Missed Opportunity

ZedsDead · 08-16-2016, 09:19 PM

Hi guys! I'm new here and this is my first posting but I've been lurking on these forums for years. I have a TMNT toy story I want to share with you guys and if you don't believe me, it's totally cool cuz if I was you, I wouldn't believe me either.

It was around 2002 or 2003 and I had stopped at my local Big Lots. I don't remember what initially brought me in but while I was walking around, I see this display. It's about up to my chest and very long and it's a peg board filled about 4-5 figures deep about 5 high of TMNT figures. Tons of figures. I look and walk away. A few minutes later I come back cuz it was so cool to see these again. I grew up with them and love TMNT but kind of gave it up at that time in my life. My father tossed my old toys shortly after moving out so I had little to no TMNT stuff left from childhood. So I start browsing through to see what's here. I think to myself "It's so cool they reissued these". I couldn't tell you everything that was there but I ended up buying the four original Turtles (hard heads) and Casey Jones. The cards, everything looked just like the original ones. I went home and put them in a closet and there they sat for the next few years.
Sometime later I get the wonderful idea to open and display these and I do. Once I start really inspecting these they seem legit. Like they're the real thing, not reissues. The markings on them say "c1988 Mirage Studios Playmates Toys China".
I didn't know "old new stock" was a thing at this time. I passed on dozens of original TMNT figures. Carded. Cheap. If I had been using my brain I would of maxed out my credit card and came back with a truck. I still have the five figures I bought that day sitting with other TMNT figures I've since bought off eBay and local flea markets. When I really think about this I get slightly nauseated at this missed opportunity.

So my question to you guys is has anyone here ever encountered something like this? Am I wrong in thinking these are legitimate figures from back in the day? I know Big Lots gets weird stuff from time to time. Was it possible that these sat in a warehouse for 15 years just waiting for me to find them at a Big Lots AND PASS ON THEM? I've debated on telling this story here for years because it's such a sore spot for me. Either way thanks for reading this long post and thanks in advance for any responses!

08-16-2016, 09:19 PM	#1
ZedsDead Random Punk Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: NY Posts: 48	Missed Opportunity Hi guys! I'm new here and this is my first posting but I've been lurking on these forums for years. I have a TMNT toy story I want to share with you guys and if you don't believe me, it's totally cool cuz if I was you, I wouldn't believe me either. It was around 2002 or 2003 and I had stopped at my local Big Lots. I don't remember what initially brought me in but while I was walking around, I see this display. It's about up to my chest and very long and it's a peg board filled about 4-5 figures deep about 5 high of TMNT figures. Tons of figures. I look and walk away. A few minutes later I come back cuz it was so cool to see these again. I grew up with them and love TMNT but kind of gave it up at that time in my life. My father tossed my old toys shortly after moving out so I had little to no TMNT stuff left from childhood. So I start browsing through to see what's here. I think to myself "It's so cool they reissued these". I couldn't tell you everything that was there but I ended up buying the four original Turtles (hard heads) and Casey Jones. The cards, everything looked just like the original ones. I went home and put them in a closet and there they sat for the next few years. Sometime later I get the wonderful idea to open and display these and I do. Once I start really inspecting these they seem legit. Like they're the real thing, not reissues. The markings on them say "c1988 Mirage Studios Playmates Toys China". I didn't know "old new stock" was a thing at this time. I passed on dozens of original TMNT figures. Carded. Cheap. If I had been using my brain I would of maxed out my credit card and came back with a truck. I still have the five figures I bought that day sitting with other TMNT figures I've since bought off eBay and local flea markets. When I really think about this I get slightly nauseated at this missed opportunity. So my question to you guys is has anyone here ever encountered something like this? Am I wrong in thinking these are legitimate figures from back in the day? I know Big Lots gets weird stuff from time to time. Was it possible that these sat in a warehouse for 15 years just waiting for me to find them at a Big Lots AND PASS ON THEM? I've debated on telling this story here for years because it's such a sore spot for me. Either way thanks for reading this long post and thanks in advance for any responses!