Flea Market Findings
Recently, I packed the car with my fiancee, son and soon-to-be stepdaughter for a road trip to the 400 Market, a very cool flea market and antique mall within a short drive (45 minutes) north of Toronto.
There are always obscure wrestling artifacts there, and this trip was no exception. To wit....
Sid Vicious WCW Galoob action figure
Price: Unknown
eBay Value: $4.99
We've already covered off this particular action figure (not to mention the entire Galoob line) in a previous article, but what I want to know here is, why is Big Sid being strangled by a piece of rope and carried away by two beige cowboys? Unfortunately, I never found out the answer to that, nor the 400 Market's price for this beaut, because he was enclosed in a glass shelf and locked away. Presumably so that the Arn Anderson figure wouldn't puncture him with scissors.
Rob Van Dam collectible cup
Price: $3
eBay Value: N/A
There's a reason that I can't find a price for this item on eBay, and it's because... well, it's a drinking cup. Who would want to buy this?! Even if you're a big RVD fan or you love post-Attitude Era drinkwear.... this was owned, and presumably used, by someone and has been sitting in a dingy flea market for lord knows how long. And while I loves me some Whole F'N Show, I'd have to recommend avoiding this bad boy at all costs.
Lance Storm Jakks Pacific action figure
Price: $15
eBay Value: $67
If I can be serious for minute.... apparently I screwed up royally by not buying this particular item and then flipping it on eBay!
Granted... I have no idea if the eBay guy will sell it for this amount or what, and I'm not sure the condition of the blister pack, or if the price tag sticker taints the value and all that good stuff, but still. Major missed opportunity here!
Also, when did Lance Storm ever have a six-pack like that? Just sayin'.
WrestleMania XX pin collection
Price: $40
eBay Value: $14
Here's one case where the 400 Market folks perhaps priced this out of the market.... although to be fair, I've also seen individual pins selling for upwards of $9, so who knows?
What you have here is a collection of 20 "championship belt" pins, each with a different Mania logo. I believe I had a collection like this at one point, a prize for winning a WrestleMania trivia contest at a movie theater.
John Cena Jakks Pacific action figure
Price: $7
eBay Value: N/A
It's hard for me to decide how much this figure is worth, given I don't know what collection it's from. But I think we can all agree, the toy looks as though he's gasping one last breath before being suffocated by the plastic bag he's encased in.
With black jorts and brass knux, this figure appears to be somewhat early in Cena's run as a babyface. "Vintage Cena!", Michael Cole would say, assuming he was in the same flea market as me.
WWF Rampage 91 VHS videocassette
Price: $10
eBay Value: $14
Another item I could have taken home for a quick flip, but that's assuming people would actually PAY $14 for this item. And once you've factored in shipping for Canada and what have you, it's pretty much a wash.
With a match collection that includes Texas Tornado vs. The Warlord, Road Warrior Animal vs. Paul Roma and a special look at Paul Bearer, this hardly looks like the "outrageous WWF Wrestling Extravaganza" that is advertised. But then again, Ricky Steamboat vs. Demolition Smash sounds intriguing....
Triple H and The Rock Jakks Pacific action figures
Price: $16 (combined)
eBay Value: n/a
Once again, I'm not sure which particular collection these two are from, although they both look pretty dated as far as action figures go and appear to be of Attitude Era vintage.
Worth asking the question: Why are both The Game and The People's Champion both muzzled by ropes around their neck a la Sid Vicious? There are no unicolor cowboys guarding either guy, so I'd have to think this was a voluntary choice.
Also it displays their individual price tags.
Hulk Hogan Teddy Bear
Price: $22
eBay Value: n/a
Unbelievably, eBay does not appear to have any early 2000's vintage Hulk Hogan teddy bears in stock (although they do have a few variations of the Beanie Baby variety and in the classic 80's yellow gear).
Is it possible that this item is, in fact, a dog and not a bear? Would it matter for eBay purposes? I suppose it's too late to find out now. Well, it's not *really* too late because I'm under no particular deadline to complete this particular article... but you see where I'm going with this.
Billy Gunn Jakks Pacific action figure
Price: $13
eBay Value: $67
WHAT??? Seriously? eBay is asking 67 bones for Mr. Ass?!? Clearly I should have done my homework first.
I'm sorry, I.... just can't get past this. What makes this item ANYWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 67 DOLLARS?!? Was it made from the actual flesh of Billy Gunn? It doesn't even really look like the guy! If they told me it were, I dunno, Bruce Hart wearing strange trunks... fine, I could see that (and also the exorbitant price tag, given Brucie never really wrestled for McMahon). But this just baffles me. I will be up nights wondering what I'm missing, exactly.
Sting and DDP Little Caesar's motion trading cards
Price: $4
eBay Value: $6.50 (for the set of five cards)
Folks, THIS is why I love the Internet. I have a ton of wrestling trading cards, from the traditional Topps vintage to ones that were found inside potato chips and VHS videos. But I never heard of the Little Caesar's WCW cards.
A quick Google search explains that these were offered around 1999 and the picture moves when you shift the card (or it's a vision trick; I can't remember - either way, now you know what the image quality sucks). Bill Goldberg and, of all people, Meng filmed a commercial for this, which had the rivals putting down their chairs to indulge in some delicious 'za and trade cards like little kids.
And in case you were wondering, the collection also includes Goldberg and Hollywood Hogan (but no Meng).
Rob Van Dam Raw Deal trading card
Price: $16
eBay Value: $2
Hmmm.... either the 400 Market priced itself way out of the market, or something else happened, because there's definitely a big disconnect here. And yes, the autograph isn't legit (it was already part of the card). But hey, at least it's a better deal than the collector cup.
Samu Hasbro action figure
Price: $20
eBay Value: $18
Here I would have expected this action figure to be a rarity, given that it's frickin' Samu and everything. I mean... (a) how many action figures could possibly have been made of the guy? and (b) the toy has to be a good 20 years old, given the time The Headshrinkers were actually a thing in the WWF.
Of note: this particular figure is able to deliver the "Samu Shocker!" finishing maneuver, which is probably more than can be said about it's real life counterpart.
Samu sighting aside, it's amazing what wrestling collectors can find at their local flea markets. Have you ever found anything particularly cool there? One of these days, I will get to my Ridiculously Muscular Randy Orton action figure story....