Why some vintage G1 toys are much more expensive than others

[megaprime]

I have been a true G1 Transformers fan all the way along since I got my Optimus Prime, Wheeljack, and Motormaster when I was a little kid. (Yep, I only got three Transformers)
About several months ago, I got upgraded to become a G1 Transformers collector. Well, based on my short experience of collecting vintage G1 toys, I found there are some particular G1 Transformers prominently more expensive than most Transformers. I am not talking about those huge Base Robots such as Omega Supreme or those Combiners such as Devastator. Check out the list of super-high-market-value Transformers I made based on my real collecting experience.

Swoop
Springer
Jetfire
Megatron
Shockwave
Scourge

In addition, I found many cassettes such like Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Frenzy, and Ratbat are sold more expensive than Soundwave the boss.

So, Transformers fans and collectors, what's your opinion on this social phenomenon.

[Time Traveller]

swoop: did not stand up against the other dinobots, he was too delicate. in a kids eyes, they want a beefy dino. springer: he's the only autobot triplechanger that was popularized in the u.s. i'm not even sure if broadside appeared in the us. t.v. shows. jetfire: big metal figure with tons of little fragile parts. megatron: supply and demand. there're only so many to go around. shockwave: electronics are a little touchy, the batter cover always broke, and he was probably an expensive character originally. scourge: low production levels. for more insane prices, see targetmaster remolds of movie characters. but overall, one thing affects the price of old tf's compared to newer ones: production nubers.

[megaprime]

Nice explanation!
Among those insanely expensive vintage G1 Transformers, Swoop and Shockwave could be the top ones. I already got a Shockwave. The size of it is pretty big, (almost as big as Ultra Magnus) and the electronics absolutely rock, plus the transformation is very well designed.
Unfortunately, I don't have a Swoop. I guess one of the major reasons why Swoop, the smallest Dinobot, can be this expensive in the market is he is the only dino with wings.
In terms of price, there's no comparison between Springer and Broadside.

[Shanti418]

I would add that Shockwave and Jetfire are going to be more expensive because they were leftovers from other lines that Takara/Hasbro renamed and reboxed, therefore Tak/Has didn't control the production and there were probably fewer available.

Shockwave rules. I think I threw mine away in middle school because his blaster arm had broken off. Damn errors of youth. lol I still have a battery cover though, if anyone cares.
Now Scourge, I just plain lost. And now that I know he's hard to find, I'm going to get right on kicking myself in the ass.

[megaprime]

Thanks a lot!
I didn't know that Shockwave and Jetfire were produced by another toy production line rather than Takara or Hasbro. Fortunately, I got a Shockwave in my collection, and his electronics still work perfectly. I am not gonna throw that away, that's for sure. Hahaha.
Well, I have never had a Jetfire. I know he is a huge robot too, and I really wish I could get one.
By the way, these days I am watching some of the G1 cartoon on DVD, and I found he is called Skyfire in the cartoon. Why that? Any idea?
Thanks in advance.

[Time Traveller]

i don't know if there is a reason for the skyfire jetfire thing, the designers for the toys and tv probably just weren't on teh same page.

hold on to that battery cover, they can be a pain to find.

people in park falls must've bought a lot of jetfires, i have several, but only one is unbroken, and i don't have an extra complete set of armour.
as for toys coming from different series, i'll run a thread about that in the appropriate Q/A section.

[Shanti418]

So you're got several Jetfires, with only one being completely unbroken and only one complete set of armor?

[Time Traveller]

right. i have lots of misc armour, and one jetfire that COULD be fixed if i had the inner shoulder assembly, one's just missing his arms, and the two broken ones are a little sunburned. nonetheless, i take even junked transformers into my repair bay just in case. "send me your broken, your rusted, your huddled masses..."

[Jose]

(...)
By the way, these days I am watching some of the G1 cartoon on DVD, and I found he is called Skyfire in the cartoon. Why that? Any idea?
Thanks in advance.

I will answer that.

Skyfire is a name to dodge lawyers. As you know, the toy of Jetfire is the same as a Macross Valkyrie. The toy existed before both cartoons, Macross and Transformers, so first come, first served. Hasbro bought the rights to produce the toy, but couldn't get the whole design for the cartoon as Macross did it first. So the first Jetfires made by Matushiro have the Macross logo painted on wings and the later Bandai don't. I have forgot a lot on this story, sadly...But it is indeed expensive due to the fragility, same deal as Swoop. Unbroken Jetfires and Swoops are harder to find than junk, something that doesn't happen with the rest of the Dinobots.

As for Shockwave, it's just too cool. I think it has to do too with taste.

[megaprime]

You are the man, finally we all have the answer.
Personally I think Skyfire sounds better.

[Time Traveller]

jetfire all the way.

[Shanti418]

I don't think Skyfire is a BAD name, per se. I'm just used to Jetfire. And now, sky is Skydive and Sky Lynx.

[Jose]

Don't forget Skywarp!

By the way, if you notice on Skywarp's instruction booklet, you will see that is different as the toy: Black pannels, feet and shins instead of purple and a purple nosecone instead of black. This one is another pre production which didn't make it as Skywarp, as Jetfire, wasn't part of the Diaclone line. The people at Hasbro were for sure on a rush to release the Transformers!

[Time Traveller]

yet, they excluded some options that were in diaclone, i.e., police sideswipe, and police sunstreaker: ever notice those two holes on the underside of his canopy? also, i still wonder why bumblejumper wasn't his own character, it would have been an easy one to tack on for hasbro.

[Jose]

Bumblejumper is a mystery to me. Most of the early characters don't have a well developed personality. Sure, we have Op, the Megster, Starscream, Bumblebee and the count goes on, but you remember something from Frenzy or Buzzsaw? What about Skids? And even having somewhat written on their tech specs, we never had too much of Mirage, Trailbreaker or others - in the comic they were way better with this. I don't think it would have been a problem to officially introduce Bumblejumper to the series.

[Time Traveller]

or even given him a name and identity for that matter, don't foget the one fans give him is made up.

[Jose]

I'm no positive for Bumblejumper, but I heard that the Omibots, for example, were introduced as characters on the Dreamwave comics. Hasbro is taking now the things in earnest.

[Time Traveller]

yeah, i saw the powerdashers in some dreamwave art. i haven't read those comics yet, i intend to. make sure they're kosher. i wonder if they can develop that many characters at once.

[Shanti418]

I think it's not so much developing characters as it is tossing fanboys little Easter Eggs so they keep on buying. Ranging from the Deluxe Insections craze in recent issues to some of the more obscure refrences, like I-don't-remember-which-issue that featured names of Japanese TFs on stasis pods in the Ark, or the sign that says "Seibertron" in that issue of Micromasters.