G1 Petite Ponies Question

[toyjunky]

I decided about a week ago that I might start collecting petite ponies, but before I do I was wondering a couple things.

1) Which ones / sets are the most common?
2) Who / What set are the rarest or most expensive?
3) What range is a fair price for your average single petite pony?

[goddessofpeep]

Petite prices can fluctuate wildly depending on condition and who is buying at the time. Petite hair can really frizz badly, and the symbols rub off if you look at them funny. Certain ponies are harder to find in good condition, and they can command premium prices in perfect condition.

If you were to divide petities up into rarity tiers with 1 being the rarest, and 5 being the most common, here’s (about) how they break down:

Tier 1 - G2 Petites - Released in 1997 or 1998 at Toyfair to promote the G2 line, they use the original molds.  Not exactly G1, but popular with both petite collectors and G2 collectors.  Heinously rare. A set comes up every few years and go for astronomical prices. Last set I saw come up 5-8years ago went for about $600 for a MIP set of 4. Another set came up recently, but I don’t know how much it went for.

Tier 2 - Glowing Magic, Twinkle petites - much, much more common than the G2 petites, though collecting complete sets can be a challenge.  Often found up on ebay and elsewhere.  I’ve seen them go from $15-$80+ depending on the pony, the condition, and who’s buying at the time.

Tier 3 - Bright Sight petites - possibly a bit more common than Glowing/Twinkle petites, but generally go for less since their gimmick is just bright colors instead of glitter or glow in the dark.  Can often be found hiding in lots with more common petites since they look so similar.  I’ve seen them go from $10-$40ish depending on the usual factors.

Tier 4 - Pearly, Sunsparkle, and some playset petites -  fairly easy to find, and the lack of brushable hair for the pearly and sunsparkle petites makes it easier to find in good condition.  Most playset petites have two versions(USA and European versions).  I think the European versions are a bit harder to find.  I’ve seen them go for $5-$20ish.

Tier 5 - Ponytail and Pony Parade petites - generally the most common, and easily found in lots.  I’ve seen them go for $1-$10ish each.

A good place to start is buying lots. You’ll usually get more bang for your buck, and petites are very popular trade items if you get extras.  It’s much less common to see complete sets for sale.

[toyjunky]

Petite prices can fluctuate wildly depending on condition and who is buying at the time. Petite hair can really frizz badly, and the symbols rub off if you look at them funny. Certain ponies are harder to find in good condition, and they can command premium prices in perfect condition.

Thanks for all the great information, it was very helpful. I actually found 5 of them and a stamp today unexpectedly at a swap meet. I found 3 of the set one ponytail ponies, another ponytail from set 3 and the orange w/ seashell Pretty 'n Pearly Pony (also got a Bow Tie stamp, missing the bottom ink part). All in fairly good shape as far as symbols/paint just dirty.

You said that "the symbols rub off if you look at them funny" would you recommend only cleaning them with water and a cloth, because they are pretty dirty (play grime / storage dirt - the kind you can "feel" when you pick up old played with toys). I'm assuming water won't hurt the pearl coating.

[goddessofpeep]

I usually wash them with dish soap, water, and my bare hands. I put a bit of soap in my hands, use a bit of water to loosen up the soap a bit, roll them around gently one by one, and rinse them off.  Dish soap cuts grease well, so it takes off oil from handling.  I usually dry them off lightly with a paper towel, and let them air dry for anything I missed.  I treat the ponytail hair the same as any other pony hair, just with a lot less conditioner and a finer comb.  One exception - the curly tails.  They’re very tight curls, so I just leave them alone as much as possible, even if they look bad. Wrap frizzy long tails around the base to dry(except the curly ones). It controls the hair a bit, and looks better on display.

Watch out for the petites with the really fine lines in the symbols.  They all have easy to rub off symbols, but those are the worst offenders.  There’s a pink Glowing Magic pegasus I had to get 3 or 4 of(at not cheap prices) before I found one with a halfway decent symbol(feather symbol - all fine lines).

If you get serious about collecting and need to store them, the 2x2 inch baggies fit petites perfectly, and wrapping the tails makes them fit better.