The Energon Pub

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:03 am

Can you guys take a look at this auction for a sealed Defensor giftset? I asked the seller if it is the diecast or plastic version and he has no idea. Anyway to verify this from the pictures? Or something the seller can check for me? Thanks in advance for any help.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... TQ:US:1123

I want the metal version ideally, I wont bid at this price if its plastic. Also, any suspicion of this being a KO? The condition is suspect.

by **Glitcher** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:22 am

If you're intending to keep it MISB, does it matter? There's no way you'd be able to tell either way. :-?

by **tentagil** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:49 am

If its sealed there is no way to tell. You can't see the metal parts through any of the windows. You'd have to break the deal and actually take them out to find out.

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:49 am

Glitcher wrote:If you're intending to keep it MISB, does it matter? There's no way you'd be able to tell either way.

It matters, and I did not specify if I was keeping it misb.

Jelze Goldrabbit or another senior member care to weigh in?
I know there is a way to tell with other giftsets, I just dont know for defensor.

by **tentagil** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 10:17 am

Well if you can see the headlights on Hotspot the metal version has them painted silve/grey the plastic one leaves them blue. Other then that the date stamps and everything should be the same.

by **Glitcher** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 10:27 am

Sid Burn wrote:It matters, and I did not specify if I was keeping it misb.

But you will. Because if you're not going to keep it MISB, I fail to see why you'd pay so much for the gift set in the first place. Surely there are other loose or boxed Defensors relatively cheap out there, and at least then you'd be able to tell if they're metal or plastic.

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:04 am

Glitcher wrote:
Sid Burn wrote:It matters, and I did not specify if I was keeping it misb.

But you will. Because if you're not going to keep it MISB, I fail to see why you'd pay so much for the gift set in the first place. Surely there are other loose or boxed Defensors relatively cheap out there, and at least then you'd be able to tell if they're metal or plastic.

Can you please just stop commenting? You arent helping.
Take a look online, Complete MIB defensor giftsets go for $400 to $600+. This one is MISB for $500, and I can enjoy being the first to open it. Regardless of why you fail to see the reason, I am willing to pay for a pristine defensor giftset if it is legit.

I dont want a complete but junked loose set, Or an incomplete but boxed giftset.
Ok? Clear enough?

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:05 am

tentagil wrote:Well if you can see the headlights on Hotspot the metal version has them painted silve/grey the plastic one leaves them blue. Other then that the date stamps and everything should be the same.

So the plastic version left them unpainted, they are just the mold colour? This is confirmed?

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:11 am

I just had a look at them and Fu**!
That's waht I have to say, Fu**!
I have had Defensor all that time, not knowing that those 5 could combine! :shock:

Damn, I actually had a complet combiner team, without knowing... Oh no, oh well, they are broken now anyway.

News Credits: 4 · by **Briggs** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:28 am

You can get a very minty defensor loose set on ebay for like $120. not junk, not crap. I just bought one for 80 off a guy, though plastic i believe.

But oh well, confusing as to why one would by all that money just to open it!

None the less,perhaps there are clues on the box or you could ask the seller some questions about the box. Unless both plastic and die cast would be the exact same boxes..

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:44 am

Briggs wrote::???:

You can get a very minty defensor loose set on ebay for like $120. not junk, not crap. I just bought one for 80 off a guy, though plastic i believe.

But oh well, confusing as to why one would by all that money just to open it!

None the less,perhaps there are clues on the box or you could ask the seller some questions about the box. Unless both plastic and die cast would be the exact same boxes..

that $120 Defensor would come with no box, no insert and probably no paperwork with applied stickers. I dont want that. At worst I want a near mint complete MIB Defensor

The condition of this sellers set is immaculate, so if they are the metal versions...

I pm'ed Jelze, if anyone can help it will be him.

by **DREWCIFER** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:57 am

I can tell you that there is no way that, that is G1. The artwork is off, the UPC on the back is in the middle, not the bottom, and that weird symbol on the front middle is neither Has ot Tak.

I don't know that it is, but it isn't G1 Hasbro or Takara.

And another question is, what languiage is that in?

:DEVIL:

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:05 pm

ConDrewfus wrote:I can tell you that there is no way that, that is G1. The artwork is off, the UPC on the back is in the middle, not the bottom, and that weird symbol on the front middle is neither Has ot Tak.

I don't know that it is, but it isn't G1 Hasbro or Takara.

And another question is, what languiage is that in?

This I would need confirmed but I see what you mean compared to this set.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Transformers-Gift-pa ... dZViewItem

I was a little skeptical of the condition, hence posting about it here. This set is the Japanese release I believe, again the box art is different.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Takara-G1-Transforme ... dZViewItem

Can anyone give a second confirmation that the original set I posted is indeed a KO? The barcode location is suspect, like the original art was scanned, barcode and all and applied to this KO box art

News Credits: 4 · by **jazzrules** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:40 pm

I'd be very wary of buying that one. I thought the gift sets had full windows so you could see the whole vehicle - I know my Superion set does and I've seen others with full windows.

ConDrewfus - in answer to your question - it looks like it's in greek or Russian.

If that is the case I would be even more wary as I thought the gift sets were US and Japanese releases only.

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:44 pm

The lnguag on the first on, in the first post, is Czech I believe.

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:48 pm

Yeah, this is why I posted the auction, my know my way around US, Canadian, Italian, Japanese and Korean boxes but this auction has a box style I have never seen.

And the thing is so mint, it is actually suspicious.

Another point is whether or not giftsets like this were actually available in countries other than Canada, US and Japan.

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:52 pm

Sid Burn wrote:Yeah, this is why I posted the auction, my know my way around US, Canadian, Italian, Japanese and Korean boxes but this auction has a box style I have never seen.

And the thing is so mint, it is actually suspicious.

Another point is whether or not giftsets like this were actually available in countries other than Canada, US and Japan.

It is, for something as old as almost 20 years, that came out at a time it wasn't concidered a colectors item.

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:56 pm

Here is the sellers response to my questions about the set being a KO or fake.

"Look mister Sidburn,my english is not so good

-knock-off?-
So,what means fake?This set was produce by Hasbro,made at 1985 in China under license of takara company and was import from Greek company El Greco-one of biggest Greek Toys Company-
I have photos of it-
Sorry nothing more to do to hepl you

But if you know at last if this is the metal version,please let me know

Thanks anyway"

Can anyone confirm what he claims, especially concerning this company "el greco"

News Credits: 4 · by **jazzrules** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:02 pm

This "El Greco" company appears to be real. BBTS have their versions of warpath and powerglide for sale.

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:04 pm

I googled it and just came up with el greco being Spanish for the Greek, (as if I couldn't just translate it) and apparently also the name of an artist, who died long agoe.

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 3:56 pm

Either way, I think I am going to leave this auction be and go with someone who has a north american set.

Perhaps if I see this again at a later date when I know for sure it is legit, I might bid.

News Credits: 3 · by **Collector Maximus** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:39 pm

I just want to say I am also a little suspicious of it. I mean I have never seen or heard reference to that company before I saw this auction, and I've been around the collecting circuit a while. That seems quite strange and I would stay away from it.

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:23 pm

Collector Maximus wrote:I just want to say I am also a little suspicious of it. I mean I have never seen or heard reference to that company before I saw this auction, and I've been around the collecting circuit a while. That seems quite strange and I would stay away from it.

Agreed. I have nearly 800 transformers and never have I seen this distribution company either.

There are plenty of defensor sets out there, I will stick to a north american release.

by **tentagil** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:44 pm

Well I can tell you that the giftsets were available in Greece, s well as a few other countries in Europe, or at least some of them were. It also looks like Greek writing on the box, and I have heard of that company, but very little. And yes the plastic version of Hotspot has no paint on the headlights only the metal chested version does. But none of that actually makes this particular auction legit.

You'd have to find a European collector with more experience in that area to get an answer.

News Credits: 2 · by **Sid Burn** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:11 pm

tentagil wrote:Well I can tell you that the giftsets were available in Greece, s well as a few other countries in Europe, or at least some of them were. It also looks like Greek writing on the box, and I have heard of that company, but very little.

Well I did some research and it turns out that Greece did release the Devastator and Defensor giftsets as well as a bunch of minibots under the company Elgreco. The box still reads hasbro of course but the markings for Elgreco are clearly visible. The relationship was shortlived though, because Elgreco went under in 85.

So the auction was legit, the box differences, the barcode the writing is all normal. Thought some of you might want to know. If you need further evidence of Elgreco's existance, check out the BBTS G1 section, there is an Elgreco subcategory.

I have contacted the seller about relisting. What I am wondering though is are there any differences between the US and Greek versions.