Smurf collecting is on the rise. All those kids who worked (or begged!) so hard to earn a Smurf or two are finally old enough to hold their own jobs and buy their own Smurfs. Every day a few more people are delighted to not only rediscover the Smurfs, but to learn that they never stopped making them! Some of us collected them all along. Here are some tips for collectors, old and new...
WAYS TO COLLECT
There are many ways to collect Smurfs. Some people collect only figures, or pins, or plush - others collect anything and everything with a Smurf on it! The PVC figurines are the most heavily collected. Some people collect only Smurfettes, others collect only sports or food or some other category. Many collectors will keep multiples of the same figure, if there is a color or mold variation. Others go even further and collect marking variations. Many of these Smurfs appear to be identical, but have different country markings, or different manufacturer marks, such as Bully, Schleich, Wallace Berrie, MiniModels or Applause.
BUYER BEWARE
Be careful when buying Smurfs. Many figures are sold by non-collectors who do not know when pieces are missing or broken, or who misrepresent pieces as older than they are. As with any collectible, your best bet is to educate yourself. Do not spend any big money until you know pretty much what you are getting into. Many people will tell you what they think you want to hear to close the sale. There are plenty of mistakes a new collector can make. Take it slow, and have fun!
HOW TO FIND SMURFS
Smurfs can be found in many places. Old figures pop up at garage sales, flea markets, antique and collectible shops, estate sales, thrift shops etc. They can also be found for sale on the Internet at auction sites and from online dealers such as MushroomVillage.com. Stores around the world carry the in-production range of Smurfs, currently 50 figurines with a smaller number of Super Smurfs (figurines with accessories) as well as playsets and buildings to complete your own Smurf Village.
NETWORK
A good technique is to network. Make sure everyone you know knows that you collect Smurfs. 1,000 pairs of eyes looking are better than one! Do not be surprised to hear that a friend of a friend or a distant relative has some Smurfs stored away they would be happy to give you!
Real fanatics print business cards with contact information. When you check at a shop that has none now, but may in the future (like a thrift or consignment shop) leave them a card and ask for a call back if some come in. Many dealers will not know Smurfs are collectible, but they will pick them up when they see them once you let them know they are collectible, and they will often give you first crack!
MAKE SMURFY FRIENDS
It’s nice to talk to other collectors who won’t think you are nuts like your friends and family do! It’s also a great way to keep abreast of the hobby. When something new happens, Smurfers spread the word like wildfire! The Smurf Bulletin Boards at MushroomVillage.com are a great place to ask and answer questions and meet other collectors who might have spares to trade.
HOW TO BUY
As with any collectible, it's always better to spend your $100 on a single rare piece in top condition than on someone’s played-with collection of 50 ho-hum figures. Rare pieces in Mint condition appreciate in value far more rapidly than damaged or common pieces. It's hard to resist the urge to seemingly get more for your money by buying inferior quality, but if you buy wisely your collection will be the better for it and you will not regret it. You can buy the cheap figures any time, but the rare ones are few and far between, and only getting more expensive. Don’t make the mistake of buying all the cheap ones first, and then finding that the rare ones are twice as much money as they used to be by the time they are all you still need!
If you can afford it, a good technique is to seek out and buy large groups of Smurfs containing the rares you need. You can expect to pay a discounted rate when you “take ‘em all”, and you can trade away any doubles you end up with.
WHAT TO BUY
Figures made in limited quantities, promotional figures and color variations are heavily collected, and are always good buys. They will continue to appreciate in value.
Figurines with easy-to-lose parts are a good buy. As time goes by, pieces get lost and complete figures become harder to find. For example, Astro is not that hard to find, but he is nearly always missing the helmet. The complete figure will always be worth more.
Older figures are generally worth more than newer figures. Of course, some figures are reissued each year, and if they are not obviously different from the old version (a color or mold variation) than the value of the older figure drops a bit. This is because in the eyes of many collectors, either one will do to fill the gap in their collection. If you knew for sure that a certain figure would never be reissued in its old form, then it would be a good buy, right? Well…
It is probable that certain multiple-part molds will no longer be produced due to changes in child-safety laws!
So we think these are good buys too. Figurines such as 20057 Thirsty, 20125 Heart, 20136 Pumpkin, 20160 Apple, and any figurine with a small, separately molded part can no longer be marketed loose, they must be packaged and labeled as “Not for children under 3.” For this reason, It is likely they will not be reissued as they were. They may be reissued only if they are packaged (unlikely, as it adds a cost), or if some change is made which takes away the small part hazard. Schleich did this with 20416 New Football which looks like “20035 Soccer.” 20035 is a two-part mold, the ball is glued to a spike on his toe. 20416 is a one piece mold. Another change was made to 20154 Patrol Crossing, the newer version has a knob at the end of the sign, so it cannot be removed from his hands and swallowed.
WHAT NOT TO BUY
Avoid pieces that are very dirty or stained, yellowed, have paint rubs or cracks, broken or missing pieces or that have been repainted. You want pieces that were collected and cared for, not hoarded, played with and abused.
Dirt – Many times a dirty Smurf can be cleaned, but it takes added effort, and is an indication that the Smurf was not well cared for.
Yellowing – The white PVC in many older Smurfs are often yellowed. This can often be reversed with a product called Remove-zit, discussed below, but is does take added effort, and again, may indicate the Smurf was not cared for ideally.
Paint Rubs – Paint rubs occur both during and after production. Figurines are hand painted and can get a rub if knocked over while drying. Some figurines (20084 Handstand, for instance) are notorious for this. However, most paint rubs result from rough handling after market. A figure with an as-made paint rub is still in Mint condition. A figurine with an after-market paint rub cannot be called Mint. It can be hard to tell the difference, and both can make a figure less eye-appealing. We avoid them.
Cracked Paint – PVC is flexible, particularly on thin, protruding parts. A Smurf whose parts are bent during play are going top have cracked paint. Arms and accessories (baseball bat, flowers, etc.) are most susceptible to this. The next step is for the paint to flake off. Look for, and avoid cracked paint.
Broken/Missing pieces – New collectors often buy Smurfs with broken or missing pieces thinking they are buying a new and different Smurf, when they are actually buying a figurine which is worthless to a serious collector. I see incomplete Super Smurfs and multi-part mold figurines bought and sold all the time. Do your homework before you buy!
CLEANING SMURFS
As a general rule, cleaning a collectible is a no-no. If you must, clean Smurfs with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth, brush, q-tip or pipe cleaner (without the abrasive bristles please!). If this does not do the trick, Smurfs can be safely cleaned using a product called “Formula 9-1-1” that was specially formulated for, and is safe to use on, collectible PVC toys. Solvents should never be used. Nail polish remover, alcohol, etc. may seem to work in the short run, but they also extract the softener from the PVC, causing it to become brittle and degrade over time. Stains that have soaked into the PVC may be removed with "Remove-zit," another product specially formulated for collectible PVC toys. Formula 9-1-1 and Remove-zit are sold at MushroomVillage.com. However, your best bet is to buy Smurfs which have been well-cared for all along, and never got dirty to begin with. Dirty Smurfs are the first sign of played-with, less-than-primo condition Smurfs.
REPAINTED SMURFS
I have seen many Smurfs that have been repainted, and this is a big no-no! This is an alteration, and hurts the value of the piece. Sometimes it is an innocent paint-rub touch-up done by a previous owner for the sake of appearance. There may be a good match initially, but as the piece ages, the touch-up will become more apparent. The same is true of using “white-out” to hide as-made stray paint marks on hats and pants. Other times figures are intentionally repainted and misrepresented as rare color variations. You want to steer clear of anything like this!
DISPLAYING YOUR SMURFS
We highly recommend displaying your Smurfs behind glass or acrylic, especially particularly valuable Smurfs. This makes them far easier to keep clean (no dust) and protects them from swings in temperature and humidity, which contribute to degradation. Smurfs stored in carrying cases, or enclosed displays, fare much better than those displayed on open shelves. Direct sunlight is also detrimental. Protect your investment!
MARKINGS
There are many markings found on Smurfs. Oftentimes two figurines will appear to be identical, but will have different markings. Different collectors care about these markings to different degrees. Some pay no attention to markings, collecting only obviously different Smurfs such as color and mold variations. Others strive to collect every different marking they can find.
Many Smurfers believe that the year found on most figurines is the year the figure was made. This is a common misconception. The date actually represents the year that mold was first used to make that figure. If the mold becomes defective , a new mold is made with a new year! For this reason, you will sometimes find different dates on the same figure.
Another mark is a digit (usually 1 through 8) found on figurines. This represents the mold's placement in the injection machine that made that figurine. If a machine begins producing defective figurines, this number on the figure lets workers know which mold needs to be replaced!
HAVE FUN
Of course this is the most important tip of all! I hope these tips lead to an enhanced collecting experience for you. Good luck, and "Smurf On!"
