questions from a greenhorn

[gatorguy]

Hey folks,

Im Zac from southern Oklahoma. I have loved dinosaurs and nature in general since I was a kid. So, I have collected all manner of things that used to be alive for a while now. Shells, fossils, feathers, minerals, things like that.
I used to go to the museum a lot too. And every time I went I got something at the gift shop. Then they came out with these Little toy dinos in a series called dinomania. So I started getting one or two every trip down there. Most have been busted up and lost or thrown away, but I still have a few.
I have an orange tyrannosaurus that is numbered #SP04 , a styracosaurus skull numbered #056 , and a maiasaura hatching labeled #053 . I have all the stickers for them and one box and one foldout showing different models.
I would really enjoy collecting these.
I would like to know-
- Can I get these still, or will I have to buy online, and if so, where?
- Are any of mine anything special?
- What is a good price for a model?
- Are there any nice big lists of models for this series?

I have done a little research on them and have found that they were sold in Japan under Kaiyodo as the Dinotales series, if that helps any.
I greatly appreciate any help, because while I have collected lots of things( some rather obsessively) I have never thought of collecting figurines, so im a complete greenhorn here.

[SBell]

To answer your questions, it sounds like you have figures from Dinotales Series 3. Or more likely, from the ill-fated attempt to sell them elsewhere as DinoMania series 1.

The figures are long out of production. But they can still be found. Unfortunately, some of them are over 15 years old now--and they are still very sought after. Ebay is a good bet if not through trades/sales in places such as this. But be prepared to spend some money for some of them--they are fragile, and some of the best were tough to find when they first came out, to say nothing of now. It's hard to peg down prices; for many, maybe $10 or so. I wouldn't suggest more than $15-20 for ones you really want (maybe $25 to finish a set!) but beyond that, you can usually do better.

Your orange SP04 T.rex sounds like one of the chase-figures. Every Dinotales series had at least one figure that was more rare than the others. Sometimes it was a completely different figure; sometimes it was a paint variation. In the case of your T.rex, it was one of 3 or 4 different paint jobs for the SPecial 'retro rex'.

As for lists, somewhere on this forum is a Kaiyodo thread, I believe it lists them all (there are a number of special issues, like magazine giveaways, exhibition special sets, and re-issues, so there always seems to be another variation popping up).

Welcome, and good luck. It was enough of a challenge to gather the sets when they first came out--I can't imagine the effort it might take now!

[gatorguy]

Thanks!

After looking around a bit, it has come to my attention that THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THESE THINGS

I'll probably just get a few of the cooler ones. As I said, I collect a lot of other stuff, and money don't stretch as far as it used to. If I need any more help, I guess I know the place to ask!

Wish me luck!

[ITdactyl]

This is probably out of topic (and I don't mean to derail or hijack this thread) but this thread just reminded me of something I wanted to ask during my lurker years in v1.

Does anyone have a good method for identifying genuine kaiyodos from fakes?

Obvious fake example:
I was browsing for toys at some local hobby shops when I spotted a group of familiar animal figures.  They looked like the old series of kaiyodo animals (I saw a condor, budgie and chinese goose along with some dogs) but seemd a bit larger and less detailed.  To my surprise, I noticed the group also included an anhanguera and styracosaurus from the dinotales series (which I have).  I wanted to buy them but the lady said they were "reserved" for another customer (they were being sold for about a dollar each). The only things that bugged me really was the size discrepancy, bad paint job and loss of some details (ex. poor anhanguera doesn't have fingers or claws, just solid pegs and no teeth).

argh, my post is getting too long.  Anyway, there... just curious and cautious.  For the price that kaiyodo figures are fetching at evilbay now, I just don't want to gamble.

[DC]

While UHA are hard to find in the US except on eBay take a look at the COG panorama which are being sold again in the US and the Safari Ltd toob sets.  neither is super expensive but done in  a similar style and size.

[gatorguy]

Okay, so ive figured out which ones to hunt for, and i really whittled it down. But now ive come across something i have to have, and i dont even know what it is yet.



Its called the Kaiyodo Q Capsule Museum, and so far i understand it comes in a tyrannosaur set and a ceratopsian set. Ceratopsians have been my dinosaur of choice since i can remember.

I would like to get a set, including the second paint scheme of the triceratops, if possible(yes, i like them that much).
Is this gonna cost me an arm and a leg?
Where can i get my hands on one?

Any other Q capsule dino sets i should know about?

Thanks in advance!

[DinoLord]

eBay is your best bet. Kaiyodo also released a prehistoric marine reptiles set last month.

[gatorguy]

Thanks! Ill keep an eye out!

[SBell]

There's also a tyrannosaurid set from the year before.

Again, ebay is your best bet. But given that it has been a year or two for the dino sets, their prices are already starting to jump. It's just what happens with limited run, limited supply things!

[Chad]

Hi Zac. The Triceratops set isn't too tough to get but, just to warn you, that bonus color Triceratops doubles the price of the set.  I'll pm you the e-mail of a forum member who sells the capsule sets. He can get you the t-rex, triceratops and marine reptile set if you're interested in those, too.

--Chad

[Roselaar]

Reminds me I need to get me one of those Ceratopsians sets too before it's too late.

The recent marine reptile set is even more beautiful (I think so anyway):

[SBell]

Hi Zac. The Triceratops set isn't too tough to get but, just to warn you, that bonus color Triceratops doubles the price of the set.  I'll pm you the e-mail of a forum member who sells the capsule sets. He can get you the t-rex, triceratops and marine reptile set if you're interested in those, too.

--Chad

The chase figures inmost of the sets double the price--the current special-colour plesiosaur appears to nearly triple the cost of the set now! Which is silly.

[gatorguy]

It is most certainly silly. You think i could buy the set and buy the special one separate for less?

On another note, that Skeleton with the aquatic set looks amazing. The amount of detail in these things is crazy. Especially for their size.

[docronnie]

Good luck gatorguy! And Happy Kaiyodo  Dino collecting! 😊

[DinoLord]

It is most certainly silly. You think i could buy the set and buy the special one separate for less?

Most likely not. This hobby is a great one but not an inexpensive one.

[gatorguy]

Oh believe me, i understand expensive. I keep aquariums. Not petco quality ones either. I have a 29 gallon saltwater with live corals,two bulb T5HO light, and 35 pounds of live rock. I have well over $1000 in it, and i dont have any fish. I have had fish in it, and they never went below $30. And that was for a 1 inch fish.

[DinoLord]

I too have aquariums, though I'm more of a planted tank guy (still gets expensive though). At least with this hobby there's no risk of your latest big purchase dying on you. 

I bought the complete marine reptile set for $57 from a member on here, and I recall him saying that without the chase figure it would be around $30. This was last month though;  the prices may have gone up.

[gatorguy]

Oh yes, i have a planted tank too. Definitely rivals the beauty of any reef tank. But its only a ten gallon.

What do you guys think about those krentz 1/144 scale dinos? I think they look great, and maybe having one or two would be awesome next to my kaiyodos. Except i wouldnt know what material to get them in. And i assume you have to paint them yourself, seeing as how they are all white.

Sorry about all the questions, i really know nothing about these kinds of things.

[DinoLord]

I have the Hell Creek set. They're nice figures; but I haven't had the time to have them painted yet. They would probably fit in with Kaiyodos well if you had them painted the right way

[gatorguy]

About painting, who would i get to do it? Because i certainly couldnt, especially on one that small.
How much would a decent painter charge?  And does getting it in a cheaper material really make that much difference in detail?