Funko Pop Vinyl Beginners Guide F.A.Q is the best place for Newbs to get up to speed on everything they will need to know about collecting, trading, buying and selling Funko Pop Vinyl figures.
FUNKO POP VINYL FAQ IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED!
What Is A Funko Pop Vinyl?
A Funko Pop Vinyl is a stylized vinyl collectible figurine manufactured by the Funko company in Everett Washington USA. They are identifiable by the uniquely embellished oversize heads on springs which bobble about when shaken, hence the term Bobble-Head. Although the majority of Pop Vinyls have bobbling heads, this is not possible with all characters. Some heads are fixed firmly in place with glue. Funko has licenses to produce 1000’s of different characters from Popular Culture like Star Wars and The Avengers. You can view them HERE. The best way to stay up to date is by following Funko’s official blog.
Display In Box or Out Of Box?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions, and there really is no definitive answer. It is a matter of personal preference. Some things to consider when making your decision:
Do you intend to keep your Pops forever or is it possible you might trade or sell them? If you intend to keep all of your Pops, it is fun to take them out of the boxes because they look so cool. If you think you might be interested in trading and selling, a MIB (Mint In Box) Pop will always be more valuable as it is clean and never touched or played with.
Do you have a lot of space to display your collection? If you find yourself heavily into collecting Pops, they will eventually take up a LOT of space if you wish to display them. A lot of people will take them out of their boxes so the collection can be displayed in a smaller area, and store or fold the boxes away carefully so they can be put back into action if required.
Leave Price Tags On?
Again, this is a matter of personal preference. Some people like to leave them on so they can see how much they paid, compared to current market value. Others think they look ugly, and like to take them off as they feel it spoils the aesthetics of the box. But be careful if you do decide to remove them, they can tear and damage the box reducing its value.
How Can I Clean Off Price Tag Residue?
Some price tags leave a sticky residue behind once they have been removed.
Price Tag Residue On Cardboard – The general consensus in the Pop communities is that a small amount of rubbing alcohol or eucalyptus oil on a cotton swab will do the trick. Make sure to test your solution on an old spare box first, or if you don’t have one, try a discreet part of the box like the bottom first to avoid major mishaps. Another solution I have heard of but not tried is to use a hair dryer to soften the glue. Again, proceed with caution.
Price Tag Residue On Clear Plastic – Remove everything from inside the box, then flatten it out. A small drop of cooking oil on a soft rag has been reported as working very well. DO NOT use alcohol or acetone on the clear plastic as it will melt!
What Are The Stickers – Should I Take Them Off?
The stickers on the clear plastic part of the box indicate that the item is some sort of exclusive or rarity (IE – From Comic-Con). You definitely DO NOT want to remove them even if they obstruct the view of the Pop, as these are part of what makes it exclusive and valuable.
Should I Keep The Boxes?
If you decide to display your Pops out of the box, it is well worth keeping the boxes because you never know, one day you might want to sell one, and it is way more valuable in the box. If you are certain you don’t want to keep the boxes, they are worth money, and there is a demand for them. Try selling them on Ebay or trading/selling them in your favorite Pop forum.
How Much Is This One Worth?
For Australians:
Pops are all worth different amounts due to their exclusivity. Some are produced by the thousands, while others are produced in very limited numbers. The best ways to figure out what a particular pop is worth to look for it on Ebay, filter the search to Australia only, look at completed sales and see what it has been selling for lately.
Pop Price Guide is not really relevant for us in Australia, as many pops considered exclusive in the U.S are regulars here, and vice versa.
For Americans:
For our friends in the U.S, poppriceguide.com is the way to go.
What Is An Exclusive?
An Exclusive is a Pop that has been produced in a limited amount of numbers, usually for a special events like Comic Conventions. They are identifiable by a sticker placed on the clear plastic part of the box. The Pop itself is usually different from the mass produced common version, featuring variations like different colors, metallic paints, and glow in the dark capabilities
What Is A Prototype?
Before a Pop is mass produced and released into stores for you to buy, several original prototypes of the character are made. These are used for testing and assessment of the new idea. Sometimes they are painted, sometimes they are not. These are considered Highly collectible and very valuable.
What Is A Chase Piece or Chaser?
When Funko ships box lots to retailers, they are sent in lots of 36. One of the pops in the case is called a Chase. Whilst it is the same character, it is slightly varied from the rest, making it rare and more collectible. Usually, Chase Pops have different colors or paint, and have a unique sticker on the clear plastic. Unfortunately, these are usually separated out by the retailers and sold at a premium price. They are rarely seen in the wild, and usually found on Ebay.
What Is A Flocked Pop?
A flocked Pop is covered with a fur like material which gives them a soft feeling when touched, and makes characters feel more realistic than the regular smooth painted vinyl surface. Flocked Pops are usually exclusives and harder to find.
What Are Dorbz, Vinyl Vixens, Mystery Minis, Hikari etc…?
They are other kinds of collectible figurines made by the Funko company. They are parallel product lines similar to Pop Vinyls. They too have very active and vibrant communities you can check out.
What Should I Collect?
There are so many Pops available now, it is very easy to be overwhelmed. The best approach is to start simple. Identify a genre or franchise that appeals to you, and start collecting in that sub-group. It’s also a good idea to start with current regulars/commons that are readily available and easy to find. For example, the new Star Wars set. There are roughly 15 Pops in the set, they are all current and readily available. When you have enough spare change you can buy one from time to time and gradually build your collection, with the goal of completing the set. Once you have completed the set, move on to another sub-set. Be warned, collecting Pops is VERY addictive. If you decide you want to start by collecting all of the characters from the Big Bang Theory for example, you are going to get disappointed pretty quickly, as some of them have been retired and are very hard to find.
Where Can I Find Lists/Checklists?
The Nerd Store has some good printable checklists, but they are not always up to date. Chek them out HERE. Cardboard connection has the best Star Wars lists – Check them out HERE.
What Is Collectors Corps/Loot Crate Etc…?
They are limited edition subscription collectors boxes that are released monthly, and contain exclusive items that cant be purchased anywhere else. These exclusive items do sometimes turn up for sale on Ebay.
What Does PC Mean In Pop Forums?
PC is short for popcultcha.com.au. It is a VERY popular online store in Australia that often has Exclusive and Hard to find Pops at regular prices. – http://www.popcultcha.com.au/
What Is Hot Topic?
Hot Topic is an online store which has lots of exclusives and is very popular amongst collectors – http://www.hottopic.com/pop-culture/collectibles/figures-and-toys/
FUNKO POP VINYL FAQ IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED!
What is a Grail?
Grail is short for “Holy Grail”. In other words, A very special, rare, desirable, and usually expensive pop.
Where Can I Trade/Buy/Sell?
There are numerous places online to buy, sell and trade pops. If you are looking to buy brand new Pops at regular retail prices, you cant go past Popcultcha.com.au. If you want to find something rare or retired quickly, Ebay.com is your best bet. If you are looking to trade or swap, as well as buy and sell, I recommend the Australian Funko Pop Vinyl Collectors Club group on Facebook.
Some retail outlets in Australia include:
EB Games
Zing
How Can I Protect My Pops?
A number of companies make plastic sleeves and cases to keep dust away, and prevent discoloration. Called Pop Protectors, they usually sell for around $2-$3 each
How Can I Repair Damage?
See our page on Pop Vinyl Repairs HERE.
How Can I Clean Marks Off?
Magic Erasers seem to be the most popular solution in the Pop community. It is a block of Melamine Foam, and is sold under many different brand names. For Australians, it is a Chux product, available in stores like Coles.
How Can I Charge Up Glow In The Dark Pops?
Glow In The Dark Pops generally don’t just glow in the dark. They need to be charged. Some methods for charging them include placing them under U.V. lights, Taking them out into the sun, or placing them in front of a high powered flashlight for a few minutes. I have also heard of people using car headlights.
The most popular method seems to be purchasing a cheap UV Torch/Flashlight of Ebay. They usually sell for about $2-$3.
My Pop Keeps Falling Over/Wont Stand Up?
A small amount of museum putty (In Australia, we call it BluTak) on the base will do the trick, and gently secure it to your shelf.
How Can I Find Someone To Make A Custom For Me?
Pop Vinyl Facebook Groups and Discussion Boards are the best place to find customisers. They will usually post many photos of their work, and you can check their feedback from customers in the comments to see if they may be right for your job.
Where can I get more info on Customisation?
Check out The Funkustomizer Files website. There are a lot of tips and tricks, and examples of customs he has created.
How Does The Head Come Off?
For the Bobble Head style pops, the head screws off the body (more detailed info and an instructional video coming soon). For the non bobbles, submerge the head in hot water for 30-40 seconds to soften the glue.
Who Is Freddy Funko?
Freddy Funko is the Funko Companies mascot. There is even a blog page on Funko’s blog where Freddy gives a tour of Funko Headquarters.
How Can I Keep Track Of My Collection?
The best way I have found so far is with an iPhone app called Toy Collector 2.
If you have a better method, please let us know about it on the forum.
What does the code on the bottom of the box mean?
The Letters of the code (eg. JJL) denotes which factory the pop was manufactured at, and the numbers (eg. 150820) is the date the pop was manufactured backwards (eg. 20th August 2015)
What is a Pop Asia Re-Release? Do I Want Them?
A number of pops (mostly original run Star Wars pops) have been re-released in Asia, and look almost identical to the original release. Whilst they are not as valuable as the original versions, they are still nice to have. It is also the only way some of us will ever get that blue box Luke or Slave Leia in our collection. There is an easy way to tell the difference between an original and a re-release. An original first run will not have an age bubble in the front bottom right hand corner of the box. In later batches a “3+” bubble was introduced. In the Pop Asia re-releases the age bubble is “15+”.
Original Release without Age Bubble
Original Release with “3+” Age Bubble
Pop Asia Re Release with “15+” Age Bubble
Another give away can be the manufacture date on the bottom of the box. Originals seem to be around 2010-12 and the re release pops are dated 2015 and above
An Original date stamp VS a Re Release Date Stamp
What Do All The Acronyms and Lingo Mean?
MIB = Mint In Box
NFS = Not For Sale
NFT = Not For Trade
ISO = In Search Of
GOT = Game Of Thrones
GITD = Glow In The Dark
OOB = Out Of Box
PC = Popcultcha
SDCC – San Diego Comic Con
If you have any questions or answers you would like to contribute to the F.A.Q, please let us know in the forum at Popvinylfaq.com.
What do the codes under the box mean?
I have a Joker # 06 Chase with code JJL 150820. Can’t seem to find any info on that bottom number online. Thank you!
Hi Chris – JJL is the factory where the pop was manufactured, and 150820 is the date of manufacture backwards, it was produced on 20th August 2015.
Would it be considered illegal if a person purchased a DIY Pop, made their own character (say Batman), then sold it on eBay or a similar online marketing forum?
I would say, yes, that would be considered a violation of copyright and technically against the law
Hi there! My collection is getting bigger and bigger, so now I’d like to keep some funkos out of box but I still want to keep the boxes but I have no idea of how to fold the boxes to keep them safe, any step by step tutorial of folding the boxes (with images if possible ) thanks!
What does the term GRAILS stand for?
Hi Paul – Great Question! Grails is short for “Holy Grail”. In other words, A very special, rare, desirable, and usually expensive pop. Greg
Thank you for getting back to me…I appreciate it.
Why is it same chase pop in different colour box
Eg Heroes , DC Comics aren’t they are the same
*Super Heroes , DC Universe
Same chase pop in different box
Is it good to get both ? Or just repackaging as sales gimmick?
I am collecting Doctor Who pops, with their identity numbers what are the oversized TARDIS are the same number ( 227) while the same characters in different styles have varying numbers..thanks
Hi where is a reliable place to start trading? Do you have specific group names or links that people use?
The head came off of one my POPs, Which glue is best?
I took the sticker of the bottom which is the date it was made and that would it take the price away
What does it mean by metallic?
I lost some of the clear plastic stands (which are necessary to hold up some figurines that have little legs). Are these sold separately anywhere? Thanks!!
Can anyone tell me what (RS) means please?
RS is Restricted Shipping. If buying from an overseas retailer selling a retailers exclusive in another region, they are not able to ship that item into that region as its a violation of the territorial agreement they sign with funko as a seller of pops.
im trying to buy one for a friend but i dont know what is the difference when they say 7eleven exclusive, or if its legit? i need help. its the GOT grey wind. help!
7 eleven is a little shop. Sometimes it has a gas station sometimes not, but some of them sell FUnko Pop’s and they have exclusives for them. Not all of them sell Pops though so the best thing to do is do a google search for stores around you and start looking. Hopefully this helped! 🙂
I have an Admiral Ackbar #81 that doesn’t have a JJL number but just a bar code and Made in Vietnam. It does have the 3+ age in the front. I bought it at Gamestop. What should a collector be looking for to make sure they are not buying a nock off if they don’t have a JJL number?
what does re-release mean ? is it a fake or not ? sorry
Re-release means that the original production run of the pop has finished, and due to demand Funko have decided to produce more in a second production run at a later stage. These are not fakes, they are genuine Funko Pops. However, like most collectibles, they are not as valuable as an original series item.
Why do some of the pops not match their picture on the box. Examples. I just purchased the original spongebob set of 5. Sandy has no eyelashes on the box but she has them on the pop. Also the colors on her jacket vary from the picture. Same with squid ward. No eyelids on the box but the pop has eyelids. I looked at other photos online and they all appear the same as mine so I don’t think mine are fakes???? Help.
sometimes it just depends one the desiner. There are many people working on it. If you look at the grenade damaged Joker from NYCC it shows half his face damaged but it actuality it is only a little bit of the POP
I would like to know if Funko has any meaning or if its just a name the company got. I didnt find anywhere. Thanks!
Apologies if this question has already been asked! What do the numbers at the bottom of the plastic insert mean?
I have a Rick and Morty figure where the age is 17+, a Fred from Scooby Doo that is 14+, and a Yellow Jacket from Marvel that is 3+. My question is why the ages are so varied. The yellow Jacket has a ton of small breakable pieces that a kid could choke on, and the Fred looks completely harmless. Who makes the age ranges for the products and why do they seem so strange?
I think I read somewhere the age rating is based on the content the pop comes from. IE Cat-Dog is rated G so 3 and up where as Guns N Roses content would be rated PG or perhaps M, so they are 14+. Dont quote me on it, but I think thats the gist.
Hi. I just broke my Captain America: Civil War exclusive Cap. What do I do? It’s cracked at the back! And I also can’t get my Age of Ultron Scarlet Witch to stand up. The box didn’t come with a plastic stand like my Gamora figure did!
PaladinLeeroy wrote: “Would it be considered illegal if a person purchased a DIY Pop, made their own character (say Batman), then sold it on eBay or a similar online marketing forum?”
Answer, NO. it is NOT illegal in any way as long as it is listed as a “CUSTOM” made figure. It cannot be a “counterfeit” which is widely sold by Asian companies for a fraction of the price on ebay.
Hi Joe, Thanks for your comment. Respectfully, I disagree though. It may not be illegal from Funko’s point of view, but I’d say it is definitely illegal from D.C. Comics point of view. The word “Batman” and Batman’s likeness are trademarked, and considered intellectual property. Producing an item for sale without a license and permission to use trademarked intellectual property is against the law.
Greg, I look at it like buying a car. You buy a Chevy, dump a ton of money into it making it unique and custom, and then re-selling. Why wouldn’t the same philosophy work for a toy? Thanks.
Hello, what does it mean when a Pop figure says “1500 LE” (for example the new Mr. Toad pop figure). And in your guys’ opinion, will the value of that pop decrease in price over time, or will the price increase? Just so I know whether to buy it now or wait a little longer.
PaladinLeeroy this response may be way too late for you, since I haven’t seen you on this site again, but for anyone else that may wind up here looking for an answer to his question here is a way drawn out answer: Joe, Greg & Geoff had the right answer, to a degree…only if you combine all three, and add a bunch of “what ifs”, “if this’s” and “but if that’s” to it.
DISCLAIMER: I’M NOT A LAWYER AND THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, IF YOU TAKE IT AS SUCH YOU’RE AN IDIOT. But I do have experience in this matter and some common sense and wariness on your part will go far.
The bottom line to how Intellectual Property (Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights, Trade Secrets, etc.) works is how much $$$ and fight you got in you. The laws are written in black and white terms, but there are many gray areas. For your instance -you could take an existing Pop (say The Joker) and dress it up as Batman and sell it as “The Joker dressed as Batman” by PaladinLeeroy. Yes, you have taken 2 publicly known figures and you are selling the resulting item as your own, but you have used them to create something that is separate from the individual/known figures and made them into a new/unknown creation. “Batman” and “The Joker” separately are their own protected entities. The “Joker as Batman” is PaladinLeeroy’s creation, so long as it wasn’t already done by DC, and even then you can just name it PaladinLeeroy’s version of DC’s “Joker as Batman”.
The word “Batman” is Trademarked, the Batman “logo” (ie. the symbol of the bat in the oval on his chest) is Trademarked, the actual character/figure of Batman is Copyrighted. So you are straddling two (or 3, or more) different intellectual property areas, and as such flying under the proverbial intellectual property laws radar. Theses “laws” are so vague and all encompassing that it only takes a little doubt to prove either way between infringement or not. BUT, (big butt) if your product gains enough popularity (goes major viral) so that the big boys see it and consider it a slap in the face, (or more importantly as a loss of revenue or competition) they’ll come knockin’ on your door. You can try for a license but it’s not that easy, there are guidelines and you have to pay either a percentage of sales or a set fee. Many times people who get them have already created a product without permission that is getting sales and they (corp.) see enough profit for themselves to allow a license. There is also a doctrine called “Fair Use” which pertains to Copyrighted material being used without direct permission for different uses. This in and of itself is a fat law book of a definition, but Webster says it is this: “a legal doctrine that portions of copyrighted materials may be used without permission of the copyright owner provided the use is fair and reasonable, does not substantially impair the value of the materials, and does not curtail the profits reasonably expected by the owner”. (which more or less re-iterates my “If you ain’t takin’ their money, you can get by withi it” doctrine). This pertains to all Copyrighted material, artwork from all mediums, written word, etc. It’s a long muddy definition with a lot of traps and loopholes, but worth trying to decipher if you are worried about being infringed or infringing.
For the trolls and booksmarts that may find this post and want to prove their bookread intelligence I say this: Law is never exact, laws are written in black and white in order to trap the grays. And there are more grays than there are blacks and whites. I’m not speaking from booksmarts or to be self-aggrandizing. I myself have a few TM’s, Patents and Copyrights and they cost me a small fortune and years to get. Truth be told at least half the money (probably more than half) that I spent was wasted due to the many work-arounds out there for these “laws”. (Patent laws are especially ridiculous and ridiculously expensive) I have had several Copyrighted T-shirt designs blatantly stolen and posted on other retail sites WITHIN A DAY of posting on my own website. After a few days of petitioning to get them removed from the sites I saw them on, I saw them on several other sites, from several other people who have also stolen my design. (and they were making way more sales than me, @$#%!) I Patented a product that was stolen, copied and sold by a guy that initially approached me to get a license to sell my product. After a few weeks of negotiations and research into his background I told him no. He broke our Non-disclosure agreement and sourced a factory in China through a contact he met through me to make a very simplified version of my product. He even showed up at trade shows in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City just a few booths away from me displaying my original base product. I had him removed from both venues by the event management just by showing them my official USPTO Patents which I would display in my booths on all occasions. But when I tried to legally stop him from infringing I was told BY THE USPTO, “Yes well even though you are the patent holder and you were in business before him…….. get a lawyer”. THIS WAS FROM THE GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED BRANCH THAT AWARDED ME THE PATENT! $5 to $15 G’s each friggin patent and they tell me to get a lawyer?! I say “awarded” because I actually had to prove that it was ME that designed the product after the thief went to the patent office with my original (first) rough draft design.
To be fair I myself got a cease and desist for a T-shirt design that I did that was a spoof of a well known logo, a logo that I made damn sure was different enough to bypass infringement and one that had been spoofed many times before including once for a movie. But Hollywood has money and influence (lawyers) so when my “spoof” went viral and attracted the attention of the company (within 2 days) my broke ass got a letter telling me to stop or I would be sued. Fortunately It happened so fast that I hadn’t fulfilled any orders, so I didn’t have to issue refunds or compensate them for income received.
So I guess to make a short answer from this long story I say this: Infringement can be a very blurry gray line. Even an idea that you may think is “yours” and “original” will attract someone that is going to say “mine”. And people are going to take “yours” and “original” and tweak it just enough to make it “theirs”. So if you CREATE (not discover, that would mean it was already there and anyone can “claim” it) a cure for cancer, Patent it in anal detail, Trademark the name/logo and Copyright everything you write about it. Other than that, skirt the laws and spend if you got it, because unless you have lawyers like O.J. (during his first trial), chances are you’re going to get skirted too. A “Cease and Desist” is just that. It means STOP now. As long as you stop now, (and haven’t made a shitload of money) they ain’t going to make a TMZ story out of it.
Hello. I got a 8-bit gitd chase raiden , but he is missing his left hand?? What does this mean as a collector?
I have a chase Joker #6 but…the sticker says limited edition glow chase, which was never made. Since it has the incorrect sticker…how bad does that decrease its value?
How do the series work? Like are there individual say disney series or is disney a series or is series just the generations?
So if the pops box says ages 15+ and not 3+ it fake ???
My collection is getting bigger but there are four that I’m looking for. The Jade Sixer, and glow in the dark Sixer from ready player one and the dark magician girl as well as blue eyes white dragon from yugioh. Where I’m from they are hard to find
Sounds like it is a misprint to me. If it is a misprint then it’s worth some money
Hi,
I recently bought a few Harry Potter/fantastic beast pops from a “collector” the guy had a house full of toys from Lego to vintage action figures. He was an in box collector, all the pops where in pop protectors and looked incredible, I’ve took them home and decided to check them over, taking them out the box, these are all exclusives from target and gamestation and being in the uk it’s rare I get any first editions, but none of the serial numbers on the boxes match. The pops look incredible, the box art is fantastic I’ve had fakes before from eBay and Amazon and it’s usually clear they’re fakes at closer inspection.
No other pop in my collection has a serial number on the box that’s different to the one on the pop, even the fakes I’ve bought in the past managed to get this right,
Is there an explanation for this, I just can’t see how these pops are fake looking at them and the box, or why they would make such realistic copy’s yet mess up on the serial numbers.
Any information would be welcomed greatly,
Thanks for reading,
Ste.
Is there any indication that a pop might be taken off the shelf soon and try to buy it before the price shoots up
Hi Smiley Chris, The best indication is to check Funko’s Vault Website, and see which Pop’s have been retired (Vaulted). Greg
Hi, im trying to understand how to spot a fake and im getting a little lost. I understand the sticker on bottom of box but if it isnt JJL but FM does that mean its just a different company that manufacturered it? And what does the number on its foot stand for?
Older pops don’t match. John Wick is a good example. Serials begin with A. But the boxes start with J. From looking at my collection, serials start to match after 2016/2017.
Does a special edition sticker versus the hot topic exclusive sticker mean it’s a fake
What does GW mean? I.e. Infinity Warps – Iron Hammer (GW)
Hello! Does anyone know what the code “FAC-034564-16006” on my blue box boba fett would mean? I’m trying to figure out the production year etc
I bought 2 pops from the same listing on eBay (from USA) and just noticed one of them is missing the manufacturer sticker on the bottom. Does that mean the pop is fake? The barcode scans in the app so I didn’t think much of it until I recently started looking into fake funkos.