20 07 888s

[Peyton]

thats a good look

and JonRob has spoken...

[Ben]

I'm bumping this for two reasons:

1) Because this picture is AWESOME and because it was linked to by most every yoyo blog in the world, including the YYF blog, it now has over 50,000 views as reported at the bottom of the screen when I view it diirectly from my Picasa Web Album.  Most yoyo pics I have put on YYN that I host in Picasa Web have 500 - 1000 views.  Because this picture got picked up by the yoyo blogs world wide... well, I'm pretty proud that a picture I took has been seen (or at least loaded) that many times.  If I would have known I would have taken care to have better lighting, a better setup, maybe even a better camera.

2) It's been over a year since I've taken this picture and in that time I've added another 4 07 888s to the collection.  I will be ending 2010 with a "24 07 888s" picture/post.  You have been warned.

- Ben

[yotoy]

Looking forward to the updated photo.

[Ben]

Looking forward to the updated photo.

Plan on spending Christmas / New Year's holidays off work taking nothing but photos of my entire collection and dropping the bomb on the Nation.  Have not taken entire collection photos or updated the Nation on what I've been doing in almost a year and a half.  2010 was officially the year I was too busy buying and throwing to bother with taking pictures and documenting.

New motto: Less posting.  More throwing.

- Ben

[CaliBuddha]

Awesome Ben! I love looking at your collection

[BB]

DANG ARE YOU A MILLIONAREZ??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[Ben]

DANG ARE YOU A MILLIONAREZ??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

No.  I just act like one.

Awesome Ben! I love looking at your collection

Thanks Cali.  It's always nice getting some positive feedback from you. In fact I just feel like I have to gush...

I have to admit when I got back into throwing in 2008 after leaving the hobby in 2003 that I never anticipated the social aspect of what was about to happen.  Having thrown without participating in an Internet community from 1983 to 2003 I very seldom ran into anyone else that was really into it.  Sure, I talked a few of my friends into buying Duncans in junior high and throwing during lunch, but during college I was definitely the only kid walking around with a wooden Tom Kuhn bungee corded to my belt.  I had to go out of my way to attend once a year regional competitions to ever find people similar to myself.

And sure the Internet was up and running strong from 1995 - 2003 while I was still throwing, but I used it only to purchase yoyos from the very earliest of on line yoyo stores.  It never occurred to me to look for a yoyo forum... an active on line social community of throwers.

So when I got back into throwing in 2008, having found out I exited the hobby (now arguably "sport") right before the unresponsive revolution occurred, well, I thought "Here I go again.  I'm going to be that guy.  The only person I know who throws."  And I was completely OK with that.

Then I found the YYN forum and everything changed.  Suddenly it wasn't just me.  There were thousands just like me, all right here.  3 years later and my social circle is dominated by throwers: young, old, local, east coast, west coast, Canada, everywhere.  Finding MOYO to attend most every Saturday turned what was just an on line social circle into a face to face one.

I have met some of who I now consider my best friends because of forums like YYN.  I have a dozen forum member's phone numbers in my cell phone.  I have dozens of forum member's personal email addresses in my address book.  I have purchased a yoyo from nearly every forum member who actively wheels and deals in BST.  And even if I haven't really talked with them, for the really active forum members (and you all know who you are) I feel like I know each of you because I've watched you now for 3 years.

Maybe it's the upcoming holidays?  Maybe it's the fact that I came home today, like most days, to find a new yoyo in my mailbox?  Maybe it's because last night I had gotten so chatty via PM with a forum member that we decided to take it to the phone and we ended up talking yoyos for 3 hours like we had been best friends forever?  Maybe it's because I just closed on the largest, most impressive, most expensive single deal I've ever made and I simply can't wait to go public with what this deal has done to my collection? And yotoy, you were the previous record holder of my largest, most expensive single deal... you know the amount of money I'm talking about... double that...

Anyway, whatever it is, I'm in a great mood.  Hope it stays like this for a while.

- Ben

[Ben]

Sneak peek (horrible iPhone pic)... this is just what has arrived since Thanksgiving.  Black Friday sales were the bomb this year.



Green MVP, BTNC Supernova #3 of 30, half yellow / half blue production 54, limited pre-release 2010 Batman Noctu 1/12

Green wash 44, blue BEEF, purple splash Supra

Purple Sakura, violet 888x, blue Regulus, bright orange 2010 Candodized Liopleurodon

- Ben

PS LEGO Side Effects are AWESOME http://picasaweb.google.com/benjustinbaker/LEGOSideEffects54#

[Heath]

i know a guy that has your 888s beat, and you know him too 

he should be coming check out the Battosais tomorrow

[Brett 'The Brett' Hitchell]

First of all, Amazing collection! 

Second, Is the Aussie Gold 888 an 07, Or am I mistaken?

[Ben]

i know a guy that has your 888s beat, and you know him too 

he should be coming check out the Battosais tomorrow

I know you do Heath.  DMZ and I have talked extensively about 888s.  We even made a trade.  I had 2 of the 7 SnowQuakes / SnowCrushes.  DMZ could not find any of the other 5 (actually 4 since one is in the museum at Bird In Hand).  For the life of me I could not find an 07 Chris Fraser, which should not have been too difficult seeing as they were sold at Worlds (and you brought one back for DMZ).  As luck would have it, DMZ wanted the ONLY 888 I had a duplicate of, and he managed to get 2 Chris Frasers, so a deal was eventually worked out.  We are both very happy.

Now a month or two since that deal, a certain Japanese store has Chris Fraser 888s for sale... has for about 2 weeks now.  Still has them in stock.  If I only knew I would have held on to the SnowQuake.  Actually no, I wouldn't.  I was more than pleased to help the person with the largest 888 collection I know add a piece to his collection.  And yes, that's a formal acknowledgement that DMZ has my 888 collection beat.  I think I still have him beat when it comes just to 07 888s, but when it comes down to all 888s and shear numbers, DMZ not only outnumbers me, but has a few key 888s that are one of a kind or impossible to find, such as the one and only black hard coat Cherry 07 888.

There are many yoyos I collect such as Peaks and 888s not for bragging rights, but because I feel some of them are little pieces of history and I don't want them to be lost over time.  Knowing that what few rare 888s I don't have are safely in DMZ's hands gives me peace of mind and it's as good as if I owned them.  DMZ told me I inspired him to start his 888 collection and I'm proud that the student has surpassed the teacher (was going to say "master", but I am no master).  Now I don't feel like I HAVE to purchase every rare 888 that becomes available.  I know DMZ is out there doing the job for me.

Is the Aussie Gold 888 an 07, Or am I mistaken?

Yes, it is an 07.  I believe all Aussie Golds were 888w (highwall) editions.

I'm kinda always on the lookout for any mint 07 888 which I do not yet own, that DMZ isn't interested in   Sometimes I see some I don't have but the owners want too much.  At this point in time I'm going to be hard pressed to go above $120 for any 07 888 in the list below because they pretty much all come from large runs or are "regular" editions.  I have all the rarer, big $$$ 07s already. 

My full "don't have" list:

purple pre-pro
SPINGEAR
red Cherry
black Cherry
the one small bearing black Cherry (DMZ owns it)
all blue small bearing Team Edition 888w (has splotchy blue finish.  Instead of being stamped B-grade they went to YYF team members)
silver/gray small bearing
silver/gray small bearing 888w
gold AYYA
red AYYA
matte gold AYYA
the 1 black AYYA
pink Allyoyo 888w
Aussie Gold 888w
Mud
standard "Premium Collection" red
standard "Premium Collection" baby blue
Russian white wall red
Russian gold
Russian purple
Yuuki's personal one-of-a-kind green (never happening)

I'm also always looking for completely mint, complete with box and all original goodies Project Red Alert yoyos: http://sites.google.com/site/benjaminmcphee/home4
Grind Machine
Grind Monster
Grind Mutant
Grind Master
Grind Mutant 2

- Ben

[Brett 'The Brett' Hitchell]

You are correct in that they are all 888w's  (I honestly didn't know there was an actual name for it until now). My brother owns one that is beat to all get out and the rims are sattined, But it is still just an amazing player, one of the best 888's I've ever played. It also doesn't hurt that he bought it off one of our friends at MOYO states this year for 20 bucks    None of us knew what it was at the time of the transaction 

What would you say the average price A mint one would go for these days is?

[Ben]

What would you say the average price A mint one would go for these days is?

Aussie Gold 07 888w had a pretty good sized run made (by 07 888 standards). I consider it a "common" 07. They used to be very commonplace on BST, there was a time when there was always at least 1 up for sale. I've seen them change hands for as little as $80. Since it's been a few years mint is probably getting more rare. I would pay $120 for a mint Aussie complete with box, etc. Not saying that's exactly what it's worth, but it's only worth what someone is willing to pay, and the 07 888 collector's market it shrinking rapidly. Besides myself and DMZ there aren't that many other people out there looking to buy up 3 nearly 4 year old 888s.

- Ben

[moefv]

How does that Sakura play I ordered one for me for Christmas.

[Heath]

didnt mean it in a mean way. 

[Ben]

didnt mean it in a mean way. 

I know, Heath. We are all good. I replied to your post trying to let people know that I knew you meant no offense. I didn't take it that way because we run in the same circles and I knew what you were getting at, but I did make that reply because to the people not privy to our off the boards conversations it sounded a little rude and I had a couple of PMs come in asking, "what's up with Heath bagging on you?" I thought it best to just clear it up.

Again, me + Heath = all good

Sorry to hear DMZ couldn't make it out to your place last night. Everyone I know is dealing with being sick. Damn flu season.

- Ben