Category Archives: US Transformers

Giftset Gallery – The Popular

Various Transformers giftsets


By definition, a giftset should be something that brings happiness. Not just one Transformer, but sometimes five or six, all of which interact with each other to create something more than the sum of their parts, expecially in the case of the combiner sets. Add in a reassuringly large box covered in artwork, a shedload of accessories, and a healthy dose of …

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Giftset Gallery – The Obscure

Lio-hype-er


Everyone loves a Transformers combiner giftset. It’s a lovely word isn’t it? Giftset. Just rolls off the tongue. My spell-checker doesn’t recognise it, but collectors certainly do. Almost always bright, colourful, large and with a significant portion of the box front covered in artwork, they make for some of the most popular and impressive collection display pieces one can find. Nowadays certain …

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Under The Skin

Gentlemen, start your engines...


Toy collectors all have their reasons for spending hard-earned money on action figures, vintage toys, modern children’s toys or high-end collectibles. It could be nostalgia, simple adult appreciation, a hobby or as a coping mechanism for something. There is a wide spectrum within which people enjoy the hobby in different ways. Vintage G1 Transformers have a lot to …

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Survivors – Part 2

Landfill (present) and Air Raid (The only TF that shop in Cyprus had that year)


“What we do in life echoes in eternity” – a great line from a great film. While “What we experience in childhood echoes through adulthood” is a slightly less profound quote, especially when measured in the context of toy collecting, it is still a huge part …

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Survivors – Part 1

Childhood vs Adulthood


Legendary Diaclone Black Tracks from Finland or a regular and used Transformers G1 Thundercracker from the UK? Which would you choose? I’d choose Thundercracker, every time, now and forever. Not just any Thundercracker though, just this one, from my childhood collection of Transformers toys. It is nigh-on impossible to find any collector who does not have extremely fond memories and connections …

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Display Space

The dream


One of the greatest joys of having, adding to and maintaining a vintage Transformers collection, or any collection for that matter, is the ability to display it. When collections reach a certain size, it becomes harder and harder to appreciate each individual item that helps make up the glorious whole. There’s nothing like organising a display of Transformers toys, boxed, loose …

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Even More News To Me

A tremendous mistake


The passage of time continues to bring us brand new discoveries in the vintage world of Transformers and pre-Transformers collecting. We’re nearing the 30 year anniversary of the first release of The Transformers, and we’ve already surpassed that mark for Diaclone and Micro Change, and despite those milestones this amazing hobby and area of toy collecting still present gems, gifts, mysteries and …

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Is It Conceivable? – Part 5

Apparently, this IS conceivable


Some of us have dreams when it comes to toy collecting. Complete a collection of variant minibots, own a particular sub-line of pre-Transformers, have a graded sealed collection of G1 across a few years of release or a run of Japanese exclusive Transformers, those are serious ambitions but to some reasonable degree they are – according to and as defined by …

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Is It Conceivable? – Part 3

Iga Pipes, Hasbro and Kabaya Huffer


Welcome to the jungle. This is no place for collectors who dwell in the safe confines of AFA cases or between walls of MISB Japanese Transformers. The minibot collector and variant hunter has to get his hands and feet dirty travelling well off the beaten path. Digging up histories of countries not previously associated with …

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Is It Conceivable? – Part 1

Mission impossible?


To collect is to complete, or at least it is for some. Certain corners of the Transformers toy-buying community are happy to pick up whatever figure takes their fancy from time to time, others choose to focus their collecting and aspire to complete either a particular run of figures, sub-line or category. A small minority challenge themselves even further with simpler and …

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