How does wear and damage affect the value of a MOC?

[edd_jedi]

As you may have seen I am currently selling a very beaten up MOC. If it was in nice condition I would have a good idea of what it's worth, but due to the condition it's hard to value. This post isn't about my item, but carded MOCs in general - how do you think damage affects the value?

When I started collecting in the early 90s there were only two grades - MOC (mint figure on card) and MOMC (mint figure on mint card.) The mint card added a premium, but not a massive amount. The biggest jump was always from loose to carded. Much of my collection was in pretty poor condition by today's standards, you just accepted it.

These days of course most people are very anal about condition, and although it has put a massive premium on top end items, I don't think it's so clear what effect it has had on below average items.

I personally think a poor condition MOC is worth about half the value of an average (C8) one. I also appreciate that many people won't be interested in a poor condition item regardless of price, so the fact an item doesn't sell doesn't necessarily mean it is too expensive.

 

[poncho]

dings and dents affect the value of course
as does yellowing rips and wear warp ands bends

a regular moc per example

real good nick £100
bent and and dented card say £65
bad crack say £35-50 as the figure still mint in the bubble.

no brainer.

a htf carded figure or rare variant or foreign well thats subject too research and how many exist and whats sold previously i guess

my 2 cents as they say

 

[poncho]

i saw you snaffled a 8d8 tri beater! thats a belter looks great and a survivor too boot

 

[Mr-shifter]

It really depends on what it is, and I think the recent vectis auction highlighted that with the money they got for some of the esb square Meccano cards.

I am less choosy on condition now then I ever was. I wouldn't buy a beaten up Jedi card but some of the quirkier stuff I have is not in the best shape, but it's rarer than the average card.

For example I have a lobot I paid £220 quid for. It looks like it has been sat on. But it's a palitoy 30 back. Where am I going to get a 30 back moc for that kind of money elsewhere. It looks great on display and appeals to me more maybe than an actual 30 back esb character as he has no right to be on that cardback!

 

[edd_jedi]

i saw you snaffled a 8d8 tri beater! thats a belter looks great and a survivor too boot

Yes nobody seemed to notice that it was the much rarer 70c cardback variant, which I need not in the best shape but can always upgrade it later.

 

[mumbo]

Not really a moc collector but rarity has to play a big part in the percentage of depreciation caused by wear/damage

 

[theforceuk]

I personally collect C6 to C8 condition MOC for the reason I think they are the best value. Like others, the rare stuff I'm not willing to pay stupid money for Mint condition, I would much rather save myself £200 - £300 and take a couple dents and tears!

Got myself a 20 back Power Droid before Christmas for under £200, mint condition they go for £400 +. I sleep much better knowing I spent half of what I could have!

 

[maxf]

I'd take a torn card, water damage, bubble hanging off etc of something truly rare.

For more common items, I'd sooner hold out for something more c8.5 or better, and ideally clear bubbles. I'd take creases over a damaged bubble in most cases too.

 

[lejackal]

If the figure can be removed then I guess mint loose figure plus card and bubble cost.
Front card damage takes more away than rear card damage as this is the bit you generally display despite it mainly being what's on the back that adds value.
Using your sale as an example if a decent C8 is £300 then asking half doesn't seem unreasonable although it will vary greatly depending on the rarity/desireability of the card, as well as the cost of a c8 one.
If a decent Klaatu is £35 a beaten up one might still command £20-25 so 57-71% of a nice one.
A B-wing pilot or an AT-ST Driver on trilogo should be easily achievable for £45-60 but as the value of the figure is nudging £20 (maybe more) a rough one could still achieve £35-40 which is again over 50%
A Fett on ROTJ could be £600 for a nice one but you may again get over 50% for a beaten up card but no cracks
Being honest I can't actually think of a scenario, other than a cracked bubble, where you would go below half of a C8 and I can think of lots of examples where you could be nearer 60%.

 

[SAVORY100]

For me value hangs on how I collect; which is about display and how it looks when I see it everyday sitting in my room.

So, I have in my Han MOC run for example, what I believe to be a trade fair/salesman sample, with all four corners destroyed on the rear of the card (I think from memory, maybe a fifth rip in the centre), looks like velcro or tape has been removed. The front is minty fresh, but even with the story of how the damage may have occurred, I would never assume it to hold a value of more than 60% of the value without the damage, but conversely I would happily pay more than that because I collect to display and the front is beautiful.

I really don't have a perfect collection, I have many, many MOCs that I consider beaters and broken, but when a forum member visited recently they actually said "you don't really have any beaters in your collection", I guess its because I try to keep to as good a front of card as possible, no cracks to the bubbles, but some crushing and rear damage, light creasing is fine.

My way of collecting has little to do with rarity or desirability due to card back alpha numeric coding, manufacturer or special variant. I collect what I like and within that I like a displayable piece. So the way I value things will possibly be different to how others value items when considering a purchase. It may though be how others view such things and explain why to some folk a bargain sits unsold waiting for the right collector to pick it up and cherish it.

 

[edd_jedi]

Yes I think you're right that overall displayability has a big effect on desirability, if not value. Like you I am happy with MOCs that display well if they have issues with the back etc. I guess unfortunately mine falls in to the category of being in poor overall condition and displaying badly so the market is much smaller.

 

[stormcab]

I think you need to look at what some common AFA graded ones go for. Let's say a sought after, but not rare ESB Boba Fett. Not 21 back. An AFA 70 will go about £600, about the same as an ungraded. AFA 75 about £900. AFA 80 £1500. AFA 85 £2500. I'd say each 5 points the value goes up about double the previous increase. I suppose you could work backwards from there.

 

[Richard_H]

The general consensus I've seen is if it's a typical MOC then a third of the prices for beaten and crushed. It's not going to work for all cards though

 

[palitoyjunky]

I am more or less the same as the rest of u. If I had to suffer damage then I would prefer a card crease to a damaged bubble. I also do not like open or lifted bubbles and that can a massive diff regarding value :!:
Like the nx man I prefer an undamaged clear bubble as when one looks at a MOC the ultimate focus is on the sealed figure and bubble area.
I appreciate one has to b realistic too. I managed to put a mint set of Palitoy 12 & 20 backs together but when it came to Empire I had to suffer a little sub par condition on one or two MOCs simply because of the diff in rarity :!: