[trebleshot]

The purpose of this thread is to provide some general information for people new to the toy collecting hobby or new to the Toyark. Sometimes those of us who post here or on other forums on a regular basis tend to use a lot of shorthand and industry slang. This can be intimidating to new collectors or those who are new to the online aspect of collecting. I will probably update this post as other acronyms and information become more prominent.

With that said, let’s get into it!

Acronyms Regarding Condition
MOSC - Mint On Sealed Card. Means that the blister or bubble package is still sealed and has not been compromised in any way.

MOC - Mint On Card. This means the packaging could actually be opened with a mint figure but the blister is still connected to the card back. Lately though, it has become interchangeable with MOSC, though they do not mean the same thing. MOC is comparable to MIB.

MIB - Mint In Box. Means that the figure has been opened but is in mint condition and comes with the box and all packaging. The box itself may or may not be in mint condition, which is why listings for this will usually have some indicator for it listed after (see further down).

MISB - Mint In Sealed Box. This means that the packaging has not been opened in any way. Generally, the condition of the box is good, too, but it is not a guarantee.

OOP – Out Of Package. Basically, the toy in question has been opened and taken out of the packaging. The packaging itself may or may not also be present. Can be Loose or Opened.

LOOSE - A toy that does not have any packaging or paperwork. May or may not have some or all of its accessories. Usually accompanied by a percentage representing how complete it is (see Loose guide later in this post). Keep in mind, "loose" does not say anything about the condition of the toy or packaging, or the number of missing accessories (if any). There should be some qualifier after Loose to say if it is complete and/or in good condition.

OPENED - Same as loose toys, except that an Opened toy has all of its packaging intact. And as with "loose", "opened" does not say anything about the condition of the toy or packaging, or the number of missing accessories (if any).

Condition Scale (C0 – C10)

This is a scale from 0 to 10 representing either a figure's condition or the packaging condition, where applicable. C0 is practically worthless, and is rarely mentioned. Even an opened baggie is usually a C2 or C3. C10 is perfect and very hard to get, since it means there isn't any discoloration, missing or damaged parts, sticker wear, odors, residue (adhesives, dirt, dust, soda, etc), scratches, dents, dings, cuts or any other damage. Typically, the highest you'll usually find is C8 or C9, known as Near Mint or Mint. These figures (or boxes) are in excellent condition and have only one or two minor issues, which are typically due to factory errors (minor paint application mistakes) or shelf-wear (minor creases on boxes and card backs).


AFA Grading

AFA stands for Action Figure Authority, which is an independent grading company. For a fee, they will review and rate any action figure in or out of packaging. Generally, anything that has been AFA-graded is worth more than a non-graded version of the same figure in the same condition. It's comparable to certified diamonds versus non certified diamonds.

Here is AFA's website, if you want to know more about them: Action Figure Authority ? Home Page


General Info Regarding Loose Toys

Loose toys come in a variety of conditions, mostly using the same scale as their packaged versions. The difference with loose figures is whether they have all or some of their accessories and parts. This is usually denoted by a percentage following the name, similar to the condition rating. Most of the time, though, there are only a couple variations actually used.

100% - This means the toy is not broken and has all of its accessories.

110% (or more) – This usually means that the toy is not broken, has all of its accessories, and has some or all of the original paperwork. It’s a bit subjective, so be sure to read the auction’s full description whenever you see “% Complete” in the listing.