Generation 2 Go-bots Optimus Prime, Car Robots 2000 Super Mach Alert, & RID Ruination

While I've been keeping my eye on the rising prices of G.I.Joe I haven't strayed to far from keeping my other eye on Transformers. As it turns out a few pieces popped up in my price range recently. By now you know I have a spychanger obsession. Although I have posted pictures in the past of Generation 2 Optimus Prime, it wasn't until this week that I finally added a carded example to my collection. Being the pinnacle of the collection, unless I somehow buy a Botcon 1995 Nightracer, I am nearly done. Although I have owned a go-bots Mirage in the past, I must have sold it down the road somewhere (or possibly not actually owned it),  once I get that and a Double Clutch with Optimus and Megatron on the cardback, I will have the three series of 6 go-bots figures from Generation 2 Transformers. That collection will be more complete than any I have seen on EBay to date.

 

Unfortunately the blister bubble was damaged in transit, so now I have to still keep an eye out for replacement. I did buy some other G2 go-bots this past week, and as a general rule I always check to see what other similar items a seller might also be selling that I have interest in. If I get combined shipping, this makes the average price work out better on the lot. The seller of 4 Go-bots I bought this week also had a Japanese Car Robots 2000 figure, super Mach Alert available. Technically I owned all the items this seller had except a damaged Mirage. Although I figure I will be selling off my complete first sets soon of go-bots and Car Robots, so why not start on a second collection ;)

I streched my budget super thin, but had to go in on buying a carded set of Ruination from the US 2001 follow-up line to Japan's Car Robots: RID (Robots in Disguise). I sold off the majority of my CR2000 and RID collection about 5 years ago. So every now and then when I see a killer deal I go for it. So I am slowly rebuilding my previous collection. It's funny, I don't know if other people are like this, but sometimes after I sell off a collection, I start to feel nostalgic a few years down the road, and start re-buying the things I already owned. Although I must admit, some of the toys I have owned in the past and sold off, I really no longer have any inclination to buy or even look at. I have no urge to own vintage TMNT, but I am always looking at Kenner Predator and Aliens figures, and occasionally Kenner Terminator and Gargoyles. I will leave off there for now, catch ya on the flipside. END OF LINE.

Takara lottery super spychangers and variants.

I figure while back on the topic of spychangers I might add the photos I have of the lottery super spychangers and their crystal clear variant editions.

Also the variations:

Jusco Spychangers

If you don't count the 1995 Botcon exclusive Nightracer repaint, the next most valuable colorations of the first 6 spychangers molds has to be the Jusco exclusive spychangers. Originally given away as a promotion at the Japanese retailer Jusco, these toys were blind packed. So you didn't know what you were getting and you had to get them in the promotional window. Therefore assembling a set of these is nigh impossible. I was lucky enough to get these from an ebay seller from whom I had purchased legitimate Jusco exclusive Wrecker Hook and Indy Heat. Although according to tfu.info Jusco is a misnomer for one of that pair as Wrecker Hook was technically to quote the site " Availability: This figure was available exclsuvely in Daiei stores in Japan in 2000 with the purchase of Build King (2000, Japan)."

Anyways the Jusco spychangers have a nice set of photos over at ridforever.com. Here is the only picture of the collection I took before selling it off at the right price.

Ebay shipment nightmares

One of my greatest fears is that an Ebay buyer's package gets mangles in transit to them and I get bad feedback. On the other hand I don't wish this on myself. Well the last two auctions I won were mutilated in shipping. For the package from China I can understand. The shipping was free and I expected some thin cardboard box. However they usually arrive in fair condition instead I got this:

So then I order something else and this arrives:

Though theoretically not as bad as the first, it was more stomped on than the image belays. Somehow the Thundercats in the box from China survived with the smallest of dents on the cardback for Wilykat. The second box had two things going for it, 1. it was about three and a half times larger than it needed to be. and 2. the item was packed on the diagonal of the box, where usually one side of the toy is flush with a side of the box, by some miracle this seller took an unconventional approach to boxing the item. I think the second item was Takara's Car Robots 2000 Speedbreaker. More on my recent purchase and sales soon. End of line.