Book Review: The She-Ra Collector’s Inventory Guide

After I interviewed Hillary DePiano about her My Little Pony collection, I interviewed her about another one of her collections: She-Ra, Princess of Power. Since Hillary is the author of The She-Ra Collector’s Inventory: An Unofficial Illustrated Guide to All Princess of Power Toys and Accessories, she sent me a copy of the second edition of the collector guide for review.

The She-Ra Collector's Inventory, by Hillary DePiano

As I stated in my interview with DePiano, I’m admittedly not at all familiar with She-Ra, He-Man, or the Masters of the Universe (MOTU) (although, I must admit my interest is growing rapidly!). However, I don’t think my inexperience makes much of a difference reviewing this collectors’ guide because most people use such guides for two reasons: One, to identify specific items properly and two, to get a ballpark idea of monetary value. And in both those cases, a guide book ought to help a collector (or seller) who is unfamiliar find their way about; and The She-Ra Collector’s Inventory does just that.

After a brief overview of the MOTU world and the Mattel line of toys, DePiano gives an account of her pricing process and grading evaluation, including a very wise word on pricing which all collectors, regardless of category, should heed:

Though some sites, or your local collectibles store, may try to insist on a higher value, I have found in my many years as an eBay seller that the only true value of an item is what someone is willing to pay for it, which is why I have based the prices in this guide on the average completed sales over several years rather than higher priced unsold listings. (The same is true in reverse, however, for if two bidders get in a war over your item, it may go for far more.)

After gaining understanding of her pricing and grading, the author gets into the individual Princess of Power toys and accessories.

Arrow: Princess Of Power Horse (page 17 in The She-Ra Collector's Inventory)

Dolls Action figures, including winged horses and other figures, are listed by year, each with color photo, description, checklist of clothing &/or accessories included, variations (if any), along with a price guide, listing values for those “Mint in Package” (MIP), “Complete,” and “Loose” toys.

The Fantastic Fashions section gives a general overview, with a centerfold-style color section showing you the fashions in their packaging. The Accessories and Playsets chapter is much like the chapter on the action figures.

In the Appendix, you’ll find Princess of Power prototypes never released in stores, international variations and packaging, detailed descriptions of wing types & combs, items commonly mistaken for She-Ra (including Golden Girl: Leader of the Gemstone Guardian), other She-Ra items (books, magazines, mini-comics, lunchbox & thermos sets, Shrinky Dinks, etc.), comments on custom dolls made by She-Ra collectors, and a checklist of MOTU Evil Horde figures who featured on the Princess of Power series (with photographs). While the Appendix has less pricing information, there are plenty of color photographs and information to assist the collector in identification and, therefore, in performing their own pricing research.

The She-Ra Collector’s Inventory: An Unofficial Illustrated Guide to All Princess of Power Toys and Accessories is a slim 55 pages in a trade-sized (6.6 x 10.3 inches) paperback, but it’s easy to understand and packed with color photos plenty large enough to be useful in identification. All of this makes it easy for a collector (or someone who discovers a box of the retro 80’s toys in their basement) to identify what they have, discover what they are missing, and learn how much it may be worth — which is exactly what a primary collector guide book ought to do.