RARE 1984 HASBRO PROTOTYPE TRANSFORMERS G1 ULTRA MAGNUS - eBay (item 250677642411 end time Sep-03-10 11:10:48 PDT)
In conclusion from the other TF Board, we concluded it's NOT the original "1984 Prototype as stated by the seller" but a Reissue Prototype "Mismash" between 2000 Takara Reissue and the 2001 Hasbro Reissue because: 1 - Made in China. 2 - Short smoke stack. 3 - Same copyright as the Reissue. 4 - Missiles are not elongated. 5 - This Robot Cab colors are white and gray. The 2000 Takara Robot Cab Prototype was teal w/ dark gray. See this link: STA: Transformers: Prototypes: Re-Issue: Ultra Magnus Test Shot We think: Once the Takara 2000 Prototype was completed, somehow the Robot Cab was either stolen or sold or something happen that left only trailer. Hasbro took the trailer from Takara and had to do their own version of the cab e.g. different color with white and gray. Also with short smoke stack.
Well, if you go strictly by his wording "RARE 1984 HASBRO PROTOTYPE", then one can argues and said yes. Reality is, his Prototype is legit since it came from the 2000 Takara/2001 Hasbro prototype base on the copyright. He just needed to correct his information.
I think the word "prototype" is being thrown around too loosely too. This is a test-shot at best. Most prototypes are one offs almost ready for production that have hand painted parts like the gray/purple Astrotrain in the 1985 catalog, or devastators gray mixmaster barrel, etc... But its still not nearly as fraudulent as this listing: very rare 1984 black optimus prime mint - eBay (item 110579039913 end time Sep-03-10 17:35:03 PDT)
1. It's a reissue Hasbro prototype due to stacks 2. There were at least 10 of these prototypes for sale at the same time in 2001, Takara Magnus was already out 3. Real G1 Ultra Magnus prototype is a Powered Convoy painted in TF colors. I own a few parts (Head, white chest wing, fists, and cab) and so do a few other board members 4. Real Powered Convoy prototype was made of resin and had mold differences.
Loosely? Isn't test shot is a "type" or stage of a prototype? Like Pepsi is type of a soda, well something like that. I have always thought the protoype order is: Mock ups/quick model-->Hard copy-->Test Shot-->Pre Production Sample. Then after that, the finish production. To me, I consider the test shot is last stage of a prototype because if it doesn't work out, they can still modify it. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.
On test shots, the production molds are already made, and they use whatever surplus plastic they have on hand, and sometimes mix the surplus plastics together, (which is why I think this figures colors are mixmatched) because they are running the mold injection/production equipment to make sure everything is good before they waste the "good" plactic/material on faulty equipment, injection pressures, etc... Many different mass production companys use test shots of various types to make sure they dont waste good material, AKA money. From printing, (which I used to do, and did many test shots) to the toys we collect. But most are either recycled or thrown out. So I guess you can call a test shot a prototype of sorts, but not in the sence of being a one-off pre-production version that is shown to marketing, or made to test and work out flaws or color variations. Im willing to bet the figure in question had its parts made the same day, or within a few days of the real production runs. And was also put together with various test shots from the various molds that make up the figure from an employee on his lunch break. If you look at the missles still on the sprue, you'll see the mold is finished, look at the fists, the injection points are clearly visable. The prototyping is finished, its just a test shot making sure the molding equipment is running correctly. Even the mold for the copywrite is done. And besides the unpainted parts of the cab, the prototyping is done there too. When the parts have chrome on them, they are either in the production stages, or testing out the chroming equipment with chrome test shots, making sure that part of the production is working correctly.
Cool, thanks for the clarification. I wouldn't mind owning that test shot if it was like $500, but over 2K, forget it. Even a huge Magnus fan like myself got to say no.
