Are they still making this Variant?...

[Shogi]

Just thought I throw out a little project we can all participate in. To figure out if a certain "Variant" is still being made we can start to post the production numbers stamped into the back of the cards we have (or see in stores)

Simply put if we find a version of a figure, like say shark tat Shippy with a production number higher than anchor tat shippy, then we know it's still being made. If we don't find a shark number higher than an anchor number, then we can assume it's not being made anymore. This can give us a better understanding of what we can expect to see in stores.

Sure you may still see items in stores that were made long before other items in the store, but that's just slow distribution (Or leftover stock recently found, like the Unleashed Vader I found at Wal-mart last month that was made in 2003 or so!)

So I'll Start with the numbers I have and I'll add to this list any numbers I find or that others post here

Beachhead diaper crotch #72252 - #72532
Beachhead new crotch #72532

Firefly diaper crotch #72252
Firefly new crotch #72352 - #72502

Yellow Stalker #72252
Green Stalker #72352 - #72882
Green Stalker Fixed Crotch #72882

Shark Tat Shipwreck #72252 - #72352

Zartan Color change logo #72252 - #72482
Zartan Non Color Change logo #72482 - #72532
Zartan Color change logo Sticker #72882

Flint with Back Pack Hole #72882

[Shogi]

Hicks_Royel informed me in another thread that he has a Zartan that changes color but has no color change logo with the same production number that I saw on a Zartan with color change logo. It would seem that we may have found the very day the factory stopped making the Zartan card backs with the color change logo!

Production #72482 (September 5th, 2007)

[catofadiferntskn]

I have 5 Beach Heads in my possession (I picked them up for other Joe fans I work with). I have 4 old crotch Beach Heads that are 72532, and 1 new crotch with 72532. I think we can assume that was the day the change was made since I have both from the same day.

I also have a Shark tattoo 72352

Anchor Tattoo 72482.

My earliest Green Stalker is 72352.

My earliest new crotch Fire Fly is 72352

This is strange, as I have BHs with old crotches from 253, and it seems FF went to new crotches way before that at 235.

Are we sure this is the figure production date, or the card back production date?

[prowl]

Oh God, I hope the term "diaper crotch" never gets used again.

[Shogi]

Are we sure this is the figure production date, or the card back production date?

You bring up a great question there. I know others use the numbers for tracking down variants. This would strengthen my theory on how we are getting Zartans with no color change logo and green faces (Overstock of the figure being put on the new cards)
I'll ask around to get clarification on production numbers.

I'd imagine though that even if the number doesn't denote when the toy was made, it can be an indicator of approximately how long said toy was being made

[OUTBACK]

it actually is a great question/idea.

it proves/shows that the people who only deal in variants, know by using serial numbers when the production ends/begins.
i bought these few weeks ago and were, from what i saw, the first shipment to hit this particular WAL MART.

Shark-tattoo Shipwreck #72252
Zartan "color changing face" logo & face ability #72392

[Hicks_Royel]

Edit: Misread Outbacks post.

Hmm stupid variants, why Hasbro? Are you not yet rich enough?

[Captain-DC]

Date Codes and figures?

The Date code is from what i hear stamped on the cardback at the same time the figures is put on the cardback with the bubble.
A Machine stamps that production run with a Date Code at that time. Of course only Hasbro knows this for sure and they won't say!

Far as figures made. You got to remember one thing here.

The figures are made many many in production and they get put together and then they end up in giant bins or tubs as you may call them.

They then are put in the bubble and then sent down the line to have the bubble attached to the cardback... And that is from what i hear the same time the cardback gets stamped with the date code... But you also got to remember that their could be many loose figures yet in those tubs that may not get carded until later?

And if that's the case they would get a different date code if they are say carded at a later date. They then would not have the same Date Code in this case but they could be from say the same batch that was in the loose figure tubs or containers.

So some Variations could be made early and yet not get carded until a later card.

So they could end up with the same figure variation on a card that has two different date codes.

But if Hasbro keeps the figures on Track as i hear they do? Then most likely they try to get all those figures carded at the same time and all.

After all it's a Producion plant and they have people doing different things in that plant just to get these figures made and then later put in the bubble and then the bubble attached to the cardback.

Then they have to pack the items up and box them and then ship them out. So they have allot to do if you think about all that?

He! He!

By: Captain-DC
10/28/2007

[Shogi]

Welcome to the Tank Captain-DC! Thanx for the great info on the date stamps :)

[C.I.A.D.]

Yeah, good stuff, Captain, thanks for the education! ;)

[Captain-DC]

No Problem. Glad to be here.

And Date Codes are where it's at. If you collect Variations then they are something you can keep Track of for fun and to know what is what. And Knowing that is Half the Battle!

:)

By: Captain-DC
10/28/2007

[ambushbug74]

So, are there Zartans that don't change color? My cardback is 72502 and has no logo, but doesn't seem to change color either.

[Shogi]

So, are there Zartans that don't change color? My cardback is 72502 and has no logo, but doesn't seem to change color either.

There have been a few reports of Zartans that have no color change paint on their faces. The easiest way to tell is to stick it in the freezer for a couple of minutes. If it turns green, it has color change paint on it.

However if your figure is still MOC youi might want to just hold it up to an air-conditioner vent or something

[Captain-DC]

There have been a few reports of Zartans that have no color change paint on their faces. The easiest way to tell is to stick it in the freezer for a couple of minutes. If it turns green, it has color change paint on it.

However if your figure is still MOC youi might want to just hold it up to an air-conditioner vent or something

So Hasbro is now using the Hot and Cold color change for Zartan instead of the Sunlight color change they used for the Original 1984 Version? Hmmm! That's different for Zartan then.

I haven't found wave 3 here yet. They had wave 2. But they only had three different ones left as someone already grabbed all the others. Oh-Well!

By: Captain-DC
10/28/2007

[catofadiferntskn]

So to keep this thread alive, I thought I'd post some more #s.

I got a Flint with a Back Pack Hole with 72882.

I also have a fixed crotch Stalker with 72882, however I also found a non fixed Stalker with the same 72882. So it appears the correction happened that day.

It's also weird we only find some dates, it seems like the Joes are only made on certain days. I assume with wave 4 hitting, we'll start seeing some more fixes/running changes, so if you find them let us know. Also, it'd be nice if the people finding wave 4 would post the #s, so we can see when they started producing those.

[Shogi]

Well I can tell you that I found a lot of figures (Wave 3 Revision probably) on Black Friday all with #72882

So I counted days and it came out to 39 days from when they were carded to when I found them at Target on black friday

So given that info I'd say that wave 4 was made about a month ago

[slim19722]

I got 2 Flints yesterday and both have different dates. 72782 and 72882.

[Shogi]

I got 2 Flints yesterday and both have different dates. 72782 and 72882.


Does the 72782 Flint have a back pack hole?

[The Commander]

Just want to add that their IS a Zartan that does not change color. Card number is 72502

[Captain-DC]

Ok just to put these date codes out here. In case anyone is interested.

Just found Zartan here for the first time i've seen it here. Got it at Wal-Mart a few days ago. It has the Sticker on the card for the Color Changing Face. And The face and neck are Green. Found it in the store that way. The Green looks odd for Zartan. Hmmmm! Date Code: 72882

Cobra Officer got from Wave 1. Date Code: 71622 And just got the other day another one. that now has the Backpack hole on him. Date Code: 72532

Beachhead got the First Wide Waste Version Date Code: 72332 And found the other day Beachhead with the New Slimmer Waste Date Code: 72882

So i thought i'd post those in case anyone wants to know?

:)

By: Captain-DC
12/03/2007

[catofadiferntskn]

So, over the holidays I saw several 72912 Stalkers which are 3 days after the corrected ones started showing up. I thought this was pretty strange. However other Joes boards are reporting that they are now finding 5 pack SEs with fixed crotches, Ok, I can believe this...however there are now reports that people are finding black wave 5 SE's with diaper crotches.

So can any one here verify a fixed crotch 5 pack SE or a diaper crotch wave 5 SE? With the back and forth dates could it be Hasbro is going to make both available?

[Shogi]

So, over the holidays I saw several 72912 Stalkers which are 3 days after the corrected ones started showing up. I thought this was pretty strange. However other Joes boards are reporting that they are now finding 5 pack SEs with fixed crotches, Ok, I can believe this...however there are now reports that people are finding black wave 5 SE's with diaper crotches.

So can any one here verify a fixed crotch 5 pack SE or a diaper crotch wave 5 SE? With the back and forth dates could it be Hasbro is going to make both available?


I do not have either snake eyes but here are a few things to consider

1. All the figures are in a box together before being carded, so said box may have fixed and non fixed crotch figures getting carded at the same time (The number isn't stamped until the figure is carded

2. These figures are made months ago and they continue to get made for a while. Hasbro had shipped a few shipments of Joes by air due to the lack of product. I think the ones we're seeing in Target now are the ones that were shipped by boat. My few wave 4 figures have the same number as the Stalkers you saw 72912 and my Comic packs have the numbers 72301 & 72391 (They were carded long before the fixed Stalkers hence why Snake Eyes and Hawk both have the original crotches)

[heatviper]

All My other doubles and triples share the same #'s
Flint:72912,72782
Shark SW:72502
Anchor SW:72882

[Captain-DC]

I haven't seen any of the fixed waist's on snake-eyes yet. I heard about this also but have not seen any.

And i think i also saw some say they found a fixed waist snake-eyes in the comic pack also? No Pictures on any of these have been shown?

Are these real? If so where are the pictures then?

I got my first three comic packs on Friday and both the snake-eyes and hawk have the old style wide waist's. Not the new style ones. I did see that they did add the backpack hole now to the snake-eyes and hawk molds. As my old single carded snake-eyes and my old five pack snake-eyes did not come back then with the backpack holes. So they did change that part.

My Target today put out some wave 2 and wave 3 figures. They had both the wide stlye waist for Stalker and the new this style waist for stalker the wide waist versions are carded 10 days before the new thin waist versions. So the thin waist version here are carded ten days later then. Thye had both style in today. So they must of had more than one case put out as they were three roles full of figures today.

No Shark Tattoo on Shipwreck thoe. BooHoo!

Were going to be getting many variations on the 25th Anniversary figures people. The first being the old style wide waist's and then later the new thin style waist's. And then of course the early figures without the backpack holes then later versions have backpack holes. So these are going to add up quickly then.

So everyone keep your eyes open. And let us know what Variations you find next?

Yo Joe!
By: Captain-DC
12/30/2007