August 2003 - Homies, the controversial line of toy collectible figurines, are the latest item to go from alternative to all-the-rage, according to the collectibles experts at eBay, The World's Online Marketplace®. With reported sales in the tens of millions, they are sought after by everyone from rappers Eminem and Snoop Dog to neighborhood children. In January of this year there were only 169 listings on eBay; by July, it had skyrocketed to 5,255.
At any given time, one can go to eBay to find all things Homie, including one of the most popular Homies, Wheelchair Willie; complete sets of Homies; bendable Homies; mini bobble head Homies; even cake topper Homies "Romo and Julia." And new listings are being added at the rate of 175 per day or 7 per hour.
"From television shows to children's toys, reality is the new cool in today's culture," according to well-known collector Tiffany Dubin. "Homies embody this very notion in that they remind kids of people in their own life. You'll also notice that inner-city street culture is becoming more mainstream as seen with the popularity of rappers, street fashions, and now Homies."
From their humble beginnings in 1998 with a series of five, Homies now total 200 characters and have spawned a series of tie-ins such as cars, pets, and display cases.
About eBay
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