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Vintage Star Wars Buying Guide!
From Seller: all-guaranteed
Updated: 12/10/06

Status: In Progress

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I've decided to write a small guide for buyers looking to build a vintage Star Wars collection through eBay.
If you're serious about getting original vintage Star Wars collectibles, then hopefully this small guide will help you get what you need and make sure everything is authentic vintage. This will also tell you how to avoid fraudulent sellers who sell many reproductions or try to be dishonest and sell you what may look nice in their pictures but will arrive not so very nice like they show or say in their descriptions.

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There are many vintage Star Wars figures that were painted white. Many of them fade a yellowing color over time with exposure to UV light. Try and compare the image you're looking at to other auctions of the same figure. Does the image look over bright? If so it could mean that's how they're camera takes pictures. To make sure of this compare it to other auctions they have listed. If any white figure auctions pictures are brighter than other pictures of other items they're selling, this usually means that the figure has some yellowing to it that the seller does not want you to know so they brighten the image to make it a bit more of a clean and prestine white. You could also just examine the picture quality of that sellers other items and see that his white figure pictures are always brightened.

If the seller is describing the figure, vehicle or playset with a grading number, such as C-8, C-9+ etc., but do not offer and normal description, most likely there is some damage the seller does not want you to know about. Most sellers often use that grading system which aren't actual offical graders so they just use that as a quick description and there are many buyers who have no clue what that grading means. If a seller takes the lazy way out and gives it a quick grading according to their quality, do not buy from them. Most likely you'll be receiving a damaged figure in some form that you aren't aware of since it was not listed in the auction.

Do not buy any figures, vehicles or playsets if the seller only shows a picture of the box stating that the quality of the item is mint. They aren't showing you the actual item for a reason. Unless of course the box has never been opened before then the item will be mint.

Do not bid on an auction if you have questions but the buyer doesn't respond to you. They're most likely avoiding your questions because you have touched base on an issue you're concerned about that is most likely a known problem with the item by the seller. Also if the seller beats around the bush not answering your question directly.

It's best to only bid on items of sellers who offer detailed images of the item showing all possible sides. This means Front and Back for figures, and Tops, Bottoms and Sides for vehicles and playsets.

If you see vehicles and playsets listed as complete, or a clever wording of I believe this item to be complete make sure you ask specific questions first. If you know what the item should contain, be specific with the seller and ask them about every detail. What one seller may be saying is complete the item could be missing something major but they're being sneaky about it by including that statement of I believe this to be complete.

There are many sellers on eBay selling Star Wars collectibles that are not genuine and authentic. Usually reproductions of vehicle and playset stickers, figure cards and bubbles, even up to forged prototype figures. If you're serious about collecting the vintage stuff you need to pay attention to a lot not to get ripped off.