Where there's a Weewoo, there's a way Circulation: 179,094,997 Issue: 438 | 9th day of Eating, Y12
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What's My Neocash Item Worth?


by candycaddy

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Please note this guide is meant to help and is not an absolute authority.

Figuring Out the Value

LOOK AT ALL FACTORS BEFORE DECIDING WHAT AN ITEM IS WORTH.

There are several factors to consider in determining the value of an item:

1) Date the item retired: //www.neopets.com/~Vokol - List of Retired NC Mall items

2007 Retireds: So rare that you wish your non-existent evil twin secretly logged onto your account, spent your money on a useless item, and furtively tucked it away in your Safety Deposit Box where you are just now finding it. Everything on your wishlist can be obtained!

2008 to Early Spring 2009 Retireds: There goes your Christmas, Birthday, Bat Mitzvah, Chinese New Year, bonus, etc.

2009 Retireds to Present: Neopets community realizes that Neocash retired items are worth some serious $$$ and even your mom starts stockpiling on items for future retrading values. These items might cost you a weekend movie, but oh, the customization pleasures!

Retired less than 1 Month Ago: Double the value of what you bought it for, at most. Don't be greedy, you hoarders!

2) Relative rarity (some items may span several categories):

This is kinda in descending order of rarity...

Available in the mall for only a short amount of time: What do you mean the Shenkuu River Rush Talisman gives extra neopoints?

That's an UNFAIR ADVANTAGE, pull it from the mall!

2007 and 2008 Items: Trading wasn't allowed so no one bought that I Splat Sloth Thought Bubble, yo. Also, I have no impulse control and opened up that NC Mall 1st Goodie Bag.

Secret bonuses: I can't believe I traded for the Kass Collectors Armour from the Heroes and Villains Collection instead of buying it, so gimme my Balthazars Bag of Faeries!

Costly bonuses: $200 chasing capsule LEs for this Hot Air Balloon Background?!? Or this Shimmering Ring of Generosity from the Gift of Neocash Promotion?!? Refund, plz, lolxlol.

Limited Edition Items with two or more bonuses: Stupid daisy with a veespa when you wanted Blooming! Check here: //www.neopets.com/~BackTwoBasics Capsules Guide

Limited Edition Items: I opened 490395833 caps and didn't even get the LE bonus!

Superpack exclusive items: why are there so many shoes in this category...

One per account items: Games earn neopoints, k, so don't you play on your side with that Game ticket

Almost one per account items: I'm looking at you, Stocking Stufftacular.

3) Popularity (I like to call this the rawr factor):

Does it glow?

Does it sparkle?

Is it pink and girly?

Or SUPERDUPER cool and can DESTROY THINGS?

Perhaps it's just the right amount of creepy!

Or would be great for the upcoming seasonal customization?

Can I use it over and over again in different themes - versatility?

My brother wants it so I want it too, amirite?

4) Rereleases and Rate of Rerelease:

NC Mall 2nd Birthday Mystery Capsule had a chance to give out retired Limited Edition Capsule items, but there were so many retired items being rereleased that the chance of obtaining one was small. Therefore, those items are still rare-ish.

Current retired rereleases go for 3 caps minimum, more if the item is desired (hello Gingerbread Wings and Hovering Chair Background). They go for approximately 4-5 caps minimum after the capsule retires and no longer rereleases (did you really want that Red Heart Vest and Shirt just because it's a retired item?) - Note: minimum caps value are my opinion.

5) Supersale and Collectible Item?

Supposedly, items placed on supersale and labeled "Collectible" are not coming back into the mall. We'll see.

Fair Trade?

There are two basic methods of valuing a Limited Edition and/or a Retired item:

  • In buyable 250 NC Capsules (ex. it's worth 3 caps = 750NC); OR
  • In a trading scenario, if the trade is fair (ex. item A is not worth item B)

Capsules are a quick and easy way of valuing smaller items. It's not that difficult to swiftly tally up items (Item A is worth 3 caps, Item B is 5, Item C is 5, so I'd like items worth approximately 13 caps give or take a cap in return.) It gets progressively more difficult to value rarer and older items - I mean really, can you say that a 2007 Capsule is "worth" 140 caps? In addition, capsules should only be used as a baseline of value - to guess if the other person would even consider trading with you or if the other person is trying to take advantage of you. Of course, you should always trade for what you want.

The better method is to have a list of wanted item(s) in exchange for your item(s) and make a fair trade board.

REMEMBER! Fair Trade Boards are merely opinions of worth and these opinions can range wildly. If you truly have no clue of an item's value, then make one of these boards and solicit opinions. People LOVE to give advice!

Three Rules of Thumb to Fall Back On:

If the trade just doesn't feel right to you, don't trade. Perhaps you value the item more than what other people value it or perhaps that person really is trying to cheat you, who knows?

Trade for what you want, not what other people tell you to trade for.

If you make a board offering Item A for Item B and suddenly five people post on the board clamoring to make the trade, you might want to make a fair trade board asking others of their opinions. - BUT if you truly like the trade, then go for it.

Rough Value of Some Popular Items, in Descending Order (may change with preferences over time):

My humble opinion, feel free to disagree

  • Shenkuu River Rush Talisman; 2007 Capsules
  • NC Mall 1st Goodie Bag
  • 2008 Capsules
  • Spyder Web Staff; Neoquest Wizard Wand
  • Attack of the Revenge Background
  • MME1-B1 Sputtering Grey Mini-Monster; Appetising Caramel Apple
  • MME2-B1 Gold and Maractite Fish Shield; Balthazars Bag of Faeries
  • Hot Air Balloon Background
  • Gingerbread Wings; some 2008 Supersale Backgrounds such as Sewing Room Background and Phantom of the Background; MME3-B1 Magma Pool Background; MME4-B1 Sparkling Snow Background; 2009 pre-Spring Capsules, Paper Lantern Staff; 2008 Capsule LEs; Gulp... Underwater Reef Background
  • Shimmering Ring of Generosity; Eliv Thade Make-Up Kit; some 2008 Supersale Trinkets such as Weewoo Bath
  • Blooming Garden
  • Radiant Sun Rise Background
  • Mr. Chuckles Make-Up Kit; Nutcracker Face Paint; Skeletal Face Paint
 
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