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[Lost in Space Price Guide]


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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