The Holy Grail

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duttry98
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The Holy Grail

Post by duttry98 »

In all facets of collecting the term "holy grail" always pops up. Every collector has their own personal holy grail, that one piece they prize more so than any other and they spend their whole collecting "career" obtaining it. But, then you have the definitive holy grail that's coveted by just about all collectors, that one piece made of unobtanium, that one piece that can sometimes define a collection, the pride and joy, the bank breaker, etc... in the Hot Wheels world it's the rear loading beach bomb, Star Wars has the 3 3/4" rocket firing boba fett, what does Transformers have? What is the Transformers holy grail, if any?????
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by skywarp408 »

My Grand Max would be my personal one, but the real Holy grail of all Transformers would be the 1980's Unicron prototype in my opinion. I have no idea who has it or where it is. That figure would break all records.
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Roadbuster »

Good thread. Mine used to be G1 Fort Max until I acquired one (loose/complete), this was before Encore reissued him.
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Jose
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Jose »

Blue Bluestreak will always remain as my Transformers Holy Grail. Even in Japan is super expensive and probably will stay away from my collection forever. I have a repaint though, but a filler isn't the same.
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Roadbuster »

Jose wrote:Blue Bluestreak will always remain as my Transformers Holy Grail. Even in Japan is super expensive and probably will stay away from my collection forever. I have a repaint though, but a filler isn't the same.
Forgot about him. Yup, him and a Marlboor Wheeljack would make me a real happy camper. :D
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Dinobot »

I have a lot of good ones, but I think for me, the holy grail would be a complete dinoking. Moinstructor was hard enough to assemble completely.
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duttry98
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by duttry98 »

Jose wrote:Blue Bluestreak.
It's always been my understanding that the "blue" bluestreak is just a farce based on urban legend and misunderstandings stemming from product advertisement.
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Time Traveller »

duttry, you're right that "blue Bluestreak" is a myth... sort of. There was a Diaclone Datsun 280ZX that was issued in silver and blue, which Bluestreak's advertising images are based on. However, the blue and silver Diaclone Datsun is far more rare than its other colors, since it came just as Diaclone was about to be canceled. Add to that Diaclone-level uber-rarity the demand from TF collectors, and you've got a recipe of Holy Graildom.

G1 Unicron is a definite Holy Grail, but Hasbro owns two of the potential three Unis. They had the two on display a couple years back, one in each mode. (The whereabouts of the third is not known to me)

For much of my youth, Fort Max was my grail. Even when I got one (from TFL!) it was the crown jewel of my collection. But now, with the reissue, he has become far too obtainable to hold that status.

I had the pleasure to handle and photograph a Grand Max, and while it was a somewhat religious experience, I feel that he may not be as rare as he is expensive.

I think I'd have to go with the prototype Fort Max shown in the 1987 catalog. That was the one I drooled over through my whole childhood. He has slide-out hip cannons instead of swing-out (much more functional), and his windows are clear instead of green (much more attractive), his button, crank and dial were grey (much less conspicuous), Cerebros had twin handguns (much more badass), and he is filled and sheathed in all the excitement and optimism and naivete of youth.

I've actually thought of customizing a regular one, but I don't have the skills (or molding techniques) to do it right. In the meantime, at least I can transform the regular one into the wall fortress mode shown in the catalog!
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Jose
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Jose »

duttry98 wrote:
It's always been my understanding that the "blue" bluestreak is just a farce based on urban legend and misunderstandings stemming from product advertisement.
Technically, it made it as a Transformer. The pre-production Diaclone Bluestreak with Autobot labels used in the 1984 catalog is THE only one. As Diaclone, I'm not sure if it is or not more rare than the gray with black hood version, but to me it's the most desireable.
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duttry98
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by duttry98 »

Jose wrote:
duttry98 wrote:
It's always been my understanding that the "blue" bluestreak is just a farce based on urban legend and misunderstandings stemming from product advertisement.
Technically, it made it as a Transformer. The pre-production Diaclone Bluestreak with Autobot labels used in the 1984 catalog is THE only one. As Diaclone, I'm not sure if it is or not more rare than the gray with black hood version, but to me it's the most desireable.
Thinking about it, logically you are correct and that makes perfect sense! So, where abouts would this elusive creature be? And further more, does anyone here have or know of someone who may have a proto? I think owning a proto in a collection would be totally wicked.
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Jose »

Often when pre-production items go to hands of collectors, is because someone at the staff "borrowed it" or wanted to take his/her work home. :twisted: Name it whatever you want... But that's why they are "hot" items. :D The key in rare collectibles is provenance.
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Time Traveller »

Unfortunately, though, many of these items are destroyed after they have served their purpose. This seemed especially prevalent with '80s era protos. My guess is "Blue Bluestreak" was just a factory sample with the new Transformers sticker sheet applied. This would essentially make him no different than hunting down the blue Diaclone and using a G1 Bluestreak label sheet on it. The trick with this guy would be to prove he was SOLD in Transformers in blue... a verified sealed sample has yet to surface. Sadly, I'd guess a 25% chance that "blue Bluestreak", the prototype, wasn't tossed after his promotional images were taken.
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by duttry98 »

Tossed....., OUCH! How cool would it be to be able to go back and rummage Takara's and Hasbro's dumpsters LOL.
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Re: The Holy Grail

Post by Time Traveller »

I'd definitely be digging for my proto Fort Max :)
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