The Collectorate ID©

Always Get The Item You Ordered

Each item in THE COLLECTORATE’s inventory is assigned a unique hexadecimal number. This number is affixed to each item by means of a small sticker that stays with the item throughout inventory, sales, packing, shipping, and direct to you. These stickers are produced exclusively for THE COLLECTORATE, and have a special adhesive that allows them to be removed.

THE COLLECTORATE ID© allows you, the collector, to be certain you receive the exact item you selected on our website. You get to choose right down to the individual action figure.
Now you can hand pick items just like you were there!
What’s more, that number will never be used again. It belongs to you only!

The Collectorate Shield Rating© System

Know The Condition Of An Item Before You Buy

The Collectorate Shield Rating System© is meant to be the customer’s guide to the quality of a collectable they are considering for purchase. Each item in our inventory is graded for quality of packaging on the same 0.5 to 5.0 Shield Scale using 0.5 increments. The Shield Rating assigned to an item is based upon two indicators...

• Whether the flaws impact the frontal display of the item.
• The severity of the flaws (Near Perfection, Slight, Minor, Small, Medium, Large).

Our Shield Rating System allows for more detail in rating an item’s packaging. Using the C-Scale, most items are sold between C-7 and C-9. That’s just 3 categories. We use 10 possible categories in that same range; allowing us to be much more precise. All of the Shield Ratings concentrate on the condition of a product’s packaging. The collectable item itself is always in mint factory sealed condition unless otherwise noted. The packaging, however, can vary widely in condition. Since most collectors do not remove the collectable piece from its packaging, the condition of that packaging becomes very important

The Collectorate Shield Rating© provides a series of filled, or partially filled, Collectorate Shields, and the corresponding numerical value, for each item on our website. Customers should always take note of the Shield Rating for each item they are considering for purchase. Our staff graders are brutally honest! They are collectors first, and they tell you what they themselves would want to know in making a decision.

5.0 Shield Rating

Description: Near Perfection
Flaws: Very few flaws, if any, and the flaws are so slight they may be missed.
Narrative: While it is probably impossible for an item to be absolutely pristine, this item is as close to perfection as you are likely to find.
Display Value: A Must Have Item!

4.5 Shield Rating

Description: Slight, Non-Frontal Display Flaws
Flaws: At least one slight flaw. Flaws do not significantly impact frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in excellent condition. At least one flaw is slight in nature. Flaws do not significantly diminish the frontal view.
Display Value: Proudly Display!

4.0 Shield Rating

Description: Slight Flaws
Flaws:At least one slight flaw. Flaws may affect frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in excellent condition. At least one flaw is slight in nature. Flaws may affect the frontal view. Many C-9 rated items only make 4.0 Shield Rating.
Display Value: Proudly Display!

3.5 Shield Rating

Description: Minor, Non-Frontal Display Flaws
Flaws: At least one minor flaw. Flaws do not significantly impact frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in very good condition. At least one flaw is minor in nature. Flaws do not significantly diminish the frontal view.
Display Value: A Very Good Display Item!

3.0 Shield Rating

Description: Minor Flaws
Flaws: At least one minor flaw. Flaws may affect frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in very good condition. At least one flaw is minor in nature. Flaws may affect the frontal view.
Display Value: A Very Good Display Item!

2.5 Shield Rating

Description: Small, Non-Frontal Display Flaws
Flaws: At least one small flaw. Flaws do not significantly impact frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in good condition. At least one flaw is small in nature. Flaws do not significantly diminish the frontal view.
Display Value: A Good Display Item!

2.0 Shield Rating

Description: Small Flaws
Flaws: At least one small flaw. Flaws may affect frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in good condition. At least one flaw is minor in nature. Flaws may affect the frontal view.
Display Value: A Good Display Item!

1.5 Shield Rating

Description: Medium, Non-Frontal Display Flaws
Flaws: At least one medium flaw. Flaws do not significantly impact frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in okay condition. At least one flaw is medium in nature. Flaws do not significantly diminish the frontal view.
Display Value: An Acceptable Display Item for Many Collectors!

1.0 Shield Rating

Description: Medium Flaws
Flaws: At least one medium flaw. Flaws may affect frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in okay condition. At least one flaw is medium in nature. Flaws may affect the frontal view.
Display Value: An Acceptable Display Item for Many Collectors!

0.5 Shield Rating

Description: Large Flaws
Flaws: At least one large flaw. Flaws may impact frontal display.
Narrative: This item is in fair condition. At least one flaw is large in nature. Flaws may affect the frontal view.
Display Value: A Borderline Display Item!

Any packaging that falls below a 0.5 Shield Rating would in most instances be opened and sold as a loose item. In the rare event that an item is offered in packaging with less than a 0.5 Shield Rating, this will be noted in the listing.

A flaw can be a dent, crease, scratch, printing blemish, or ding. It can be on the card, bubble, or box and may be located on the front, back, sides, corners, top, or bottom.

THE COLLECTORATE SHIELD PACKING©

Know Your Item Is Protected En Route To You

THE COLLECTORATE SHIELD PACKING© system helps ensure that your item arrives in the same condition as when you selected it on our website. While the shipping carrier does play a part in that process, much of the damage in transit can be avoided with proper packing. THE COLLECTORATE SHIELD PACKING© system is a 4-step process designed to maximize the protection of your items during shipping and transit. These steps may seem simple but our personal experience as collectors has shown us that these steps are not common practice everywhere.

• First, we prefer to ship action figures in a protective plastic case (Opt Out is the default setting, you must choose to add the case on the product or category page listing). If there is a protective case made for a figure and we can obtain it, we prefer to put the action figure inside it before we put it in a shipping box. This is the best way to protect the card during shipping.


• Second, we only use 200 pound test shipping boxes. These boxes have been designed to pass a bursting test of 200 pounds per square inch. Starting with a better box means better protection for your items during transit.


• Third, all of our products are cushioned during shipping with biodegradable cornstarch peanuts. These allow your items to “float” while in transit surrounded by 360 degrees of cushioning. This type of cushioning provides better protection from all directions, and since these peanuts are made from cornstarch, they are static free and will not cling to plastic. If you have ever unpacked action figures packed in regular packing peanuts, you know this is a big deal! Best of all, since these packing peanuts are biodegradable, they will decompose in water leaving no toxic waste. This also means you won’t have to fill an entire garbage bag to dispose of them.


• Finally, all of our boxes are closed with bright white tape imprinted with a red “fragile” warning. It never hurts to remind everyone who picks up your box that your items should be handled with care.

A STANDARD HANDLING FEE is applied to each order of $2.00 per order & $0.50 per item.
This covers the cost of the box, packing materials, and the actual labor to pack your items using
THE COLLECTORATE SHIELD PACKING© system.
The handling fee is automatically added to your shipping cost in the shopping cart.

Once you receive your first order from us, you will understand why our shipping system is special.

PROTECTIVE CASES AVAILABLE

If You Choose To Include It

All action figures are stored in a Protective Plastic Case!

And shipped to you while protected by it “if you choose to include” the case.

It really is that simple!

If there is a protective case made that fits, and we can obtain the case, we will store the figure in it
and make it available to you.

Why???

• First, we believe that the most effective way to protect the card and bubble from damage is to store the figure and its packaging in a protective plastic case.


• Second, the single most likely time for the figure packaging to be damaged is during shipping. Therefore, if you select to include the case, we ship the action figure inside the protective plastic case. The case then goes into one of our 200 pound test shipping boxes surrounded by biodegradable cornstarch peanuts.

But that's not all!

We actually CLEAN the plastic bubble of Action Figures
before they go into the protective plastic case!

That's right, we really do clean each and every Action Figure bubble prior to placing the figure into its protective plastic case. You would be surprised how much dust and grime comes off the plastic bubble of a figure even fresh out of a sealed case.

Safety Warning: A cleaning agent may have been used on some product packaging.
Person's with potential allergies and/or respiratory conditions associated
with chemicals or scents should contact THE COLLECTORATE so that
preventative measures can be explored before shipping.

THE COLLECTORATE PHILOSOPHY

From A Collector's Perspective

We are collectors, first and foremost!
We want other collectors to be able to obtain what they need for their collections
and have access to good quality collectibles.

To that end, here are our core beliefs...

• Treat every item like it was in Your Collection.
• Offer high quality collectibles at a Fair and Realistic price.
• Provide Reliable and Accurate Information on the quality of an item’s packaging.
• As product packaging Quality Goes Down; Price Goes Down.
• Allow collectors to Identify and Select the Exact Item they want.
• Protect each item and Ship It Safely and Securely.
• Encourage Collector Input and make use of their experience.

In The Long Term...
You Can Build A Higher Quality Collection For Less Money With Us!

THE “OPT OUT” PROGRAM

It’s Your Collection, You Are In Control!

Everybody’s Different!
And That’s A Good Thing!

Many collectors prefer to keep their collectibles in the original packaging.
Being able to obtain an action figure that is stored in and shipped in a protective plastic case is helpful in building their collection.

However, we know that some collectors open their collectibles
and therefore do not want or need a protective case.

Why not have it both ways?

By default protective cases will not be included with your order. This "opt out" is the standard setting.
However, each listing indicates whether a protective plastic case is available for the collectible and its cost.

To include the case you can click ON the small box next to the case and a green check mark will appear in the box. When you click on the green check mark the case is included with your order and the cost of the protective case is automatically added to your total.

Now you can get ALL of your action figures in protective cases,
or SOME of them with and some without,
or even NONE of them with protective cases.

It’s Your Collection, You Are In Control!