My best prize that didn't result from seller ignorance was the actual little teddy bear used in "Nightmare Before Christmas," the one Jack pulls the stuffing out of. Nobody was bidding on it, possibly because it didn't come with a signed COA from a crew member, but the seller was quite reputable in the area of NBC props, and more importantly the paint job in the close-up photos was exacting down to the slightest imperfect details. I have him "mounted" with a screen capture, and he is indeed a trophy. I spent $500, more than anything I've ever bought on eBay, but for a Nightmare prop with a "face," rather than a present or a pumpkin, I think I made out great. I had always wanted a "character" that was screen-used, but didn't want to spend what they go for, so this was a serendipitous solution.

Many of my Favorite Searches include misspellings or asterisks after the last letter everyone agrees on so I pick up the valuable mistakes. My collection is big but I rarely pay more than the low two figures for anything.