Collecting Terms

AS IS: This is a beware term! If you see this there is probably something wrong with the item so read the description carefully. If you are handy at repairing stuff you can sometimes get great deals on these-get a good look at the item first though.

Book Value/BV: What it lists for in a collecting book. Take this with a grain of salt-most of the time it will seem inflated. Most BV's are determined from auctions-which means that most would be what people would call top dollar prices. The average buyer probably won't pay BV unless it is something they particularly want. This doesn't mean that you are getting ripped off at this price though. The value of any collectible is really up to the person buying it. Some people will always pay more than others.

Fake: This is an illegal copy of an item that is deliberately intended to be passed off as the original. Usually this is only seen with higher value items. Currently I haven't seen any in the Looney Tunes field but as it continues to grow there will probably be some.

FDC: First Day Cover/Cancellation. As a cover it refers to an envelope and stamp that were cancelled on the first day of issue. As a cancellation it is just the stamp on an item, like a cardstock picture that has been cancelled on the first day of issue.

Figural: This means that the item is shaped like a person, in our case usually a cartoon character.

Grading Terms: These describe the condition of an item. Sellers usually grade higher than buyers. All are very subjective except for mint. If there is anything at all wrong with the item it cannot be mint.

MIB/C10: Mint In Box. This means the item is brand new in the original box. Usually it will only have been removed to take a picture to sell it. The box is not neccessarily new though.
MIMB/C10: Mint In Mint Box. This means that the item is new and the original box is undamaged too. This is rare in most cases due to shelf wear and handling.
MIP/C10: Mint In Package. This means the item is brand new in the original package. Usually it will only have been removed to take a picture to sell it. The package is not neccessarily new though.
MWMT/C10: Mint with Mint Tags: This is basically a Beanie collectors term but it has started spreading into all tagged items. The item and tags are brand new.
Mint/C10: The item is new but with no package.
Near Mint/NM/C9: Item shows extremely minor wear but is not perfect.
Excellent/EX/C8: Item that is complete but that has minor wear from play. Must be clean.
Very Good/VG/C7: Obvious signs of wear and play. Some minor paint chipping, minor rust or missing parts.
Good/GD/C6: Signs of heavy play, dents, dings, chips and rust.

Hard to Find/HTF: This is an item that you can find in auctions or stores but not every day. This is what the vast majority of "rare" items really are. Usually there are plenty of the item around, it's just hard to find one.

Knock-Offs: Also known as Copycats. This is an illegally made copy or version of an item. This is fairly common in Looney Tunes wth plushes and smaller dollar store type items. A good clue is the lack of tags or lack of copyright information on the item(for newer items).

LE/Limited Edition: In todays market this is beginning to be meaningless. It should mean that a set number of items are produced and then no more. A lot of new items though are marketed using an unscrupulous tactic. For them LE means that it is made for a certain time. This means that the collector will have no idea of the true edition size and for these items it is almost always a large number.

NIB: New In Box. Item is still sealed in the original box but the box/package has damage.

NOS: New Old Stock. This item comes from old store stock or warehouse stock that was recently discovered.

OOP: Out of Production. It's no longer made.

Original Cost/OC: What it sold for originally. This can give you an idea of the worth for newer items that don't have a Book Value.

Premiums: These items required that you buy something to receive them. Usually it involves kids foods and points, UPC codes or boxtops. A good example would be cereal toys.

Promotional: These types of items are given away or sold to promote a company or product. The most popular kind would be fast food toys but there are lots of items given away. From photos to yo-yos just about everything has been used to sell stuff. Some promotional items were also sold in stores and if we know this it is noted in the item's description.

Rare: One of the most abused terms in selling. Most items are not rare-That would imply that not many were made or that most were destroyed. To really be rare it must be something that you "rarely" see in stores or auctions.

Reissue: A new item that is made from the original molds, plates or dies. This must be issued by an authorized company or it is a fake. Due to major problems with this most of the higher priced lines of collectibles destroy the molds now to guarantee that there won't be any reissues. A reissue will usually drastically drop the value of the earlier version.

Reproduction/Repro: Similar to a reissue but in this case an authorized company makes new molds from an original item. Usually these are clearly labelled but they can still impact the value of the originals.

Soaky: This refers to kids figural bubble bath containers. These were really popular during the late 60's/early 70's as promotional items.

Under 3/U3: This refers to kids meal type toys mainly. They are softer plastic and non-swallowable.

USPS: United States Postal Service