How lucky were you?

[EXO]

How many people here were able to buy Takas or Bandais even Matchboxes back when it was originally released?

I bought a Taka VF-1S for $60 in the 80s and then when the Super was rereleased I was lucky enough to get some of those. I also had some 1/100s but those babies are long gone. I remember the shelves were full of Matchbox Joke machines and the SDF-1. I still have my SDF-1 but I didn't have enough money and was too choosy to buy the JMs because I wanted the 1/55s more. (OK, it wasn't even my money it was my folks')

And a little OT, I bought Alphas and Cyclones of the shelves at Target, back when they first opened around my neighborhood.

So how many others had it that good and didn't know it?

BTW... let me list the prices.

SDF-1 was $35

VF-1S was $60

Super VF-1s was $80

Alpha $19.99

Cyclone $25

Edited May 5, 2004 by >EXO<

[Ali Sama]

i got taka vf1j for $15 whahaha

[do not disturb]

target sold alpha and cyclones? when the heck was this? target hasn't been around for that long have they?

i had a bunch of cool toys when i was younger that i got(my dad got) back in the days. he would take business trips to china, japan and korea. he'd leave for 4 months at a time so he picked up some cool stuff to make up for all the time he was gone. it sucked he wasn't there but one luggage bag was always full of toys for me and my bro.

i've gotten no good deals as far as vintage items are concerned, hence the reason why i quit collecting vintage stuff. i'll stick with the new and pick up an oldie if i can get it for a good price.

[Blaine23]

Hmm...

I bought the SDF-1 for $30

MKII Monster for $12

Destroid for about $3 apiece (5" tall plastic ones)

JM's for about $12

Don't remember what I paid for the Battle Pods, tactical and officer's.

I got most of them on sale at Kay-Bee way after RT had come and gone. I remember I was reading the RT Jack McKinney books as they came out around this time. Never could ever find any import stuff in my neck of the world.

I did manage to somehow find a Gakken Cyclone and Alpha, in Mospeada packaging - and I paid around $30 for each.

I would have killed with my bare hands to find a Macross 1/55 (not Jetfire) back then. You west coast folks have no idea how lucky you were to live there.

[EXO]

target sold alpha and cyclones?  when the heck was this?  target hasn't been around for that long have they? 

i had a bunch of cool toys when i was younger that i got(my dad got) back in the days.  he would take business trips to china, japan and korea.  he'd leave for 4 months at a time so he picked up some cool stuff to make up for all the time he was gone.  it sucked he wasn't there but one luggage bag was always full of toys for me and my bro. 

i've gotten no good deals as far as vintage items are concerned, hence the reason why i quit collecting vintage stuff.  i'll stick with the new and pick up an oldie if i can get it for a good price.

Target opened up in the 80s for us. It use to be Fedmart or something before that.

MKII Monster for $12

Destroid for about $3 apiece (5" tall plastic ones)

Holy crap I have those also. They're in a box in the garage. I bought them off the shelves also...

Edited May 3, 2004 by >EXO<

[Agent ONE]

My Dad bought doubles of EVERYTHING Takatuko made, he gave me a set and saved a set, which I sold on ebay for about $3000 2 years ago. I still have my Bandai strike, and a few Takatukos

Only Matchbox thing I got was the SDF for $35.

[Godzilla]

During that time, I was into GI Joe and Transformers. By the time I got in Robotech, it was too late.

[Godzilla]

target sold alpha and cyclones?  when the heck was this?  target hasn't been around for that long have they? 

i had a bunch of cool toys when i was younger that i got(my dad got) back in the days.  he would take business trips to china, japan and korea.  he'd leave for 4 months at a time so he picked up some cool stuff to make up for all the time he was gone.  it sucked he wasn't there but one luggage bag was always full of toys for me and my bro. 

i've gotten no good deals as far as vintage items are concerned, hence the reason why i quit collecting vintage stuff.  i'll stick with the new and pick up an oldie if i can get it for a good price.

Target opened up in the 80s for us. It use to be Fedmart or something before that.

MKII Monster for $12

Destroid for about $3 apiece (5" tall plastic ones)

Holy crap I have those also. They're in a box in the garage. I bought them off the shelves also...

Use to be called Richway where I use to live before it changed to Target.

[EXO]

During that time, I was into GI Joe and Transformers. By the time I got in Robotech, it was too late.

Hey don't give me your sob story! I guess you're over compensating now huh?

[Sam]

BTW... let me list the prices.

SDF-1 was $35

VF-1S was $60

Super VF-1s was $80

Alpha $19.99

Cyclone $25

I think i want to cry...

I dont really remember seeing any Macross/Robotech toys as a kid other than those chunky 'veritechs' that you could fit a 'Rick Hunter' into, or maybe some 3inch figures, but thats bout it..

I *do* remember seeing Jazz and Prowl original transformers at my local Toyworld for $25AUD, which I was like when i was 13 or something.. this was before the 'reissues', and damn I was kicking myself *if anyone remembers seeing pics of my collection, they would understand this. I loved Transformers! *

Those prices you quoted Exo are unbelievable! an Alpha for $19bucks...geez louiezz..

How old r u guys again? im bordering umm... 27 now I think my next bday.. who else is such an old fart?

Sam

[BoBe-Patt]

Before target, it used to be Gemco. Man I remember going to Gemco and holding up all these nice MISB transformers, tron, gi joes, he-man, star wars, m.a.s.k. and robotech of course. But never was able to get my parents to buy all the juicy stuff.

[do not disturb]

M.A.S.K was the shiznit!

i had the iroc back in the day and the motorcycle too. that was a another cool cartoon that got cancelled along with silverhawks...my other favorite cartoon.

i always wanted the sliverhawks action figures but they didn't stick around too long on the shelves, or atleast not long enough for me to save and buy them.

fedmart? gemco? richway?

dude, i never even heard of target til a few years ago let alone any of these stores. toy store wise, i knew of macys, TRU, KB, variety, service merchandise....oooh century 21. there was forbidden planet and FAO schwartz but you had to be ultra rich to shop in those stores.

[BoBe-Patt]

well, here in california, all the Targets were Gemco. There was also another "target" type place in hollywood called zody's. That place was awesome. I remember picking up spiderman, dr. octopus and wolverine from the secret wars line. Ahhh the memories.

[Myersjessee]

hmm...lets see....nope...I didnt get anything of the original stuff without the help of MW members, Ebay, and Yahoo Japan.

...but I have them all now!

[kanata67]

Target started out by buying up other smaller chains and suitible stores so it may have been different things to different people. I had many a toy as a kid... at least those that were availible in rural america and your standard mall. I got to see taka products once in a shop in boston while on vacation... and lord knows my parenst wouldn't shell out the loot. I had no toys for quite some time as I joined the navy and then traveled with backpack up and down the east cost and europe.

Over the past two years [after I found MW and my love was reborn] I have managed to aquire more than a few viontage toys at or less than the original prices. I paid $20 for 8 joke machines that needed to be "un-childproofed" along with all the destroids and other assorted stuff I got cheaper than original retail that wasn't boxed. As for minty stuff at retail or below it's tougher... go figure. I scored my taka monster mib along with a s-heavy type rx-178 and some other crap for about 5 hours cleaning a garage... and they got a deal on labor believe me! Scored some 7" matchbox figs from auz for about retail. Scored a "case fresh" bandai 1/100 vf-1a for $15 [i have no idea what original retail was], a few exo-squad pods not in, but with, box for less than retail.

what breaks my heart is the toys I've aquired that still had the price sticker on them. $22.50 for a bandai hi-metal vf-1a. Granted I still got a deal on it, but not close to retail. My strike box has it's price in yen if you want me to go look it up, but I probably paid as much for the box as the toy originally cost . I still can't believe I have a friggin jetfire box worth $150!!! Amazing how rare one that has never had the flap folded is!!!!!!

[bluecyclone]

I remember going to my local Kaybee here in Southern California and my dad bought me a few Matchbox Joke Machines and the Armored Cyclone for the 3 inch figures. I still have them MIB. I also remember seeing a POTF Stormtrooper Luke and Han in Carbonite there in the window for $2.99 each, my brother got those. I wish I had a time machine.

[Valkfan]

Hey Agent ONE, did you live in the San Francisco Bay area as a kid? When I was young, I befriended a kid from the neighborhood who showed me a collection of Takatoku valkyries that his dad had stored in their guest house. It was a really cool display that he said his father had purchased for him when he grew up. He also said that there was a second set that he was going to keep MIB as a future investment. If you're not him, then you must be the only other lucky kid on the planet who's father was one of the original members of Valkoholic's Anonymous.

Rick

Edited May 4, 2004 by Valkfan

[Solscud007]

Well I was too young to get any of these. But in the 90's I got my Gakken Large Cyclone for 50 bucks (whihc was a lot for a middle school student with no income) And I got my MIMB Millia Japanese Joke Machine for 30 dollars shipped. And I bought my MIMB Japanese VF-1S Joke Machine for 80 in Japan.

[hirohawa]

Bandai Super Strike 1/55 Hi Metal - $45 at a local Comic book store in 1986. Still have it and it is in pretty good shape box and all. Had to beg my folks for it.

2 0f the 19901/55 Super VF 1S releases for $45.

$300 C10 1/55 Super Ostrich - 1992 New Type Hobbies in SF.

Edited May 4, 2004 by hirohawa

[sidearmsalpha]

I remember picking up Jetfire at a comic shop in '85 for about $35 after taxes. I picked up the Robotech SD VF-1S at a TRU for retail in '85. And the large Gakken Mospeada Cyclone for $16 at the Berryessa Flea Market in San Jose. I still have the Jetfire and Cyclone, but they are pretty trashed. The SD was trashed and disappeared. I was 12 or so when I got all this stuff. I do remember seeing plenty of the large Alpha's at the flea market, but at that time, I didn't have much of an allowance or even a paper route to buy them.

Man, I wish I knew about Newtype in SF back in the mid to late eighties, too. Talking to Jeffrey, the owner, a few years ago, he told me and a friend that he used to have stacks of the Bandai Fast Pack Valks!

[EXO]

well, here in california, all the Targets were Gemco. There was also another "target" type place in hollywood called zody's. That place was awesome. I remember picking up spiderman, dr. octopus and wolverine from the secret wars line. Ahhh the memories.

Yeah Gemcos and Fedcos were packed with toys. Especially Fedco. All the Gemcos closed in 1986 (did a little research) and the one on Firestone and Garfield in Downey became a Target right away. It was the first Target I've ever heard of. I remember I stood there for what seemed liek hours trying to decide which Alpha I wanted. But the threat of pick one or you'll none made me grab the green one. It had my favorite head design. I always thought I was going to come back for the other 2 but I never did. Took me longer than 15 years toget another one.

[Wicked Ace]

Ah, the memories! I remember getting the "Alpha" in a Robotech box at a local Skaggs Alpha-Beta supermarket. They also had the "Henshin Robo" boxed ones, too.

[Roy's Blues]

I had a set of the Large 1/35 Alphas and 1 large Cyclone that was purchased at Service Merchandise. I was young at the time and into kit bashing/customizin', so before they were "retired" the looked like some of Arafats auctions

[Jawjaw]

I couldn't find any Robotech toys in the 80's. The only thing I found was a Jetfire and those Revell Robotech kits. I guess I wasn't looking in the right places or something. I would of gone nuts if I found a Gakken Alpha. Oh well, I have them now so no big deal.

[Godzilla]

During that time, I was into GI Joe and Transformers. By the time I got in Robotech, it was too late.

Hey don't give me your sob story! I guess you're over compensating now huh?

Of course! Now that I got the SDF-1 by Matchbox, 9 inch destroids from Matchbox and my 32 1/48s... Just waiting for the 2 seaters 1/48.

Edited May 4, 2004 by Godzilla

[SupremeKaioshin]

The closest I came to owning a Gakken Alpha and cylone was borrowing my best friend's toys for a couple of days. 99% of my toys back in the mid-80s were TF's, G.I. Joes, Marvel Secret War figures, Orguss bootlegs, and TF bootlegs.

[gerwalk25]

Man, I remember when Mervyns still had toys. They had TF's, GIjoe's even Godaikins that went for $20 to $30us and Matchbox RT. I remember getting the small Die-Cast Gladiator Destroid for $5us and the big scale SDF-1 for $20us plus some new Airwalks, an ROTJ t-shirt all on my birthday!

[Kamion]

My Dad bought doubles of EVERYTHING Takatuko made, he gave me a set and saved a set, which I sold on ebay for about $3000 2 years ago. I still have my Bandai strike, and a few Takatukos

Only Matchbox thing I got was the SDF for $35.

Your dad is one smart dad!! What is he buying double of now? Any hot share tips? haha.

[Eternal_D]

no luck with toys. I was probably 5 when macross came out. and I just took whatever toys my parents bought me. only macross toy I got was a vf-1j 1/55. I'm sure it didn't cost too much as it was brought back from one of my dad's business trips.

not a macross toy but I got an OG Saint seiya white Zeta fig for $25 way back when...it's worth a pretty penny now, depending on condition. =)

[Agent ONE]

My Dad bought doubles of EVERYTHING Takatuko made, he gave me a set and saved a set, which I sold on ebay for about $3000 2 years ago.  I still have my Bandai strike, and a few Takatukos

Only Matchbox thing I got was the SDF for $35.

Your dad is one smart dad!! What is he buying double of now? Any hot share tips? haha.

He invests in new technologies... He lost around $7 mil over the last 5 years, but thats because of a bad market. Before that he made tons of money.

His advice to those who want to make tons of money: "Look at the things you like, then look at their industry, who's solving a problem?"

[pfunk]

my mom sold all our toys or gave them to the needy I just have a sdf-1 and thats it

[sidearmsalpha]

Man, this is a somewhat funny story, IMHO, and OT, but oh well. I remember when TF's came out, my brother and I walked about 5 miles to the nearest Mervyn's to buy a TF. We had saved at least 10 bucks each or so, so we were looking forward to buying one each. When we got there, all they had were Gobots. Man, I was so disappointed! But, since we had walked that far, we each bought a lousy Gobot. I remember I got that one that turns into a bulldozer. It had such a simple transformation. That was the only Gobot I ever bought.

[Wicked Ace]

Man, this is a somewhat funny story, IMHO, and OT, but oh well. I remember when TF's came out, my brother and I walked about 5 miles to the nearest Mervyn's to buy a TF. We had saved at least 10 bucks each or so, so we were looking forward to buying one each. When we got there, all they had were Gobots. Man, I was so disappointed! But, since we had walked that far, we each bought a lousy Gobot. I remember I got that one that turns into a bulldozer. It had such a simple transformation. That was the only Gobot I ever bought.

5 miles for a Gobot! I'd have politely asked to see the store manager and proptly kicked him or her in the shins.

Of course I was going to do that the other day at TRU, but the manager lady had a couple hundred pounds on me.

[dr_vandermeer]

I don't remember the prices offhand but there used to be a great place in Little Tokyo called Pony-Toy-Go-Round where I got my toy fix. It was in a plaza called Honda Plaza close to downtown LA. They even had a second store in Yaohan Plaza which was nearby. They both eventually closed, but I have really great memories of me and my pop going there to check out all the latest import toys from Japan. Anything and everything, that place was incredible. Macross, Gundam, Spiral Zone, MachineRobo, Godaikin, Scitex, Zoids, etc. That place truly warped my fragile little mind.

Anyways back on topic, the Macross stuff I got at retail back in the day was an Elintseeker, a Strike Valk, and an HCM VF-1J. Always regretted not getting a Super-O. But it was either that or the Elint, and the Elint just looked like it had more doohickeys going on with it, which of course is appealing to a kid. I mean the thing had a radar dish and arm accessories, man!

[Graham]

Picked up the big Takatoku SDF-1 and a Bandai VF-1S Hi-Complete at retail price when I moved out to HK in 87. Passed up getting a VE-1, which I've regretted for years. Unfortunately, I never found any Strike Valks then. Maybe they were all sold out or I just didn't know where to look

Also, bought a couple of the Bandai VF-1S Super at retail price when they came out in the early 90s.

Graham