How Much Are The Hcm's Worth?

[danth]

Hey all,

I have a chance to get a HCM but there are none on eBay so I'm not sure if I'm getting ripped off. Do you guys know about how much they are worth now? I know the toy guide on this site says $400 but that's old info. I doubt they are worth as much now.

Any help is appreciated.

[jenius]

Super minty (almost) never touched =$185- $250ish (shipping might run it up higher)

Minty clean everything present no dings - $160-$225ish

Beyond that is a little too random to guess.

EDIT - these can be found at prices lower than I've stated also, such would be the nature of eBay of course. I'm just giving averages from what I've seen.

Edited June 9, 2006 by jenius

[valkyrie312]

I bought all of mine for less than $100 each.

Only one was boxed, though, so the prices vary. I think that Jenius' price quotes are in the right ballpark (although a bit too high for my tastes).

[Mechafan]

I got one for less than $100 with no box. Maybe $200 max mint in box.

[Agent-GHQ]

A clean one in new condition is about the $300 range. These set seem to command alot and hold its value. Probably b/c there is no reissue of these HCM unlike the 1/55.

[BoBe-Patt]

man, these use to fetch like 400+ back in the day. Now they are a lot cheaper. They range from 150 to 250 mint in box, and 50 to 100 loose. Not bad. I know where to get a boxed vf-1s minty fresh for 200. I don't have the money to drop on it but I will later.

[jenius]

For the record, I purchased my so mint it never seems to have been touched VF-1J Hikaru HCM for $220 before shipping. Box is immaculate and nothing has been removed from the sprues. A boxless one or one with minor yellowing will go for a lot less. I haven't seen one go for much above $220 though.

Agent GHQ, nice pick up the other day on eBay. I placed my $480 bid just in time to tell me I was already outbid

[Solscud007]

I picked up a mint condish VF-1S (but the box is all gnarly) for 150.01 (the .01 really helped snipe the ebay auction)

I say it is mint cause it is white. but it is missing paperwork and the Hikaru statue. but I only care about the toy

here is my pic gallery

(no box pics)

http://www.animepunch.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6762

Edited June 10, 2006 by Solscud007

[Agent-GHQ]

man, these use to fetch like 400+ back in the day. Now they are a lot cheaper. They range from 150 to 250 mint in box, and 50 to 100 loose. Not bad. I know where to get a boxed vf-1s minty fresh for 200. I don't have the money to drop on it but I will later.     

406763[/snapback]

Where at fool?

[ShadowerV2]

I'm really curious about one thing. The toys we look for. If they are old, second hand etc, most of the time we would resort to the secondary market where prices can vary from person to person.

This site has provided a guide as to how much an item would be worth but that is just an approximation. And that's cool.

But why do people have to go around thinking they are being "ripped off" if they pay a price for something that maybe they think is too high?

At the end of the day. Don't like the price? Buy from someone else.

If he's the only one that has that item. Too bad.

At the end of the day though it seems to point to two things.

A) What price that person is asking for whatever it is he/she is selling.

B) Just how much you are willing to pay for that item.

The question I suppose is how often does "market value" really mean anything to anyone?

Edited July 8, 2006 by ShadowerV2

[jenius]

I just stumbled upon the receipt of my BRAND SPANKIN' NEW HCM and I bought it for $220 AFTER shipping. So the original purchase price was $210. Still, I watched a few HCM auctions a while back and the starting price was $190 shipped and they both worked there way up to about $210 ('cause shippin' from Singapore cost $$). In the end, I think it's pretty safe bet to say the average price for a minty HCM is a hair over $200 but certainly not as high as $300.

ShadoweverV2, market price only means something to those who exercise a fair amount of patience and are shopping right now. Obviously it fluctuates quite a bit and boils down to how much the money holder is willing to part with for whatever the reason.

EDIT - A minty VF-1A just went up on eBay for $192 shipped

Edited July 8, 2006 by jenius

[kanata67]

I have 2 hcm's. both loose and messed up... kinda. One came with the 1/100 hase seeker bits and head, the other has a damaged hand. less than $50 for both of them shipped thanks to a friendly monkey. Once I finish a hcm seeker conversion kit he gets dibs on the first recast.

[wolfx]

Are takas = HCMs?

Taka's spotted at Akihabara...pretty pricy

http://tokyohunter.blogspot.com/2006/07/na...-july-2006.html

[TheLoneWolf]

Nah, Bandai made the HCM's and they're entirely different sculpts from the Takatoku's. I have an HCM and the only drawbacks are a lack of fastpacks (unless you want to kitbash one) and the backpack sits way too high in battroid mode.

At best they're ok toys, but definitely not great, especially after Yamato entered the scene. IMO, the most I'd pay today would be $75 for a MIB. ***ducks stones***

[jenius]

Here's the real brain twister for you:

HCM = Toynami MPC

Get this though... Toynami straight ripped off the HCM and IMPROVED it. So, think to yourself, how bad do you want an HCM?

[Agent-GHQ]

Here's the real brain twister for you:

HCM = Toynami MPC

Get this though... Toynami straight ripped off the HCM and IMPROVED it.  So, think to yourself, how bad do you want an HCM?

415103[/snapback]

I dont know about Toynami improving it from HCM 1/72?

[jenius]

I dont know about Toynami improving it from HCM 1/72?

It's larger, has diecast, has better head sculpts (no bunny ear lasers), the light up visor gimmick (for the one dude out there somewhere who cares), has a swivel joint at the knee, and I do believe it has a tad more detail (like in the feet). Not to mention it comes with a pre-painted pilot and a gun you don't need to assemble.

Now, the HCM on the otherhand had no diecast which actually helped it out a bit. Since the legs are just hollow plastic they don't have the extra heft pulling them down that the MPC does (although both toys have craptastic pegs meant to hold the legs in place in fighter mode).

[glane21]

The HCMs have better proportions than the Toynamis, as well as a better nose and cockpit sculpt that make them look sleeker in gerwalk and jet. The Toynami nose sculpt is particularly ass-tastic. HCMs have better plastic as well.

[Agent-GHQ]

I dont know about Toynami improving it from HCM 1/72?

It's larger, has diecast, has better head sculpts (no bunny ear lasers), the light up visor gimmick (for the one dude out there somewhere who cares), has a swivel joint at the knee, and I do believe it has a tad more detail (like in the feet). Not to mention it comes with a pre-painted pilot and a gun you don't need to assemble.

Now, the HCM on the otherhand had no diecast which actually helped it out a bit. Since the legs are just hollow plastic they don't have the extra heft pulling them down that the MPC does (although both toys have craptastic pegs meant to hold the legs in place in fighter mode).

415341[/snapback]

Well details and researched! Just imagine the HCM in 1/55 scale. And who can put it better than Glane21. I say its HCM hands-down bro. Toynami...ewwww!

[TheLoneWolf]

I have to disagree with Glane21 on the HCM cockpit, it's only marginally better than the 1/55 cockpit. Not to mention it's got that same awful amber colored canopy that the Tak's had (why Takatoku, why?!).

I have no love for Toynami, but I gotta give credit where credit is due. Toynami did fix the backpack problem. For those who don't have an HCM, in battroid mode the backpack sits so high that it reaches a good 1 inch above the battroid's head. On a 1/72 scale toy, that inch looks like a mile. Toynami also fixed the canopy by making it clear and didn't dye it amber like the 1/72's, gosh why didn't Bandai think of that! Also, the Toynami canopy can open whereas the HCM canopy can only be popped off. To the HCM's defense, a 1/72 hinge to make the canopy open would most likely be too brittle.

I do agree that the Toynami 1/55 featured craptastic plastic, especially the PVC hands. The chestplate was also way too big in battroid mode. The nosecone is also off, but since when have we liked any VF-1 nosecone? We moaned that the Taka nosecone was too short, groaned that Jetfire's was too blunt, b1tched that the 1/60 nosecone was too skinny, and whined that the 1/48 nosecone was too fat (don't believe me, just search the archives). We just need to accept the fact that the nosecone is always going to look wrong in a transforming VF-1 toy due to anime magic.

The only nosecone that legitimately deserves lambasting is the Matchbox VF-1 nosecone, and that one didn't even transform.

Edited July 12, 2006 by TheLoneWolf

[zanderwitaz]

Hey all,

I have a chance to get a HCM but there are none on eBay so I'm not sure if I'm getting ripped off. Do you guys know about how much they are worth now? I know the toy guide on this site says $400 but that's old info. I doubt they are worth as much now.

Any help is appreciated.

406601[/snapback]

what does HCM stand for?

[Mechafan]

what does HCM stand for?

415549[/snapback]

High Complete Model

Some history

http://www.toyboxdx.com/set-data.html

Edited July 12, 2006 by Mechafan

[Agent-GHQ]

I have to disagree with Glane21 on the HCM cockpit, it's only marginally better than the 1/55 cockpit.  Not to mention it's got that same awful amber colored canopy that the Tak's had (why Takatoku, why?!).

I have no love for Toynami, but I gotta give credit where credit is due.  Toynami did fix the backpack problem.  For those who don't have an HCM, in battroid mode the backpack sits so high that it reaches a good 1 inch above the battroid's head.  On a 1/72 scale toy, that inch looks like a mile.  Toynami also fixed the canopy by making it clear and didn't dye it amber like the 1/72's, gosh why didn't Bandai think of that!  Also, the Toynami canopy can open whereas the HCM canopy can only be popped off.  To the HCM's defense, a 1/72 hinge to make the canopy open would most likely be too brittle.

I do agree that the Toynami 1/55 featured craptastic plastic, especially the PVC hands.  The chestplate was also way too big in battroid mode.  The nosecone is also off, but since when have we liked any VF-1 nosecone?  We moaned that the Taka nosecone was too short, groaned that Jetfire's was too blunt, b1tched that the 1/60 nosecone was too skinny, and whined that the 1/48 nosecone was too fat (don't believe me, just search the archives).  We just need to accept the fact that the nosecone is always going to look wrong in a transforming VF-1 toy due to anime magic. 

The only nosecone that legitimately deserves lambasting is the Matchbox VF-1 nosecone, and that one didn't even transform. 

415517[/snapback]

Love the aburn canopy, but wouldn't mind the clear one either.

[GutsAndCasca]

I think the MPCs look way cooler... WAY cooler...

[jenius]

I'm going to put up a full on HCM vs MPC comparison on my website this weekend. I took the pictures last night, I think it'll be pretty cool. It was neat handling both again for the first time in ages.

[jenius]

Okay, I had a tough day at work so rather than staying there and getting frustrated I came home and finished up my comparison of an HCM vs an MPC. Please check it out here:

HCM vs MPC Comparison @ Anymoon.com

Let me know what you think! Feel free to correct me on anything or disagree, I can always ammend the text if there's something I over-looked.

[TheLoneWolf]

Very nice and objective review. I agree that after you tally up each toys advantages & disadvantages, you get a tie.

I still stand by my opinion that the HCM should only be worth $75 (I paid $150 for mine back in the day), and that's if you're a serious collector. Nowadays, you can find far better Valkyries in larger and even smaller scales.

[GutsAndCasca]

I'm gonna' check it out right now...

the link isn't working.

Edited July 14, 2006 by GutsAndCasca

[jenius]

Lame, sorry, site may have been down for a moment, when I click on it it works. It's also the first article if you go to www.anymoon.com

[GutsAndCasca]

It's just not working.

I can't even open the site for some reason. I am having really bad luck today. It all started, when my kid woke me up at 7am... like he does everyday...

Okay i got the site to finally open, but none of the links work on it. I am tha' man.

Edited July 14, 2006 by GutsAndCasca

[jenius]

Man, I hope it's not a problem on my side. I'm at work though accessing it through a nasty firewall and it seems to be doing just fine (uh, just don't tell my boss )

[Agent-GHQ]

Well detailed review Jenius! For me, I like the HCM better.

[nightmareB4macross]

Well detailed review Jenius! For me, I like the HCM better.

416407[/snapback]

I agree with you to a certain extent. I think the only reason the MPC has the HCM beat is due to the paint. As far as the other details go, it seems pitiful that after 15 years, Toynami hasn't really improved. Flargerism is supposed to be a form of flattery, but in this case it's more of a form of atrosity.

BTW - Nice review Jenius. But you really are comparing apples to oranges.

[jenius]

BTW - Nice review Jenius. But you really are comparing apples to oranges.

Thanks! I agree but there are enough similarities where it seemed (and was) a fun project.

[Solscud007]

that was a biased review. First of all the MPC is a clone/bootleg of the HCM with yamato tail pack. HCMs can do A stance. the MPC CANNOT.

you are also missing the pilot and heatshield of your VF-1J HCM

how is this not better than the MPC

Edited July 16, 2006 by Solscud007