Micromachines, a brand noted for their wide range of miniature automobiles, stepped outside the box when they produced a series of dinosaurs in association with National Geographic. Obviously they are all tiny, a bit smaller than the figures in Kaiyodo’s dinotales range, but they are quite nice and very collectible. Also like Kaiyodo, they are not to scale to each other.
Detail from the back of the card of a showing the six different sets available.
Six sets were produced, one including a set of skeletons (and tiny palaeontologists) (set 1), two sets of Jurassic dinosaurs (sets 2 and 3), and three sets of Cretaceous dinosaurs (sets 4-6) . Each set contained three dinosaur figures, nicely packaged on a card. Set 4 (pictured loose below) contained Brachiosaurus, Euoplocephalus and Pachycephalosaurus. The figures are jointed in places, the Brachiosaurus neck, the Euoplocephalus tail, the Pachycephalosaurus legs and arms, but otherwise they are static. The figures are nicely detailed but quite dull, and all quite similar in colour. The quadropedal figures in the line are freestanding but the bipedal ones are attached to a simple grey supporting base.
Set 1 (pictured below, mint in box), contains Protoceratops, Ceratosaurus and a pterosaur. The skeletons are white with speckled dark bits. The pterosaur is interesting because transparent plastic indicates the outlines of the wing membranes. The details are general very fine and pretty accurate in the series, although there are some notable figures which are out of date (Spinosaurus and Deinonychus for example).
Although they are out of production, they are often available for very little money, if you search for Micromachines dinosaurs on Ebay.
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I was the Designer of all the National Geo figures and playsets for Galoob and I have the one or two of the Triceratops playsets (still in box – never opened) and am looking to sell them if anyone is interested.
I also have the NASA / Astronaut helmet playset too!
Thanks!
Eric
Would anyone know where I could get this set, especially the Coelurus, Troodon, Diplodocus & Styracosaurus?
I mean Tyrannosaurus–the y on my keyboard sticks!
If I remember correctly, there’s also a playset that was a Trannosaurus head that opened up. Unfortunately, I don’t have that one.
There were also playsets available… one was a Triceratops Skull that opened up…
http://www.collectorsquest.com/collection/item/1358/micro-machines-jaws-of-extinction.html
Someone can tell me when they come out?
It seems REALLY strange to me that,being the big dinosaur toys collector i am,i never saw them here in Italy…