Believe it or not, this, what appears to be a chewed up wad of bubble gum, is actually a dinosaur toy. Plateosaurus to be exact. Plateosaurus is a dinosaur we all recognize that was once much more popular than it is today. It used to be one of the staple dinosaur toys and Marx, MPC, UKRD, Bullyland, Carnegie, Kaiyodo, and others have all made one. But very few have been made in recent years, and aside from this year’s Safari TOOB figure the last good one was from CollectA, all the way back in 2011. This has led to collectors clamoring for a new representative of this classic dinosaur, and for some of us, it makes even the crudest old toys now precious things, which is why I’m featuring Plateosaurus next in my series of Diener eraser reviews.
My Plateosaurus is the mini version of the figure, released in 1987, it followed the larger version that was released in 1969. It stands 1.5” (3.81 cm) tall and measures about 2.5” (6.35 cm) long. Crude and poorly proportioned, there’s no real need to calculate the scale of this toy. The figure is standing bipedally with the tail dragging on the ground, which was the style at the time.
The toy is pudgy looking, with its little hands pressed against its tummy as though it just finished a hearty meal. The space between the legs is filled in, which helps make it stable but also makes it look like some of the thicker-thighed Godzilla designs. The toy has a pitted texture, and the eyes, mouth, and individual fingers can be discerned.
My copy of the Plateosaurus is salmon pink but this toy was available in a wide range of colors. Even for a vintage toy, this Plateosaurus is rather unremarkable, but for fans of the genus and those lamenting its bygone popularity, this is a charming little toy that’s worth seeking out.
All articles on the Dinosaur Toy Blog are written without the use of ‘AI’
Trending Products
