When Did The Variant Thing Start ?

ChallengerFox

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What I mean is, when did everyone start collecting variants etc ? The majority of my collection I put together in the early 90's and back then from what I remember no one was interested or talked about variants, figures in model shops and toy fairs etc were just advertised as "Luke Jedi" for example, but now it seems every figure is listed as a variant.
 

Pomse2001

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I started in the early 00 to collect variants like lili ledy etc. etc. but it was first in the 10 or 11 that I started to go deeper and collect coo, no coo, different moulds and colors of variants, production errors etc. etc.
 

pizzathehutt

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when I was putting together my childhood collection in the late 80s/early 90s I picked up lots of loose figures cheap from carboots and antiques fairs and then when I got them home I'd get them all out and keep the ones that were in better condition for myself and the rest would go into a bag of doubles for swapping (not that I had anyone to swap with at the time but thought they'd be handy down the line.

it was only when I'd compare for better condition that I noticed I had a few odd looking stormtroopers, different coloured neck leia bespins, some vaders with different placed coo or marked out and this is when it popped into my head that they were worth holding onto.

I agree though, it has blown up big time variant wise. putting together a whole loose run I just about have time for but getting every figure with all known coo's? not for me :lol:
 

Mini99

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To me every figure (with only one or two exceptions) has two variants:
1. loose
2. carded
And that is it!
 

subzero

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Mini99 said:
To me every figure (with only one or two exceptions) has two variants:
1. loose
2. carded
And that is it!

Amen!!

I'm the same, i'm collecting loose and carded and they're the only 2 variants in my mind, I couldn't give a monkey's over what COO or paint variant my figures are as long as it's in near mint - mint cond. Iv'e only delved into variants with just one figure and that's Boba Fett, I truly love the way the colours look on the tri Fett so that gave me the excuse to get both unpainted & painted knee variants, I think it looks a lot more stunning than the colours on a standard Fett.

And that's the beginning and the end of my COO collecting venture 8)
 

Dr_Ball_MD

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I've never been bothered about different COO's but I do like to collect the different sculpts and paint differences.

It started when I joined bloody forums like this!
 

Mini99

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Dr_Ball_MD said:
I've never been bothered about different COO's but I do like to collect the different sculpts and paint differences.

It started when I joined bloody forums like this!

:lol:
They ought to have a health/wealth warning on them somewhere!
 

subzero

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Mini99 said:
Dr_Ball_MD said:
I've never been bothered about different COO's but I do like to collect the different sculpts and paint differences.

It started when I joined bloody forums like this!

:lol:
They ought to have a health/wealth warning on them somewhere!

Warning - 'this site may lead to unhealthy addictive spending on things you thought you never wanted, and possible bankruptcy'

:lol:
 

TheJabbaWookie

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Like a few people have mentioned on here I just wanted to complete the loose run in near mint condition. Then I got sent a really interesting Han Solo which turned out to be a PBP variant. I couldn't get much info on it so I joined the forums where hellhippie and trappedtexan recommended Javier Ruilopez' book "Star Wars Made in Spain" and it all spiralled from there. I blame those three really :lol:
 

Mini99

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TheJabbaWookie said:
Like a few people have mentioned on here I just wanted to complete the loose run in near mint condition. Then I got sent a really interesting Han Solo which turned out to be a PBP variant. I couldn't get much info on it so I joined the forums where hellhippie and trappedtexan recommended Javier Ruilopez' book "Star Wars Made in Spain" and it all spiralled from there. I blame those three really :lol:

If you can find someone to blame then that's all ok then... :lol: :roll: :lol:
 

Bonsai_Tree_Ent

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Variant collecting surely started early on at the start of the hobby with the Vinyl Cape Jawa and Blue Snaggletooth, both very early releases in the toy line and clear as day variants.

Im a variant collector myself and after collecting a full loose set, I thought it would be fun to collect an 'alternate' loose set comprising the most noticeable and interesting variants. Really enjoyed collecting them, and learning much more about the global aspect of the hobby, perhaps the most fun collecting-wise I've had in the hobby!

Dannywhiteley said:
It's got ridiculous in the last few years with the Facebook groups imo

However, this above is true too. Variant collecting has diminishing returns. The deeper you go into it, the less obvious the variant and it becomes a little bit like grasping at straws. The latest Vintage Rebellion exposed the ridiculousness of getting excited about all the different hair shades of Luke. Facebook sellers have also cottoned on to the fact that you can declare practically any loose figure a variant and charge a premium for it.
 

TheJabbaWookie

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Bonsai_Tree_Ent said:
Really enjoyed collecting them, and learning much more about the global aspect of the hobby, perhaps the most fun collecting-wise I've had in the hobby!

That's what I think about the Spanish line. It has some really interesting and cool looking variants like the Pistachio Limbs Bossk, Chocolate legs Han Hoth, Black Pouched Chewbacca, Dark Brown Chest Rebel Soldier, 4-LOM red armour and of course the Tri logo Boba Fett light blue subzero already mentioned.

Subzero your hate for collecting variants has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your place at our side. :lol:
 

subzero

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TheJabbaWookie said:
Subzero your hate for collecting variants has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your place at our side. :lol:

Never, i'm a standard figure collector like my father before me.

:lol:
 

Snaketibe

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I mean absolutely no disrespect to those collectors that don't go for variants, after all it's a completely personal choice as to what you do and don't collect. However, when you say you don't collect variants, do you mean that absolutely completely and literally? Do you make no exceptions at all? I wonder whether you are tempted by the more obvious and readily available major ones, most notably large and small head Han Solo? Are you REALLY not bothered which one of those you have?... One that looks a little undersized, but basically pretty good, or one which looks like it's been inflated to bursting point by a perpetual drunk who's never seen Harrison Ford in his blurred life? :-D
 

subzero

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Snaketibe said:
I mean absolutely no disrespect to those collectors that don't go for variants, after all it's a completely personal choice as to what you do and don't collect. However, when you say you don't collect variants, do you mean that absolutely completely and literally? Do you make no exceptions at all? I wonder whether you are tempted by the more obvious and readily available major ones, most notably large and small head Han Solo? Are you REALLY not bothered which one of those you have?... One that looks a little undersized, but basically pretty good, or one which looks like it's been inflated to bursting point by a perpetual drunk who's never seen Harrison Ford in his blurred life? :-D

The original Han isn't even on my want list for my collection, but if it was then i'd have to choose small head just so i'm not looking at a giant man head :lol: but when I say i'm not bothered about variants what I mean is adding different variants of figures I already have into my collection and owning multiples of the same figure. If I was to own both a small head and a large head Han then really i'm still looking at two of the same figure which is what I wouldn't want.

Now if it was red & blue Snag then i'd prob have to get both considering just how much of a difference there is to the point that they pretty much are different figures, but I don't even like Snaggletooth so i'll never own either one anyway 8)
 

Robstyley

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I think it started the day Kenner started producing different versions of the same figure and the day they weren't strict on the quality control with the paint apps accross different factories/eras. If there's different versions people are going to notice and want them as they have. I'm in the very major variation camp, light green/dark green Yoda, big head/small head Han etc. 12 different shades of leg colour does not constitute a variation to me 8)
 
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