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So,I was reading an ELI5 about vintage toy auctions,and it got me thinking about how much of the final price is actually driven by shill bidding. I know it's supposed to be illegal, but it seems like with online auctions especially, it would be pretty easy to get away with. Does anyone who frequents these auctions have a sense of how prevalent it really is?
Also,the ELI5 mentioned condition being a huge factor,which makes sense. but how much does the packaging condition matter,relative to the toy itself? I've seen some pristine action figures where the card is a bit beat up,and I wonder if that significantly impacts the value compared to a perfect,mint-in-box example. Are we talking orders of magnitude difference, or is it more nuanced than that? What about reproduction boxes? Are they generally frowned upon, or are they acceptable if disclosed? Interested in hearing from experienced collectors.