Questions for Discussion with Joe Bodnarchuk... GIJOE® Enthusiast Since 1964™

1964 GIJOE® HISTORICALLY CORRECT FIGURES & ARTWORK.

In regards to answer #1, is there a criteria that you follow in choosing what category or line of GIJOE® that you collect?

I ONLY COLLECT MINT EXAMPLES THAT HAVE HISTORICAL VALUE OR CONTENT.

What do you do with them once you get them: Do you play with them? Do you display them? Do you store them away, etc? Indicate if you buy multiples, cases, etc.

I USUALLY SPEND UPWARDS OF $200 TO HAVE EACH FRAMED PROPERLY.

Do you collect for fun or to make money? In otherwords, are you a recreational collector, a dealer or both?

IT IS ALWAYS NICE TO PAY FOR YOUR HOBBY. HOWEVER, THAT IS QUITE DIFFICULT THESE DAYS!

How long have you been collecting GIJOE®?

I HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY COLLECTING GIJOE® SINCE 1978. HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN A "GIJOE® ENTHUSIAST SINCE 1964™ "

Have you ever had to resort to buying a GIJOE® from someone at a price over and above retail?

YES, I HAVE ON OCCASION PAID AS HIGH AS 100% OVER BOOK PRICE TO PURCHASE ITEMS THAT WERE UNIQUE IN QUALITY. I RATHER PAY MORE FOR QUALITY THAN GET SOMETHING OF POOR QUALITY FOR FREE. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I HAVE OWNED EVERYTHING THAT WAS WORTH OWNING, THUS ENABLING ME TO REFINE MY DESIRES.

If you buy GIJOE® from a dealer, especially ones that are out of production or scarce, do you prefer to buy them loose, boxed or carded?

I PREFER MINT IN A MINT PACKAGE. I WILL PURCHASE MINT IN A POOR PACKAGE AND REMOVE THE ITEM, DISCARD THE PACKAGE AND FRAME THE MINT ITEM.

Do you buy market reports and collector related magazines?

NO, I CAN´T SAY THAT I DO. THERE ARE MANY PUBLICATIONS THAT ARE BEFITTING TO THEIR MARKETS. I TEND TO CREATE MARKET PRICES RATHER THAN HEED TO OTHERS. I HAVE PUBLISHED GIJOES... HEADQURTERS QUARTERLY™ MAGAZINE FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS. IT IS NOW ON THE INTERNET AT http://www.headquartersquarterly.com

If a magical genie came along and granted you any GIJOE® you wanted, whether you already had it or not, what would it be and for what reason?

I OWN A PROTOTYPE GIJOE® ACTION SAILOR FIGURE AND THE ORIGINAL ACTION SAILOR ARTWORK. BOTH ARE MUSEUM QUALITY PIECES AND HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL VALUE. YOUR READERS MAY BE DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT I CAN´T WISH FOR ANYTHING BETTER!

Presently, what is your all time favorite GIJOE® and why?

THE VERY FIRST FIGURE THAT I RECEIVED WAS A GIJOE® ACTION SAILOR, WHICH I STILL HAVE! OWNING THE PROTOTYPE AND THE ARTWORK HAS ALSO GIVEN ME MUCH PLEASURE.

About how much money do you spend on your GIJOE® collection a year?

I SPEND LESS THAN $2,000.00 A YEAR, ON MYSELF, MOSTLY DUE TO THE LACK OF QUALITY AVAILABLE.

How often do you hunt for GIJOE®?

I HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY FORTUNATE. I DON'T HAVE TO HUNT ANYMORE. ADS THAT I PLACED BACK IN 1980 ARE STILL BRINGING ME RESULTS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ON JULY 04 OF THIS YEAR A WOMEN CAME OVER TO MY HOUSE WITH SOME GIJOE® ITEMS THAT SHE HAD FROM HER SON. SHE HAD MET ME AT A DOLL SHOW BACK IN 1978 AND I APPARENTLY GAVE HER MY BUSINESS CARD. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT SHE STILL HAD IT. I ONLY HAVE 2 OF THESE CARDS LEFT MYSELF! I HAVE TO ADMIT... I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN MY OLD BUSINESS CARD THAN THE GIJOE®

If you could change something about the GIJOE®hobby what would it be?

UNAUTHORIZED LOW QUALITY REPRODUCTIONS HAVE RUINED THE HOBBY. TOO MUCH LOW QUALITY JUNK HAS BEEN PRODUCED. I AM FOR REPRODUCTIONS, BUT QUALITY IS IMPERITIVE. MY HATS OFF TO MATTEL® FOR THEIR EARLY INSITE TO THE COLLECTIBLE FRENZY. IF ONLY HASBRO® HAD JUMPED INTO THE COLLECTIBLE MARKET SOONER. THANK GOD THAT THEY FINALLY ARE IN AND DOING A FINE JOB! ALSO, TOO MANY PEOPLE DON´T REALIZE THAT HASBRO® MADE OVER 300 MILLION OF THESE FIGURES. EVERY DAY I GET A CALL FROM SOMEONE TELLING ME THAT THEY HAVE A RARE GIJOE® FIGURE TO SELL. MOST FIGURES SELL FOR $50. ONLY PRISTINE MINT FIGURES SELL AT $100-200 AND PROTOTYPES CAN START AT $2500.00 NUDE. I HAVE BEEN OFFERED OVER TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR MY PROTOTYPE, MINT IN BOX, ACTION SAILOR.

In your opinion, what is the best line of GIJOE® that you have ever seen and owned? The least desireable line?

1964 -65 GIJOE® WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE BEST OF THE BEST! THE LEAST DESIRED IS THE SUPER-JOE LINE FROM 1977.

What got you started in the GIJOE® hobby and what was the very first GIJOE®(s) you ever bought as a collector?

RECEIVED MY VERY 1ST GIJOE®, A MINT GIJOE® ACTION SAILOR, AS A CHILD. AS A COLLECTOR, I PURCHASED A FOOTLOCKER AND SOME LOOSE ACCESSORIES FOR $20.00. I STILL HAVE THIS.

What GIJOE® did you have as a child and still cherish to this day?

I STILL HAVE MY ACTION SAILOR, ASTRONAUT AND SPACE CAPSULE, 5 STAR JEEP AND THE TWO UNIFORMS THAT MY MOTHER SEWED FOR ME ON OUR AWNING COVERED PORCH DURING THE SUMMER OF 1966.

If you knew then what you knew now... What would you undo if you had the chance?

I WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING! I HAD FUN WITH GIJOE® AS A CHILD. TO PURGE A FOIBLE WOULD RESTRAIN OR, WORSE YET, EXTINGUISH THOSE FOND MEMORIES! EVERY ONE FAILS TO REALIZE THAT IF EVERYONE SAVED EVERYTHING THAT WAS PLAYED WITH FROM THEIR CHILDHOODS THESE ITEMS WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO VALUE.

JOE BODNARCHUK IS A RETIRED SCIENCE EDUCATOR/PUBLISHER/ENTREPRENEUR WHO IS A HAPPILY MARRIED, FATHER OF THREE.