Collectors Info on Action Figures
There are many people both men and women that enjoy collecting action figures. Most action figures are made for a certain period of time, then retired by the manufacturer. This makes the figures very collectible. Packaging includes plastic bubble packaging, blister card packaging, and box type packaging. Collectors are very particular about the condition of the packaging that the figures come in.
The most valuable collectible action figures are in high demand and low supply.
Exclusive figures are often found at retailers that can order in large quantities. These retailers ask for figures that will only be available at their stores.
Limited edition: Figures that are not produced in large quantities. Often figures that are not expected to sell well will find themselves with the moniker “Limited Edition.”
Semi-exclusive: Semi-exclusives are similar to exclusives, but are often offered to more than one store. However, the stores that receive semi-exclusives are often not in the same geographic area.
Variation: Variation action figures have been changed. Often a mistake in production is noted and the figure is pulled, fixed, and then reissued. Variations can become valuable since they are usually limited in supply.
Collector-level Scales
There are two main scales used to judge the condition of collector-level action figures. The first is the “C” scale, the second is the AFA.
The “C” scale rates condition on a scale of one to 10, with a C10 rating indicating high quality and a C1 rating indicating poor quality.
- C10: Represents perfection and is incredibly rare.
- C9: Figures have minimal defects and are excellent collector-quality toys.
- C8.5: Action figures are in very good condition. However, collectors may shy away from them.
- C8: The lowest collector-grade rating, have visible flaws, but do not look worn.
- C7: Figures have rips and apparent flaws. Collect them for nostalgic value only.
- C6: Same as C7, but with a little less qualityy.
- C5 and lower: Action figures with a rating of C5 or lower are of very poor quality. They often have large parts missing and well-worn features.
Action Figure Authority (AFA) bases quality on a percentage scale.
- AFA 100: Indicate figure is near perfection.
- AFA 95: Very rare quality. Toys have glossy cards and no discoloration.
- AFA 90: Only 1% of action figures have an AFA 90 rating. These high-quality toys contain only factory-made flaws.
- AFA 85: Display-quality. These action figures have slight fraying or apparent discoloration.
- AFA 80: the lowest top-level collector quality.
- AFA 75: Good-quality. These action figures do not stand out as excellent figures.
- AFA 70: indicates average collector-quality items. Discriminating collectors do not usually find them acceptable.
Lower AFA qualities are not considered collector-quality and you should only buy them for sentimental value.
Proper Care for your Action Figures
Whether you want to keep your action figures in mint condition or play with them regularly, protect your action figures from harmful elements so that they always look their best.
- Avoid direct sunlight: Keep your toys out of direct sunlight. UV light is a killer and unless you want the dashboard of your Generation 1 Optimus Prime to look like the cracked and dry dashboard of your ‘82 Corolla, keep him out of the sun. Sunlight will also make boxes and cardboard backings fade and become brittle.
- Watch out for humidity: Keep action figures in boxes or with cardboard-backing out of humid areas. Humidity won’t easily damage plastic, but it will quickly warp cardboard.
- Carefully remove price tags: To remove unwanted price tags, first try fingertips and tweezers. If that doesn’t work, try a commercial product called Goo-Gone. When used improperly, Goo-Gone can damage cardboard. Practice before using it on something you really value.
- Aside from the basics, avoid touching your figures or boxes excessively. Finger oils can lead to yellowing or spotting over time. Pick up the figure by the blister, or use a cloth when touching boxes. Comic book bags are great for most blister-pack action figure cards.
- If you have something that needs even more protection, durable plastic boxes are available and many of them are sized specifically for action figures.
- Storing loose action figures is often much easier since the cardboard backing is usually much more fragile than the figure itself. Aside from many carrying cases that are designed for a specific brand of figure (such as the ubiquitous Darth Vader carrying case) plastic boxes with 4-inch compartments are fairly easy to find and are great for most 3 3/4-inch figures.