Previous chapter: The full story (Part 3) – so rare they ought to be extinct
This happened between when I paid the dino-cassette seller on 30 May and 10 June when the dino-cassettes finally arrived.
Recap for self - In late May, I acquired D-101: Soundblaster from my trip in Osaka. I returned to HK and surreptitiously managed to snag a 17: Soundwave from my trusty toy shop. So there, the Decepticon communicators were covered. Check!
After payment on 30 May and with the dino-cassettes’ impending arrival, I started to think – what about the Autobot communicators? See, the dino-cassettes which are Autobots by the way, need their communicators right? In my vast inventory of Transformers, I have a vintage USA boxed Blaster, a loose vintage Twincast, a TFC reissue Blaster and an eHobby reissue Twincast. To be honest, I wasn’t really bothered to go after more Blasters and Twincasts after owning those 4. But now I have the dino-cassettes arriving. These gems deserve their vintage communicator, no loose piece, no reissue, but the true blue vintage MIB version of Twincast and Broadblast!
At the back of my mind, I knew where I could pick BOTH these pieces up, if I were but willing to pay the price. I know a particular shop in Sino Centre was selling a MIB unused 38: Broadblast; and I know my usual shop had a MIB unused C-116: Twincast for sale. Problem was, I think they are overpriced (hence they have been there for months and months and are still there). The condition is great, price was the impediment.
Not one to be easily deterred, I set out for Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei one fine evening.
I went to the shop with the Twincast first. This is the shop I have been buying lots and lots of things from over the years and especially in recent months (I think I spend thousands with them on a monthly basis). I said to the owner “hey, very interested in Twincast now, but I don’t like the price. Can you do
better?”. He said “sure, you can have it for HKD $2000 off the list price”. Wow. “Ok, deal done”, I said.
Next, I headed to Sino Centre for 38: Broadblast. I said more or less the same thing to the owner “hey, very interested in Broadblast now, but I don’t like the price. Can you do better?”. He said “sure, you can have it for HKD $300 off the list price”. Hmmm, still expensive for Blaster. I tried to haggle a little, but he said he can’t budge due to his cost. In the end, I said okay. What the heck, I just need the 2 Autobot communicators in Japanese box and unused! Now, I got 'em. Check!
Here they are in their glory:
More photos to come in their individual posts.
Soon, the dino-cassettes arrived and I was so happy that I had their communicators waiting for them. Don’t they look glorious to the nth degree? - Twincast and his dino-cassettes...
The money shot - Dino-cassettes with both Autobot comminicators
... and, as I said on OZ Formers, "the money-er shot"...
What an adventure right? From Osaka to Diaclone Marlboor Wheeljack to Diaclone blue Bluestreak to Japanese box Soundwave to all 4 dino-cassettes to Broadblast and Twincast MIB unused.
And still, that-is-not-all!
There is a final part… wait for it… wait for The Full Story Part 5.
~ HD
***
Other chapters of the full story
- The full story (Part 1) - Diaclone CarRobots No.18: Lancia Stratos Turbo, Marlboor (Marlboro) Wheeljack
- The full story (Part 2) - Diaclone CarRobots No.7: Fairlady Z "Bluestreak" blue
- The full story (Part 3) - so rare they ought to be extinct (aka the dino-cassettes)
- The full story (Part 4) - the Autobot Communicators
- The full story (Part 5) - Guard City (TF-04) and Battle Gaia (TF-10) giftsets
Omg the dino cassettes look great!
ReplyDeleteYeah, they are drool worthy for sure... I can't believe my eyes when I got them!
ReplyDelete@H_D: You are the King of Vintages! :bowdown:
ReplyDeleteYou definitely need Jpn. Overkill and Slugfest boxed, they would look great next to the others and they are technically Dinocassettes!
ReplyDeletewat an insane string of acquisitions
ReplyDeleteim lost for words
@ Adam: I am certainly not the king of vintages, though I would very much like to be.
ReplyDelete@ Arkvander: argh, you just created a temptation in my mind for Slugfest and Overkill...
@ Anonymous: yeah, its pretty insane!
@H_D: OMFG, the KO toy makers have done it again..they have decided to 'bootleg' and defile the sacred Dino-cassettes! I know for sure Im never gonna touch them with a ten-foot pole! Hmm, just wanted to get your 2 cents and any feelings you might have on this rather disheartening news.
ReplyDelete@ Adam: Yes, I knew since December last year that the dino-cassettes will be KO-ed which is why I stepped up my efforts and was extremely desperate to acquire them all before the KOs are released.
ReplyDeleteOnce the KOs are released, I will not ever bid on dino-cassette auctions anymore.
If you ask me, I'm not really disheartened, because I managed to get the dino-cassettes, but if I did not get them before the KOs are released, I'd be heartbroken knowing that I just will not be able to find them with peace of mind.
I did pay a premium for mine (ie: each was pretty expensive), but I don't care because I really want them and not I have peace of mind. =)
@H_D: Noted, and am glad that your effort paid off handsomely! No need to worry to ever bother about those KO's again! But I cant help but wonder, if these really difficult to find and uber expensive vintages such as the 4 Dino-casettets have bene easily 'remade' and have their original moulds stolen, then what is the prospect of collecting other vintages and paying one's effort and hard earned money obtaining them? It's not about resale value, but are the prices going to nose-dive and suffer?
ReplyDeleteyeah, but if you buy a KO, YOU will always know its a KO (not considering resale value and all that)
ReplyDelete@ Adam: I don't think that the dino-cassette molds were stolen, I think the KO makers reversed engineered them (ie: bought real dino-cassettes, took them apart and then cast molds).
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, its not so easily remade, but because they are hard to come by and expensive, its worth the KO-ers while to KO them.
Paying hard earned money to buy vintages? Of course, because like Randy said, its worth it to have the real thing. If I had the fake dino-cassettes, no one might know that mine are fake, but them I myself will also know.
Can I get past that? Can I live with that? My answer is - NO.
Resale value and nose-dive. Worthy of a post. I will write about that! =)
@H_D: Definitely! At the end of the day, knowing the truth and having peace of mind, body and soul that we have the originals and not the bootlegged versions of our beloved vintages matters the most. No one else needs to justify and or comment.
ReplyDeleteCool! my suggestion actually garnered the possibility of a post/ topic from the awesome H_D!
Mucho flattered! ;o