The Energon Pub

I am currently in the possession of several figures with noticeable sticker wear. Would the Reprolabels be easy to spot and reduce the value of the figures they are applied to for their non-legitimate status?

Which of these two otherwise identical figures would be considered to have a higher value: a figure with a worn but original sticker set or a figure with impeccable Reprolabels?

It varies from person to person.

My opinion is I use Reprolabels on MY collection. I know they're reproductions, I have no trouble admitting they're reproductions, I use them to make MY figures look the best.

We use to have a guy on the forums who was so against reprolabels he labelled anyone who supported them as "not real fans". He was a hardcore purist to the max and believed reprolabels negated the value of the figure.

But if you're going to use them for YOUR collection for display, you'll find very little difference between reproductions and originals. Delta's come a long way in making these things from when he first started. Early ones were quite noticeable but the more "modern" reprolabels are nearly as good as the originals.

If you're going to use them to clean up figures you intend to sell, just make sure you advise when you're selling that they're reprolabels. Will it affect their selling value? It all depends on how many buyers are interested. Some won't care about reproduction labels, some will. Collectors are divided so you just have to appeal to the ones who don't care.

Burn wrote:My opinion is I use Reprolabels on MY collection. I know they're reproductions, I have no trouble admitting they're reproductions, I use them to make MY figures look the best.

Same here.

I was skeptical about reprolabels as well. But I did exactly what you did. I made a post aasking about them. The responses were pretty unanimous in favor of reprolabels. I have only bought one set. They were for a G1 Starscream I have which had zero labels except for the factory ones. The figure is in excellent condition but looked dull without labels. So I got some for him, put em on, and he looks 1000 times better now. I am very pleased with the quality of the labels. If you have a figure that lacks labels I do recommend them. Since the repro labels also include the factory labels, I also replaced those on my Starscream. He looks Fantastic now and if it weren't for reproabels he'd still look dull. If you want to enjoy your Tfs more I suggest replacing those worn out or missing labels. My Starscream probably has more value to ME now than he did before, though this might decrease the value to others. So Like Burn said, it varies from person to person.

I don't own any proper transformers sticker sets except for the Upgrade kits. I don't know if they'd negate the value of my TFs if I ever wished to sell them, but hell...my G1 prime looks so much better with anime forearms and waist

Depends one who you ask. Some people dont see it as a problem and some people do. It's the same discussion about restoring old cars.

Personally I think it's fine, your making the figure look better and more prestine.

I've not used Replolabels, but I would have no problems replacing worn and faded original stickers for nice and shiny reproductions. If you are going to display your collection I think that new stickers would really help give that showroom shine.

Again, if you're selling figures as long as you advertise the fact the stickers are replacements then I see no problem. Most people would prefer fresh stickers than the tattered originals.

Plus - I loved putting the stickers on my Gen 1 figures - it was one of my favourite things from the original series.

I'm another fan of reprolabels. Mostly I use the ones to customise my alternators which look great!

I am a fan and use them on the figures I have that have substantial sticker wear.
they made my Thunderwing look alsmot brand new!

While I refuse to use them personally, I have nothing against them. I understand why people like them. Just be honest about using them if you intend to sell your collection. Don't try to pass them off as origional to the trained eye.

Also, as a vintage collector, I wouldn't pay as much for a figure with repros as I would for a figure that is 100% origional and in good condition. But I'm always of the philosophy to each his own, just don't attempt to hide it.

Vintage to me, means old and beat to hell.

Stickers on vintage toys had to endure both time and children, which usually meant the stickers were the looser.

I like the stickers personally, because I want my collection to appear at its best at all times. I do attempt to, when possible, purchase original G1 stuff with good quality stickers. I full well understand that there are some who might consider a G1 piece to be degraded by having Reprolabels on it, it just happens to be something that I don't agree with.

I made a similar query last week (but widened the subject to include all reissues/repros/KOs etc). Although I don't personally have any repro labels, my opinion is that they're an excellent way - as many others have said - to upgrade your collection to how you want it to be. A figure looks so much better with stickers than just bare or with tatty and torn stickers. In fact, my Thunderwing stickers need sprucing up too!

That being said, value-wise, I can see how they would make a price go down as many collectors want ORIGINAL all the way - but who cares? These are our Transformers, and I'm all for anything that helps people complete/enhance their collection! And what does monetary value matter anyway? The value of these toys to us fans is so much more than that

Magnus' Mate wrote:These are our Transformers, and I'm all for anything that helps people complete/enhance their collection! And what does monetary value matter anyway? The value of these toys to us fans is so much more than that

Absolutely! I doff my hat to you, Sir.

Counterpunch wrote:Vintage to me, means old and beat to hell.

There's certainly nothing wrong with old, but I try to avoid beat to hell if I can.

I am also in agreement with everyone here that the reprolabels really enhance the old worn out stickers. Nothing like a minty fresh transformer. I myself plan on purchasing some for my newly restored G1 Megatron.

These aren't like repro parts which may have seriously lower quality than the original parts. For this reason, I rarely if EVER substitute a KO part, say, for part of a gestalt (foot, shield, fist, etc.).

Reprolabels, though, as others have said, look so darn good that it's almost a shame not to stick them on your old G1 toys that have stickers so worn you can't even tell if they're Autobot or Decepticon anymore. I don't see how that can lower value, except among the smallest percentage of vintage collectors...

To each his own, though. I know MY collection certainly looks better WITH them than without.