Buying Zelda Merchandise (Part 1)

When it comes to collecting, I like to acquire the models I build, limited sports memorabilia, video games, and of course- Zelda stuff! I am in love with the game series. I am also here to talk about the merchandise you can find for your collection.

                                     

Plushes
A "plush" is the industry name for a stuffed cotton/material animal, like a teddy bear or TV character. They make them for Zelda too- some official, and some not. The unofficial ones can be hand made- and some of them are actually pretty good. When looking to collect official merchandise, always look for the Nintendo Seal of Quality. I am sure they can fake that too, but still. I bought a Phantom Hourglass plush for $7.99 just as the person in gamestop was putting them up. You will also find them on Ebay. I PERSONALLY would not pay over $20 for a plush, unless it was of an exceptional size. The one to the left was priced on Ebay for $17.99. At 12 inches, and very good quality, I would buy it despite its lack of Nintendo authenticity. Your call on that stuff.

Cosplay Stuff
Cosplay costumes and accessories are out of my dominion here- and I wouldn't be able to tell you anything concrete about them. I know what they are- just not the market for them. Sorry!
      

Weapons
Yes, they make replica weapons from the Zelda series. Most of them are crap. I mean seriously. I also have experience collecting real weaponry, and I have seen nothing impressive. Most handles are made of plastic, the dimensions are flat out wrong, and it looks like crap! The worst part is that these long blades are made of stainless steel. You do NOT make a sword out of stainless steel, the material is not suitable for the job. One whack against something hard and that sword will break. The only quality replica weapon I have seen of the master sword was not metal, and was not for sale. As for shields... I have seen good replicas, and many bad ones. Don't pay over $45.00 for a Master Sword. The shields, depending on the quality- do not spend over $150.00.

Action Figures (things you should probably not buy, part I)
Action figures are awesome. They are an old, old business- and many collectors love them. As for the Zelda series? many were not produced. A seller on Ebay claims he has "pre-production" action figures for the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and wants $500.00 for them. There are a couple of red flags here. First, make sure that a seller's claims can be authenticated, no matter how good the figures look. Second, I would not pay $500.00 for action figures, no matter how rare. That immediately puts me out of that market. They appeal to me, but not at the price asked. I would pay, at most, $75-100 for a sealed Link from Ocarina of Time.

Zelda DVDs or VHS Tapes
Yeah- they actually came out with a cartoon in the 80's or 90's! It was cheesy, and it is a lot of fun to poke fun at. I have seen new ones go for $10 each on Ebay, which is a good price. BE FORWARNED: they are likely bootlegs. Even for bootlegs, they can still be fun to watch. I have purchased bootlegs that have been fairly good quality, and some really bad. Be careful when browsing for this stuff, and "excuuuuse me, princess!"

Game & Watch
They made a Game & Watch for Zelda- and they are rare. This is a Zelda collectible that is going to cost you. I have seen them go for as much as $300.00 complete.