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Welcome!! My name is Deron Price. I have been a Star Wars collector since 1978. I was first introduced to the world of Star Wars toys then and have been hooked ever since. Thanks to the guys at yakface I would like to share some ideas on collecting with you. These arent by any means the end all be all of collecting how to's and tips , but hopefully it will give you some good ideas and directions to take your collection in. My philosophy is simple: HAVE FUN !! And remember to follow the principle; Collect to Collect.

In this area you will find sections on :

-STORING: Keep you collection safe on the wall or in the attic
-GRADING: How do I know what its worth
-DISPLAYING: Show off your collection with a great display
-TRADING: A great way to meet other collectors and increase your collection

So look around , get some ideas, get your plan together and away you go . You are off on your journey into Star Wars collecting. If you have any questions , comments or observations please feel free to e-mail me djprice@si-net.com Like I said this isnt the gospel of collecting ,but hopefully gives you some ideas.

**Special thanks to Kathy Murrer at The Earth [e-mail KathyMurrer@theearth.net ], Defender Cases [Defendercases.com] and Protech [e-mailCasepros@aol.com].

STORAGE

Protective storage of your collection can take many forms depending on what you have, what you like and your finances. In this section we will take a look at storing both loose and carded figures and what you might expect to spend.

LOOSE FIGURES

PLASTIC BAGS

There are several different ways to store your loose figures. To start with there are plastic bags. At the time of the original figures Kenner issued some mail-away and promotional figures in plastic bags. These Kenner " bagged" figures are fairly common place today and plastic bags are an economical way to store loose figures. However the main drawback to plastic bags is they only offer dust and dirt protection. If you dont want them to get banged around you will need to move to the next level. Plastic bags are also good for storing all those extra weapons you have laying around.

SOFT SHELL PLASTIC CASES

Another way to protect is the use of soft shell plastic cases. These can come in a variety of sizes to enclose different size figures. I had three sizes available to me to try out and report on. The first size is usually used for " die cast cars" but is ideal for those jawas, ugnaughts, ewoks and small droids. The next size up would be for your regular size figures ,Luke , Han, etc.and will hold them with weapons. The largest size holds Darth Vader, Chewie, and any other larger figure. These soft shell cases are of the coffin variety with a hinge at the bottom and a snap tight mechanism at the top. They also include a peg hole at the top for displaying on pegs*.

* ( See the display section for a better understanding of pegs)

COLLECTOR CASES

Lets not forget collector cases! If you can make yourself open them they are another way to store your figures. From the original vinyl cases from Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back And C3PO to the Darth Vader , C3PO and Falcon Cases of today the storage space may be minimal but its fun.

CARDED FIGURES

HARD SHELL CASES

These are the best way to store your carded figures. They offer great protection from dings, dents, and nicks to the card and bubble. The examples I had to use were from Protech (909-468-0706) or e-mail them Casepros@aol.com. ANother great place to pick up protective cases is Defendercases.com. These are really nice for a big wall display(for a really good view go to Rebelsum.com and check out Philip Wises office photo, now thats a wall!). You get a good view of the entire card and if you have it free standing the back of the card as well. If you needed to store your carded figures away for a time I would suggest these. You could pack them neatly in a box without fear of major damage to your collection. Be warned though if you have very many figures it will get expensive, but youve got how much invested in your collection already so a few dollars is worth it to keep it safe.

PLASTIC BAGS

Plastic Bags are another option for carded figures. However the only protection they offer is dust and minimal card damage. If you only have a few figures and are looking to keep the dust free this may be the way to go for you.( as a side note the large size plastic bags are also good for storing your SW comics).

SUNLIGHT

Sunlight is something people dont often think about. If your collection is in direct sunlight be prepared for FADING. The colors on the card WILL fade the bubble may yellow more quickly ant ultimately the figure will fade and yellow. Indirect sunlight should not effect anything in the long run. Really keep this in mind, remember learn from others mistakes!

Remember storing your collection can be a risky venture. Be careful and take some extra time to do a good job. You dont know the disappointment of going back to get it out only to find the way you stored it ultimately ruined some part of it. The bottom line do it right . The first time!!

GRADING

Grading is probably the single most subjective aspect of collecting. A large part of how someone grades an item depends on their collecting goal. If you collect to enjoy you may grade at item more leniently than if you were collecting to sell for profit at a later date. In any case there are some basic guide lines to follow to ensure you have the best looking collection you want.

Lets start with a list of grades that you would likely encounter.

Poor
Good
Very Good
Excellent
Near Mint
Mint

Now lets take a look at what you would look for in each Grade.

POOR--- A poor condition item will have any combination of the following wrong. Tears or rips in the card , proofs of purchase cut out or missing and heavy edge wear. Corners will be well rounded and soft. Also major creases may exist across the card. The bubble may be dented or partially torn away from the card and or cut. At this point the toy in the bubble could be worth more loose than in this package.

GOOD--- This is a step up from Poor but still is in bad shape. The card may contain small tears and heavy edge wear. Some creasing will still be evident and the corners will still be soft. The bubble may also contain dents dings or scratches.

VERY GOOD--- Moving up the grading ladder a Very Good item will show marked improvement from good. A Very Good card should show no tears but may have some creasing still and edge wear will still be evident. The bubble may still show some small dings but no major dents should be present.

EXCELLENT--- As we move closer to mint condition grading becomes more subtle. Excellent condition will find no tears to the card and edge wear will be at a minimum. The bubble will be completely in tact , however dings or scratches may occur around the bottom of the bubble. Only slight creasing caused by the gluing of the bubble process should be evident.

NEAR MINT--- Near mint is what I would call the most common grade. The only wear you should find on a near mint piece would be normal wear during shipment. The card will be clean with on tears, scratches or creasing. The corners will be excellent showing no wear, and edge wear will be almost non-existant . The bubble will be completely in tact with no scratches. **

MINT--- The top of the line. The mint item will be clean , Void of any nicks or scratches. Edges will be clean and crisp showing no signs of wear at all. The bubble again will have no nick s or scratches and be well centered. The only creasing that may exist is from the gluing process. This can only be seen looking at an angle under the light. This package is not likely to come from retail stores because of the shelf abuse incurred everyday.

(**)---I consider Near Mint to be the most common grade for these reasons.

1) Wear and tear during transport causes edge wear easily.
2) Figures get moved around in the store by employees and customers again causing wear.
3) Even the most careful collector nicks and/or dings a card now and again.

You may also come across numerical grades for your figures these might include;

POOR---C1orC2
GOOD---C3orC4
VERY GOOD---C5orC6
EXCELLENT---C7or C8
NEAR MINT---C8.1toC9.9
MINT---C10

Here are some terms you might want to be familiar with when it comes to collecting.

Bubble: What the figure is encased in on the card.
Card: This the backing piece to your figure-it includes the photo, brand logo, and any information about that particular figure.
Collecting: Something you do to have fun
Descriptions: Each line of figures will probably have its own set of descriptions: for example Star Wars figures may be found on a red card, green card, freeze frame card etc.
Grading: How you can determine the "value" of you figure or toy : remember grading is subjective not everyone sees eye to eye about grading. Be fair and realistic when grading.
Proof of Purchase (POP): Usually the scan bar from the back of the card, these may be missing at some point due to a mail in offer.

DISPLAYING YOUR COLLECTION

Displaying your collection can be the most fun part of the whole collecting experience. There are as many different ways to display your collection as there are ideas in your head. A lot of your decision of "how" to display will be based on the amount of room you have. So lets take a look at some different ideas depending on your available space.

THE WHOLE ROOM

Yeah this is the most ideal amount of space. Having a whole room devoted to Star Wars , or whatever you may collect, would be the neatest thing on earth. It would also make you the envy of all your collecting friends.

Pick a wall that doesnt have any windows. This should be where you can put "runs" of shelves, or perhaps a section of peg board.* Shelving can be found at any number of places. Your local lumber yard would be a good place to start. They should have wall mounted shelving in various lengths and widths. If you intend on displaying every single item you have, go with a narrow width shelf, it wont stick out from the wall so much. However your space will get used up very quickly. Another option is, use a deeper shelf and double up on duplicate items. This will save on space so you dont have to rearrange you display as soon as you aquire more.

Now on to the other walls. A wall with windows is a good spot for hanging posters, clocks, or plaques. Below use some floor book shelves that only go up to the bottom of the window or so. These can house all your books, records( I still have my sound tracks from 77),statues, or similar type items. These book shelves can be found at your local Wal-Mart and K-Mart for a reasonable price. Dont forget your vintage curtains for the windows the Quilt grandma made for you back in 77. Finish out the room with your hand made replica of the Emperors throne room chair and you have a complete room.

A WALL

OK if you are like me a room is out of the question, but a wall is a reasonable possibility. Again the shelves will be of use. This time only use part of the wall, and definately go with a wider shelf to conserve space. Double up on common figures or maybe figures that arent your favorite and set your vehicles at an angle so you get a partial view but dont have to hide anything. Save some wall space for a poster or two, or a plaque. Below these you could use a book shelf as before. Or perhaps get a little more wall shelving to store your books etc.. Remember this your collection use your imagination to reflect how you enjoy collecting. This is for you to enjoy and friends and fellow collectors to admire.

LESS THAN A WALL

You live in an apartment or a small house. Perhaps even your room with mom and dad. You have less than limited space to work with. Now what do you do? Try something that has worked for me in the past. Again at your local Wal-Mart or K-Mart find some plastic or metal shelving. This very inexpensive, doesnt take up much space, and can still allow you to be creative in your display. I would use the top shelf for figures the next shelf for 12" figures and the bottom shelf or two for my vehicles and play sets. You may have to compromise on the amount of your collection you display. Pick out your favorite items and the ones you are most proud of. You may also have room above the shelves to hang a poster or plaque.

*- Peg board is what stores use to mount the hooks the figures hang on. Check with your local stores ( Wal-Mart K-Mart etc.) they may have extra you can have or purchase cheaply. If not try your local lumber yard or hardware store. These places should also be able to get the peg hooks for you as well.

DISPLAY PIECES

Now say you have a bunch of loose figures you want to display. What do you do? Well, you could try standing them up but chances are you would spend more time picking them up. If you have a " Vintage" collection you might have the action stand from early 78. If you do that would be ideal for displaying your original 12. ( A note: POTF2 figures wont fit on this : I triedL ) Also the action scene stand from Empire would be a good thing.

OK, now youre saying, but I dont have those, what do I do? Well there are several manufacturers of stands for your loose figures. TheEarth (www.theearth.net) is a good source for stands. They have stands for both vintage and POTF2 figures. These really work great the stands for the POTF2 figures come individually so as to accommodate the wide stances on some of the newer figures. The vintage stands offer good stability for your older straight legged figures. This way you can put all your figures in action scenes thus enhancing your display.

REMEMBER

Remember this is your collection. Have fun, be creative, use your imagination. Part of the fun of collecting is being able to show it off. Try and check out some of the Star Wars web sites, they often have pictures of other peoples collections. Use these to get ideas of your own. Visit a local toy shop, sometimes they have great displays. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Make sure you check out the storage section to learn more about display stands for loose figures as well as protective display boxes for carded figures. These are helpful tools for protecting you investment as well as displaying all of your hard work.

TRADING

Trading can be and is one of more fun aspects of collecting you can get involved in. Getting started may be a little rough, but once you build up a network of trading buddies you can have a great time.

Where do you begin?

AT THE STORE

One of the best ways to start is at the local store(s) you frequent to buy figures. You will normally see some regulars in each day or week depending on how often you go. Introduce yourself, tell them you are interested in collecting. Ask if they ever do any trading or would be interested in doing so. Be polite about it and if they say no or no thanks, just say thanks and go on. Not everyone is into trading, so dont get discouraged. Once you find a person or two get their number and give them yours. ( maybe make up some little "cards" with your name and number on them)** At first it may be difficult to find items to trade because if you buy at the same places you may have the same things. Make sure you make a need list to exchange with others and get one from them as well.** As you shop around always keep your eyes peeled for new contacts to add to your trading base.

**--Kids make sure its ok with mom and dad to give out your name and number. Maybe even have them go with you to help meet others.

ON THE "NET"

Another way to make trading contacts is on the internet. How do you do that? One of the best ways to do that is through one of the many Star Wars toy sites. If I may I started with Rebelscum.com and yakface.com as well as The Outerrim . Check out the chat rooms they are filled with others in search of the same toys as you. Make sure you introduce yourself be polite and try not to be too eagar. Sit back and enjoy the chat, watch whats happening and jump in when you have something to add. Again have a list ready to share also have a list of what you have available to trade. Make sure you have your e-mail ready in case you get a trade worked out. Share your ideas on how you would continue to build your collection with others and ask for their input too. It might surprise you the ideas you can get from other peoples experiences.

COLLECTOR CLUBS

If you live in a large enough area you might try hooking up with a collectors club. If you dont have one there are some great tips on starting your own at TheForce.net. You would start the same way you would when meeting people in the store just also ask them if they would be interested in joining a collectors club. If you have any other tips on starting a club e-mail me and let me know. Maybe in the future I can add a club section.

FRIENDS

Dont forget your friends. If you have any that collect be sure to ask them to help you. You can each set up your need lists and to help find new contacts. Share information on the best places to find the newest and best stuff. Remember if you cant trade with your friends chances are you wont be able to trade with anyone else. And most of all HAVE FUN!!!

THE NEXT STEP

OK! Now that you have a base of people established, there are a few things to keep in mind when proposing and making a trade.

---My first rule of trading is to remember " collect to collect" as you may have seen on various sites. Dont try to gouge the other guy. If you spent $5.76 look for that in trade. You may want to allow for rarer figure (i.e. ReeYees, DST). Work this out ahead of time, dont expect something for nothing. Be fair to others and they will be fair in return.

---Be courteous! If you are rude the word will get around. We are all in this for fun, so HAVE FUN!!

---Dont set your sites too high. You may not connect on the first try. It may take several times to get an agreeable trade worked out. Dont give up, it takes some work but in the end you get what you want and they get what they want.

---Once you make the trade decide on any payment to be made. Will you enclose any postage or will you each take care of your own.

---Make sure you exchange addresses complete with zip codes. If you have them even e-mail addresses. Once you make a trade you can keep in contact and possibly make future trades.

---Did I mention HAVE FUN!!!!

Trading is a great way to increase your collection, pick up pieces you cant find, and to meet new collectors. Once you get a network going you will find that there are many more collectors and fans out there than you could have ever imagined. And remember the most important rule..

HAVE FUN!!!

 














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