review board that would go over the license and facility every so many years like a medical or legal office.

However, I would only add that any endeavor like this has to start somewhere and they have taken the initiative to do so. They strive to do good work and I have always been happy with their professional demeanor, communication and quality of the work - both the cases themselves and the act of encasing these toys we cherish within them.

So I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle - no, they are not a recognized government agency and any sort of credentials that you refer to are just not going to happen. But the vast amount of work they have done, and the happy customers, create some pretty convincing credentials of their own. To some - opinions vary of course.

But they are also not some scam company that looks to pry cash out of sucker's wallets. So we respectfully disagree as well.

Out of curiousity, what would constitute a "recognised body with expertise" to you? Isn't expertise gained solely by practice, which they have years of? I am not pciking a fight! I am genuinely curious!

[VaultsofGrayskull]

I would expect them to have a team of people who have worked in the toy industry and experience conducting valuations in auction houses. If you were getting an antique Steiff bear valued, you'd get at least two auction houses to value it, and you'd hope that they were working from definitive catalogues which showed how many were produced etc. Now AFA might have people like that, but the fact that they don't list any credentials suggests to me that this probably isn't the case.

In principle I support the notion of giving evaluations for action figures, but I don't think the AFA can do it accurately. I accept that some Ebayers inflate their prices beyond what AFA might suggest, but some of the prices just seem extraordinarily misguided.

[SunDevil]

Okay, I get more of where you are coming from and I thank you for the thoughtful response!

I think I agree with you that they don't have that type of personnel on their payroll. I also agree with you that sellers will AFA a $100 iten and then ask for $500. That's outrageous though it falls in line with many sellers asking for all they can get. If they get it, great for them. If not, they lower it a fraction and try again. I've been after this MIB Battle Ram on eBay for weeks (not AFAed) and the guy wants $375 for it. He even put it on sale for $260 and it didn't sell. When that sale ended, did he lower it? Nope - it went right back to $375. Incredible. Are you selling it or showing it off?

Back to AFAing, I do think it adds value simply because there are people out there willing to pay more for AFA items. The process alone costs about $50, give or take, for most items. The problem is, as you pointed out, the seller then inflating the price by 300% or more instead of taking that $100 figure, adding the $50 he paid to AFA, and letting the free market decide from there.

Good discussion!

[GFunny]

lol, yeah great discussion but no one has answered my question yet. In your opinions, and i know there are alot of them ... what does a vintage teela 8 back AFA Y80 tend to fetch these days or be valued at? Can anyone even guess? i dont have a picture at the moment but i can post one if i must when i get home. Thanks all

[Asher99]

i dont have a picture at the moment but i can post one if i must when i get home. Thanks all

Yes, that will be very helpfull...