If you are looking for information on how to sell your G.I. Joe toys, you have come to the right place. When it comes to selling your old and used toys, there are many avenues available to you. However, finding the best value from these choices may take a lot of time and lost money without guidance. So, we are here to happily guide you through this process.
Wheeljack’s Lab has been selling and buying used toys like G.I. Joe, Transformers, and many more for decades. We have experimented with all the options, so we know what they offer. Thus, we can provide detailed instructions to help you get the best value when you sell your old and used G.I. Joe toys. If you are wondering how to sell your toys, then this guide is for you.
For over 20 years, we have been buying and selling G.I. Joe action figures and countless other action figure brands. In the guide below, we will give you all the info you need to estimate the value of your collection and get the most out of your investment.
Before you are ready to sell your G.I. Joe Toys
However, before you can determine where to sell your toys, you need to take a few specific steps. Get prepared, and avoid losing money, when you follow the steps outlined below.
Are you the original owner of the toys?
As the original owner of the G.I. Joe toys, you will have a significant advantage over other sellers of used toys. While other sellers may not know what they have in their possession, you will already know what toys are in your collection. So, you may breeze by the following steps.
However, those who have inherited or bought the G.I. Joe toys from elsewhere will have a more challenging time. Even though you will now know which toy lines are present in your collection without research, there are steps that you can follow to easily evaluate your collection. If you follow our instructions, you will quickly learn how much your G.I. Joe toys are worth.
If at any point you feel overwhelmed, feel free to either call or email us so that we can provide our expert advice. We want to make your sale as easy as possible.
Organize What You Have
If you are unsure of what you have, especially the value of each piece, then an excellent first step is to organize and identify your collection. This may sound like a simple step; however, you will only spend more time evaluating your G.I. Joe toys if you do not organize them. So, quickly group your toys by similar characters, years, or sizes. If you are not familiar with the collection, do your best to group them by similar appearances.
While you are categorizing your toys, take care to gently move them. As plastic ages, it tends to become more brittle. So, if you have toys that are a few decades old, they may break apart if you do not treat them with care.
Also, keep in mind to group your toys with the accessories that they came with. Used toys sell at a higher price when they have their accessories present. So, you must keep the accessories together with the original toys.
If you are the original owner of the G.I. Joe toys, you will be able to breeze through this step. However, even as the original owner, you should organize your toy collection to ensure that all the pieces are present and that you do not have any toys that you have forgotten about.
How to find the value of your G.I. Joe toy collection
Figuring out the right price for your vintage toys might be the most pressing question you have. If you want to know how to sell G.I. Joe action figures this is your top concern. One of the easiest ways to do this is to search for similar sold items on sites like eBay. eBay is one of the biggest platforms for buying and selling old G.I. Joe toys. Locating comparable toys and their sold price point gives you a good barometer for how to price your collection.
Keep in mind, that active listing price points are not a good place to look, since sellers can list items for as much as they like even if they do not sell. Sold listings are what you want to look for to get an accurate price point.
Even as you sort through the sold prices, do not assume that your toys are worth the same amount. The highest price sold is not a good estimate for what yours may sell for, since the same toy may have also only sold for half or a quarter of that price. The condition of the toy also matters, along with any missing pieces or whether the toy comes complete.
If you want to know how to sell vintage G.I. Joe toys you need to be aware of the quality of the product, since people always pay more for nicer items. Does the toy include the box and packaging? Is the box sealed? Is it faded or dirty? Each of these components plays a larger role in pricing the toy.
While you might struggle with pricing your toys, these tips will give you a general price range to shoot for.
Cleanliness Matters
Want to know how to sell G.I. Joe toys? Well, you certainly cannot sell dirty ones! The problem is, if your collection is full of bugs, mice, pet hair, or dander, no one will want it.
If your toys have been sitting in an open box, they will be full of dust, for example. Other issues could be high heat storage areas. Toys exposed to elevated temperatures can become brittle over time, leading to fragile parts that break off as soon as you move them. Alternatively, low humidity can also cause problems. Sitting in direct sunlight causes discoloration of any plastic parts. Have you smoked in or around your toys? That too can lead to yellowing and scent problems that can diminish the value of the collection.
The good news is, you can reverse some discoloring and fading, just explore our how-to guide here.
How to sell your used G.I. Joe toys for cash
There are so many ways to sell old G.I. Joe toys, so you will either spend time testing them out yourself or receive guidance from an expert. Let us give you some direction on the best ways to sell used G.I. Joe toys. Of course, the right choice is the one that works best for you.
No matter which choice you make, keep in mind that you need to consider how much time you are willing to dedicate to trying to sell the collection.
Here are a few pros and cons of each of the best options out there for how to sell G.I. Joe action figures.
Local Auction Services
Local auctions are easy to use, which is the primary reason that people use them to sell their collections. They are also local so that means you can easily drive there and oversee the sales process.
However, where they are not beneficial is their slow turnaround times, high fees, and unknown final sales prices. In most cases, they offer you poor results especially if your collection is sizeable.
Pawnshop
One of the most obvious choices for how to sell G.I. Joe action figures is the pawnshop. The advantage to selling your toys to a pawn shop is that it is a straightforward process, and it is completely local.
The downside of using a pawn shop is that you cannot get full value for your toys because you are a captive audience. They will not offer you a higher percentage because of the resale value. Additionally, pawnshop owners are not experts and will give you a low price point so they cannot close on the purchase.
Local Toy Dealers
Toy dealers are typically local to your area which reduces the amount of time it takes to sell your toys. That is one of their greatest advantages. These stores often register with the Better Business Bureau, which allows you to explore their background. There are also no fees with a local toy dealer.
The disadvantages are that you will not likely get full value because you are a captive audience. You also will have trouble getting a fair price point if you have 10 boxes of toys and end up having to box them back up.
Sites Like eBay
The advantage of using sites like eBay is that they have a large client base, which is something you cannot find locally. They also generally pull in competitive prices compared to other options.
The disadvantage of using eBay is that it takes considerable time to sell your toys. They also come with extremely high fees. You will not know how the bidding will go and you may run into fraud concerns. Not only that, but the site is hard to use. Meanwhile, their policies require that you accept returns, and you will find yourself heading to the post office every single day.
Online Swap pages like Craigslist and Facebook
If you are thinking about using sites like Facebook and Craigslist, the advantages include the large client base, great price points, zero fees, and easy-to-use processes.
However, the disadvantage includes how time-consuming the process is and the serious fraud concerns attached to those groups. If you live in a rural area, you might find it difficult or impossible to use, as well. Other issues include privacy problems and lots of back and forth.
Online Toy Dealers
If you are looking for a faster way to sell your collection, an online toy dealer is it. Typically, it takes less than a week to complete your transactions. You can also background check the dealer with the BBB. Best of all, there are no fees attached to using a dealer.
However, the worst part of using a dealer is that you will not get full value for your collection.
How to Sell G.I. Joe Action Figures with Wheeljack’s Lab
If you are wondering how to sell G.I. Joe action figures, the first step is to realize the process is not easy no matter which option you select. It is time-consuming, too. Staging, lighting, naming, cleaning, and matching your toys can be stressful. If you have a collection of toys that you would like to sell, be sure to give us a call at 888-946-2895 or drop us a message and we will take care of everything on your behalf.
Wheeljack’s Lab has been in business for over 20 years, and we have happily helped buy and sell vintage toys ever since. Our team offers immediate payment, prepaid shipping, and immediate communications. In certain cases, we can even pick up your collection. We give toy quotes on the same day.
Let us give your old toys the new homes they deserve.
Do you have old and used G.I. Joe toys?
If you have a collection of old and used toys, you can turn those toys into cash. There is no reason to let those old toys collect dust. Contact us today to sell your G.I. Joe toy collection.
Our professional, friendly, and expert staff have decades of experience as collectible toy buyers. If you are ready to sell your collection today, fill out the form below or call us at 888-946-2895.
About the author
Author: Chris Ingledue
Contact: email
Bio: I am the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day, I work in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. I scour the internet, like when we had the Sears Catalog of yesteryear, for the next great treasure. Then, I await the arrival of the postman as if he were Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their own versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!
I’m 65 and need to clean out. I’m the original owner of GI Joe (1964) and the foot locker of accessories. I want to sell all. Please let me know the next step.
Thank you.
I’ve got an extensive collection of 1980’s GI Joe’s. I am the original owner. I have a pretty good spreadsheet/picture database of the collection. Looking to move it. Let me know if you’re interested.
Hi I have a G.I Joe Cobra Commander series 06 still in the box never opened. I’d like to know if it’s worth any money and how to sell if possible…
I have gijoe figures and star wars and mortal kombat and street fighters as well that I need to sell.