The Energon Pub

Just curious...why is Alternators Swerve the spendiest fig of the line? Was he produced in limited number or something? I just don't get why he's "the prize" of the bunch... He's definitely not the best fig in the line...at least not IMO. He might not even be the best looking Vette!

And like the subject says...I'm sure it's a dumb question so I apologize in advance.

He was a TRU exclusive. Which makes him super rare, compared to the rare figures that were released when he was.

I remember reading that he was also pulled from the shelves by hasbro? I don't know how true this is, but the logic was that there were already way too many Vette molds ... blah blah. I remember reading that on here somewhere.

I wouldn't say that he was the most expensive of the line, though ... when considering some of the Binaltechs/BTA's. As far as just Alternators go, yeah ... Swerve is right there at the top of the $$$ list.

i still never understand why he is so expensive. ever though he is so rare it not worth that nuch........... but dont get me wrong,,,,,he got the nices head skulp in the line.... and the red corvertte is super sweet. but given the so call gold parts aren't gold but a yellowish platic its not worth the money..... keep the finger's cross for bt release of it.....with gold heads and limb....hehe

Megatron the Great wrote:He was a TRU exclusive. Which makes him super rare, compared to the rare figures that were released when he was.

No, he wasn't. The reason that he is so expensive is that he was only shipped in one case assortment(combined with the overall poor distribution of the Alt line), so, the completist mentality drives the price up. The whole point of his release was so Hasbro could "test" whether they could get away with using a mold 3 times.

Swerve still stands as the most difficult Alt to track down, for most people.

The Alt that was famously pulled from retailers by Hasbro was the first version of Tracks, because he was yellow. Those never saw retail distribution. They were shipped, and then returned. I think that the closest that anyone had ever gotten to actually seeing one was a picture of the case.

Camshaft is almost as rare as Swerve, too.

PorQPine wrote:Camshaft is almost as rare as Swerve, too.

I have to say that I've always thought Camshaft was more rare than Swerve.

I saw multiple Swerves on several occasions, never once did I see Camshaft in the stores. I got bot though..

But seriously, I think Swerve was 2 per case, actually, I'm sure of it. Camshaft was only 1 per case.

Counterpunch wrote:

PorQPine wrote:Camshaft is almost as rare as Swerve, too.

I have to say that I've always thought Camshaft was more rare than Swerve.

I saw multiple Swerves on several occasions, never once did I see Camshaft in the stores. I got bot though..

But seriously, I think Swerve was 2 per case, actually, I'm sure of it. Camshaft was only 1 per case.

I also saw several Swerves, and never saw Camshaft. I attribute that to the quick burst of Alts that we had around here a few years back. For about a month, all the Targets and TRUs in the area were stocking Alts out the tailpipe, and it was nothing to find any of the most (currently)expensive Alts out there, like Swerve, Wheeljack, Prowl, and Decepticharge. Then the distribution went back to it's normal level of suckiness. Therefore I never saw a Camshaft, even though I saw plenty of Primes and Mirages, after a very long wait.

I actually remember it being Grimlock two-per, then a Swindle and a Swerve, but I could be wrong. Maybe I should rephrase that Swerve only shipped in one wave, I don't deny the possibility that there may have been more than one assortment in the wave.

Also take into consideration that Corvette has its own fan following, and that probably affects demand for the Red version, as well.

Still, with Alts skyrocketing in demand like they have, I believe that Camshaft can still be had for around $50-$60, while Swerve still hovers around his $100-loose, $150+ sealed range.

Camshaft is indeed around $50, also because he's a later release.

finding a decent Swerve MISB is indeed a hefty $150, where a Kiss players Prime goes for $175+ and the most expensive alt being Kiss Rodimus at $225.

Although I got a loose Alt Swerve for $15, just hope you find someone that doesn't know what/who a Alt.Swerve is.

AlienQuiksilver wrote:I wouldn't say that he was the most expensive of the line, though ... when considering some of the Binaltechs/BTA's. As far as just Alternators go, yeah ... Swerve is right there at the top of the $$$ list.

I realize BTs can, and typically do, sell for more, but I was counting them as a separate entity. Considering at retail it looks like they're at least twice the price from the start and the fact they're imports and all...

Interesting stuff, though. Thanks, guys. I was going to ask why then is Camshaft not a spendier fig, but it was pretty much already answered. Weren't Rodimus and Nemesis BotCon exclusives? Wouldn't that make them more rare than Swerve, too? Though as many as you see of those figs on eBay, seems there's gotta be more to that question.

NotEnoughKibble wrote:Weren't Rodimus and Nemesis BotCon exclusives? Wouldn't that make them more rare than Swerve, too? Though as many as you see of those figs on eBay, seems there's gotta be more to that question.

I'm not sure about Rodimus, but I know that Nemesis Prime was a shelf-warmer in other parts of the world, particularly in parts of Asia.

It's likely that SDCC Rodimus saw distribution elsewhere, though where, I'm not sure.

I also failed to mention that Swerve also comes with the G1 Flame/Autobot symbol sticker that goes on Tracks, so I'm sure that adds to the overall spendiness. Little things like that do a lot for demand.

PorQPine wrote:

It's likely that SDCC Rodimus saw distribution elsewhere, though where, I'm not sure.

I thought I read he was available on the Hasbro online store briefly, but that he sold out right away.

And I also see that it wasn't BotCon, but Comic Con rather. Whatever. Exclusive nonetheless...or at least manufactured under the premise of being an eclusive.

Counterpunch wrote:

PorQPine wrote:Camshaft is almost as rare as Swerve, too.

I have to say that I've always thought Camshaft was more rare than Swerve.

I saw multiple Swerves on several occasions, never once did I see Camshaft in the stores. I got bot though..

But seriously, I think Swerve was 2 per case, actually, I'm sure of it. Camshaft was only 1 per case.

I never saw either of them!

There still the only ALT's that I am missing....

The Alts that I am missing:

Dead End
Battle Ravage
Decepticharge
Nemesis Prime
Swindle

I do have Camshaft, which I found for $50 last summer. Swerve was tough to find...it took me 3 tries to obtain him off of ebay. I had an easier time finding Camshaft than Swerve.

PorQPine wrote:

Megatron the Great wrote:He was a TRU exclusive. Which makes him super rare, compared to the rare figures that were released when he was.

No, he wasn't. The reason that he is so expensive is that he was only shipped in one case assortment(combined with the overall poor distribution of the Alt line), so, the completist mentality drives the price up. The whole point of his release was so Hasbro could "test" whether they could get away with using a mold 3 times.

Swerve still stands as the most difficult Alt to track down, for most people.

The Alt that was famously pulled from retailers by Hasbro was the first version of Tracks, because he was yellow. Those never saw retail distribution. They were shipped, and then returned. I think that the closest that anyone had ever gotten to actually seeing one was a picture of the case.

Camshaft is almost as rare as Swerve, too.

What did Hasbro do with the yellow Tracks? Did they paint them over?

Stormrider wrote:What did Hasbro do with the yellow Tracks? Did they paint them over?

I would hope not. They probably just threw them out, or recycled them in one way or another.

Throwing them out sounds very expensive.

Counterpunch wrote:

PorQPine wrote:Camshaft is almost as rare as Swerve, too.

I have to say that I've always thought Camshaft was more rare than Swerve.

I saw multiple Swerves on several occasions, never once did I see Camshaft in the stores. I got bot though..

But seriously, I think Swerve was 2 per case, actually, I'm sure of it. Camshaft was only 1 per case.

I actually fond an Alt Camshaft on clearance at Walmart for $15. I was foolish, though, and still passed on it. I had already decided against completing the line when the started putting out minor characters like Rollbar and Riccochet instead of major players like Ironhide, Ratchet, etc...

Never did see Camshaft in the store after that.

Alt Swerve is the only one I never saw in retail. I had to go to E-Bay a couple of years ago to get him. I'm suprised that Hasbro never reissued him like they did with Tracks and Meister/Jazz.

So, I take it that me scoring one for $15 misb is a great deal?
I wasn't sure what Swerve was actually worth, Wow, I stepped in some golden poo!

big time...how did you manage to do that??

Cascadia wrote::shock: big time...how did you manage to do that??

finding it on clearance and hope the sales clerk has no idea what they're selling. As i said, mine went for €15 because the person selling it had no idea of the price, he wasn't interested in alts and said "I already have the blue one"

go figure.

No, I picked up Swerve and Grimlock MISB for $15 each with $8.25 shipping off of the Rebelscum.com classified forum.

Megatron the Great wrote:He was a TRU exclusive. Which makes him super rare, compared to the rare figures that were released when he was.

I got mine from Target....

Dagon wrote:

Megatron the Great wrote:He was a TRU exclusive. Which makes him super rare, compared to the rare figures that were released when he was.

I got mine from Target....

Yes I see now I made a mistake... However I read somewhere that it was a TRU exclusive. I bought mine from TRU, so I assumed that was correct. My bad...

Megatron the Great wrote:

Dagon wrote:

Megatron the Great wrote:He was a TRU exclusive. Which makes him super rare, compared to the rare figures that were released when he was.

I got mine from Target....

Yes I see now I made a mistake... However I read somewhere that it was a TRU exclusive. I bought mine from TRU, so I assumed that was correct. My bad...

It's not a big deal, man. I was just saying I got one from Target and thought it really odd if Swerve was a TRU exclusive figure, then what was one doing at Target? I didn't know, and when I thought about it, it made some sense that it could have been a TRU exclusive because when I found Alt Sunstreaker, I had only seen him at TRU. So I had thought maybe that one was an exclusive also. Made sense to me.