New Collector Needing A Price Check

[Bftiedt]

Hey guys First I would like to introduce myself. My name is Brandon and I'm 23 years old. I have always been fascinated with props from my favorite movies or tv shows but have never actually owned and props. I'm getting ready to make my first purchase but I am not sure if I'm getting a deal or getting the short end of the stick. I'm looking at buying an original back up prop from Back to The Future II. The item is Doc's letter to Marty . It's not a screen used prop, just a made for the movie unaged back up prop but to me it's just as cool. I was wondering if anyone here could tell me what something like this might be worth. The seller is asking $150 for it but the auction starts at $70. I don't want to miss the item but also don't want to over pay for it either. Below is a picture of the actual item for sale. If anyone could give a little advice to a new collector I would forever be in your debt. Thanks guys

 

[Search4]

Apologies - let's assume this is authentic for the moment. I can't authenticate it but perhaps others can. Make sure it real.

All props have backups and duplicates. That's typical. i don't think something like this, which is interesting and displayable, is out of range at $150. IMHO.

 

[Guardian Devil]

If this is the one on eBay - I'd check his feedbacks and have a bit of a think about how likely it is that this is real. Look at how many he has sold of those already. Around 7 or 8 so far if I remember correctly, plus the ones he has for sale right now and the ones in his Completed listings that haven't left feedbacks yet.
Ask yourself this - Even if this is legitimately a production back-up, how many back-ups of this one piece of paper would have been needed at the time? and how many can he possibly have in his possession?
He's providing nothing to verify it's authenticity or to link it to the production.

All the BttF items he seems to have, he list again and again (Biff Dollars, Lou's Cafe Stationary, Clock Tower Flyers, this Delorean Repair sheet.) and are all easily replicated paper props. (and are no doubt right here for you to print off yourself in our very own paper props section)

It's good to remember that generally things used in the production of any of the Back to the Future films command a pretty hefty price tag and if something seems too good to be true. I'm afraid it usually is.

 

[thegreatgalling]

Ya. I have one of those and have thought the same thing. The guy seems to have an endless supply or at least more than 10. In fact, one just sold on screenused for a couple hundred if I remember correctly.

I once asked the seller a few questions including how many he had, but he did not answer that. (Although he did answer a few others and was in fact pleasant). But that question is something I'd def like answered. Is it possible they made 20-50? Who knows. Could it be real? Ya. Could it be fake or copied? Ya. And that's the trouble we collectors have.

 

[Guardian Devil]

The production back-up of this prop sold on Screen Used for $1000 I believe and I doubt it came from a guy selling them on eBay.

If they did make all these back-ups, I can't imagine why they would have been needed, or why they would all end up with one person. I would imagine if they had made an unnecessary amount they would have ended up all over the place over the years.

 

[thegreatgalling]

I dunno GD, to me, its incredibly coincidental- plus the one on Screenused looks identical to mine and even shared an almost identical description. (The eBay descriptions explained some were unaged, some were parchment). Of course I have no clue if they are connected in any way. That's crazy about the $1000. (PS I make no opinions as to genuineness as I have no idea- I'm just talking about whether they're connected.

 

[11051955]

The seller has been around BTTF props since the very early days. He back in the day had lots of the paper props. His collection was quite large and the first ever BTTF prop I bought from him in 1991. Many of his props had been in the screenused collection at one point and many other top collectors. He had a connection back in the day with someone who worked on the movie and got alot of props. Newspapers, Grays Almanac covers, Oh Lala, hoverboards and many other high line items. I have owned several of these repair letters. There are two verisions made for the production. One on a grey paper and the other on a yellow type of paper. You can ask the top bttf prop collectors about the seller and the old school guys all know him. As for why they would make so many, the printing house printed these. When they make it, they ran off a good handful of them as there is no idea really how many would be needed. Plus they did all sorts of different weathering to the various paper props. General rule of thumb with bttf paper props. Paper props from Part 1, pretty rare, not many made up. Part 2 and Part 3...tons. They had a bigger budget and could make more spares.

 

[11051955]

As for the question up above, I would figure there to be at least 25. I have personally owned 4. Two I got from the seller, and two I got from other crew members that worked on the production. I have just one left in my collection.

 

[movieobjects]

isn't there any kind of argus for props ?

 

[Bftiedt]

Thanks for the feed back guys. Could be real and it could be fake im not sure and with no real COA no one ever will. The thing that has made me talk myself out of it is...With no COA and how many he has sold will i really be happy with the item never know if its real or fake? each time i come up with no. so i think i have actually talked myself out of it. the seller actually send me a message this morning via ebay asking if i was still interested in the item..