Confusion regarding Original 6 Concave Feet...

[applejackSA]

Hi guys

I have been collecting for over ten years now - and one thing has still puzzled me greatly:

(maybe this has something to do with me living in South Africa!)

What I know for a fact is:
 - the original 6 (FF) were produced in 1982
 - Cotton Candy and Blossom were re-released as Concave Feet ponies in 1983
 - in 1986 the original 6 were re-released as Concave Feet

That all makes sense

What I don't understand is  - there was NEVER a mail order/points system here in South Africa, and we received a mixture of American and European ponies when I was a kid (remember them in the stores)...

What I want to know is - were the original American released CONCAVE 6 ever sold outside the mail order system early on?

I don't understand why there are so many of the concave foot ponies floating around here in South Africa and abroad.

THEN - I check "mylittlewiki" - and they refer to FF, CF and MO?!?! So there WERE three releases?

Trust me - I KNOW most of everything there is to know about MLP  - but this is the ONE conflicting piece of info that every website and collector's book has NEVER really fully explained.

Any expert have any answers?

Interested to see what everyone has to say...

[lunar_scythe]

the theory I've heard is that there were 2 waves of the orig. 6: flat foot, and then concave foot, both sold on card(at least, here in the US), then the later collector set, in a slightly different mold.  This would explain why there are more of the CF then the FF ones, and why there are some distinct differences in symbols, and why Cotton Candy has *so many* versions of CF(1 would be MO, 1 year 2 release, and the other year 1 CF).

I *think* someone has a MOC CF Hong Kong orig 6, I want to say Butterscotch?

[applejackSA]

Thank you lunar_scythe - that makes a LOT of sense - I just find it odd that none of the collector's inventories or websites that have been around for years or even recently can explain this or shed light on it.

Very interesting!

Love how we are still all learning new facts about ponies EVERY day!

[partypony566]

It still confuses the heck outta me!

[Ivy]

I can add more confusion to the plot.

They were released multiple times via mail -order over several years. 85-88 to be exact. Plus the set was offered in an Avon - catalog too. Oh and there was a Canadian mail order release too...

yes they were released 2 times on the card - FF and CF and 3 times for Cotton Candy and Blossom.

I *think* someone has a MOC CF Hong Kong orig 6, I want to say Butterscotch?

The one I used to have saved on another computer before it died was Snuzzle. MOC and CF.

[Brightglowpony]

I'm glad you asked because this has always confused me too! 

Does anyone know if the mail order versions are the darker/brighter bodied ones?

[Foxtale]

Since this was way before my time I don't have much insight. But I would love to see a photo comparison from people with moc/mip versions so we can try to determine the origins.

I know we are only talking about the original 6, but I also wonder about Peachy. I know she has had several releases (including one with the Pretty Pony) and I can never tell which version I have on hand.

[hathorcat]

Yes Lunar sums it up perfectly - the FF versions were essentially a first "batch" and the first run. The same year 82/83 saw the same ponies released in the same set this time in CF version. I have seen 3 of the original 6 on card in CF [although not lucky enough to own them they are in a friend's collection] as well as owned a CF Bluebelle on her card at one point - so thats all of Bluebelle, Minty, Butterscotch and Snuzzle.  The same for Peachy of course - her initial run on Pretty Parlour was FF but this was rapidly followed by CF version.

They were released repeatedly as MO versions and in all manner of ways - through Hasbro, Avon and in Euro we even got them in little plastic baggies as clearance items!

The mail order versions are distinct enough to tell them apart from their store bought counterparts but its not as simple as them being brighter - it goes from the crazy difference in Cotton Candies through to the really subtle shades of Snuzzle and Minty. One day when I finally get my website running, I ll get comparison pics of them all together but I am sure someone else may be able to help out with pics in the meantime

[Brightglowpony]

That's very interesting, Hathorcat!

[applejackSA]

I have been too embarrassed to ask this for a while now, but I am VERY relieved that I am not the only one who has been confused.

All these answers have been VERY helpful!

Thank you everyone!

[Dragonflitter]

Interesting, I never realized there was such a mystery about them!

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Love how we are still all learning new facts about ponies EVERY day!

Totally.  This is one of the reasons I LOVE collecting G1s - the community discovers new things from each other's experiences and memory, as well as each other's collections!