My mum came up to me just then and gave me this box with a shiny bear that is made of some sort of plastic I assume.
I had no idea what it is or what it's purpose is but I guess it's meant to be a collectible. I examined the box thoroughly and had a website called Bearbricks.
Does anyone know much about these items?
Would you know pricings if I showed you a picture? Because mum was cleaning out uncles house and that's what she found
It's a full metallic jacket
Undefeated
Is this one shiny? Apparently this one looks pretty cool and worth a bit of money. Keeper!
Yep it's shiny
collectible toy designed and produced by the Japanese company MediCom Toy Incorporated
http://www.toysdorado.com/object.php?O=1911
or
http://www.toysdorado.com/object.php?O=1912
I have a fairly decent vinyl toy collection. Bearbricks are a spinoff of Medicom's 'Kubrick' series. Basically bear shaped vinyl figurines. I personally don't have any because for some reason there is a HUGE knockoff industry for Bearbricks for some reason. Yours sounds like the real deal though if it has all the markings and box etc. Generally not really worth anything unless you have a release that's super collectable/ limited/ signed by artist etc.
Here's part of my Bearbrick & Kubrick collection on Flickr. Haven't updated it for years because I don't have a pro account back then.
I collect 100% (about the length of a finger) and 400% (4 times the 100% size) bears. The common bears are released in series, and it is up to series 27 now. http://www.medicomtoy.co.jp/prod/3/8/47/ (top left). Popular comic character, superhero, brand, artist are normally the subject of the design.
The bear is sold in "blindbox", meaning you won't know what you get until you open the box. The most valuable bears are the "hidden chase" figures not shown on the box. Chances of getting them are 1 in 48, 96, 192 and so on example. A nice chase for series 27 is the US President Obama bearbrick.
The most valuable bear I own is the a chase from series 10 - COMME des GARCONs. I paid 499 yen (about AUD$5.50) for it back in 2002 and I have seen it being sold for more than a hundred dollar on eBay.
There isn't much following here in Australia but it is quite big in Japan (no pun), Hong Kong and some Asian countries. I have some extras that I am selling on Gumtree if you guys are interested.
I've been wondering what the 100% and 400% meant. Thanks for clarifying
They are collectibles for a range of genres. People generally decorate their room, car, bathroom etc with them or just keep in the box forever. It is pretty popular and a lot of people do collect. Whether it'll retain value in the future, I have no idea.
Which one did you get? Do you even like the character?
It's a trendy and nice gift btw.