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MrMet

Well-known member
Apr 6, 2010
13,556
612
The Poconos
Do people still collect these anymore? Do they have any value? A guy at work was telling me he had a bunch of them at home, still in the box, or on card, whatever it's called when they are unopened, that are just collecting dust and he'd be looking to move them. I told him that I didn't know if they were worth anything but I'd ask. Anyone?


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Austin

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
5,706
41
Dallas, Texas
I have all my original ones from '88 to 2001.
According to eBay sales, 95% aren't even worth the actual cost of shipping them, which is sad because I still think they're awesome.

Some of my favorites are the 12" figures with cloth uniforms, especially the first run of Hall of Famers like Ruth, Cobb and Young. Beautiful big poseable figures, but worth about half of their original $20 price.
 

fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
For whatever reason, they're pretty much worthless. I like the very few I have but dont seek them. I see them at flea markets and shows all the time for $2-$3 each. Some dealers will even give you 15 of them for $20. I think the SLU's were a great concept and they took off when they first came out but the appeal of them faded after a couple years just like most toys do. I do remember walking in to a local toys r us and seeing 20 Sid Bream SLU's hanging on the hook for $7.99 for at least 2 years. Thinking that if SLU's were made again today, they'd have to be McFarlane quality and regionally distributed by teams in their home markets.

Fordman
 
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joey12508

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
38,450
16,111
Winterfell
I had a friend who use to collect them , he had dozens. He was always chasing variants or short prints. Sad to here there not holding any value.
 

Bane50

Member
Feb 14, 2010
295
9
I pick up the '88s when I can get them for less than $10 delivered. Figure they will get back to the old $180 Beckett value by 2188.


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Brewer Andy

Active member
Aug 10, 2008
9,634
21
Agreed most aren't worth the shipping cost but might make a little in bulk. There ARE however a few that were distributed regionally that can have some value so definitely research the lesser names!


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gmarutiak

Active member
Jul 23, 2010
1,386
2
Baltimore, MD
It looks like SLUs are making a comeback this year, at least in the form of stadium giveaways. The following MLB teams will be giving away SLUs this year:

Orioles: Manny Machado on June 3

Rays: Chris Archer on June 22 (this is the only one I found with a picture. Looks cool to me: http://tampabay.rays.mlb.com/schedule/promotions.jsp?c_id=tb&y=2017

Athletics: Marcus Semien on June 18

Mets: David Wright on May 20

Nationals: Bryce Harper on August 29

Cubs: TBD on August 15

The Buccaneers gave away a Jameis Winston SLU last season.

Maybe this new potential popularity will help drive up prices of old SLUs. I doubt it, but maybe!?!?
 

Brewer Andy

Active member
Aug 10, 2008
9,634
21
Quite possible! I remember seeing that Winston and thinking what a great idea it was. Might not amount to more than a bobblehead but certainly more rare than most originals. I love the idea and wish Milwaukee had some coming


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mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,087
I believe a bid part of the value increase (and subsequent decrease) were people hoarding all the good ones. The early pieces that were more regional were harder to find, but by the mid 90s, nothing was rare, yet people were hoarding them all. After finding the prices didn't hold, people were stuck with bulky crap that wasn't worth anything, so they started dumping them back onto the market. That is why you can find pieces once worth $30-40 for a buck sometimes. I still have a good 500+ unopened and a bunch more I opened. At least the cards are easy to store for a later date.

I bought a lot of 4 figures (unopened) about 2 years ago that included the FP of Chipper Jones that was a $100+ piece when it was hot. I got the lot for $1 plus around $15 s/h. Sadly, this was one of only a couple packages that never made it to me over my nearly 20 year ebay career. The PO showed it delivered, but it was not!
 

sierra79

Member
Feb 15, 2016
215
0
Deland, Florida
Except for Maddux's '89 SLU I only purchased the cards (or in some cases cracked a few) to fill my oddball binder. Like almost all collectibles in the 90's everything was overproduced and left sealed. It reminds me of the late 90's when my mom was buying beanie babies only to leave the tag on and seal them in zip lock bags. A couple of years ago she asked me if I wanted them and after checking on eBay I came to the realization that they would be better served getting donated to Toys for Tots. I don't even want to know how much she 'invested' in them. The SLU's and that sort of thing reminded me how every single thing became a 'limited edition'.
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
Except for Maddux's '89 SLU I only purchased the cards (or in some cases cracked a few) to fill my oddball binder. Like almost all collectibles in the 90's everything was overproduced and left sealed. It reminds me of the late 90's when my mom was buying beanie babies only to leave the tag on and seal them in zip lock bags. A couple of years ago she asked me if I wanted them and after checking on eBay I came to the realization that they would be better served getting donated to Toys for Tots. I don't even want to know how much she 'invested' in them. The SLU's and that sort of thing reminded me how every single thing became a 'limited edition'.

When you said limited edition it made me think of Jerry Seinfeld's bit on limited edition cars..."it's limited to how many we can sell."
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,087
I was collecting Maddux in 93 when his extended SLU came out. I wanted it so bad, but it immediately became hot and expensive. I ended up getting it later and probably still paid a good bit, maybe $25-30 for one. I added the 89 and 90 SLUs later to go with the other cheaper and easier to find versions. Maddux is still a favorite of mine. I'd love to nab a few more of the oddballs I missed out on before his popularity exploded.
 

Greg Cleveland

Well-known member
Aug 9, 2008
4,893
268
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States
I still have a ton from all sports. There were so many McGwire/Sosa models that came out during the Home Run race in 98. I went to the SLU Convention in Cincinnati in 96. It was a gas, and I got two of the Cal Ripken exclusive. Year after year, they had an exclusive to the convention. Then they started to expand the conventions beyond Cincy to an East Coast one, a West Coast one, so the exclusives weren't so exclusive any more. More like a variation--build your rainbow! I was also a member of their Collector's Club and ordered their Club Exclusives. Those were always pretty nice, and are probably much more rare than anything from retail, but guess what, they don't have a lot of value, either.
 

fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
I still have a ton from all sports. There were so many McGwire/Sosa models that came out during the Home Run race in 98. I went to the SLU Convention in Cincinnati in 96. It was a gas, and I got two of the Cal Ripken exclusive. Year after year, they had an exclusive to the convention. Then they started to expand the conventions beyond Cincy to an East Coast one, a West Coast one, so the exclusives weren't so exclusive any more. More like a variation--build your rainbow! I was also a member of their Collector's Club and ordered their Club Exclusives. Those were always pretty nice, and are probably much more rare than anything from retail, but guess what, they don't have a lot of value, either.

I have totally forgotten about the SLU conventions here in Cincy. Kenner Toys made the SLU's and they were based her in Cincy until Hasbro bought them in 1998 or 99. I remember setting up at one of the conventions and it was basically a card show with a lot of SLU's.

Fordman
 

smapdi

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
4,397
221
I've moved my collection more times than I care to count, and each time it's a mental battle between thinking I'll display them, now that they're so out of favor they're bound to be retro-cool again, and taking them to Goodwill. I never could find any of the really expensive ones, but I've got "rookie" pieces of Jeter, ARod, and Chipper Jones, which still have value. But I've got about 4 plastic storage bins full of SLUs and Star Wars figs that probably wouldn't fetch SRP and are a PITA to store.

I've thought about just opening them, taking the loose figs to Goodwill, and keeping the cards. At least the cards are cards.
 

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