1. Start With Condition Photos
Only buy Furbys with clear, honest photos of fur, face, antenna base, back/baseplate, and teeth. Yellowed or stained fur is not necessarily bad, but sellers should show it. Hidden damage costs more to repair later.
2. Test the Sensors
A functioning Furby should react to:
- Head rubs
- Belly touches
- Mouth/teeth interactions
- Light changes (eyes/lid sensor)
If the seller can’t demonstrate these, you are guessing.
3. Inspect Plastic and Fur
Cracks near the ears, antenna base, or base screw posts are expensive to fix. Fur matting can sometimes be combed out; fur staining can sometimes be re-dyed. Decide your threshold before you pay.
4. Ask About Batteries
Most vintage Furbys need fresh batteries to show true behavior. If a Furby passed all tests, great. If it just blinked once, that is not enough proof of functionality.
5. Check the Base and Wiring
Ask whether the seller opened the base. Corrosion, old battery leakage, detatched ribbons, and broken switches turn small purchases into expensive projects. Restoration is a craft, but not every diamond in the rough is worth polishing.
6. Authenicity and Parts Swapping
Mixed-generation Furbys do exist: a 1998 Furby with 1999 parts, mismatched eyes, or undocumented modifications reduce collector value. Ask questions. Responsible sellers will answer honestly.
7. Pricing and Rarity
Common 1998–1999 Furbys in used condition usually sell for modest prices. Special editions, unopened boxed units, and rare colorways can cost more. Functionality and completeness usually matter more than age alone.
8. When to Walk Away
Buying blind, wiring damage, hidden battery leaks, or suspiciously low starting bids with no test evidence are signs to wait. In vintage toys, patience usually pays better than impulse.
9. Furbtorial Buying Checklist
From actual restoration videos, these are the exact things I inspect before buying a project unit:
- Does the seller show clear photos of the antenna base, baseplate, fur, teeth, and eyes?
- Can the Furby be demoed with fresh batteries, or at least shown powering on?
- Any sign of old battery leakage, corrosion, or repair attempts inside the base?
- Is the fur matted, stained, or previously dyed? That affects resale ethics and value.
- For rare runs, check box/papers/manuals — those often add more value than condition alone.