I was just on Hasbrotoyshop.com and I noticed that they are selling AFA rated figures (for quite a hefty sum, if I may add). I personally think that this is a petty thing to do. I can't quite say why, but it seems to me that handing out figures that are AFA Graded is kinda like making a sports car, but only making 200 of them so you KNOW you can up the price. I think it should be up to the Collectors to get the figures that they can find in mint condition and have the AFA rate them. For the Manufactures to be working with AFA kinda seems shady to me. That's like the CEO of GM going on an all expense paid cruise with the head of the UAW and the union paying for the whole thing.

Am I just being nit picky? What is your opinion about the whole thing?

I dont get the point of doing that since its regular 25th Joes they are selling and they can be damaged in the post on the way to the buyer so...
But your right the principle is fishy.

I have the understanding that the AFA is a complete and utter joke. Their grading standards are arbitrary.

"Ok, we have a v1 Snake Eyes ARAH MOC... Oh, there's a 'slight' crease in the corner of the card. I give him a 9.7. Oh, here's another one to grade. Hmmmmmmm... v1 ARAH Mainframe MOC. Let's see, in the cartoon he tried to date a Dreadnok and that's bad and that's a bad concept for kids plus he's a Marine and everyone knows that Marines are Morons. The card is perfect as is he, I give him a 3."

I saw that Hasbro was doing this and what gets ME is that people are buying 'em so they end up out of stock! WTF??? The only people who'd buy those are other companies. I can think of 1 in particular, actually.

AFA is no more qualified than you, me, any comic shop owner or my dog to grade any toy. They just speak loudly and some people buy into it. I avoid anything AFA if I can (and so far so good).

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That does not happen? I know the CEO can take his cruise & the US taxpayer will pay for it, more bail-out money please! Hasbro is a whore, and a cheap on too! AFA is fine for rare and vintage items that are minty & you want to keep them that way. I have sent some stuff to them, their grading is questionable. Anyone who buys a 25th figure graded is a fool & deserves to get ripped off. These things will never be worth anything, just like any Star Wars figs made since 1995. Any item that is "rare" and worth anything, Hasbro will pick up on it & reproduce it & blow the value out of the water. For instance the Rattle, I am a die-hard vintage collector but, why would I pay $60 to &100 for a 1984 Ratter with effed-up landing gear when I can get a brand new one for $25. Anakin Skywalker's Clone Wars Starfighter was selling for over $100 loose, Hasbro reboxes it, now it has reached shelf-warming status & worthless! So if you think your AFA U85 25th Flint will be worth something in 5 years, just wait till hes remade 5 to 10 times. Now on the other hand a 85 Flint will ALWAYS be a 85 Flint. Have him graded if you want, but he is alot more fun to pose & photograph.

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