What's the rarest dinosaur in your collection?

[Kayakasaurus]

The rarest Dino I have is the Invicta triceratops. Although I got it from Goodwill, so it can't be that rare, a little surprising though since they weren't sold in the states.

As far as I know only the Lambeosaurus and the Dimetrodon by Invicta were UK exclusives all the other monochrome versions including the Triceratops were available in NA. The Stenonychosaurus had a limited run because it was pulled due to litigation.

Oh that makes sense then, thanks

[DinoLord]

The Stenonychosaurus had a limited run because it was pulled due to litigation.

Huh, I wonder how there could be litigation issues considering a dinosaur toy?

[Doug Watson]

The Stenonychosaurus had a limited run because it was pulled due to litigation.

Huh, I wonder how there could be litigation issues considering a dinosaur toy?

Well, while I was working at the paleo division of the Canadian Museum of Nature I was told that the museum brought a copyright infringement case against Invicta or the British Museum (not sure which) because their model looked too much like Ron Seguin's model done under the supervision of Dale Russell.
Here is a picture of the 1/7 scale model form Dale Russell's Syllogeus article from 1982. At the time they also did a life-size model and the a life-sized model of the hypothetical Dinosauroid.


Prehistoric Times did an article on the Invicta line a while back and mentioned the litigation but didn't mention CMN so I found that strange. I forget what reasoning they gave in PT.

[Daspletodave]

For me- the mini T-Rex by Battat. And in the not-so-rare (inside Japan) but hard to get (outside Japan) category - the Favorite Tarbosaurus, Saurolophus, Tamba sauropod, Concavenator & Pelecanmimus box set.

[123hellobgbg]

For me will be... The safari ltd 1996 brachiosaurus. It's hard to find a safari or other company because schleich is the only thing we could find in switzerland.

[japfeif]

I have quite a few ungodly rare pieces, most of which are my intact MPC and Marx prehistoric playsets.
But probably at the top of the list of rarities are my Marx Flintstones miniature playset MIB, SRG Dinichthys (totally lucky acquisition there!), a complete set of the famed White Post dinos, and my Sinclair "Dino as gas station attendant" hollow blow-molded figure!

[CityRaptor]

Personally I no longer care for rarity. A figure has to appeal to me and unless I land a good deal, super rare pieces aren't really doing that. I rather have more common figures that I like instead.

That being said, I do have some rare pieces:
Sinclair Dinoland Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Trachodon, Corythosaurus
Jurassic Park Coelophysis ( japanese Version ) MOC
Sega The Great Dinosaur Triceratops ( 2004 version )
Papo Velociraptor 1st version
Jurassic World Lockwood Ultimate Battle Set ( 500 - 1000 world wide )

Plenty of retired figures, too, including Kaiyodos.

[stargatedalek]

Probably the Invicta painted Scelidosaurus. Though I don't plan to keep it.

[Bread]

I don't care if a figure is rare or not. I enjoy the figure for its art and beauty. I currently don't own any rare figures, but in the past I did own the Jurassic Park 2009 Orange Bull Rex. Sadly I parted ways with it due to it taking up too much space.

Edit: Not really too rare of a figure, but its the rarest figure I've ever own.

[BlueKrono]

My test shot Marx Kronosaurus is up there. Test shots were done in the Marx factory in Moundsville, WV right after the metal molds were installed to test them out for detailing and fit. They were done in a white plastic that is considerably harder and more brittle than the slightly flexible plastic most Marx toys were made in. Very few test shots were done, and even fewer survived the 7 decades since they were made.

I befriended the owner of the Marx Toy Museum in Moundsville, who told me he acquired them from a widow of a former Marx factory employee. They came from a old box in the attic, and he made her an offer on the lot of them. Some there were 3 or 4 of, but the large mold group (Kronosaurus, Brontosaurus and pot-bellied T. rex) had only one. I purchased a few of the smaller test shot dinosaurs from him directly, traveling thousands of miles to West Virginia several times over the years, but the Kronosaurus always held me enraptured. He never let me buy it on any of those trips, wanting to sell the trio for thousands. I simply didn't have the funds.

Then one day it came up for sale on eBay. It was him. He has split them up, and the other two had already sold. I snatched it at the last second, paying more for than I ever had for any other dinosaur, by several hundred dollars. He later told me the guy who won the other two was the second highest bidder, but he must not have been expecting such a strong bid in the eleventh hour. I had won my prize.

The test shot Kronosaurus was by far the most I ever paid for a prehistoric figure, but it's not the rarest even though it is one of a kind. No other is known to exist, but it's possible more than one could have come off the line. The rarest dinosaur I own came from the same museum (which unfortunately folded a few years ago). It is the master clay Marx Struthiomimus, the one from which all others were cast.

The "clay" is more like artists' putty - very hard and light in color. Cracks reveal it would have crumbled into dust long ago if not for the wire skeleton inside holding it together. I'm amazed it survived the journey from Moundsville.

Naturally, there is only one ever made. Crafted by the hand of Marx sculptor Phil Derham himself, this figure is impressive not only for the unequaled sharpness of detail on the original sculpt, but also for the history it represents for the Marx company and dinosaur collecting as a whole. I feel honored to own it.

[GojiraGuy1954]

Probably the Papo rainbow rex, or the original release Mattel Spinosaurus. Bought both when they first came out.

[Lynx]

Currently its the Carnegie 1998 Rex which arrived at my house earlier this year. I'm also waiting for the Papo rainbow acrocanthosaurus to arrive, which afaik is their rarest figure as of right now.
None of them are too rare, but the rarest in my collection.

[GojiraGuy1954]

oh i also have the carnegie maiasaura

[Gothmog the Baryonyx]

The Invicta Lambeosaurus, the only figure I have which I've seen sell for £400, second rarest would be Rebor Titanoboa, which also sells for hundreds.
Nothing else is that rare yet, but I have a few rares.

[Gwangi]

I have no idea. Probably the Tyco Apatosaurus. But I have a bunch of figures that weren't rare when I got them and now apparently are. The Safari Scutosaurus, the Papo Pachyrhinosaurus, a bunch of the more recent Carnegie figures.

[UK]

In terms of mass produced figures I would say my Timpo Stegosaurus in perfect shape is my rarest. Very few survived.

In terms of low production items, I have a resin kaiyodo prototype Rhamphorhynchus which as far as I know never went into production.

Rarities I no longer own include the WWD Ornithocheirus, Ovomaline pterichthys and a cream Invicta Lambeosaurus variant. Probably worth a pretty penny between them.

[Libraraptor]

White Post Moschops perhaps?

[Ikessauro]

Probably the Invicta painted Scelidosaurus. Though I don't plan to keep it.

Hahah. Let me know if you decide to sell it.

[Ikessauro]

My test shot Marx Kronosaurus is up there. Test shots were done in the Marx factory in Moundsville, WV right after the metal molds were installed to test them out for detailing and fit. They were done in a white plastic that is considerably harder and more brittle than the slightly flexible plastic most Marx toys were made in. Very few test shots were done, and even fewer survived the 7 decades since they were made.

I befriended the owner of the Marx Toy Museum in Moundsville, who told me he acquired them from a widow of a former Marx factory employee. They came from a old box in the attic, and he made her an offer on the lot of them. Some there were 3 or 4 of, but the large mold group (Kronosaurus, Brontosaurus and pot-bellied T. rex) had only one. I purchased a few of the smaller test shot dinosaurs from him directly, traveling thousands of miles to West Virginia several times over the years, but the Kronosaurus always held me enraptured. He never let me buy it on any of those trips, wanting to sell the trio for thousands. I simply didn't have the funds.

Then one day it came up for sale on eBay. It was him. He has split them up, and the other two had already sold. I snatched it at the last second, paying more for than I ever had for any other dinosaur, by several hundred dollars. He later told me the guy who won the other two was the second highest bidder, but he must not have been expecting such a strong bid in the eleventh hour. I had won my prize.

The test shot Kronosaurus was by far the most I ever paid for a prehistoric figure, but it's not the rarest even though it is one of a kind. No other is known to exist, but it's possible more than one could have come off the line. The rarest dinosaur I own came from the same museum (which unfortunately folded a few years ago). It is the master clay Marx Struthiomimus, the one from which all others were cast.

The "clay" is more like artists' putty - very hard and light in color. Cracks reveal it would have crumbled into dust long ago if not for the wire skeleton inside holding it together. I'm amazed it survived the journey from Moundsville.

Naturally, there is only one ever made. Crafted by the hand of Marx sculptor Phil Derham himself, this figure is impressive not only for the unequaled sharpness of detail on the original sculpt, but also for the history it represents for the Marx company and dinosaur collecting as a whole. I feel honored to own it.

Wow, such a cool story. Congrats for acquiring it after all that time, sure it must have felt good! And more so because those are one of a kind items! They sure don't get any rarer than that 

I recently acquired the model I considered my holy grail for years and it was a huge relief to finally complete my set. It is only fair I include it in this thread I guess.


The funny thing is, if you go back to page one, you'll see me saying in 2015 that I had the WWD collection minus this one.

[Faelrin]

@BlueKrono Quite the story. Glad to hear you got lucky with that in the end, even if it meant you had to um spare no expense.

@Ikessauro Yeah I'm so happy for you and a few others here that have gotten their hands on that. I wonder how many others are still out there?

I think my rarest is perhaps the sealed in box WWD Tyrannosaurus fellow member @Duna helped me get earlier this year. I mean the Tyrannosaurus itself isn't extremely rare (perhaps uncommon though?), but I can't imagine there are very many out there still in the packaging and in such good shape. It's also a great look at the packaging for a line, something I had never seen until their post about finding and obtaining one. I'm so so lucky they found another, and helped me out with it. While I typically open figures up, I also want to preserve this in box sample. Who knows if it is the last out there that's like it? It also display great, in that I can hang it up on my wall, as I have very limited space elsewhere as is.

Some others I guess? Certainly many in my JW collection probably count. The SDCC Nedry I have for example, is also something of a factory error. Has two of the same feet. So not only did I get lucky with getting one through how hard it was last year, I got a very rare error as it is. Wonder if another out there has the same issue, but with the opposite foot instead?

I also have one of those Mattel JW Lockwood Ultimate Battle sets, still sealed because it honestly makes a great display piece still in the box. I ended up making a great friend that I've been talking and helping him with over the past few years through it. Well actually I offered up this Ellie figure I found at Walmart (despite being a Target exclusive), because I didn't really need a second, and I knew it was short-packed so there would have been collectors that didn't find it, plus being like a US exclusive didn't help matters at all. So he approached me and also asked if I could help him get the Legacy Tyrannosaurus set that just released, etc. He asked if I would be interested in that set, and I was.

Ditto with the BD Plesiosaurus, but I'm not sure that is as rare per se. But did certainly face a lot of distribution issues in certain parts of the globe. The guy I met that was selling that was on instagram, and I ended up friends with as well. I help him get things, and he's just been great support at rough times in my life, like when my cat Stinky passed away back in 2019. I probably have some other Mattel figures that could qualify, such as the Scutosaurus now, with forum member @triceratops83 helped me get (and I'm still tragically behind on paying him for the rest, sigh).

I guess maybe the blue kickstarter exclusive BotM Velociraptor could count as well, and once its in my hands, the kickstarter exclusive Monoclonius as well, and hopefully the kickstarter exclusive WWD Tyrannosaurus later on. It will be so interesting to compare the original to this awesome homage.

Maybe the Kaiyodo Ichthyostega and Yi qi as well? Not sure, but I think those were both museum exclusives? I guess the Rebor (Ceratosaurus, Deinonychus clan, Carnotaurus, and original Titanoboa), and Southlands Replica figures (such as the Thylacine, and Diprotodon) that are out of production may become harder to get as time goes on. I mean still haven't had the luck of finding the Thylacoleo for example (but well not in the situation right now to go chasing after it either, even if one were to show up). I also have the Safari Ltd Scutosaurus, and some other out of production/retired figures like the missing links Woolly Rhino, some I got lucky with finding still in stock on some websites, etc.

I also agree with some of the folks here. I don't chase after certain figures because of rarity, but because I truly want them. The only thing it may do is cause me to prioritize getting them sooner (assuming the opportunity is there).