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MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (02 May 2021)

Read More MN Toy Posse For the first time since the pandemic, the October’s Minnesota Toy Posse show, dubbed MN Toy Posse Halloween Bash IV, took place at a different location… the VFW in Bloomington ...

With the threat of rain, we decided to arrive early to the Minnesota Toy Posse at Eagles 34 in Minneapolis, on Sunday, May 2nd. Like previous toy shows, everyone was required to wear a mask and signing in for COVID-19 tracking and alerts.

Surprisingly, the show was packed… the best turnout I’ve seen since the pandemic. The Facebook group has grown a lot, and even someone working at Gamestop suggested I join the group and was promoting the Sunday show. It sounds like toy hunters are spreading the word, and I’m happy to see that toy collecting is alive and well in Minnesota… Unfortunately, that just means that it’s harder and harder for me to find products on shelves.

The show organizers (Dave Wheeler, Mark Seekamp) mentioned that this May 2nd show was the first show since their October 2020, so that may also explain the large turnout.

Our group spent a lot of money on old vintage toys, I personally splash out $90 for one Gundam Tallgeese III action figure. While that price might sound ridiculous, it was originally sold for $75 at Toys ‘R Us. The seller had it in the original box (which I destroyed opening up so I can put him on display). I’ve no regret opening it up, as it will pair well with my other favorite Wing Gundam figure.

With people now feeling comfortable going out to public gatherings, because of the vaccines… this is a good sign that live music and concerts may be returning to the area, as soon as Summer. Already we’re starting to see show schedules appearing for October and November. I think it’ll be fine, and I can’t wait to go to the next MN Toy Posse show in June.

MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (02 May 2021)

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MN Toy Posse Halloween Bash IV at Everett McClay VFW Post 1296, Bloomington (25 Oct 2020)

Read More MN Toy Posse The November Minnesota Toy Posse show (named Swapsaturday) just took place at the Everett McClay VFW Post 1296 in Bloomington, Minnesota. These local shows are organized and hosted by organized ...

For the first time since the pandemic, the October’s Minnesota Toy Posse show, dubbed MN Toy Posse Halloween Bash IV, took place at a different location… the VFW in Bloomington, Minnesota (which we hadn’t been to since November 2019).

This October show may be the last one until April 2021, since I’m not really interested in traveling in the winter. In fact, driving to Bloomington was a nervous effort, because the light snow was making the roads wet & slippery (saw a few car crashes).

Many of the tables at this show featured Star Wars, showing how popular the brand really is with collectors. Unfortunately, I don’t collect Star Wars, so it was a miss for me. There were also plenty of modern Transformers… which is also unfortunate, since I hate the new stuff. Plenty of Marvel Legends, but, again, I’m not looking for anything in this line in particular.

What I was looking for were G.I. Joe: Classified and maybe the new G.I. Joe Retro Collection, but they’re rarely seen in stores, let alone at a toy show. I guess I didn’t have high hopes that I would find any Cobra Island, but I was hoping to see at least one or two … even if it’s marked at a really high price. So, yeah, no Red Ninjas, no Beachhead, no Cobra Troopers...

There was a guy selling a Deluxe Snake Eyes figure, but he wanted $100 for it. The figure, long sold out, was originally sold for $40, so I couldn’t justify paying a Benjamin for it.

I usually spend hundreds of dollars at these shows, but this Sunday show I couldn’t find anything that I wanted, or that the toys that I really wanted were just priced too high.

MN Toy Posse Halloween Bash IV at Everett McClay VFW Post 1296, Bloomington (25 Oct 2020)

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MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (30 Aug 2020)

Read More MN Toy Posse The November Minnesota Toy Posse show (named Swapsaturday) just took place at the Everett McClay VFW Post 1296 in Bloomington, Minnesota. These local shows are organized and hosted by organized ...

The monthly Minnesota Toy Posse show was today (August 30). For the third time in a roll, the show took place in the parking lot at Eagles 34, in Minneapolis. I think by now, people are used to these parking lot shows now. You’re still required to wear a mask, and they’re still collecting names and emails in case of an outbreak.

Based on these three shows, I feel that turnout for this show was much better than the first two shows. We arrived mid-day and bought some food at Eagles 34. They had a full diner inside, and outside they were grilling brats and hamburgers. The special was $6 and included brat, chips, and a drink.

Like I said, turn out was really good, as far as I’m concern. I saw plenty of family with kids walking around buying toys and having a good time.

Dealers seemed the same from previous shows, but I know they rotate dealers in and out, so there’s always something new and different for toy collectors. You’ll find the usual Marvel Legends and Funko Pop, sometime loose, sometime with card.

For fans of Marvel Legends that only wants the figure and their accessories (missing the Build a Figure part), you can find them for $10 or $15 a piece. Personally speaking, I’m not sure if it’s worth it, as the BAF figures are usually what people seek.

The toys I’m mostly hunting are usually the first few generations of Transformers (none of the new stuff), He-Man (Original 5.5 or Classic series), some DC Comics figures, and lately, I’m really into the new 6” G.I. Joe: Classified series. The latter is still very new, so I have found most of them in stores - but I was happy to see some figures at the show. Someone already bought the Baroness with Motorcycle that I wanted, but I’m sure I’ll be able to track this Target Exclusive figure.

Anyway, looking forward to the next show. If you live in the Minneapolis area, check out these MN Toy Posse shows. They are free and you can usually find something interesting for your collection.

MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (30 Aug 2020)

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MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (02 Aug 2020)

Read More Minnesota Toy Posse The November Minnesota Toy Posse show (named Swapsaturday) just took place at the Everett McClay VFW Post 1296 in Bloomington, Minnesota. These local shows are organized and hosted by organized ...

The Minnesota Toy Posse August event, their second post-COVID show, just took place on Sunday (August 2nd). Once again, the show took place within the parking lot of Eagles 34, in Minneapolis, and, again, spaces between dealers were really generous. It’s the new normal, but show organizers (Dave Wheeler and Mark Seekamp), required everyone to wear masks and they had to sign in, for COVID-tracing. Also, I am assuming they had a cap of how many people can fill the parking lot.

While last month’s show (July 12) show advertised as “50 Tables”, that was not the case (I’m sure they intended for a much bigger show), but since they had to space out the dealers… the real number of tables is closer to 36, as mentioned in this month’s flyer.

Since this was the second outdoor show, dealers learned a lot from the first show and many of them upgraded to tent canopy to keep them cool in the shades. Unfortunately, since it was an incredibly windy day, some dealers actually took down the canopies when the canvas was being blown down.

I can confirm that attendance seems to be down pre-COVID, probably over 60% to 70%, based on attending last month’s show and arriving early (11am) for this August show. Please note that is just based on my observation and not based on any actual facts.

While I did overspend ($100), they were mostly on cheap or fairly priced figures. One thing that I’ve noticed is that the markup on some exclusive figures weren’t overpriced. For example, the exclusive Walmart’s Master of the Universe “New for 20” figures were sold for $20, which is a $5 markup. But if it will save you a trip to an overcrowded Walmart store, it’s well worth it.

I actually like the outdoor toy shows, and will likely attend again, especially since the location is much closer to last year’s Bloomington area. If you like deals and loves toys, check out these MN Toy Posse shows.

MN Toy Posse at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (02 Aug 2020)

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MN Toy Posse's Summer Swap at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (12 Jul 2020)

Read More Minnesota Toy Posse The November Minnesota Toy Posse show (named Swapsaturday) just took place at the Everett McClay VFW Post 1296 in Bloomington, Minnesota. These local shows are organized and hosted by organized ...

The Minnesota Toy Posse show is back, its first post-COVID-19 show this month. This “Summer Swap” show took place in the parking lot of Eagles 34, in Minneapolis… which is much closer than their previous shows in Bloomington.

With COVID-19 in mind, masks were required to enter the show, and spaces between dealers (and lanes for shoppers) were generous! Also, the show organizers (Dave Wheeler and Mark Seekamp), required everyone to sign in, to keep track of foot traffic, and also probably COVID-tracing/tracking.

I was told by a dealer that during early in the day, there were a lot of people, but after noon, it started to die down. However, it still wasn’t as crowded as before the pandemic, considering that some buyers are probably more cautious and staying at home to avoid catching the virus.

If you live in the area, it’s worth checking out the show, especially if you’re a toy collector. You can usually find the popular stuff, like Transformers, Marvel Legends, or Funko Pop … but sometime you’ll find something interesting and unique. I spent about $60 on toys I never knew I needed, and my brother spent a lot on comic books. It was a good haul, and if the next show takes place in Minneapolis, we’ll probably attend again.

Summer Swap at Eagles 34, Minneapolis (12 Jul 2020)

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Swapsaturday at Everett McClay VFW Post 1296, Bloomington (23 Nov 2019)

Swapsaturday (23 Nov 2019) Read More Minnesota Toy Posse If you’re looking for a small toy convention or meet/trade toy collectors, check out the Minnesota Toy Posse shows (organized by Dave Wheeler and Mark Seekamp). We attended the MN Toy Posse Summerville Swap at Event Horizon in Minneapolis earlier today (Sunday ...

The November Minnesota Toy Posse show (named Swapsaturday) just took place at the Everett McClay VFW Post 1296 in Bloomington, Minnesota. These local shows are organized and hosted by organized and hosted by Dave Wheeler and Mark Seekamp, primarily via Facebook.

I haven’t attended their show for a while, and decided to drop in on Saturday. The local show keeps getting bigger and bigger (this month had over 100 tables), and it’s evident by the constantly full parking lot (we had to park at the nearby Cub Foods and walked over). That’s just one minor complaint about this show… they really need to book a bigger place or find a place with a larger parking area to accommodate for all their fans.

As usual, it’s free entry, and their dealers had a variety of toys, comics, and nerd-related items. Some prices were really cheap, while some were really high, which is normal for various dealers with different collections.

Transformers and Marvel’s Legends were the two commonly seen toys, but I was happy to see someone who sold exclusively Street Fighter toys.

Personally speaking, I was only really looking for Gundams (figures, not model kits) and didn’t really see anyone selling them. Saw a Mazinger Z statue, but they wanted over $180, which is a little out of my price range.

Overall, we it was still a good toy hunt for us. Found a few things we didn’t know we need, but couldn’t turn it down because the prices were really good.

This might be a last show for me for a while, as driving to Bloomington is a bit of a hike for us. Maybe we’ll attend again in the Summer or make it an annual thing.

Swapsaturday at Everett McClay VFW Post 1296, Bloomington (23 Nov 2019)

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MN Toy Posse Presents: Execute Order 66 Swap! at Knights of Columbus, Bloomington (26 Aug 2018)

MN Toy Posse Presents: Execute Order 66 Swap! Read More Minnesota Toy Posse If you’re looking for a small toy convention or meet/trade toy collectors, check out the Minnesota Toy Posse shows (organized by Dave Wheeler and Mark Seekamp). We attended the MN Toy Posse Summerville Swap at Event Horizon in Minneapolis earlier today (Sunday ...

The monthly Minnesota Toy Posse show (dubbed “MN Toy Posse Presents: Execute Order 66 Swap!”) just took place over at the Knights of Columbus in Bloomington on Sunday, August 26th. This is the local toy show organized and hosted by Dave Wheeler and Mark Seekamp, primarily via Facebook. I don’t believe they have a regular (public) website or other means of communication (they don’t list their email addresses), so basically if you’re not on FB or Instagram, you’re out of luck.

The August show had a larger room, which meant more dealers (66 tables vs 40 tables last month). Tables were setup on all the walls with two sets of tables in a row in the middle. Turnout was incredibly good, once again, thanks to the free entry and word-of-mouth advertisements among its growing Facebook members (a private group). The tiny parking lot at Knights of Columbus was full most of the time, so you had to park nearby at HOM Furniture’s lot.

As for the dealers, as usual, some had “thrift store” vibe (some didn’t bother putting prices on their toys!), while some were seasoned pros.

Popular toys at the show were Marvel: Legends toyline (Build-A-Figure), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars (of course), Masters of the Universe, and Transformers. Between all the toys, plus some comic books, movies/Blurays, they had anything you could really want.

If you’re looking for cheap figures, there were plenty of loose figures in bins or in “baggies”. Loose figures often don’t include accessories, but on the other hand, they were fairly price at $5 (or lower).

Tips for dealers: Please clearly mark prices on your toys (preferably in large font size). Organize your toys (DC in one bin, Marvel in another, Transformers in another, etc.) Be available to sell your toys (it’s not uncommon for these dealers to just leave their tables unattended or bring in more stuff from their car).

Tips for buyers: Bring cash, not every dealer will accept card payments. There is an ATM in the room, but there is a processing fee if you’re out of banking network. Dealers will often give discounts if you buy multiple items or large dollar amount, so it wouldn’t hurt to ask for $5 or $10 off (although, personally speaking, I don’t really like to haggle).

If you were thinking about selling at the MN Toy Posse September’s show, it’s probably best to reserve your table today. Even at a higher dealer table price ($30 per table or $50 for two tables - more expensive than last month’s $20 table), they still manage to sell out pretty quickly.

Anyway, it looks like another successful Minnesota Toy Posse show. They haven’t announced a location or date for the September show, but a good guess would probably be on Sunday, September 30th.

MN Toy Posse Presents: Execute Order 66 Swap! at Knights of Columbus, Bloomington (26 Aug 2018)

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MN Toy Posse Summerville Swap at Event Horizon, Minneapolis (29 Jul 2018)

MN Toy Posse Summerville Swap Flyer Read More Minnesota Fan Fusion Minnesota Fan Fusion (previously known as Minnesota Fan Fest) is coming up on August 3-5, 2018. The event is, once again, held at the Rivercentre in downtown St. Paul. Everything is an upgrade ...

If you’re looking for a small toy convention or meet/trade toy collectors, check out the Minnesota Toy Posse shows (organized by Dave Wheeler and Mark Seekamp). We attended the MN Toy Posse Summerville Swap at Event Horizon in Minneapolis earlier today (Sunday, July 29), and it was a well-attended show, thanks to its free entry and local fanbase. As I’ve previously mentioned, I feel like these type of dealer shows should be free, like going to a yard sale or estate sale (unlike some other local shows like Blizzard World Minneapolis which charges an admission for entry).

Off hand, I heard it was cheap ($20) to get a table at the show. There were about 40 tables at the show, most of them in the main room, while about six sellers (I say sellers since it seems like some people had multiple tables to themselves) were in the two smaller adjacent rooms. Since it was cheap to get a table, they did pass on the savings on to the buyers. Prices were all really reasonable. For example, the harder to find Thanos (Walmart Exclusive) were sold between $25 or $30, which is only slightly above retail.

While some sellers were seasoned pros, most were just ordinary collectors who had excess/extra items they wanted to get rid of. A few times I had to hunt down the dealers (they were usually shopping at other tables) to give them money. Everyone was really nice and friendly.

The next big show I am attending will be MN Fan Fusion, taking place August 3-5, 2018. This is not a free show, it is about $20-$30, but what you get are some out of town guests and a much larger space (plus panels and other activities). If you’re looking for toys, based on my attendance last year, I can tell you that some dealers will have action figures there.

Note: Dave Wheeler, co-founder of Mind Wave Comics, will be a guest at MN Fan Fusion (as previously mentioned here).

MN Toy Posse Summerville Swap at Event Horizon, Minneapolis (29 Jul 2018)

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