AFA worth it? How credible/worthwhile are they?

[weasel]

The one big advantage to AFA is that 'it does what it says on the tin'. If you buy an AFA 80 you know what you are going to get (99 times out of a 100). If you buy a C8-9 MOC you run the risk of someone using a very generous interpretation of the C scale. We've all heard the horror stories.

Ok, AFA make mistakes, bubbles on graded MOC's can crack and are impossible to protect during shipping, if you get lots of pictures of an ungraded MOC before buying you should be ok, but the grade does provide a degree of certainty.

Whether it's worth the premium you pay is a matter of opinion.

 

[PGowdy]

I personally think its morally wrong for any collector who cares about the hobby to give them UGrading bastards a single penny towards their enterprise. They should be cut off. Such an unnecessary service on every level too.

 

[Dublinjeff]

I personally think its morally wrong for any collector who cares about the hobby to give them UGrading bastards a single penny towards their enterprise. They should be cut off. Such an unnecessary service on every level too.

Pete...why are you sitting on the fence... :lol: :lol:

 

[theforceuk]

:lol: Pete's got a point, but I started getting stuff graded 11 years ago and I didn't even know about U grading until about 2008. It's to late for me to stop now as I wont all the MOCs to match in some cases. That's my excuse anyway. :lol:

Also I send some right beaters off so I guess I'm saving them from getting U graded.

 

[Cheewiee]

Thinking about maybe some cases one day now...I like how they display but would not like that the figure is trapped in there! I dont intend to sell my collection, 80% of it I have had since I was a kid! My original question I suppose was more about buying figures that were AFA graded in the hope that they would be in the condition that was listed! But then I found this forum, and to buy from a trusted seller on here is every bit as reliable as AFA!

Thanks for the thoughts,

Doug

 

[plantman]

grading will always hold firm, it offers protection (especially from kids) authentication and verification. if you sell on ebay it also offers protection from fraudsters saying its fake ect. although these are not 100% watertight reasons i can see why you would want it sealed and stamped

but in a personal collection you dont need it, cases are cheaper and its easier to display them overlapped slightly ect.

pro's and cons for both.

 

[TheGent]

Plantman's right. I myself don't like afa as they are not 100% objective. Grading is always a personal point of view. Plus... They're humans, they fail. They even grade death star droids for lots of money but they fail and put sticker with detah star droid in the cases.

 

[Star-Tourer]

I found this web site link: http://www.nintendoplayer.com/feature/vga/ 

No Grade: An Investigation into the Video Game Authority

The Video Game Authority which operates as a division of the Collectible Grading Authority ("CGA"), a toy grading network that includes the Action Figure Authority ("AFA"), the Die-Cast Authority ("DCA"), and the Collectible Doll Authority ("CDA")

It covers the Company Background explores the toy grading network's beginnings, key officers, family and corporate connections, past and present controversies (Toy Toni), and the location(s) of its facilities.

 

[edd_jedi]

Here's another good example of why AFA grading is a joke:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/301562473329

This has clearly been in the sun for about the last decade so has practically faded to grey-scale, but because it has a stupid sticker on it people are still wildly bidding for it. This is a $20 MOC in this condition! The grade is only valid on the day it was issued, they should at least expire after a decade or something.

 

[PGowdy]

Here's another good example of why AFA grading is a joke:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/301562473329

This has clearly been in the sun for about the last decade so has practically faded to grey-scale, but because it has a stupid sticker on it people are still wildly bidding for it. This is a $20 MOC in this condition! The grade is only valid on the day it was issued, they should at least expire after a decade or something.

That's hilarious. What an embarrassment. That's a C4 at best. :lol:

 

[itfciain]

That one will do well to last the journey - that is a broken bubble just waiting to happen

On the subject of AFA, I have just sent off a couple of VC Jawas for a friend to them - he got a message back yesterday saying that the completion date for the two figures was 6th June - over two months away - how daft is that

 

[Michael Sith]

A thing of beauty is in the beholders eye,
What is it you want, a value that's high?
A beater to one , to another a treasure,
Not only in money do we measure.
A museum piece entombed in plastic,
To never hold in hand, for me that's too drastic.
To look upon your collection, the swell of pride
The way it makes you feel, only you can decide.
A one armed Luke, from you childhood collection,
Would you swap all those memories, for another's perception?
Not me, no way, keep it real and true
That would be my advice to you.

 

[tiefighterboy]

AFA can go **** themselves.

 

[Paul Armory]

Here's another good example of why AFA grading is a joke:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/301562473329

Now that is some sad **** right there ^^ :roll: I cannot help it but when ever the AFA question comes up I always think of this scene :lol:

[youtube]mEB7WbTTlu4[/youtube]