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I am in possession of a perfect condition Batman statue: http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=8214 (http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=8214). I still have the box too. The statue is no longer being made. It cost $65.00 new.

My statue is number 769 out of 5700. (I have no idea if, why, and how much that matters. Please enlighten me!)

I am visiting a store in Queensbury, New York sometime from July 4th to July 9th, 2010: http://www.numbskullz.com/Home_Page.php (http://www.numbskullz.com/Home_Page.php). 

The store has offered me $45.00 for the statue. The same statue is on Ebay being sold for about $175.00, but so far nobody has bought them from either of 2 separate sellers. I have not seen the statue in many other places and they usually sell for about $60.00 to $100.00 (if I remember correctly.)

Ebay links: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270591132839&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WKF%3F&GUID=7fbf39841280a0e203a63d86ff4f94e7&itemid=270591132839&ff4=263602_263622 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270591132839&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WKF%3F&GUID=7fbf39841280a0e203a63d86ff4f94e7&itemid=270591132839&ff4=263602_263622) and http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400129482597&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WKF%3F&GUID=7fbf39841280a0e203a63d86ff4f94e7&itemid=400129482597&ff4=263602_263622 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400129482597&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WKF%3F&GUID=7fbf39841280a0e203a63d86ff4f94e7&itemid=400129482597&ff4=263602_263622).

Do these Ebay sellers know something I don't? $45.00 seems reasonable to me, but I'd like to get more if I can. Should I try selling it online? If so, where?

If anybody has any knowledge to offer, I would really appreciate it!

By the way, if anybody wants to trade something for it/buy it from me, please let me know!

Thank you!

Personally, I would not use Ebay to value your item.

Nor would I sell for under what I paid if that's the first quote/bid you've gotten on it.  I would get a quote from several (3-5 at least) dealers/collectors who are familiar with this type of collectible - not necessarily THIS item, but this type of thing (say, numbered statues of fictional characters or something).  Some collectors are probably going to low-ball you to get a bargain so they can turn it around quickly at a profit, while others are going to give you something much closer to what they think it is worth.

Try to find collectors that REALLY love that kind of item...those that want IT, not necessarily the profit they can make on it by turning it around on Ebay.  You could maybe go to a show or expo or something if one happens to be nearby soon and get quotes that way; otherwise, you will have to do some research to find the kind of collectors that will give you a fair assessment.

That said, I think "collectors" are your better source for honest info than "dealers."

Just my two cents - I've never traded statues or anything like what you have, but I used to be pretty heavy into rare coin collecting with my Dad.

Good luck!

Ulthar -

Thanks!

$45.00 still wouldn't be that bad to me though, because I got it totally free!

I'll definitely look into collectors. I don't think I'll be going to an expo anytime soon, but I'm sure I can find input from collector's somewhere.

I'm not a collector myself, I just happened to have it.

I have something like 12 long boxes full of comics. There are a few rare items in a sea of worthlessness there (I bought them because I wanted to read them).

In theory, I am a rich man. In practice, what you have is only worth what somebody will pay you for it.

Your statue is probably not worth $175. If it was, somebody would have paid those eBay sellers for it. Maybe somebody will, but the dealers are probably sitting on it and can afford to wait.

At the same time, your statue is probably worth more than $45. If it wasn't, your local store probably wouldn't be willing to pay for it right now.

Basically, you should ask yourself what your time is worth. Maybe you sell it for $45, and maybe somebody makes $30 by selling it for $75, or more. But that's their job, that's what they do. A lot of stock and a lot of haggling.

You could make more, but it would take time.

The truth hurts...  :bluesad:

All kidding aside though, I'm totally sure the statue is not worth $175.00. However, I would be really mad at myself if I had not checked around first and I had been wrong.

I think I'm going to take the store's offer. I might ask for an increase of $5.00 to $10.00. They're also paying me $5.00 for a bobble-head I got for free about 8 years ago, so I'll make  at least $50.00. 

If you don't need the money right now, hang onto the statue until the economy gets better.  I've been buying and selling stuff (mostly comics) on eBay for 10 years or more and I can tell you the selling prices of comics (and volume of sales) are substantially below what they have been in past years.  I've made some recent purchases and sales at prices substantially below Overstreet price guide values.  ALSO - - remember, if you are selling to a store they are not going to pay you a retail price for your merchandise because they need to turn around and sell it for a profit.  Better to sell it directly to a collector.  If you really want to sell it now, put it on eBay with an opening bid that is lower than what everyone else on eBay is selling it for.  But don't go too low . . .

With any sort of collectible, it just depends on how long you're willing to wait.  If you want to sell it immediately, you might not get all that much for it.  If you put it on Ebay and you're willing to keep re-listing it until that one guy who really likes that statue comes along, and maybe it's the last one he needs to complete a set, and maybe he just got his paycheck an hour ago, you can probably make a lot more.  You could certainly put it on Ebay for $100 and wait a month or two, just to see what happens.  Or you could find a website that deals with comic book collectibles and maybe find people who are really knowledgeable about that specific item and would be willing to give you more than a store that wants to sell it again as quickly as possible.

And it certainly wouldn't hurt to haggle with the store - they're trying to buy it for the lowest price they think they can get away with.  Ask $20 more for it.  the worst that can happen is they say no  :teddyr:

Don't forget Sleepy, that if you're going to sell it online you are going to have to pay to ship it. You can check with the Post Office for prices although usually the further you have to ship it from where you are the more it's going to cost. You'll have to either add the shipping cost into the price of the item or be satisfied with eating the cost.

  Maybe you can use something like Craig'sList. That way you can post it online but sell it to someone local so you won't have to ship it.