The full story (Part 4) - Autobot Communicators

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

1. The full story (Part 1) - Diaclone CarRobots No.18: Lancia Stratos Turbo,  Marlboor (Marlboro) Wheeljack
2. The full story (Part 2) - Diaclone CarRobots No.7: Fairlady Z "Bluestreak" blue
3. The full story (Part 3) - so rare they ought to be extinct (aka the dino-cassettes)
4. The full story (Part 4) - the Autobot Communicators
5. The full story (Part 5) - Guard City (TF-04) and Battle Gaia (TF-10) giftsets

Transformers Masterforce C-303: Minerva / Minelba MIB unused

This is a little of a catch up post for me.

I actually bought this some months back and have not properly updated it here on my site.

This was a very exciting purchase for me and like all my other exciting purchases, E was there with me when I bought this - it is arguably one of the rarest Masterforce figures to obtain and probably one of the rarer Japanese exclusive Transformers out there. 

However, rare as it could be, there seem to be a fair few people that have this piece (some not unused).

The figure is Masterforce Minerva (or Minelba), the very first female Transformer toy.

C-303: Minelba MIB

Box = C9.5

Toy = C9.5, unused

Paperwork = complete

Sticker sheet = unused

Damn sweet...!

Minelba headmaster figure

Beautiful box art

Close up shot of the Minelba transtector

Box side

Back of box, very slight flap crease

Tech specs

The money shot

Unused paperworks packet (never opened, it appears)

Close up shot

The money-er shot - 2 pieces of unused Minelba (I've since sold the loose one)

A Shameless plug... Minelba with other rare TF gems...

HK Market Watch and and Powermaster Prime and God Ginrai

Some self explanatory G1 acquisitions at unbelievable prices.

1. G1 Powermaster Optimus Prime MIB, C7 overall - US$51.20
2. G1 Masterforce God Ginrai giftset MIB (not reissue), C8.5 overall - US$102.70

These are not something that I am dying to obtain, but for the asking prices, pretty hard to resist.

Oh, and this shop I don't often walk past, but stumbled across  appears to have some gem-worthy G1 Japanese vintage stuff...

~ HD

It's a shadow!

Previous entry: HK Market Watch - C-328: Victory Saber giftset and D-307: Overlord

So what exactly did I get at my usual G1 shop last weekend?

Well, here it is - D-309: Black Shadow MIB!

I have been searching for this piece, one of my final pieces to complete Transformers: Victory, for some time. Each time I see it or is offered, I pass because the price is just way too high or because the condition is not good, but then the asking price is incommensurately high. It is not unheard of for people to ask as much as USD$1,000 for a MIB Black Shadow, and its not even unused.

So, went there to the shop that day and I saw it sitting there.

I went "Wow, I must buy that!"

E said "ok, go for it!"

So bought it I did and this was my complete loot for 2 July 2011.

D-309: Black Shadow MIB

Box - C8, general wear

Toy - C9, very minty

Stickers - C8, general wear

Paperworks - complete, but not used sticker sheet

More pictures of this awesome piece...

Unobstructed box art!

Very minty on the inside

Paperworks

Biocard

Inner robot

I am watching Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon, again!

I watched DOTM in IMAX 3D on 29 June 2011.

I'm watching it again with E in 1.5 hours' time.

I didn't like it that much the first time round, but I am looking forward to it this time because I will be watching it with E.

(I'm also looking forward to the popcorn at this Cinema!)

~ HD

HK Market Watch - C-328: Victory Saber giftset and D-307: Overlord

Market Watch update to my 26 June 2011 Market Watch article.

I went to my usual G1 toy shop after the 玩具迷珍藏 Show (aka Toy Collectors' Show).

As usual, they didn't fail to disappoint. They have yet again managed to bring in more G1 goodies!!!

So what's new?

Notably:

• 01: Optimus Prime MIB
• C-324: Star Saber MIB (not sure of condition, didn't ask)
• C-328: Victory Saber giftset (very near C10 box, completely unused)
• D-307: Overlord MIB (also very near C10 box, completely unused)
• D-***, which I was so stoked to find and I bought (you won't see it in the photos!)

I looked at it and told E, "Oh my gosh, I must buy that!"

And buy it I did. More to be revealed later.

First, some photos of the 'new' glass display cabinets...

HK Market Watch - 玩具迷珍藏 Show (aka Toy Collectors' Show)

After all the excitement of the Wimbledon Men's Semi-Finals last night, E and I actually managed to wake up quite early today.

I broached the subject of maybe going to the 玩具迷珍藏 Show (aka Toy Collectors' Show) in HK that I saw a poster on a few days back.

Poster

Never heard of it before. No idea what it is. No idea what to expect.

But I thought, worth a shot since its one of the rare occasions where we are both free and do not have to do work over the weekend.

It was at a far-away place and involves changing trains twice and then switching over to a shuttle-bus before we could get there.

Right at the entrance of the place, E said to me: "Before we go in, you must moderate your expectations. Don't expect too much, if not you might be disappointed."

Words to live by. Heh.

So in I went....

Lots of DOTM stuff

There was actually a room full of sellers from Japan (they were all speaking Japanese)

I really did not see much of interest. I'm pretty sure this was because people got in early and have already cleaned out all the good stuff. I see lots of people walking around with things in bags that I know I would have bought. For example, this guy picked all a huge lot of loose Henkeis (complete with backing card and everything except each toy's bubble) from this shop, which I know would have been cheap judging by the other pieces at the shop. Notably, Ironhide and Ratchet were in the lot.

I did, however, manage to pick up 2 things and E picked up one thing.

E's acquisition first - very interesting set of stackable pigs (there were other designs, but I agreed with E that this was the most interesting!)

My first pick up - MOSC Terradive (pretty sweet condition)

My second pick up. This just blew me away and made the entire trip more than worthwhile.

I picked up a complete set of Japanese exclusive Suntory Coffee "BOSS Transformers", all sealed, unused and at bargain basement prices.

No idea what these are? I didn't either, until I saw Bermuda Mohawk's site which talks about them in detail. Check it out here - Transformers BOSS - Original G1 Figures

Won't go into them in too much detail here, but the inside looks like this:

Took a wander around Telford Plaza after all the excitement and bumped into a life sized Iron-Man!

... and a very nice Marvel Heros backdrop...

This shop also sells Transformer goodies...

Then, as if all that excitement was not enough, E suggested that we should go to Mong Kok for a toy raid. I said 'why not!' of course.

So we went and there, found something that tops the entire day off... (wait for next post, since this one is getting too long). Heh

~ HD

Next: A visit to Yau Ma Tei/ Mong Kok after the toy fair.