There are different kinds of rarity. We think rare = very few were made, but even if thousands of a figure were manufactured, if owners aren't letting it go under any circumstances, and it is no longer being shipped to retail, that makes it rare on the market.

 

I suppose Human Alliance Soundwave and DA-28 Striker Optimus Prime in my collections since they're Japanese exclusives, and both go for a pretty penny on the aftermarket. For a one of a kind, my custom DOTM Leader Megatron.   There's no other figures in existence quite like it and that's a huge part of what make him special to me.

 

Alright, I'll play along. In no particular order;

- G1 Ironfist
- Energon Wing Saber
- Alternators Mirage (I've heard he's not particularly easy to find)
- Universal Studios TF: The Ride deluxe Evac (he's neither that rare nor hard to find, but he's prohibitively expensive as just getting in the park to have the ability to buy him costs $100, which is stupid simply to buy a $20 toy. The reason I mention him is that I managed to snag him for only $20 in a figure lot purchase )
- Universe 2.0 Inferno
- Wal*Mart Exclusive Masterpiece Skywarp (for only $30!)
- Powercore Combiner Heavytread w/ Groundspike
- Powercore Combiner Undertow w/ Waterlog
- HFTD Highbrow
- A full set of RtS Legends (Optimus, Goldbug, Megatron, Starscream, Trailcutter, and Prowl)
- "Early variant" Generations Dirge (the early releases of him had a production error where the white triangle in the Decepticon logo's "crest" is missing on both the wing and collar placements, this was later fixed)
- Classics Skywarp
- Animated Shockwave, Gray/original release (this wave was stupid levels of rare)
- DOTM Wal*Mart Sidearm Sideswipe "Wrecker"/racecar version (the G2-ish colored one with all the sponsors on it)
- DOTM Space Case (Shortpacked to only one figure per case in a Target exclusive wave full of sub-par redecos, possibly the rarest figure in all of DOTM that was released)
- ROTF Wal*Mart Exclusive "Fury of Fearswoop" set (battle-damage versions of Legends Sideswipe and Mudflap, but the real rarity here is deluxe Fearswoop and his G2 Hooligan paint job. I say this one is rare because I'm pretty sure I'm the only one on the boards who ended up aquiring him, the irony being that only happened because he was a gift from relatives for Christmas!)
- ROTF TRU Exclusive "G1 deco" Mixmaster (the one with the slightly creepy "humanoid" face, bought this one secondhand 'cause I actually like him better than the regular Mixmaster)
- Movie 1 "AllSpark Power" Mudflap (a.k.a. Classics Erector, before his sudden rise to popularity)
- DOTM Commetor (from a very poorly distributed Wal*Mart 2-pack)
- DOTM HA Basic Whirl
- DOTM HA Basic Tailpipe
- Universe 2.0 Ratchet (I bought this guy in a grocery store, that should underline how rare this guy was at retail)
- Prime FE Cliffjumper, Canadian release (as in the TRUE "First Edition" version, I know this did get a later, proper US release but I also hear the quality isn't as good in comparison)
- ROTF Bludgeon
- RtS Lugnut
- GDO TRU Exclusive Springer
- GDO TRU Exclusive Wheelie
- Target Exclusive DOTM HA Leadfoot
- Target Exclusive Movie 1 "G1 Deco" Jazz
- Target Exclusive ROTF Superion giftset
- Wal*Mart "Legacy of Bumblebee" deco Classics Bumblebee (the other Bumblebees in that set weren't exclusive to W*M)
- Takara Arms Micron "War" Breakdown w/ Zamu (a.k.a. the only properly sized Prime Breakdown currently in existence)
- Chevy Aveo Swerve


Damn, I have a lot more exclusive and rare stuff than I thought...

 

I think by rare the OP means limited release harder to find retail. Am I right? Anyway I lucked out and found the 1st legends Cosmos, reveal the Sheild Windcharger, Universe Nemises Prime & SDCC Nemises Prime. Not rare but the hardest purchase at retail ever was MP Soundwave last year. lol

 

im not sure really what you count as rare? what i found difficult to acquire is the following -

G1 overlord in mint condition
G1 Victory sabre boxed
G1 sky garry boxed
G1 Deathsaurus
Ehobby fire guts god ginrai

other more recent things -

ROTF HA Mudflap was quite hard to find?

 

Going off of this bit of the OP;

I'm assuming it's either what you said; that it's limited release, hard to find items, or just figures that were exclusive to a store. So, for example, your MP Soundwave would work on the later qualification as he is a TRU exclusive, while RtS Windcharger works on the former because he was a flat out rare little bastard that IIRC was mostly found in Five Below stores.

 

Technically I wouldn't call these rare but they were certainly hard to find,but here are the ones I am glad I got.

ROTF Human Alliance Jazz x2 (one in car mode & one in robot mode)
Human Alliance Mudflap (Jeez it took weeks or months to find just 1 of him)
Takara Masterpiece Grimlock (even tho he wasn't hard to find,just having to wait for my preorder to arrive at BBTS was pure nerve wracking)
Generations Titan Metroplex (probably the least hard to find,but sure was one of the most anticipated)

 

I don't have a whole lot that would be considered rare, but I will give it a go:

E-Hobby Anime G1 Astrotrain
E-Hobby Crystal G1 Hot Rod
Alt. Nemesis Prime
Crystal FE Prime Optimus Prime
Darkside WFC Nemesis Prime and Megs
Classics Magnus/Skywarp 2-pack.

Nothing else springs to mind.

(Edit) I just remembered a true rarity that I own. I have a Titanium Megs (the first one, not the Cybertronain one) that actually stays together solidly in both modes. I can actually dangle him by a leg in robot mode and those hips will stay together.  

 

I have quite a few Takara exclusives in my case at home. I have to say my rarest figure is my ROTF Red Rampage. Only ever saw a single one in a Kmart 4 years ago.

 

People define rare as different things.

When it comes to any sort of collectable some of the things to factor in are;
Store Exclusives, Convention Exclusives, Mail-Away Offers, and most importantly Shortpacked items.

 

The only exclusives I've held on to are Dark Skyfire. (black Classics Jetfire repaint) and Darkside WfC Megatron. I dumped a lot of my exclusive and really rare stuff.

I don't know if I'd call the FoC Wreckers rare, but they were not easy to get. PRID Bulkhead seems to be less available FE Bulkhead while we are at it.

 

I have a Korean release of Micron Legend Shockwave (anime accurate Tidal Wave), Galaxy Force voyager Starscream (also Korean issue), and Dark Skyfire.

 

I also have Cryotek (japan version. Has the pilot)
Does G1 Skids count as rare? I know he was short-packed, but it's not as if he's a hot-ticket item

 

Just wanted to add a couple to my list that others have listed that I hadn't thought of the first time:

X-9 Ravage
FOC Ruination
Generations Waspinator

Is RID Sky-Byte rare? I don't see them pop up very often, and it took me awhile to finally snag one, so I'm not sure.

 

I have a ehobby Tigertrack and Fire Guts Ginrai
Jafcon Black Prime

but my rarest figures are probably machine robo

3 wheel bike
Mini-cooper
Apollo rocket
double decker bus

 

Cryotek (didn't know he was rare haha)
FOC Ruination

not sure which others i have that fit the "rare" title. I'll have to look at them later.

 

FE Prime, Bulkhead, BB, Cliffjumper

does Jetwing Prime count?

 

Have that Blesser figure from the 3rd party company forgot who.

Predaking/Ricochet robot heroes

RTS Lugnut

Generations Waspinator,Goldfire,Darkwing Dreadwing whichever one it's called had skids sold him didn't like the mold.

Generations Doubledealer he seems to be not out there as much as everyone else.

FOC G2 Bruticus

 

I've not seen many mentions of RTS Windcharger or the last wave of Prime Beast Hunters Legion/Commander Class stuff.

 

I have RTS Windcharger. I thought he was common in Europe, and the demand was pretty much met in the US when he started flooding our closeout stores...?