What are the hardest to find figures that are no longer in production?

[Faelrin]

I could not find a list of what figures are out there that could give collectors trouble in finding these days, although I did find a thread about what rare figures one had in their collection from 2015, which I suppose is something at least. Granted such a list could be quite broad, and would possibly be subjective at times, but I do think such a thing could be helpful if one doesn't already exist here (again I could not find one). Additionally there are quite a many number of older figures and I'm not entirely aware if some would be worth the trouble seeking out (and if it would be better to ask, and hope a modern company can make them).

I would certainly like to make such a list for folks here, but it will definitely need feedback and research first. Would any of you be interested in having such a thing or be willing to help with input?

Additionally, I am definitely at least aware of the Play Visions Prehistoric Amphibians set, the Toyway WWD Ornithocheirus (though the others could also be problematic finding these days, but this one certainly takes the cake of rarest among the bunch), the original first release Carnegie Collection figures, and maybe lots of others that are pretty hard to find these days (on ebay at least). If I had to guess then there are other Carnegie Collection figures, the older Battat figures (if not some of the newer ones), possibly any of Bullyland's, probably many Kaiyodo, and others that are hard to find these days. Some of the Kenner Jurassic Park figures are rare as well like the Gallimimus. If I had to guess the Cog Ltd Dino Horizon figures aren't easy to find these days either. Vitae's figures will probably end up this way as well, and maybe some of PNSO's early releases are. Probably lots of other brands have such hard to find figures these days, particularly vintage ones if I had to guess.

[stargatedalek]

With a niche collecting subset like this there is the additional element of rarity not always equating to value.

As an example of an inflated value relative to rarity, a lot of the AAA cast animals are extremely common, but demand high prices because they are rarely identified as collectibles and therefore rarely available to those seeking them out.

[Faelrin]

That is a fair point to consider, and depending on how much demand of things there is can change things up. I suppose focusing only on those with limited production runs and/or distribution would be a better way to do this? The WWD Toyway Ornithocheirus for example seems to have had a very minimal release due to its inclusion with a magazine only distributed in the UK (to my knowledge), and therefore would certainly be hard to find these days because of those circumstances, aside from any others.

[Shonisaurus]

Play Visions large prehistoric mammals such as palorchestes, uintatherium, andrewsarchus and mini prehistoric mammals are hard to find.

On the other hand the Invicta lambeosaurus is a difficult dinosaur to find.

Battat mini dinosaurs especially the mini tyrannosaurus rex is a very rare figure to find apart from being quoted on eBay at very high prices.

[Gothmog the Baryonyx]

The Safari Ltd Smilodon cub seems to be very hard to find.
The Hypacrosaurus too, but pleased to have managed to track that one down.


The WWD Ornithocheirus you mentioned is probably the creme a la crop though.

[Shonisaurus]

The figure of the WWD ornithocheirus is an almost impossible figure to find and sincerely for the price of that Holy Grail you can buy complete editions of dinosaur toys of a brand and it is even more possible to buy a fabulous resin figure with what it costs figure. It is not worth fighting to get that figure from my personal point of view. Pity that there are not many in the market but what has been said are very few lucky people who find it and rarely from outside the UK as is logical.

Another difficult figure to find is the saurolophus of Favorite Soft Model or the triceratops of Favorite Soft Model special museum version with transparent box of Favorite Soft Model I refer to the green / brown edition.

[Brontozaurus]

How do Yowies rank for availability? I personally haven't had trouble completing my collection (though I did have the bulk of them from my childhood), but I imagine for overseas collectors a series that was only available in one country, via random chance, for a limited time isn't going to be easily acquired.

[Dinoguy2]

One aspect that can help lock down rarity is how long a figure was in production before it was retired or replaced. You mention the first version Carnegies, which are rare because those color schemes were only in production for a year or two at a time when the distribution of the line was just getting started. The figures from the final years of the line also tend to be more rare since they were in production for a shorter period of time - same for the last few Invictas and the color Invictas.

On the other hand, there's a difference between something being rare like there aren't many in existence, and rare as in nobody is selling them. Some modern figures that were mass produced for several years are rare because they are currently seen as the best version available, or definitive, so everybody wants them and nobody wants to sell them. On the off chance you find somebody selling first gen Carnegies or something, they're often being sold for cheap because they're old-looking and most people aren't aware which color variants are harder to find. The flip side of this is something like the original Carnegie Oviraptor, which was only produced for a year or two before being replaced with the winged version. It's a dime a dozen on the secondary market because everybody would prefer to have the better looking, slightly more accurate one.

The WWD Ornithocheirus seems to have BOTH of these problems - short production, only decent version of the species available.

[Faelrin]

D @Dinoguy2 That makes a lot of sense, and I did not really consider that things may seem rare just because they because there are not any for sale currently, because of supply and demand, etc. That can also certainly muddle things, but I suppose persistence and patience might be key in those situations.
I am certainly curious to know what figures actually have a very total limited supply in existence. Like are the Play Visions Prehistoric Amphibians a case of total limited supply or because they are seldomly sold for any particular reason? Of course a lack of awareness (on both parties) could also make things harder to find, especially the seller isn't particularly familiar with it, and might end up being sold in a lot, and unless pays enough attention to those, one could otherwise possibly miss out.

If I had to guess things like Kaiyodo's Great Leaps in Evolution set are perhaps a case of both situations contributing to their supposed rarity. Limited production time, probably limited supply to begin with, and high demand means these probably won't be for sale very often. I still have yet to see the Ichthyostega go for sale once in all the times I have searched over the years (but then again I haven't been stalking ebay, let alone anywhere else so I could have perhaps missed out at times). Granted something I've also been thinking (and I suppose this applies to the Yowies as well) in that not being the domestic market for these things could also be contributing in why they might be hard to find, or at least seem to be hard to find (particularly on a largely US based site, which is also the country I live in).

[Shonisaurus]

The WWD Ornithocheirus seems to have BOTH of these problems - short production, only decent version of the species available.

It should also be added that the WWD ornithocheirus if I am not mistaken was only marketed in the UK so it is almost impossible for people from other nations to acquire it, as is logical.

[Dinoguy2]

The WWD Ornithocheirus seems to have BOTH of these problems - short production, only decent version of the species available.

It should also be added that the WWD ornithocheirus if I am not mistaken was only marketed in the UK so it is almost impossible for people from other nations to acquire it, as is logical.

Yup, very true. Plus, it's from a movie that has a lot of nostalgia for many people. And, the line was fairly limited - like Invicta, it's easy for people to "collect them all" even if they have to pay high prices for a few rare pieces. This actually keeps the prices high indefinitely.

[Lanthanotus]

Speaking of......

hard to find does not necessarily need to be expensvie, but then...

... lucky me I got two of them

[CityRaptor]

Oh my. I have one of these, too.

Looking at finished listenings:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Bullyland-Trilobit-Urzeit-Tier-Made-in-Germany-Figur-Sammler-ca-7-5-cm-lang/264584024329?hash=item3d9a6fd109:g:uYwAAOSwf9teC1KO
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Bullyland-Ammonit-und-Trilobit/202912826536?hash=item2f3e8c04a8:g:a6EAAOSwTJJeUsEv

[Georassic]

D @Dinoguy2
If I had to guess things like Kaiyodo's Great Leaps in Evolution set are perhaps a case of both situations contributing to their supposed rarity. Limited production time, probably limited supply to begin with, and high demand means these probably won't be for sale very often. I still have yet to see the Ichthyostega go for sale once in all the times I have searched over the years (but then again I haven't been stalking ebay, let alone anywhere else so I could have perhaps missed out at times). Granted something I've also been thinking (and I suppose this applies to the Yowies as well) in that not being the domestic market for these things could also be contributing in why they might be hard to find, or at least seem to be hard to find (particularly on a largely US based site, which is also the country I live in).

As if summoned, here's that Ichthyostega, available now: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaiyodo-Japan-Exclusive-Expo-Limited-Icthyostega-Salamander-Dinosaur-Figure/193366804271?hash=item2d058f472f:g:bhkAAOSwOJheXbvh

[Faelrin]

@Georassic Omg, thanks for that link. It's funny that I was also eyeballing this beautiful resin Ichthyostega last night, but I think I may have to pass it on for this Kaiyodo one instead (though hopefully I can find one later on eventually):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ICHTHYOSTEGA-AMPHIBIAN-RECONSTRUCTION-PALEOART-HAND-PAINTED-SCULPTURE/402132462506?hash=item5da0f66baa:g:TIYAAOSwQmheWZm~

Interestingly this Kaiyodo one didn't even show up for me in the search last night (and does not now). I wonder why that is.

[Georassic]

@Georassic Omg, thanks for that link. It's funny that I was also eyeballing this beautiful resin Ichthyostega last night, but I think I may have to pass it on for this Kaiyodo one instead (though hopefully I can find one later on eventually):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ICHTHYOSTEGA-AMPHIBIAN-RECONSTRUCTION-PALEOART-HAND-PAINTED-SCULPTURE/402132462506?hash=item5da0f66baa:g:TIYAAOSwQmheWZm~

Interestingly this Kaiyodo one didn't even show up for me in the search last night (and does not now). I wonder why that is.

I'm glad to help! I scan ebay daily, and spotted that just minutes after I'd read this thread. Perfect timing!

[Faelrin]

@Georassic Indeed, that was quite the lucky coincidence (and good timing on my part at least as both went fast). I ordered one of those and an Acanthostega the seller had as well. Once again thank you so much for passing that on here! It is worth pointing out that same seller has the Anomalocaris and Homo neanderthalensis skull from that same set for sale (in case anyone here is interested):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Kaiyodo-Expo-Limited-Homo-Neanderthal-Human-Skull-Caveman-Dinosaur-Figure-/202775394107?nav=SEARCH

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaiyodo-Japan-Exclusive-Expo-Limited-Anomalocaris-Burgess-Shale-Dinosaur-Figure-/193305755882?nav=SEARCH

[Halichoeres]

If we're not restricting ourselves to plastic, I'd say Lanier's line for the Smithsonian has to be near the top.

[sauroid]

are all the old Bullyland prehistoric figures considered hard to find now?

[Libraraptor]

are all the old Bullyland prehistoric figures considered hard to find now?

I don't think so. They still regularly show up on eBay here in Germany.  The Edaphosaurus seems to be the rarest,  seconded by Arizonasaurus or Batrachotomus . But I would not describe them as holy grails anyway.