Is there a difference between the vintage ponies & the retro/anniversary ponies?

[StarberryTart]

So I'm new to collecting G1 ponies and my major wants are some from the first wave of Rainbow Ponies, especially Skydancer and Starshine because I had those as a little girl and have wanted to replace them for years.

I noticed that there were these retro anniversary packs of some of the original ponies, including Starshine and Skydancer, that had been produced relatively recently.

However, I think the molds are different. Is it just me or are there actual differences? To me, it looks like the newer ones (retro/anniversary) have smaller eyes and longer, narrower faces/heads than their counterparts from the 80's.

Am I crazy? Or are these "differences" just because of camera angles?

I'm mostly curious because I want all of the ponies included in the anniversary wave, but I want the molds to look like the original ponies from the 80's. I like the look of the vintage ponies. If these ponies all look identical to their original versions, I would buy the new ones because they would be easier to find and in much better condition than most of the vintage ponies. However, if they have different head/body molds, then I'll stick with the vintage ponies, no matter how long it takes me to get them in really good condition...

Maybe someone has some comparison pictures of the vintage ponies next to the anniversary ones?

[SourdoughStomper]

You are correct, the molds are different. The eyes are smaller. The feet are flat and I think they're smaller than the originals. (Not sure on that last). They don't seem to have the same quality. That said, they're not too bad as far as that goes.

[partypony566]

Yes, the retros have smaller eyes, longer heads and the body colours are much more vivid.

[Jordan]

The only read difference between the Originals and the Remake is the plastic quality is alot harder and on the bottom of the hoofs stamp 2007

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[Like A Tea Spoon]

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IMAG0171 by PassionatePoppy, on Flickr

Bottom of Butterscotch, this one stamped 1982. compared to the 2007 stamp on the 25th Anni. ponies released in a boxed set of three.

You probably can't see too well... my Pony has concave feet.

[Prince Primbrose]

I was holding a repro. Minty up to my vintage Cotton Candy and also noticed that the anniversary ponies seem to have shorter legs? There is something weird about their faces too... I think it's something to do with the eyes. Maybe just the way that they're painted.
Other than that, they're made of pretty hard plastic. The heads are very heavy (my repro ponies topple over on their faces all the time.) They do have flat hooves, and it seems that the colours on them are pretty different from the original ponies. They aren't bad to look at, but next to a vintage collector's pose pony, they look a little out of place.

[Stormy31685]

They look completely different to me.  To the point where I can pick them out of a lot with no feet shots.  The colors are more vivid, eyes are different, hair is different, symbols are tighter...etc.

[ShannonInPonyland]

The plastic is completely different. The retro ponies have softer plastic while the 25th anniversary ones are a lot harder.

[Sapphire-Light]

To what was said above I have to add that the retros  also don't have the g1 plastic  pony smell 

Yeah the color is very different here are pics 

Original http://mylittlewiki.org/wiki/File:FF_Minty.jpg

Retro http://mylittlewiki.org/wiki/File:Retro_Minty.jpg

[achab1984]

Ok I have four of them and paid $1.00 for each one. I know why they were so cheap now to! They are a very hard plastic and if they get any marks on them its almost inpossible to get them off
They do not stand on here own and always fall face first into the floor. I have to put them behind other ponies to keep them up.
And there hair seems very cheap and look so greasy even when washed.

I had them NIB when they first came out and did not know all of these issues. I wish that I never sold my old ones. They were so cheap back then compared to the price they are listed for now

[PinkRosedust]

They look completely different to me.  To the point where I can pick them out of a lot with no feet shots.  The colors are more vivid, eyes are different, hair is different, symbols are tighter...etc.

Same here, heh. I guess when you've been staring at the originals your whole life, you get accustomed to every little detail.

I can see how a new collector could get confused just from looking at photos of them, but if you just study an original and a repro side by side they are quite different.

[hathorcat]

They look completely different to me.  To the point where I can pick them out of a lot with no feet shots.  The colors are more vivid, eyes are different, hair is different, symbols are tighter...etc.

Yup I agree with Stormy - they are very different creatures. The face and eyes and legs and colour and hair and plastic - all just feel cheaper. But the easiest way for you to tell them apart is that the new ones say 2007 and the old ones 1982 under their hooves.

[Moonracer]

One of the quickest ways to tell them appart is by comparing the color schemes. The anniversary have a slightly different shade than the original ones. The other ways to tell them appart is looking for the features the people before me mentioned.

Speaking of which, the main reason as to why the retro ponies differ from their original counterparts proportion-wise is because all of the early molds got destroyed/recycled (I guess they didn't expect that the old toys would have such a huge long-lasting impact, and that future generations would be interested in obtaining toys from 20+ years ago...), so Hasbro were forced to make new ones by making a digital scan of the ponies they had, and basically develop a new mold from it.