VER: The Florida Project Trading Room Wrap

WDWNT on September 16, 2011

By RMThompson

I know, so much as been written about the Florida Project already, what else could we cover? Well, as much as Fl Project was a showcase for new things coming in the Vinylmation world, it was even MORE SO, a place to trade for things already released. While other DV Reporters spent their day…reporting, I spent mine trading, and now I am here to give my review of the trading room, and what was going hot, and what’s not.

First, it was nice to see so many traders, ESPECIALLY after the doors opened for the Public Day. Previous to that mark, a LOT of traders spent their time in various Trading Lines going after the elusive Orange Bird Chaser, or other rarities that were found in the trading games. Once they were all gone, they, along with all those who just came to public day, FILLED the trading room floor.

However, I will say I still expected more traders. While the number of registered guests was near 700 for the event, those that set-up and traded was closer to 30 or 40 traders. That’s an exceedingly low number, especially when compared to pin trading events. Yet, those trading had LOTS to trade, it seemed to be nearly double the amount of figures for trade than the typical every-other-month trading events.

Certain figures were seen a lot, and were losing value as the day went on, including the WDW and 71 Cast Chasers, Clear Pink Elephants and the growingly more common (yet still totally awesome) Urban 5 3D Chaser. These figures had certainly slipped some since the previous trading event where they were hotter traders.

Also slipping were some older figures. Park and Urban 1s that aren’t highly sought after (SMRT-1, Graffiti, Fireworks, Glow for example) are becoming more and more available. I can only assume that as newer sets become available, people are more and more willing to trade their older figures to get the stuff they really want. They need more room on their shelf to hold the new stuff, and quite frankly despite the value of the figures, a lot of the new figures just plain look BETTER than their older counterparts. Yet, this doesn’t apply to the figures from these series that people REALLY love. Balloon chaser made a brief appearance by one highly-selective trader, but there were also precious few Figment, Oopsy, Teacups and Gold Chaser figures to go around, making them very tough to trade for.

More recent figures that are seeing a spike in value are hard-to-find figures based on characters a lot of people love. Dripping Mickey chaser and Pongo are now in the well-over-$150-range, while other “easier” figures like Stitch, Supermouse, and a lot of Park 4 are steadily rising above the $50 dollar range.

As for figures released at the event, they were surprisingly not being swapped, with the exception of the Orange Bird Chaser, which is not only the BEST figure ever created on the New Mold (seriously), but was trading upwards of $60 to $80 dollars by the end of the day… once all were given out.

On the 9 inch front, things were slower than I expected. I saw almost NO older 9” Vinylmation. A Mummy was there but not traded, and I got my hands on an Urban 2 Angry Mickey Tiki (underrated figure in my opinion), but there was little else from the older era of Vinylmation to represent the bigger figures. The ones that were there were almost exclusively Location-Based figures; TONS of New York figures to be found, and none of them worth anything save the original “brick head figure.” The remainders were a blend of newer figures with a variety of values. Maleficent and other Villain 9” were surprisingly low in value, while Rafiki and Up were steadily being traded at over $100 dollars in value.

Everyone had the Disney Afternoon series. While Bonkers and Dougs were just taking up trade space, I saw many Ducktales, Talespins and Rescue Rangers being traded, with the Rescue Rangers being the hardest to trade for and the highest in value. The other two packs to be had included the lower-end Cars and Halloween, and the higher end Disney Cruise Line Stuff. Location based tins and 3” were easy enough to gobble up, but perhaps the rarest was the San Fran 3” Bridge.

Interestingly enough, certain Park/Urban series are seeing a WIDE variety in value from figure to figure. To better reflect that, here is a list of each of the main series and their highest and lowest traders based on what I saw this weekend, excluding the chasers (which in almost all cases are the hottest traders in each series)

Park 1:
HOT: Figment/Creepy Wallpaper.
NOT: Fireworks/SMRT-1

Park 2:
HOT: Mike Mouse/Little Green Men
NOT: Monkey/Aquaramouse

Park 3:
HOT: Blue Monorail
NOT: Almost everything else

Park 4:
HOT: Combo Topper (Plane Crazy)/Epcot 84
NOT: Tower of Terror/POTC Dog

Park 5:
HOT: Stitch/Yeti
NOT: Buzz Lightyear Vehicle/COP John

Park 6:
HOT: Orange Monorail
NOT: Troll/Primeval Whirl

Urban 1:
HOT: Oopsy/El Super Raton
NOT: Checkered/Graffiti

Urban 2:
HOT: Cosmos/Chinese Writing/Chocolate Mickey Bar
NOT: Gear Bear/Girly

Urban 3:
HOT: Cheeseburger/Green Dragon
NOT: EVERYTHING ELSE

Urban 4:
HOT: Supermouse/Robot/Heartbroken
NOT: Everything else but Strawberry Fields

Urban 5:
HOT: Nothing
NOT: Everything

Urban 6:
HOT: Blue Thumb Variant
NOT: Baby Crying/Sideways Mickey

All in all the day was a success, and I saw LOTS of trading going on, which is a great thing. I hope that Disney will realize that Vinylmation is a BIG success and give us more than a handful of exclusive event figures next time, compared to the DOZENS of pins that were available the day before… but that’s a story for another article.

Vinylmation Exchange Report: May 13th, 2011

WDWNT on May 13, 2011

by Ryan Thompson

Welcome to the third edition of V.E.R., or the Vinylmation Exchange Report. This week’s article will focus on Park series 9 inch releases. The park series, is of course, Vinylmation inspired by scenes, characters and imagery from the various Disney theme parks, and what a better way to display them than in the larger, more detailed, 9 inch form! From the creepy wallpaper inside the Haunted Mansion, to a trashcan in Fantasyland, the Disney artists have picked their way through the parks… and they still aren’t through! However, just because it’s based on your favorite ride, doesn’t mean it’s worth a lot – this article will discuss the various rarities and values of the Park 9 inch figures.

To keep things interesting, I’ve decided that I cannot pick more than ONE figure from each series in each category… otherwise all the rising stars would be from Park 1!

VER RISING STARS:

1. Park 1 – “Watching You” 9”/3” combo by Dan Howard.

· Haunted Mansion is surely one of the most popular rides amongst the various Disney theme parks, and it became the first figure to have multiple figures based on it when Park 1 was released… and they all concentrated on the wallpaper! Yes the infamous “Creepy Wallpaper” was the subject of both a regular 3” Vinylmation, and this set; which at the time was given a relatively “large” release number of LE500. Despite the “high” numbers of figures this was an early sell out, and still a sticking point for many collectors! This one is rarely traded, and barely makes appearances on eBay, but when it does it outsells even the Balloon chaser and other hard to find figures. One of these in your collection is more than an investment; it’s a status symbol!

· Possible trades: SHAG, Wall-E and Eve, Balloon Chaser.

2. Park 2 – “Mine Mine Mine” 9” figure by Maria Clapsis.

· While this writer doesn’t like to covet over a single figure for very long, I have to admit that this particular figure has given me many headaches; and I don’t even own it! A very hard to find figure from Park 2, “Mine Mine Mine” by Maria Clapsis is one of the earliest Pixar based Vinylmation figures. It’s neat design, which matches almost identically to a line of additional merchandise, and it’s connection to a VERY popular movie mean that this one, like the Watching You set above, was snatched up VERY quickly, and makes rare appearances on trading/selling forums. Looking for it can certainly make you feel like Marlin trying to fine Nemo… but if I ever get my hands on one, I know what I’ll be saying… “Mine… MINE… MINE!!!!”

· POSSIBLE trades: Safari Mickey, Incredibles Set, Wall-e and Eve.

3. Park 3 – “Carnotaurus” by Maria Clapsis

· This is an interesting case, mostly because people might assume I would chose a Disney Cruise Line exclusive for Park 3, as three great figures were released only on the DCL boats, Wonder, Magic and the Castaway Cay 9/3” set. However, because those aren’t “really” in the Park 3 set (they were NEVER sold at a park), we must look beyond those to a red Dinosaur that no one would expect; Carnotaurus. The second Maria Clapsis design to make the list, this one actually did NOT sell out very fast, and was on the shelf for awhile, and even after selling out on both coasts, stayed at a steady value for months. However, in the past year, as new collectors come to Vinylmation looking for relatively “cute” figures (it is a giant scary dinosaur after all), this one is sought after by MANY collectors. Its value goes for 4 to 5 times its retail value, and sometimes much higher as this hard to find figure has been known to set off a bidding war. You have to believe though that its connection to the relatively unpopular “Dinosaur” ride has little to do with its value.

· POSSIBLE trades: Crossroads, Test Track, Creepy Wallpaper 3”.

VER SINKING STARS

1. Park 4 – “Adventures through Inner Space” by Maria Clapsis.

· Here we see Maria entering the other side of the list, in a figure that is well designed, but perhaps in a “why did they make THAT?” kind of way. For those that don’t know, “Adventures through Inner Space” was a ride that debuted in Disneyland in 1967, marked most notably perhaps as the first omnimover ride (that would later go on to power Haunted Mansion’s Doom Buggies) and also narrated by Haunted Mansion’s Paul Frees with music by the duo that created the infamous “Small World” music. The ride would take the guests through a giant microscope and into the wonderful world of micro…whatevers. Something sciency I am sure. Did I mention that the ride closed in 1987 to make way for Star Tours? Anyway, Maria Clapsis did a WONDERFUL job of capturing the feel of a ride no one remembers, but it didn’t help the popularity of this figure, despite the frenzy over every other Park 4 figure.

· POSSIBLE trades: 3D Glasses Mickey, Talespin, Little Green Men from Park 2.

2. Park 3 – “Fantasyland Trashcan” by Jeff Eborsohl

· A great idea, a figure based on a fixture in the parks people often overlook, the surprise part of this 9 inch figure from Park 2 is that it’s readily available for trade/buy. The design is simple enough, but perhaps it’s not as popular as the other Park 3 figures because it uses a decal in the center, a technique no longer used on Vinylmation… the decals would get sticky, and in heat, would even MOVE, ruining or disfiguring the decal. Or it could just be that it’s based on a trashcan, and not many people have an emotional attachment to the place we put our waste. Either way, this is the easiest Park 3 9” figure to collect.

· POSSIBLE trades: Sci Fi Diner, Tiki Room, Drippy chaser.

3. Park 2 – “Epcot Icons” by Thomas Scott.

· Speaking of head scratchers, here is one sinking star I just don’t understand. I like Epcot. I like Vinylmation. I like icons… however combining them all into this figure leaves some to be desired. I think I understand what the infamous Thomas Scott was going for here, but perhaps the paint or paint process took something away from the embossed metal look he was trying to convey. Instead we just get… grey, adorned with 8 symbols in… lighter grey. Boring. Despite being Park 2, this one sells sometimes less than twice its retail, and is easier for those attached to the parks to give up. If you have one keep it, but if you don’t, you REALLY gotta love Epcot to trade for it!

· POSSIBLE trades: Peter Pan, Julius 9/3 combo.

So that wraps up week 3 of V.E.R. IF you’re reading this, pop a note in the comments to let us know what you think, and possibly what areas you’d like to see covered in future V.E.R.s? Remember to collect what you like, and until next time… Make Mine Vinyl.

Vinylmation Exchange Report: May 5th, 2011

WDWNT on May 5, 2011

by Ryan Thompson

Welcome to the second edition of the Vinylmation Exchange Report, or V.E.R. It’s no secret that part of the allure of Vinylmation is the ability to trade for the ones you want; however, sometimes it’s hard to be sure you’re getting a fair trade. This article, which will be posted weekly, will contain reports based on several websites that sell and trade Vinylmation in order to give YOU, the faithful reader, an idea on how hard it will be to get the figure you want!

This week’s article is going to discuss one of the newer concepts in Disney’s Vinylmation collecting: Variant designs. If you’re reading this article you already know that most Vinylmation “closed-box” series consist of 11 known figures and 1 “mystery chaser”; a figure that only comes 1-per-case and is more rare (and thus usually more valuable) than the others. However, Disney not being content with the concept that if you buy a case you have every figure, decided to throw variants into the mix. The rarity of these figures are hard to pinpoint, but we’ll do our best***  to let you know which are more rare than others, and which are easier to find.

*** A note on Variants. The best guess that this writer has on possible configurations on a particular case is 5 different configurations. If this theory is true, that would mean that any particular series might be boxed in one of five different ways; also making true that the rarest a figure could be is 1 in 5 boxes, or 1:120 figures. This guess is based on different known configurations of Animation Series 1 boxes, and could be way off, and thus should only be used for comparison purposes.

V.E.R. RISING STARS

1. Star Wars “Ghost of Obi-Wan” chaser

The Star Wars series was a very delayed group of Vinylmation that had been promised almost six months before release. Collectors had seen previews MONTHS before the release was hinted at, and with the exception of the well-guarded chaser, no one was ready for any surprises when it was finally released on January 13th, 2011. However, we got one; the world’s first Vinylmation SUPER CHASER. While every box contained a chaser, certain boxes were replaced with the same Obi-Wan design over clear blue, creating the ghost effect seen in the original Trilogy of Star Wars. The value immediately skyrocketed, going for up to 30 times the retail value of the figure! Subsequently the Star Wars series sold out, and thus the value has remained high… to this day one of the few figures that can command such a price.

POSSIBLE variant ratio: 1 in 5 boxes, or 1 in 120 figures.

2. Cutesters Too – Green Apple Variant

Cutesters is a strange set in Vinylmation world. Quite deliberately this set is geared towards girls, the first series (designed by the now missing-in-action and under appreciated Vinylmation artist Lisa Badeen) was on the shelves for over a YEAR. So when the second series was announced, designed by Maria Clapsis known for her “cute” figures, there was some question on whether or not these figures would be highly collectible… and variants took care of that. A set with 3 variants, two “regular” figures, and also the green apple chaser variant; marking only the second “Super Chaser” next to Ghost of Obi Wan. Still, Star Wars has a wider appeal among collectors, so the Ghost remains higher, but the Green Apple Variant is a close second.

POSSIBLE variant ratio: 1 in 5 boxes, or 1 in 120 figures.

3. Park 6 – Donald Duck Purple “wet paint” variant

Back in the day, which refers to any day in the 1980s and 90s in this case, Wet Paint signs littered the Disney parks with Donald chasing after one his nephews wielding an orange paintbrush; warning visitors to stay away from that area. (Now the sign is a rather lame Stitch one.) So the Park 6 Vinylmation that was released was a big hit among long time visitors… except that it had “green paint” instead of orange; a problem fixed with a variant. However, collectors were surprised to learn that this figure had a “SECOND” variant, this time with purple paint. For reasons still uncertain, but likely based on rarity, this purple version skyrocketed in value, going for as much as 3 chasers or 10 times the retail value.

POSSIBLE variant ratio: 2 in 5 boxes, or 1 in 60 figures.

V.E.R. SINKING STARS

1. Urban 6 – Blue Thumb variant

Urban 6’s Green Thumb is a unique Vinylmation to say the least.  Designed to look almost like a realistic, life size thumb, it’s shaded green to indicate that the owner of said thumb has, according to the dictionary; “an exceptional aptitude for gardening.” So, the natural variant for this would be a flesh colored thumb, right? WRONG – Disney threw a curveball and instead gave us the same thumb only in blue hues; a “blue thumb.” So what is a blue thumb? Well, it refers back to the 1990’s computer giant IBM being nicknamed “Big Blue” because of their blue IBM logo. Those adapt at computer skills then were nicknamed “Blue Thumbs”, a joke towards the Green Thumb name. Anyway, an awkward design, in green OR blue, leads this one to be less sought after than other figures; and thus being slightly easier to find.

POSSIBLE variant ratio: 1 in 2 boxes, or 1:48 figures.

2. Animation 1 – Multi colored “Elephants on Parade” chasers

Another “Super Chaser”? With FOUR different designs? Sounds like a figure destined for rising stars, but instead it’s not. Animation 1’s chaser was, quite honestly, a lackluster design compared to other figures in the series; based on a sequence in Dumbo, and unlike the other figures in Animation, it wasn’t even based on a main character. So, then when the same figure was produced four times, with four SLIGHTLY different paint colors, it’s no wonder collectors didn’t clamor to try to complete the set.  Combine this with a VERY easy to find chaser, based on the number of cases created (this set is sold at Disney Stores, Parks, and online), most of these (less than) Super Chasers are worth less than a regular chaser, with the exception of the rarest solid light pink design.

POSSIBLE variant ratio: The Clear Pink is the most common (the “regular” chaser, followed by Solid Dark pink. Clear purple is even harder to find, and the Solid light pink chaser is the hardest to find and the only one with much value. 

3. Animation 1 – Pinocchio “Real Boy” variant

Along with the Elephant variants described above, Animation had a fourth variant, based on a common figure in the set… that was less interesting than the one it was replacing. The regular Pinocchio figure in Animation represents the scene where the main character is turning into a donkey, and the figure even has a 3-D molded tail to boot, making it one of the coolest designs in Vinylmation. The variant however was the same figure, sans tail, and with blue painted over the donkey ears. That’s it. The only reason most collectors even want it is because of its rarity, and because of reasons pointed out above, it really isn’t even that rare. It goes for barely twice the retail price, and casual collectors have been actually disappointed to open this figure instead of the regular version.

POSSIBLE variant ratio: When you find a case that has one, you’ve found a case that has two – both Pinnochios are always the same in a box. Best guess is 2 in 3 cases, or 1 in 36 figures.

So that wraps up week 2 of V.E.R. IF you’re reading this, pop a note in the comments to let us know what you think, and possibly what areas you’d like to see covered in future V.E.R.s? Remember to collect what you like, and until next time… Make Mine Vinyl.

Vinylmation Exchange Report

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

by Ryan Thompson

Welcome to the very first Vinylmation Exchange Report, or V.E.R. It’s no secret that part of the allure of Vinylmation is the ability to trade for the ones you want; however, sometimes it’s hard to be sure you’re getting a fair trade.

This article, which will be posted every Thursday, will contain reports based on my research from various sources across the web and at the parks. It will give you an idea on the relative trading value of Vinylmation. It will also, to the best of our ability, update you if certain figures are sold out or are close to being sold out.

V.E.R. will cover “Rising stars”, or figures that are increasing in trade value. I will also discus “falling” stars, figures that might be on the way down. I will also inform you about the history, edition size and any other interesting facts about these figures.

Since this is the first article, it would be a great idea to talk about what some people would call the “Holy Grail” Vinylmations, the figures that are the hardest to get your hands on. Although there is no easy answer to that question, it will be fun to take a look at some of the most sought after figures and discuss the reason they are so tough to discover, and what they are worth in trade!

V.E.R. RISING STARS

1. Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary “SHAG” 9” and 3” combo

 Way back in 2009, when Vinylmation was in its infancy, the artist known as SHAG (JoSH AGle) had a limited edition Vinylmation that was part of an art event in Disneyland. Tickets to the event were expensive, and since those lucky enough to attend were the only ones able to purchase the items, they immediately were trading for only the best Vinylmations, and now is valued higher than any other figure. Since SHAG was signing figures and art at this event, most of the known figures are signed, perhaps the ONLY figure where an unsigned version is worth more than the autographed one.

LE 150 – the second rarest Vinylmation known to date.

2. Park 1 Balloon Chaser 3”

 Park 1, the very beginning of Vinylmation, introduced the “chaser” concept to many new fans, but those who were already collecting pins were familiar with the idea that one figure in the set would be harder to find. Because of this, many pin collectors would use the relatively easy-to-find Randy Noble designed Balloon Chaser to bolster their pin collections through trading. No one knew how long Park 1 would last, so when it sold out after Park 2’s release, the flow of Balloon chasers ended, and coupled with a great design, became an instant hit. Only second in value to the SHAG as seen above, a Balloon Chaser is a sign of an obsessed collector!

LE: UNKNOWN – Disney has not, and will not, release the edition amounts of any “limited release” figure, which most of Vinylmation is.

3. Wall-E and Eve 3” combo set

Introducing the concept of the 2 figure set, Wall-E and Eve was a lesson to Disney in Vinylmation’s overall popularity, and a testament to how crazy release days were before WDW opened their own D-street. With only 500 figures to split between both coasts, and several stores across the WDW campus selling Vinylmation, lines were everywhere, with very few figures to sell at each location. Coupled with a warehouse issue that had store managers driving back and forth throughout the day to pick up more figures, this release goes down as the fastest (non online) sellout in Vinylmation history. Those on the Left Coast at DLR had it worse, as the Orlando stores received the lion’s share of this Maria Clapsis created set.  A staple in collectors who started post Park 1, this set was trading for two chasers by the Trade Event that happened on the same night of release.

LE: 500, with a guesstimated 350 being released at the Orlando campus.

V.E.R. FALLING STARS

1. Park 3 Test Track 9” and 3” combo – Disneyland Version

 Park 3 was the beginning of the “big climb” for Vinylmation, where the popularity of each figure was starting to rise, and Disney was scrambling to make enough of whichever figures people wanted. Test Track was a great choice for Park 3, with a fun design by Vinylmation staple Randy Noble, it was an instant hit among collectors, and was likely responsible for bringing a lot of attention to Vinylmation among non-collectors. However, an interesting thing happened upon release – a special “Disneyland” version, sporting an “I-5” 3 inch rather than the regular “I-4” sign was packaged with some sets. The Disneyland version was only made 100 times! What was really odd about this release was that there is no version of Test Track in Disneyland, making it quite the odd choice, but also making it technically the rarest figure in Vinylmation history. Still, despite that title, it’s found relatively easier than the above three figures. And considering the 9” figure is exactly the same among both coasts, there is hardly a demand for it except for those collectors who love to complete everything.

LE: 100, but only on the 3”. The 9” is technically LE 600 (500 for the WDW version and 100 for the DLR version).

2. Tinkerbell 3” News Bureau Vinylmation  

Last May the Vinylmation trading community was abuzz about the first non-traditional Vinylmation figure, one that showed up without any indication what it was for, other than it was some sort of special release. The figure was Tinkerbell’s first appearance on any Vinylmation, but the words “Disney’s News Bureau” were stamped on the front, making it not the first figure that is better displayed backwards, but perhaps the rarest. The trading went sky-high almost instantly, trading for Park 1s and other extremely rare figures before Disney finally released information. Officially this figure was given out as a gift, with a dark clear base (also marking the first use of a clear mold outside of the Clear series… geez this is a figure of firsts, huh?), and Disney has said that there is no edition size, and it can be reordered at any time. Perhaps because of this, the initial buzz died down fast, and while still a rare figure, it trades for much less now than it did a year ago.

LE: UNKNOWN – technically NOT a Limited Edition, although there is no indication how many are in existence, this could very well be the RAREST of mass produced Vinylmation, with a very real possibility that non-collectors who received this threw it away or otherwise disposed of it… why do I have the feeling more than one of these figures became an overpriced dog toy?

3. Park 3  t’s a Small World Chaser 3”

 A great design, with a popular artist, from one of the most popular rides in history… and it’s a chaser? Sounds impossible to get, right? Not so fast. Park 3’s chaser, It’s a Small World by Lisa Badeen, has a design borrowed from It’s a Small World’s flora. This figure for whatever reason, did not completely catch the interest in the collectors hearts. Perhaps part of the disinterest was the utter lack of any of the popular “children” from the ride,  but more likely the oversaturation of Park 3 was to blame, as Disney was seemingly experiencing some growing pains, trying to figure how much of one edition was too much. Subsequently the Park 3 set was shelves for over a year, and the abundance of these figures means it can be an easier grab. Be careful trading chaser for chaser on this one, as likely if you’re giving up any recent chasers, they would get more in trade elsewhere.

LE: UNKNOWN.. but a lot. Really.

Well, that wraps up the first edition of V.E.R., but when you’re out there trading, remember what a wise man once told me; Collect what you like. Vinylmation trading is about getting the figures YOU want most, not trading for what’s worth the most. Until next week… make mine Vinyl!

Vinylmation Exchange Report: Location Specific

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

By Ryan Thompson

Welcome to another episode of V.E.R., or the Vinylmation Exchange Report. It’s no secret that part of the allure of Vinylmation is the ability to trade for the ones you want; however, sometimes it’s hard to be sure you’re getting a fair trade.

This article, will contain reports based on several websites that sell and trade Vinylmation in order to give YOU, the faithful reader, an idea on how hard it will be to get the figure you want as well as update everyone to the best of our ability if certain figures are sold out or close to being sold out. VER will cover “Rising stars”, or figures that are on the increase in trade value, and “sinking” stars – figures that might be on the way down, so you can grab them up or trade them before the value sinks!

This month has seen an EXPLOSION of location exclusive Vinylmations. These are the figures that can ONLY be found in one location or city, such as the newly announced Denmark exclusives. These can be some of the toughest figures to locate, and since they are mostly related to their specific location, can hold a special place in certain collector’s hearts that have a personal tie to the location.

For this particular article we are adding a “I gotta have it right now price”, which is what you would pay if you had to buy this figure immediately, without shopping or trading around. Prices for figures fluctuate dramatically, so consider that when you’re shopping for your favorite new figure!

NOTE: These do not include figures exclusive to the Walt Disney World or Disneyland parks!

V.E.R. RISING STARS

1. NYC Exclusive 9″ I Love NY

Way back in 2009, when Vinylmation was in its infancy, the New York City Disneystore was the first to get its own location-specific Vinylmation. It also marks the first, and only time that this writer can recall, that the Vinylmation was “embossed” so to speak, with Mickey’s “head” done up in red bricks that you could feel. Despite only being LE450, this figure sat on the shelves… right up until the old NYC Disneystore closed, and was even part of the clearance sale. Reports indicate that the small remaining batch of these figures made the trek down to the WDW area, but they were gone and prices remained stagnant at just above cost for a long time. However, the recent rash of NYC exclusives has given a second life to this figure, (even though one of them is a near look-a-like) and its price has recently skyrocketed.

The “I gotta have it right now price?”:  $200 – $300

2. Hong Kong Exclusive 9″ Castle

The Hong Kong exclusives simply came out of nowhere, the first of the foreign country specific Vinylmations, and all three offered figures that were similar to previously available (or at least announced) in the U.S.A. The Dumbo, perhaps the hardest to find trade wise because it’s US counterpart won’t be released until September is one of the first figures with a hat, but it’s the HK Castle that is the higher value, but mostly because it’s a 9 inch figure. It’s almost identical to the DLR Castle released during Park 2, only it features Mickey Mouse welcoming you to the gates of the castle in Hong Kong, and the trademark HK Fairy Dust, found on all three of the HK exclusive figures.

The “I gotta have it right now price?”:  $100 – $150

3. Japan Exclusive 3″ Pirate Mickey: Hero of the Caribbean

Thanks to some bilingual Vinylmation fans, we’re able to get information off of the Japanese Disney Store website, and the release of the Pirate Mickey HOTC was one that everyone got excited for. Released near the premiere of the newest “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, collectors waited with baited breath to hear when this figure which comes in what will probably be the last (and best designed) tin, would see a release over in the States. Only, it never happened. Luckily this figure is not LE as far as any translators can tell, and a flurry of them has already made their way onto American soil. Still, the price is high, and given the upcoming Pirates series, will likely stay that way for awhile.

The “I gotta have it right now price?”:  $30 – $40

V.E.R. SINKING STARS

1. NYC Exclusive 9″ Boroughs
Featuring a bunch of exciting images words, it’s no wonder this well designed yet rather boring 9 inch figure sells for less than its retail value, repeatedly. Perhaps only the hardcore of collectors or NYC fans would need this figure when compared to the flurry of other NYC figures that are… how do we put this, more “visually stimulating.”

The “I gotta have it right now price?”:  $30 – $50

2. Hong Kong Exclusive 3″ Sorcerer Mickey
The Sorceror Mickey, the last of the 3 Hong Kong Exclusives features the “fairy dust” as outlined in the 9” counterpart above, but offers very little else compared to its U.S. counterpart… except that it’s not winking. That’s right, the lack of the wink is the major separator here between the two versions of Sorcerer Mickey figures available to Vinylmation fans, and while that might make it the very first, albeit unintentional, “Variant”, it also means people that have easier access to the US one have very little reason to shell out the big bucks for this one.
The “I gotta have it right now price?”:  $20 – $30
3. NYC Exclusive 3″ Minnie Mouse Statue of Liberty tin
A great design, with a popular artist, from one of the most popular statues in history, sounds like an instant sellout, right? Well, no, not quite. Seriously, I want to emphasis this is a GREAT design, despite making it to the bottom of this article, and the only reason that this price is not through the roof is that there are crowds of them on the U.S. shelves. Initially a hot ticket item, the Minnie dressed as the Statue, complete with cute tiny torch, swiftly sunk in resell value. I guess everyone already has one?

The “I gotta have it right now price?”:  $18 – $20

Lots of new designs will be flooding this particular market soon, and while some of them seem rather neat, it will be interesting to see how well they do in the secondary market. I really like the design of the San Fransicso “Golden Gate Bridge” for example, but without ever being there myself, will it be worth the purchase price? Time will tell, and until then…  make mine Vinylmation!