As a Lost in Space collector, it's highly probable that the main appeal
of your hobby is your appreciation of the beauty and nostalgia of the
things you choose to collect. It's also likely that you are
concerned with the value of your collectibles. No point paying
more than what an item is worth. On the otherhand when selling you don't
want to sell yourself short. The purpose of this guide is to help
you determine the value of items you own, want or wish to sell.
The values listed in this guide were derived from a number of sources,
including set sales and auction lists, toy collecting and sale
publications, vendor retail lists, personal want lists and many
hours in consulation with collectors and retailers around the world.
Our prices should only be taken as guides to values. THEY ARE NOT
GUARANTEED VALUES.
In determining values we have tended to put less emphasis on auction
results for the simple reason that competition among bidders or
lack of bidding enthusiasm can either push prices to excess or
keep them at ridiculously low levels when there is little interest.
Because of this, we have tended to favor dealer prices as being
the most accurate reflection of current market value.
We're certainly not in the business of driving prices up by giving
an unbalanced and glorified view of rarity and value. Below you
will not only see the classic rare items listed but also the common
and easily obtained stuff which most other price guides neglect.
Condition
All prices listed are for items in Near Mint condition
in the original Near Mint packaging or box. To assist with your
assessment of the condition of an item you own or perhaps an item
you might be thinking of purchasing, here is a condition grading
reference which may be helpful.
As experienced collectors we have found the best policy is to stick to
pieces falling within the "Near Mint" to "Mint" condition range. There are very good reasons
for doing this. "Near Mint" to "Mint" items tend to maintain their value
better and generally will appreciate in value over time. The same cannot
be said for pieces in average or worn condition.
Factors such as incompleteness, altered, repaired and general wear can
decrease the value of an item by as much as 25% to 75%. Our advice is to not
pay too much for damaged items unless they are truly rare. The Japanese
Marusan dolls and models are good examples of items which you might accept
in less than perfect condition for reasons of scarcity.
Mint
Flawless, like new, with the appearance of never being used. A "Mint"
item will have no scratches or marks, and all pieces including decals
will be present. Be warned: "Mint" seems to mean different things to
different people. Some dealers have an amazing ability to turn a blind
eye to minor defects of items in their for sale stock. Don't fall for
this. If it is described as "Mint" expect nothing less than pristine.
Here are are some category examples of what we mean by the term "Mint." We are
providing these examples of "Mint" items as a guideline to help you better
determine what we mean when we base our figures on Near Mint condition.
Our figures are based on anything slightly below "Mint" conditions described.
In evaluating your item, it's up to you to determine the actual condition.
We hope this information will prove to be beneficial.
Gum Cards
A "Mint" Gum card will show no visible defect. The card will be bright,
glossy, centered and have square corners and no creases. Some card
price guides claim that minor defects are allowable in "vintage"
cards, ie, cards produced before 1980. Don't accept this, a "Mint"
card must be "Mint" regardless of when it was produced.
Toys
A "Mint" toy will show absolutely no sign of use and should be
complete in every respect. It should have no scratches, rust, marks,
repairs or alterations - basically free of any defects. The same
can be said of the toy's box or packaging.
Using the REMCO Lost in Space Robot as an example, one would expect
a "Mint" Robot to have its original instruction sheet & battery bar.
The bubble dome would not be warped. There would be no scratches,
cracks or dents anywhere on the body. Decals would be bright and stuck
down. The Robot would be in complete working order with all metal pieces:
screws, battery terminals, motor, and springs rust free. The Robot's box
would have a bright as new appearance, with no marks or stains. The box
must not be bowed in any way and orginal cardboard toy stabilizers should
still be present inside.
Comics
A "Mint" comic will be totally flawless. The cover must be completely
free of defects with sharp square corners and full original gloss. The
binding must flat and tight with no sign of wear or tear. No blemishes,
wrinkles, tears should be found around staples or the edge of the binding.
Inside pages should have a creamy white fresh appearance and must show
no defects like tears or creases.
Models
A "Mint" model will exhibit more or less the same features as a "Mint" toy.
The model should be complete with all pieces attached to their
original sprues. All decals should be present and unused.
L/T (Larry/Tony) Rating
This rating, on a scale from 1 to 10, is based on our assessment of the
following factors: the items rarity, displayability, desireability and
feedback we have received from other collectors.
Low/High Range
This range reflects the price range of what a particular item is worth in
Near Mint condition. By providing a range we are acknowledging that
the value of a collectible is determined by a number of factors including
geographical location, eagerness of buyers and sellers and whether the item
is purchased at a garage sale, flea market, retail shop or toy fair.
Retail
Retail reflects the price you might be expected to pay for
a currently available item. For items that are not available anymore, retail
reflects the original price the item sold for when it was available. Keep
in mind that dealers are not and were not required to sell at retail prices so
these amounts may vary.
Selling to Dealers: A Warning!
After looking up the prices of your collectibles in our listing you
might get the sudden urge to rush off to your nearest dealer in the
hope of making a fast buck. Our advice is forget it! Dealers work
on a percentge basis usually just 25% to 50% of guide prices. Remember
these guys have to make a buck themselves. The only time you can
expect a dealer to pay near guide prices is if he or she is buying for
their own personal collection.
Disclaimer
A price guide, no matter how authoratative and well researched,
does not change the fact that a collectible's value is nothing
more than what someone is prepared to pay for it. So in the end,
an items value will be determined by two main factors: rarity and
demand. The authors of this page do not claim to be the final
authorities on Lost in Space collectible prices and therefore
assume no responsibility for financial loss or gain based on the use
of this price guide.
Currency
All values quoted in this price guide are in US Dollars and most values are
rounded to the nearest dollar.
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