Request for help - catalogs and ads.

[ditcin]

Scott, did you throw away ANY packaging when you were a kid?

No, all my PREHISTORIC SCENES are still in their original boxes. If I remember correctly I did paint them and put them together - and play with them.
But because these were all snap-together they a came apart and I was able to put them back into their boxes.

I'm going down to the basement now and pull them out....
- Scott B.

[tay666]

I have quite the collection of boxes going right now.
Aurora Prehistoric Scenes Models - My Collection

I am also working on gathering all the different reissues sealed.
It is considerably more affordable right now with the current reissues still in production and on store shelves.
Still can't even consider a sealed original issue collection yet though.

[ditcin]

Up from the basement....
- Scott B.:

[tay666]

WOW!
Just so you know.
That Tar Pit you have, is the very rare 1972 version.
Only the 3rd one I have seen in 9 years of researching these things.

Only difference from the 1971 version is the box itself. But I thought you might want to know.

The really odd thing about that too, is that all your other 1971 release kits are in 1971 packaging.
The Tar Pit is the only one in 1972 packaging.

[jessica]

What other goodies are there in your basement, Scott?????? Geewhiz!!

[ditcin]

WOW!
Just so you know.
That Tar Pit you have, is the very rare 1972 version.
Only the 3rd one I have seen in 9 years of researching these things.

Only difference from the 1971 version is the box itself. But I thought you might want to know.

The really odd thing about that too, is that all your other 1971 release kits are in 1971 packaging.
The Tar Pit is the only one in 1972 packaging.

Weird, I seem to remember getting them all as they were released?! What is the difference with the TAR PIT - from 71 to 72? The date on the box is 71....and does it matter if it's painted?
Thanks,
Scott B.

[tay666]

Ok, on second look, I may have been wrong.
The glare from the camera flash tricked me.
The 1971 boxes were smaller and had the name of the kit almost centered vertically.
The 1972 boxes are larger (with some having some artwork changes) and the name of the kit is much lower.
In your picture you can see the difference between the text height the best when looking at the flying reptile and jungle swamp kits.

At first look, the flash washed out the name on the Tar Pit kit and the graphics gave the illusion of text where the woolley rhino's snout is.
But after doing some adjusting with my photo software, I can see I was wrong.

Here is a photo of the 2 different versions side-by-side
http://www.tylisaari.com/prehistoric...s/tar71-72.JPG

Sorry to get your hopes up there.

As far as beng painted. That generally doesn't have a big impact on value of kits. It is relatively easy to strip paint off a kit. So any builders looking to buy won't be that phased by paint.
Generally with models, sealed of course are the most valuable, followed by open but still on the sprues. Then there is a drop in value and the price floats around depending on completeness, and if anything has been glued together.

Tar Pit is always one of the more popular kits as it is so cool, and the fact that so many other kits connect to it when they are placed together. So complete in a nice box with instructions will get at least $100 most of the time.

[Drain]

Dammmm

[ditcin]

Ok, on second look, I may have been wrong.
The glare from the camera flash tricked me.
The 1971 boxes were smaller and had the name of the kit almost centered vertically.
The 1972 boxes are larger (with some having some artwork changes) and the name of the kit is much lower.
In your picture you can see the difference between the text height the best when looking at the flying reptile and jungle swamp kits.

At first look, the flash washed out the name on the Tar Pit kit and the graphics gave the illusion of text where the woolley rhino's snout is.
But after doing some adjusting with my photo software, I can see I was wrong.

Here is a photo of the 2 different versions side-by-side
http://www.tylisaari.com/prehistoric...s/tar71-72.JPG

Sorry to get your hopes up there.

As far as beng painted. That generally doesn't have a big impact on value of kits. It is relatively easy to strip paint off a kit. So any builders looking to buy won't be that phased by paint.
Generally with models, sealed of course are the most valuable, followed by open but still on the sprues. Then there is a drop in value and the price floats around depending on completeness, and if anything has been glued together.

Tar Pit is always one of the more popular kits as it is so cool, and the fact that so many other kits connect to it when they are placed together. So complete in a nice box with instructions will get at least $100 most of the time.

Thanks for detailed reply.
Actually, I've been considering selling these so so the info was perfect timing.
- Scott B.

[tay666]

Well, if you do sell them.
Feel free to use any of the reference material I have on my site for your descriptions.
Like your Cave being a first edition box, still has the dinosaur pictured in the cave mouth. 2nd edition boxes removed that.
Same for the Neanderthal Man.

[kryptosmaster]

I always find it funny that the Tar Pit is so coveted when it was such a dud when new. I remember that being the "red-headed step-child" of the kits, always left over & unsold.
I had at least two of them, probably because they were on clearance or something.
Rich

[ditcin]

I always find it funny that the Tar Pit is so coveted when it was such a dud when new. I remember that being the "red-headed step-child" of the kits, always left over & unsold.
I had at least two of them, probably because they were on clearance or something.
Rich

It's one of those models/toys that would NEVER be made today. Parents would be up in arms complaining how their kids would hurt by the implications of it. Forget about it being educational.
These Prehistoric Scenes like the Monster Scenes are very much a product of their day, never to be out done for their original sense of unique play.

Thankfully I still have most of my MONSTER SCENES. Although not in their boxes, (only one). I remember when they were taken off the market due to a surge of anti-parental protests.

Amazing thing about these "violent" themed toys - neither me nor any of my childhood friends grew up to be terrorists, or shoot our fellow schoolmates. So much for the idiots who protested them.
- Scott

[ctc]

>I always find it funny that the Tar Pit is so coveted when it was such a dud when new.

That's what makes 'em collectible: nobody had one back in the day, nobody saved them, old store stock probably got pitched, not so many around nowadays.

Those Prehistoric Scenes kits are probably one of the all time greatest series' ever! Part kit, part toy, neat boxes, display bases, and they paint up really nice! Aurora really did make their kits to be built.

Right now I have at least 70% of each of the kits, and have been slowly building the whole display. (It's been a goal since I was a kid. Too bad my granpa isn't around to see it.) I'd also like to add a side display with other dino kits; notably the Life-Like, Lindberg and Airfix sets. (But I'm not sure what kits were released....) And I've been resisting the urge to get the newer Tamiya, and Geo ones.

Don C.

[tay666]

Have you seen all new add-on kits for the series?
Some great stuff coming out in resin to go with these old favorites.

As for the Tar Pit. Must be a regional thing. Around here, it was pretty popular.
I know I had one when I was a kid.
The biggest drawback, was ther were no moving parts.
But from what I have seen from some of the old Aurora sales records, it was a decent selling kit.
Not like the Cromagnon Woman which I think was the worst selling of the whole line.

[ctc]

>Have you seen all new add-on kits for the series?
Some great stuff coming out in resin to go with these old favorites.

Yeah; saw 'em at your site actually. And yeah, they are fantastic! I love how most of them come with custom bases that'll fit into the overall display. I know I"m gonna get some EVENTUALLY, but I've been trying to resist since I"m so close to completing the original display....

>As for the Tar Pit. Must be a regional thing. Around here, it was pretty popular.

Could be. I don't remember sseing ANY here when I was a kid. (Windsor, Ontario.) We didn't get the T-rex either, but I remember all the others. TONS of Monster Scene kits though. The entire series one, plus the Giant Insect; and they were for sale everywhere. I got most of mine from a little corner store/diner right by my house.

>Not like the Cromagnon Woman which I think was the worst selling of the whole line.

Really? I think the Giant Bird scored pretty low too. (Although it's actually a neat kit.)

Don C.