[DrunkSmurf]

Hi, what's happened with smurfs resembles what happened to American baseball cards in the mid-1980s. A few of them become valuable, so every Tom, Dick, and Smurfy believes all his smurfs, no matter how chewed up or common, command a fortune in re-sale.

I visited a flea market in town ("an antique shop") and discovered, in a locked case, a basket of smurfs. Upon perusing the collection, I noted numerous vintage, though relatively common, smurfs--in various states of repair--all selling for for an average of $12. A chewed-up bicycle supersmurf (40501), with nary a plastic base nor box, priced for $18. The vendor had several baseball catchers each going for $45. I know the catcher is uncommon, but I wasn't impressed, especially since rarer smurfs, like baseball smurfette fetch that price through Mushroom Village.

Well, my point is--everybody thinks every smurf out there is worth a fortune. It's kind of irritating for us hoping we'll find a bargain at the garage sales.

[attombomb7]

HI!

I agree! with what you said..I come across that all the time too..

sometimes it's the complete opposite..and someone has no clue and sells the whole basket for $3. so its worth to keep hunting:)

[Fram]

And the opposite: I sell Smurfs at the flea market, mostly at 1 Euro, and people come to me: "Oh, I have some to, what are they worth?". Well, what am I supposed to say to that? I usually say something like 'when they are in good condition, 1 Euro', but I'ld rather have them buy mine instead of seeeking cheap counselling...

[Tamtam]

I have found the exact same thing at the Flea's here. One woman thinks that they are worth a mint now that a few people have asked her if she had any. And to top it off, it doesn't matter what she has, if it is smurf related she wants big $$ for it. I usually tell the seller that they really are not worth what they are asking and I then ask them if they will take less for them. They are usually pretty good and I would never try to get them for next to nothing. Wouldn't want to make them mad.

Tam

[Fram]

Part of the reason people think they are worth a lot is that some sellers see to go with their rubbish doubles to the flea market and ask 2 Euro for one. These are smurfs like sad without the handkerchief, gardener without the rake, cook with his spoon broken off, vanity with his mirror broken, soccers without the ball, ... and very, very badly rubbed ones. If they sell any, they are just ripping off people

[Guest]

The only time I ever saw vintage smurfs at a UK car boot sale (the US equivalent of a flea market I guess) the seller wanted about £3 each for them and they were common smurfs in dreadful condition, I couldn't believe it. Also what really bugs me is people see the prices on my website and they think oh yes I have one like that and it must be worth the same amount of money. They don't think about condition or notice subtle variations that make one more valuable and then wonder why I say theirs isn't worth that much.

[Fram]

Plus that the difference between a shop and an individual seller always is huge. If you sell the same smurfs as an individual, you can expect to get a third up to half of the price the shop is asking, if the state and version are the same. If you want more, you better expect to spend a lot of time to get rid of it.

[attombomb7]

hi! very true Fram!!!

[Syd Smurf]

The 2nd hand book shop next to where I work used to sell all smurfs for about $3. When I started going in there a lot they raised the price to $5 and now $10 even if they had pieces missing etc. I tried to explain to them that some are basically worthless without the bits and that they will be lucky to sell them...but guess what...someone always does regardless of missing pieces or paintrubs. I find this amazing and wonder if people actually realise they are buying certain smurfs worth about $3 or less since they are in poor condition and missing bits...for example they sold the Basketball super with just the smurf (no base of basketball hoop or anything) for $10. Now that's a damn expensive smurf since you can't even stand him up. I suppose if you had the other pieces then he may be worth it to get the complete super but I feel they just have no idea.

Mind you if they got a Smurfette Baseball Batter they would sell that at $10 also but what are the chances of one of them coming along....we only get Tennis Players, Lanterns, Clowns, Painters...the usual suspects.

Dyar

[pekkelien]

And the opposite: I sell Smurfs at the flea market, mostly at 1 Euro, and people come to me: "Oh, I have some to, what are they worth?". Well, what am I supposed to say to that? I usually say something like 'when they are in good condition, 1 Euro', but I'ld rather have them buy mine instead of seeeking cheap counselling...

hello on which fleamarket are you on?
when they tell to me are they that much worth i ussualy say yes but i can buy yours aswel
you never know what surprise you'd get

[pekkelien]

and when i say to other collectors maybe we can do a little trade they come to me with about 20 gb smurfs

[Fram]

I'm only selling once or twice a year, nothing regular. I much prefer buying to selling, but sometimes I have to (usually when the floorboards start to creak ominously )