The Energon Pub

by **Speedtrap** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 2:32 am

i found a beachcomber but its is stamped 1984 takara japan no hasbro anywhere on it an has the rub sticker but according to records it doesnt exsist in 84 idk i need your guys minds help me out plz

News Credits: 1 · by **RhA** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:15 am

Usually the stamp is a year ahead of the release. Which checks out in Beachcomber's case. He is released in 1985.

Why this is exactly is a question better answered by the Sabreblades and the Jelze's on this board.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:35 am

RhA wrote:Usually the stamp is a year ahead of the release. Which checks out in Beachcomber's case. He is released in 1985.

Why this is exactly is a question better answered by the Sabreblades and the Jelze's on this board.

*zip* Somebody called? ;;)

The copyright stamp on the toy does not reflect the year of the toy's release. Rather, it's the year in which the mold itself and the patents were copyrighted, which usually happens 1 or 2 years in advance. That's why repaints that are made a few years later can still bear the original year of the mold, plus why first-year Transformer toys carry dates like 1980 or even 1970 for Microman toys (the latter is due to how Japanese copyright law works). The year is only updated when the mold is permanently changed or tweaked.