Redisplay Messages: Compact | Brief | All | Full Show Messages: All | Without Replies| Author: | rylie_aitch  | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 12:31 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 79 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| In Administrative, yorbrick writes:
| | | | I hope that we don't need to go that far. I love the view into LEGO development,
production and quality control that we can get through these parts.
For me, a few genuine test parts that got out are different on principle from
large quantities of illegitimate parts that were specifically made to be stolen
and sold to collectors.
|
I agree, but when they are veing made for the market, there becomes no difference.
Who can tell the difference between a red Darth Vader helmet that was really
used for testing and a red Darth Vader helmet that was produced to be sold as
a test item. If they clear out the trans parts but keep the red, then the illegitimate
production will just shift to making more red ones.
|
I think the difference is which parts are actively being listed. If there is
an influx of red parts that "shouldn't" exist, from multiple stores, that
seems to be new production (and not old stock), that would likely be restricted
too.
|
 |
| Author: | rylie_aitch | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 12:28 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 91 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| In Administrative, calebfishn writes:
| | If there are legitimate "test batches" then you would expect the following:
a) They would be in limited colors, not every trans color imaginable (and unimagined)
b) They would not be limited to highly desireable parts, such as star wars figures,
and Darth Vader helmets with their neck pieces.
c) They would be uncommon, rather than appearing in hundreds, in dozens of stores.
d) there would not be stores offering hundreds of Star Wars minifig blaster weapons
and Emperor Palpatine statuettes in a multitude of rainbow colors.
For years, collecting test batches in some interesting colors, (predominantly
red) has been a niche collectors' market. But the new transparent color minifigures
and parts have flooded the market. There are several sellers who have 5 or
6 Darth Vaders in Tran Bright Green for example, (and 2-5 each of many other
monochrome colors) or Trans Yellow minifig helmets in numbers between 22 and
40. This is no longer something that is rare.
If you think that Lego produced these parts, is almost like they made more Darth
Vader helmets in Trans and Bright colors than they did in Black.
I feel bad for collectors and sellers who have worked hard to secure genuine
rare test batch parts in colors. I feel bad for reputable sellers who have inadvertantly
got these fake parts in their supply chain. But I think that all sellers and
buyers should be very cautious of all of these so called "rare" colors, and suspect
them to be counterfeit unless they can verify otherwise.
I appreciate the work that Bricklink is now doing to clean up these improper
listings. It would be a tragedy if Bricklink gained a reputation for being full
of counterfeit minifigs and parts.
|
No one is saying they're counterfeit here, as far as I can tell. They're
using official molds, but rogue employees are using that equipment to make parts
after hours that they think will sell well on the gray market. They're real
Lego but not seen as legitimate in that sense.
|
|
| Author: | calebfishn | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 12:12 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 101 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| If there are legitimate "test batches" then you would expect the following:
a) They would be in limited colors, not every trans color imaginable (and unimagined)
b) They would not be limited to highly desireable parts, such as star wars figures,
and Darth Vader helmets with their neck pieces.
c) They would be uncommon, rather than appearing in hundreds, in dozens of stores.
d) there would not be stores offering hundreds of Star Wars minifig blaster weapons
and Emperor Palpatine statuettes in a multitude of rainbow colors.
For years, collecting test batches in some interesting colors, (predominantly
red) has been a niche collectors' market. But the new transparent color minifigures
and parts have flooded the market. There are several sellers who have 5 or
6 Darth Vaders in Tran Bright Green for example, (and 2-5 each of many other
monochrome colors) or Trans Yellow minifig helmets in numbers between 22 and
40. This is no longer something that is rare.
If you think that Lego produced these parts, is almost like they made more Darth
Vader helmets in Trans and Bright colors than they did in Black.
I feel bad for collectors and sellers who have worked hard to secure genuine
rare test batch parts in colors. I feel bad for reputable sellers who have inadvertantly
got these fake parts in their supply chain. But I think that all sellers and
buyers should be very cautious of all of these so called "rare" colors, and suspect
them to be counterfeit unless they can verify otherwise.
I appreciate the work that Bricklink is now doing to clean up these improper
listings. It would be a tragedy if Bricklink gained a reputation for being full
of counterfeit minifigs and parts.
|
|
| Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 11:59 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 82 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| | | I hope that we don't need to go that far. I love the view into LEGO development,
production and quality control that we can get through these parts.
For me, a few genuine test parts that got out are different on principle from
large quantities of illegitimate parts that were specifically made to be stolen
and sold to collectors.
|
I agree, but when they are veing made for the market, there becomes no difference.
Who can tell the difference between a red Darth Vader helmet that was really
used for testing and a red Darth Vader helmet that was produced to be sold as
a test item. If they clear out the trans parts but keep the red, then the illegitimate
production will just shift to making more red ones.
|
|
| Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 11:49 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 81 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| | |
They are indeed no test batches.
If I read correctly they are illegally made by employees in their spare time
using materials, time, molds etc. they weren’t allowed to use.
|
Lego / BL are using the word illegitimate rather than illegal. Presumably they
are not breaking any laws, but may well be breaking their employment contracts
by removing and selling these items.
Torsos alone have been selling for $100US, and there are a number of people showing
off their complete illegitimate monochrome figures on various forums, so someone
is making a tidy sum from this.
|
|
| Author: | yoavheskia | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 11:18 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 106 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| | | | | If I read correctly they are illegally made by employees in their spare time
using materials, time, molds etc. they weren’t allowed to use.
|
|
If I was one of the employees there, I would find the current 2x4 mold and produce
for my self a modern 3001 in every color that exist! 
|
|
| Author: | WoutR | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 09:38 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 115 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| In Administrative, tonnic writes:
| | In Administrative, yorbrick writes:
| | In Administrative, Yo_Yo_Flamingo writes:
| | In Administrative, Admin_Russell writes:
| | Dear BrickLink Sellers,
Over the past several months, we’ve seen a variety of Transparent and Glow-In-Dark
minifigures flood the market. We have determined these to be illegitimate LEGO
items, despite the fact that many of them are imprinted with the LEGO logo.
Of particular note are the Darth Vader minifigures, Batman, and other superheroes.
We will start removing these listings this week, both from the custom items section
and from listings under catalog entries. This includes whole minifigures and
minifigure parts. For those of you who regularly file Problem Item For Sale reports,
please add these to the things you screen for.
Thank you,
The BrickLink Team
|
This certainly is interesting, and there are definitely cases where these items
are frauds (such as the pictures show here, these items can be seen to not be
LEGO parts, clear as day).
However, I think it we need to be careful before flagging every transparent minifigure
part under the sun- the catalog listing itself for minifigure torsos shows a
transparent torso . Transparent minifigures have made their way out
of test batches in the past- are these no longer allowed for sale?
|
There are photos of three different coloured trans torsos in that listing. Are
they all "test batches"? I doubt it. Why would they need to run test batches
of multiple trans colours, especially of a long existing part? These are more
likely the made-for-sale parts that someone is producing outside of LEGO's
production.
|
They are indeed no test batches.
If I read correctly they are illegally made by employees in their spare time
using materials, time, molds etc. they weren’t allowed to use.
|
I highly doubt that it was in their spare time. I more suspect night shifts where
there is less supervision.
The molds probably need cleaning and revisions, followed by production of a few
test batches for quality control. There is no reason to use all these odd colours
for that, nor for making larger quantities of specific minifigures.
| | | |
But maybe LEGO / BL do need to ban all non-production parts, just so it is clear
that even the genuine test parts that were either stolen or otherwise removed
from factories are no longer allowed here as there is little difference between
genuine test parts and these new made-for-sale parts.
|
|
|
|
| Author: | WoutR | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 09:32 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 114 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| In Administrative, yorbrick writes:
| | In Administrative, Yo_Yo_Flamingo writes:
| | In Administrative, Admin_Russell writes:
| | Dear BrickLink Sellers,
Over the past several months, we’ve seen a variety of Transparent and Glow-In-Dark
minifigures flood the market. We have determined these to be illegitimate LEGO
items, despite the fact that many of them are imprinted with the LEGO logo.
Of particular note are the Darth Vader minifigures, Batman, and other superheroes.
We will start removing these listings this week, both from the custom items section
and from listings under catalog entries. This includes whole minifigures and
minifigure parts. For those of you who regularly file Problem Item For Sale reports,
please add these to the things you screen for.
Thank you,
The BrickLink Team
|
|
|
Thank you.
Sadly, I think that this is the best way forward.
A single figure is a fun oddity, flooding the market is completely different.
| | | | This certainly is interesting, and there are definitely cases where these items
are frauds (such as the pictures show here, these items can be seen to not be
LEGO parts, clear as day).
However, I think it we need to be careful before flagging every transparent minifigure
part under the sun- the catalog listing itself for minifigure torsos shows a
transparent torso . Transparent minifigures have made their way out
of test batches in the past- are these no longer allowed for sale?
|
|
A very few rare trans-clear figure parts have been seen before this abuse. Those
actually might have been test items.
| | There are photos of three different coloured trans torsos in that listing. Are
they all "test batches"? I doubt it. Why would they need to run test batches
of multiple trans colours, especially of a long existing part? These are more
likely the made-for-sale parts that someone is producing outside of LEGO's
production.
|
These illegitimate figures are clearly made-for-sale. They are products that
we might wish for, but that are unobtainable. Clearly made for collectors who
pay high prices only. I hope that LEGO can identify the culprits and will take
appropriate action. As long as this problem is ongoing, we should not support
it here. (If a few random parts show up in ten years time, that would be different
for me because a sale here would no longer reward fraud/theft/abuse.)
These figures seem to be marked as "prototype" or "test batches" because that
helpes sales only.
Red and transparent parts are known for actual testing, because certain molding
problems show up clearly. Sometimes other colors were also used, maybe "whatever
was available at the time in that injection molding machine".
| | But maybe LEGO / BL do need to ban all non-production parts, just so it is clear
that even the genuine test parts that were either stolen or otherwise removed
from factories are no longer allowed here as there is little difference between
genuine test parts and these new made-for-sale parts.
|
I hope that we don't need to go that far. I love the view into LEGO development,
production and quality control that we can get through these parts.
For me, a few genuine test parts that got out are different on principle from
large quantities of illegitimate parts that were specifically made to be stolen
and sold to collectors.
|
|
| Author: | tonnic | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 09:30 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 94 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| In Administrative, yorbrick writes:
| | In Administrative, Yo_Yo_Flamingo writes:
| | In Administrative, Admin_Russell writes:
| | Dear BrickLink Sellers,
Over the past several months, we’ve seen a variety of Transparent and Glow-In-Dark
minifigures flood the market. We have determined these to be illegitimate LEGO
items, despite the fact that many of them are imprinted with the LEGO logo.
Of particular note are the Darth Vader minifigures, Batman, and other superheroes.
We will start removing these listings this week, both from the custom items section
and from listings under catalog entries. This includes whole minifigures and
minifigure parts. For those of you who regularly file Problem Item For Sale reports,
please add these to the things you screen for.
Thank you,
The BrickLink Team
|
This certainly is interesting, and there are definitely cases where these items
are frauds (such as the pictures show here, these items can be seen to not be
LEGO parts, clear as day).
However, I think it we need to be careful before flagging every transparent minifigure
part under the sun- the catalog listing itself for minifigure torsos shows a
transparent torso . Transparent minifigures have made their way out
of test batches in the past- are these no longer allowed for sale?
|
There are photos of three different coloured trans torsos in that listing. Are
they all "test batches"? I doubt it. Why would they need to run test batches
of multiple trans colours, especially of a long existing part? These are more
likely the made-for-sale parts that someone is producing outside of LEGO's
production.
|
They are indeed no test batches.
If I read correctly they are illegally made by employees in their spare time
using materials, time, molds etc. they weren’t allowed to use.
| |
But maybe LEGO / BL do need to ban all non-production parts, just so it is clear
that even the genuine test parts that were either stolen or otherwise removed
from factories are no longer allowed here as there is little difference between
genuine test parts and these new made-for-sale parts.
|
|
|
| Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Jan 13, 2022 08:10 | | Subject: | Re: Transparent and Glow-in-Dark Minifigures | | Viewed: | 128 times | | Topic: | Administrative | |
|
| In Administrative, Yo_Yo_Flamingo writes:
| | In Administrative, Admin_Russell writes:
| | Dear BrickLink Sellers,
Over the past several months, we’ve seen a variety of Transparent and Glow-In-Dark
minifigures flood the market. We have determined these to be illegitimate LEGO
items, despite the fact that many of them are imprinted with the LEGO logo.
Of particular note are the Darth Vader minifigures, Batman, and other superheroes.
We will start removing these listings this week, both from the custom items section
and from listings under catalog entries. This includes whole minifigures and
minifigure parts. For those of you who regularly file Problem Item For Sale reports,
please add these to the things you screen for.
Thank you,
The BrickLink Team
|
This certainly is interesting, and there are definitely cases where these items
are frauds (such as the pictures show here, these items can be seen to not be
LEGO parts, clear as day).
However, I think it we need to be careful before flagging every transparent minifigure
part under the sun- the catalog listing itself for minifigure torsos shows a
transparent torso . Transparent minifigures have made their way out
of test batches in the past- are these no longer allowed for sale?
|
There are photos of three different coloured trans torsos in that listing. Are
they all "test batches"? I doubt it. Why would they need to run test batches
of multiple trans colours, especially of a long existing part? These are more
likely the made-for-sale parts that someone is producing outside of LEGO's
production.
But maybe LEGO / BL do need to ban all non-production parts, just so it is clear
that even the genuine test parts that were either stolen or otherwise removed
from factories are no longer allowed here as there is little difference between
genuine test parts and these new made-for-sale parts.
|
|
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