Collector Tales Part 2 - Play the Nostalgia Card

There’s another comic store in town that I have mixed feelings about. Technically it’s a better store, but the owner is an asshole. I’ve actually been kicked out of his store for being a regular patron of another store. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth to go in there. But the sad fact is that it’s a better-stocked store, and my kids like it more.

We were killing time one day and my youngest son asked to go to the comic store that had the “Pringles”. This shop had a little snack area by the register and he just loved the fact that he can look at comics and get Pringles. Who am I to say no?

This store has a fair amount of toys, but most of them are crap. DC and Marvel hero toys, with some Spawn toys mixed in for good measure. Typically nothing I am interested in. But today, something on the counter caught my eye.

Standing alone on the counter was larger Red Legioss fighter by Gakken – more commonly known as the Robotech Alpha Fighter. Unbroken, great shape, with gun. Next to it, a loose Macross Joke Machine VF-1S, also complete. There are no prices on them.

A million thoughts race through my head. How do I play this? I can’t let on that I am a collector, nevermind a collector who runs ONE OF THE BIGGEST SITES on these things.  I look around and the owner, who knows me, is not there. Just a couple of lackeys at the cash register.

I decide to play the nostalgia card.

I asked the guy at the register “How much for the Robotech ’bots on the counter?”

“Is that what those are? I have no idea. I just showed up and they were there this morning.” He said.

“Well I’m interested in buying them. I used to watch them on TV”. I say, technically not lying.

“What are they called? Let me look them up and see what they are worth”. He says.

My heart sinks. HE’S GOING TO LOOK THEM UP ON EBAY. I have no interest in paying ebay prices for these. I choose my words carefully.

“The red one is a Robotech Alpha Fighter. The small white one is a Robotech Veritech, but you may want to look up SD as well, as that’s what that style is called”.

He looks them up and while I don’t see what he finds, he mentions that the red one seems to be going for about $65, and that the small one seems to be selling for $25 boxed. I imagine he’s found the Toynami versions of these.

I tell him I can do $50 for both. After a minute of deliberation, he agrees.

Part of me feels a bit guilty, but I have to remember what an asshole the owner is. I could tell you many stories about this guy, but I won’t stoop to his level.

My son picks his snack, and we scoot out of the store in a hurry, half-worried that they will change their mind.

I felt like what I magine runner's high is like, only for collectors.