Did I get ripped off?

[quiksand]

I just bought a 6085 Black Monarch's Castle off of ebay for buy it now price of $150. It was new in box (NIB), and had been adult owned, so it said. It seemed a bit high, but I am in killer need of expanding my Black Knight's Legion. It retailed for $69.00 in 1988, from what I could tell. That set has an amazing (12)figures! And the castle is awesome! But it would just make me fell better to know that someone else would have done the same. I also bought 2 6030 catapults. I've been thinking of turnig a couple of my Vladek's Seige Engines into ones that house cataults instead of battering rams.

[The Josh]

I moved this topic to Buy/Sell/Trade because that's where it belongs .

Hi quiksand and welcome to Classic-Castle!

It seemed a bit high, but I am in killer need of expanding my Black Knight's Legion.

I wouldn't have paid $150 for it because I already own a copy of 6085, but if I didn't already own it I might have taken the $150 buy-it-now offer into consideration. If you thought the castle was worth what you paid and if you are happy with the set, then you didn't get ripped off.

-The Josh

[Jojo]

Hello!

I just bought a 6085 Black Monarch's Castle off of ebay for buy it now price of $150. It was new in box (NIB)

How do you understand "new in box"? I understand the pieces were still in their sealed polybags while the box itself is not sealed anymore. In this case $150 is a fair price.

If, though, the castle is "like new and only built once" $150 is a bit high a price. However, a "rip-off" it was if you expected the parts in sealed bags from the item description but in the end they came "like new". If the item description was wrong I'd contact the seller for some refund.

It retailed for $69.00 in 1988, from what I could tell.

Well, retail prices from anno then-and-then are not exactly a good benchmark for MISB (Mint in sealed box) sets today. You must not expect anybody to ask only the original retail price for an e.g. 20 year old MISB set. On the other hand I too try not to pay more than the original retail price for a used set. With exception of yellow Castles I always succeeded by following this guideline so far.

But it would just make me fell better to know that someone else would have done the same.

Well, for a used set I would not have done the same :-)
Anyway, I guess everybody once paid way too much for something they wanted to own badly, including myself. Oh yes... I must never tell you what high prices I paid for almost worthless mud in the past... ;)

I also bought 2 6030 catapults.

Good choice. Very good. The best catapult of all.


Bye
Jojo

[Formendacil]

I wouldn't say you were ripped off...

But that wasn't a deal you got.

Still, if you're happy with what you got, then you didn't do too badly.

And yes, that is an awesome set.

[MaxiVisVires]

If the set was MISB meaning everything was sealed and packed like the day it was on a store's shelves, then I'd say you got a great deal. But most complete 6085's on ebay that are in fairly good condition that have both original instructions and box end at about 80.00-90.00. Unfortunately, sellers use the term "complete" very liberally.

[Jojo]

Hello!

Unfortunately, sellers use the term "complete" very liberally.

Yep. Something that's missing in 95% of all cases is the 1×2 bricks and plates for the horses' backs, as replacement for the saddles.

However, as long as nothing important is missing or demaged, like correct figures or printed parts, I do not even mention that to the seller and give him a positive feedback nevertheless. Many sellers do not even exactly know that they are selling to collectors who are a bit picky about details. They believe if they replace a missing grey 1×2 brick with three stucked together 1×3 plates it's OK and doesn't affect the play value for the kid that's getting the item ;)


Bye
Jojo

[MaxiVisVires]

However, as long as nothing important is missing or demaged, like correct figures or printed parts, I do not even mention that to the seller and give him a positive feedback nevertheless.

Yes, same here. Usually it's just something small that I can easily replace. And most the time it's the horse's bricks. There was one time though, when I bought a complete 6080 from a seller with 6000+ feedback, the set wasn't even 50% complete. When I informed the seller, she asked for me to tell her what pieces are missing, so she can look for them around the house. Well apparently it was her son's set. And the son told her it was complete because he took all his LEGO that he can find, and put it in this box. Well you can imagine how hard it was for me to go through the set. Not only was there a bunch of random LEGO, but there was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Megablocks, powerrangers, and all sorts of other random toys. Fortunately she gave me all my money back and let me keep the LEGO.

[medib]

I wouldn't say you got ripped off, but I myself wouldn't have bought the
set that high.

I would caution any bidder who reads from the description "NIB (new in
box). The term is too vague. MISB is the standard for unopened box.
New could mean just as much as like-new (as in opened and used only
once as was already mentioned).

I'm posting this again to highlight the need to bewarey of seller's description.

Having said that, another factor to consider is the subjective value of it.
The market value is one thing, but if you really, really have to have the
set, then that also plays a role.

I, personally, try to be a frugal as possible with my Lego purchases, but
sometimes, greed and desire comes to the forefront, and I can no longer
wait to buy the set.

Just some things to think about...

Benjamin Medinets

[Emperor James]

So...the question is, was it misb? If so, you got a great deal, if not, then you were ripped off. I would like to add also that if you want to expand your BK armies, get used sets. But, of course, I definately wouldn't pass a good deal like that if I was not being economic in my LEGO hobby(assuming that was misb).