The perils of posting vintage MOCs

[edd_jedi]

I would serious wonder if AFA will agree to grade yellow bubble in the future. I have seen a number of cards back from AFA that have been damaged which I guess AFA/their postage insurance would have to pay for - maybe if it gets too costly then they will stop doing it?

No doubt they have a clause in their contract denying any responsibility if items get damaged during shipping, just like they have for grading fakes.

 

[stormcab]

I would seriously wonder if AFA will agree to grade yellow bubble in the future. I have seen a number of cards back from AFA that have been damaged which I guess AFA/their postage insurance would have to pay for - maybe if it gets too costly then they will stop doing it?

I've had 4 lots of figures graded by the AFA. The first lot was delivered by hand. I happened to be going for a fly drive last November, starting in Atlanta, and thought "I wonder where in America the AFA are. If they're within a few hours drive of Atlanta I'll take several over". Well I was stunned to learn their office was just 30 minutes from central Atlanta. Touch. The road trip was about 2 and a half weeks, so on there upper tier they would be ready to collect on the return.

The first batch I posted I got my AT-AT driver back ungraded with the bubble lifted on one corner. Now I can't recall if there was some lift before I sent it, but I'm pretty sure I would have spotted it when packing. In the end I was lucky anyway as by chance there happened to be some ink touch up that I had noticed, so it wouldn't have graded anyway. It still sold on eBay for over £40.

Future for grading? For those that want their MOCs graded, someone of trustworthy standing in the community would arrange to collect about 10-15 MOCs from people on a set date, in a set place in the UK, and fly over to Atlanta and deliver it in person and pick it up. I say 10-15, as that's gonna be about as much as you'd be able to squeeze into a piece of carry on luggage once graded. These would obviously be rarer pieces that if you were to cover on postage will be around £200, not to mention return postage. A return ticket to Atlanta is around £500-600, so someone who is going to that part of the US for a holiday, could warn people in advance so if they plan on grading something, this is the way to do it. Say several people pay £100, well that covers the persons ticket and hassle. On return a prearranged time and place for people to collect their items.

Yes you might read this and think "ha, what a bloody hassle", but if you've got a yellowed 21 Back Fett, POTF Anakin/Yak/Nikto/AT-AT etc, will you chance putting those puppies in the mail for transport across the Atlantic and back? One crack and the value drops from £5000 to £500

 

[Anonymous]

It's been going on a long time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iRy_wo9vBk

This is a video I made about a figure that I got years back. Again, not a rare figure, but still annoying. Luckily it only cost me £4

Cheers

 

[maxf]

What is the best way to protect a yellowed bubble? I get the elastic band method for no-stem bubbles, but what about brittle stem bubbles?

Ive received meccano figures where cardboard has been cut to the size and shape of the bubble and layered over it - which seemed pretty good. But is there a better/easier way?

I need to post out a valuable figure this weekend, which has a brittle, yellow bubble.

 

[theforceuk]

I had a clear bubble Klaatu which cracked badly this year, not graded and really mint apart from that. If something gets dropped or whacked badly in transit I don't think theirs a lot you can do at the end of the day. :| AFA don't need any clause in their contract for postage as everything is returned fully insured for the value which you have have agreed, they probably still have something in their thow.

I remember a 21 back Bobba Fett on eBay this year which was graded with a full on bubble protector, but it diden't look great.

 

[steve obi wan]

There is going to be more and more of this , moc's being shipped around the world and back . Some card backs are getting on nearly 40 years , that's went everything starts cracking :shock:

 

[aussiejames]

maxf- I think the gladwrap/clingfilm method is as good as it gets for odd shapes, step etc.

theforceuk- Fett:

 

[stormcab]

Noooooooooo :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[mumbo]

Ouch, at least it was only good ol Nikto :wink:

 

[Ross_Barr]

It's a shame because a simple elastic band around the bubble is all you need to protect these later MOCs, but because graded ones are sealed you can't do it. Here's one I sold a couple of years ago:

Yet another AFA myth busted, grading = protection.

This is a good method I have never seen, Edd. I still would be worried about putting the rubber band around a yellow and brittle bubble. I use Saran wrap (you guys may call it plastic sandwich wrap or something similar). I wrap it relatively tightly around and tape it together (the tape touches only the two sides of the wrap - not the bubble or the card). Works well, it completely covers the bubble tightly, but not too tightly, and is easy to take off. Will take a pic sometime soon.

 

[Dannywhiteley]

Cling film around the card and pressed around the bubble. Then a cardboard strip around the bubble. Then packing peanuts inside the star case then packing peanuts outside the star case in a really big box. Sold loads of MOCs and never had a problem.

Graded figures don't allow this so I steer clear. Its going to become more and more common.

 

[theforceuk]

maxf- I think the gladwrap/clingfilm method is as good as it gets for odd shapes, step etc.

theforceuk- Fett:

That is shocking, what they thinking.

 

[theslider]

maxf- I think the gladwrap/clingfilm method is as good as it gets for odd shapes, step etc.

theforceuk- Fett:

What's the point of putting acrylic around the bubble if it isn't attached to the rest of the case? EVEN MORE proof that AFA are absolute ****wits (and probably kiddie fiddlers too!)

 

[benny100]

Cling film around the card and pressed around the bubble. Then a cardboard strip around the bubble. Then packing peanuts inside the star case then packing peanuts outside the star case in a really big box. Sold loads of MOCs and never had a problem.

Graded figures don't allow this so I steer clear. Its going to become more and more common.

That's a good way of packing but sadly still not fool proof, it's the movement of a figure in the bubble which causes a lot of cracks these days. As an fx-7 focus collector the most common issue is the arm busting through the bubble in transit, no way to stop that.

 

[BlueDog]

This is how I have always packed a MOC for postage, never had any issues with bubble damage no matter where it was sent. I know it's still not 100% going to guarantee no damage will occur but it managed to protect an extremely fragile Yoda POTF MOC on a trip from Aus to the UK a few years back.

You can either wrap it in bubble wrap as in the pic and then I would place in a very strong box or double box and surround with packing peanuts or if you've got a star case then ignore steps I & J and fill star case with packing peanuts to help hold the bubble protector in place during transit.

Obviously only wrap the bubble with enough tension as needed so you don't damage the bubble and always use Magic Tape taking particular care not to stick to cardboard.

I also shipped a heap of MOC's to Iain some years ago using this method with no dramas. Also works fine with single and double stemmed bubbles too.

Sorry for the sketch, I would've taken some pics but I don't have any MOC's at the moment.