The Energon Pub

[Stormrider]

I came across this auction on ebay for a prototype Cerebros for Fortress Maximus and it made me start wondering if this is a real prototype.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Transformers-G1-Fortress-Maximus-Prototype_W0QQitemZ230168627448QQihZ013QQcategoryZ4696QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The seller claims that it is a prototype; but is there a way to tell if it's authentic?

[Bonger]

Leap of faith?

Like the Camo G1 SS "prototype" a couple of weeks back that looked like it was done with a marker? As far as I know, there is no way to confirm.

[CyberTooth]

The "Not for Sale" stamp in the plastic usually appears somewhere on newer figures. I'd say the same went for figures od the 80's though.

[megatroptimus]

Several of my test shots sport engraved numbers that do not appear on production toys.

[i_amtrunks]

Would a truely real prototype have the stickers applies, and a dodgy looking "made in Japan" sticker on it as well?

Many prototypes are not painted, and I used to think all prototypes had some kind of purposeful damage, like melted faces, but most of the protoypes I have seen from the classics and movie lines had no such obvious damage.

I guess it's getting to be a leap of faith with these things.

[megatroptimus]

Actually, a distinction needs to be made between prototype (early stages, random colors), test shot (pretty much final save maybe for a few paint apps... might be defaced or not... might sport a number and/or a "not for sale" mention) and production sample (final version, no special markings).

[tom brokaw]

wasnt this same item on auction a few weeks or months back?