Ebay, conventions or those super elite guys who buy in bulk and resale figure to pay their parents rent for using the basement.

Sometime Flea Markets have some rare figs in stock.

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thats how i found my carded tele-viper, in 98.......the kay-bee was in the process of moving locations in the mall and they moved a selving unit and there it was......with its .99 cent clearence sticker and all...it came home with me.......

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I've found a couple of stashes like that. Makes me think I'm in a D&D game, finding some Thieve's Guild members bag o' loot.

Other times, it is just timing. Recently, I found three Kitty Prides that way, one for me, my bud, and the Mrs. all in the area. Placed waaay in the back of the pegs, in of all places, the Spiderman section.

Works for Ebay but with word thinking. A very long time ago I mentioned to the guys here that I saw a Terrordrome sold by some woman who just marked it as "toy space base", and was selling it for $8. I couldn't snag it at the time, but one of our old members here did nicely. So if you can think of how a toy might be named by someone who doesn't collect or even indulge in our toys, you just might find gold out there.

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Somebody on this board hid a carded figure for me in the toy vacuum-cleaner display of the toddlers section. I thought that was pretty genius. But if the past 15 years has taught me anything its that the trick to finding one of those "rare" figures is to wait three years for when their no longer sought after and pick them up from another collector for $3.

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My local TRU doesn't have those upper shelves with the plastic covers, the upper shelves are open and usually have stock up there, so i have to resort to either looking up there or look behind peg hooks for stashes and in other areas

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And then not getting kicked out over rummaging through the kids clothing department...sheesh, not like I was actually trying them on.

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Check dollar stores and discount outlets? Seems to be working recently.

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I found out about that hidey spot under the bottom shelf in about 1996 I think. I spotted a Wal-Mart employee doing something under that shelf near the Star Wars toys which is what I was in the store to look for. I waited until he left and then lifted it to check it out myself. Jackpot! Just what I was looking for. I recall a Shadows of the Empire Swoop Bike, a Jedi Luke, and a Speeder Bike with Biker Scout. Maybe a few other figures. I grabbed them up and started walking out. I happened to walk right past the employee who had put them there. I didn't say a think, his eyes did all the talking. It was so funny.

I was in Target the other day looking for some Disney Cars for my son who is obsessed with them. I thought about this thread and decided to try to take a look to see if I could find anything good. I ended up ripping the plastic tag holder right from the shelf which made what felt like a considerable amount of noise. Embarrassed, I set the holder down and walked away. Maybe I am getting too old for this crap.

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