Just Bought Turtles Playmates Cold Cast Statues Set- Did I Overpay???
 

Hi All! So I have been "stalking" the TMNT PLaymates Cold Cast statue figures since ninjaturtles.com first announced them back in the early 00's. At the time, I was a poor college student and $125+ was too much of an investment. Over the years I watched as more were released and again kept passing up the opportunity to buy due to various reasons.

In recent months I was finally ready to purchase, but by now they're long OOP, Mirage is in hibernation, and TMNT prices in general have soared due to enthusiasim of the new show. Last night at 1am CST a mint set of all 4 complete with boxes/packaging came up on eBay for $1210 BIN + shipping. As I have been monitoring these for a while and seen Donatello go for close to this price alone, I jumped on it. Now, 8 hours later I'm having some buyers remourse.

What are your thoughts? Did I over pay? At the end of the day I spent just over twice that of retail for each figure before shipping costs (when averaged) but I fear turtle hype may have got the best of me and in 4-5 years these will be selling for $50 a piece when things die down again. I guess I don't know much about the general long term collectability of statues like this and am looking for some advice as far as if I should keep them or consider turning around and re-selling them once received.

Ebay listing is below.

Thanks!

eBay Listing for TMNT Cold Cast PLaymates

Least expensive to buy is Mike ($20-$25), then it ratchets up to Raph (hovers around retail, give or take), then Leo and Don.

As you said, Don is very rare is the most expensive, so considering you have all 4 in one fell swoop, I would say you did very well.

Thanks Venom. :) In all my searching I too saw that at one time Mike could be found for as cheap as $25. But looking back 6-12 months of history on auction and collector sites, the cheapest I found him go for was around $100 and upwards to $300. Is there anywhere around that you are aware of that I could have still picked him up for sub $50?

I doubt it. Like you, all I've seen Mikey go for is about that those prices. If I found him for $25?! I'd pick him up immediately. Of course, though, Donatello would be my favorite Turtle. Damned limited edition. The only thing I don't like about the statues is that they're signed on the bottom. What sense does that make?

And no, you didn't overpay. I know it hurts to spend that much money in one fell swoop (it would for me, at least), but you got a good deal, because Donatello goes for around that everytime.

Thanks DonatelloFan! Yea, for some reason Donatello always tends to be the rarest or most limited of releases. And to make matters worse, he usually has the best look of the 4.

you got a fantastic deal... not the last Donny sold (cuz I think that went to a dromer) but the one before that sold for between 1000 and 1200 alone..

I think you did good too. I never saw that ebay listing for all 4. I have Leo back when it came out and didn't like the prices then. I got Mike like last year or the year before for I think $50 and then shipping after. I think I'll never finish these. I've seen Ralph recently on ebay but it was too high, there were 2 at one point. I've given up on ever finishing all 4. Its just theres a price point I'm willing to go but theres only so much one should spend on their disposable income as well. Having two of the four is OK to me. Wished they'd re-release these or even make smaller versions of these too, like half scale. I have the Leo bust from 1992 by A.C Farley. Mines the white one. Hearing him say there are possibly only 80+ of these out there compared to the intended 500 to be made, made me shocked theres even less of this one. And its a nice piece to me. It was really great bust and you'd wished he got to finish all the Turtles in this fashion.

I don't think you could find mikey 25 anywhere. Also, another set like those sold for 1150 about a month ago so I think you did good.

I follow these items (even though I have had the entire set since release), and I think that $1200 is a good, not great, price. You didn't overpay, and besides that, you saved yourself the headache of bidding, watching auctions, piecing the set together, etc. So, be happy with your purchase. The statues are awesome.

Awesome point, piecing it together could be a massive head ache.

I'd say you got a decent deal Raph has been going for $400+ when I have seen and Don $800+ so right in that ball park sounds good and you got all 4 congrats :)

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. My buyer’s remorse is gone and I will be keeping them. Can’t wait! :D The seller is very nice and communicative. She’s a statue collector and only selling to make room to expand her LOR collection with the new Hobbit statues. So I know they have been well cared for. Now I just have to find the best place to display them! O- and figure out how to tell the wife LOL. :tconfuse:

Oh man. If the wife disagrees with them I'm still looking for Ralph and donny ;)

Who's Ralph?

This has happened to me before...

My phone likes to autocorrect Raph to Ralph. Just gonna let you know it probably won't be the last time you see me do this.

definatly didnt over pay, ive seen don alone go for around that price. nice catch

It's seems like a reasonable price, the Don statue alone is so rare, it sometimes goes for around $1000 by itself. Considering you got the complete set I'd say its a reasonable price.

$1210 for all four playmates statues is a damn good price, you did well there my friend. My set cost about that much altogether so you sure havn't been robbed off your money. Had you been real unlucky you would've had to pay that much just for Raph and Don, now you got Leo and Mike in the deal as well. Well played mate!

I remember getting Raph, Leo, and Mike for about $80-120 each several years back. I sold them when Sideshow got the license since I was not going to overpay to get Don. The Sideshow set is more impressive in my opinion, but the Playmates set is pretty cool. They aren't worth $1200 to me, but you have to decide what price they are worth to you since eBay is the only place to get them now.

I always had my heart set on the Playmates line. I think just because of the involvement from Laird early on along with the interlocking pieces and old style Mirage look. Plus I always thought it was cool they were put out by the company that made the toys I grew up with. But I would have honestly settled for the Sideshow statues if I could have gotten them at MSRP. Problem is they are now selling for even MORE than the Playmates version. I'd be looking at $1500-$2,000 minimum for a set from what I could find. I wish I had stepped up to the plate as they were released. I do have a Shredder Ex on order direct from Sideshow. Even though from a different series, he looks bad ass and will still look nice displayed next to my Playmates statues. :)

Entertainment Earth had him at that price Christmas before last, so I snagged him then.

He very well may be back up closer to 100, though; interest in all things TMNT has been un the upswing with each new tidbit and morsel of info on the Nick series.

I found 3 of the 4 1988 MOC action figures at a local comic & collectable shop over the weekend. They were $30 some a piece, almost 1/2 of what the inflated "hype" prices have made them. The punch is in tact and there is a slim chance they may even be soft heads. I'm debating picking them up before they raise the price like everywhere else online has. Now on the other hand, they also have April (blue stripe) for $99. That's about 3 times what I belive I can snatch her for online. Go figure. :trolleye:

Yeah I couldn't get started on the Sideshow statues either. Its just so over priced I have to stay away from them for that alone. They are nice and Sideshows actually doing statues of other characters beyond the Turtles themselves. Thats a plus IMO. I agree with you I was kinda after something based on the Mirage versions too.