Takara boxed #48 Astrotrain, white variant. This was exclusive to Japan and before it was reissued in the early 2000s, was rare as rubies and commanded excruciatingly high prices on the secondary market.
Now, more than a decade after the initial reissue, it has began to steadily rise in price again, and is getting harder and harder to find in mint condition.
My piece is very minty and comes with an unused paperworks packet.
Here are the 3 Decepticon Triple Changers - 43-Blitzwing, 48-Astrotrain and D-72: Octane.
Edit 5 July 2014 - more photos of this stunning piece
The beautiful back of box art is not defaced by the usual flap crease...
One corner is dented. Damaged during shipping to me.... =(
Complete with all paperworks and unused.
Perhaps one of the reasons this is so sought after in the past (before the reissue) is due to the authenticity of the colours - it does look like a real NASA space shuttle in terms of the colour scheme. Even the stickers (which are different from the regular coloured version) says NASA and "United States" - truely a robot in disguise!
The following photos shows white Astrotrain with his fellow rare vintage compatriots. Before the deluge of reissues in the early 2000s, each of these figures were highly sought after, very rare and difficult to track down, and of course quite expensive.
From left to right there is: Twincast, Stepper, Soundblaster, Astrotrain (white) and Slag (red face Canadian variant)
Astrotrain (white) with the rare Headmasters redecos Soundblaster and Stepper
Each of the rare vintage pieces in their styro insert.
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Wow, beautiful sample! It is also interesting the box color is a different shade than Blitzwing or Octane. I wonder if the other Astrotrain is like that as well?
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, you are right. It is a different shade! I think the regular colour Astrotrain has the same shape box with the other 2 Triple Changers, oddly enough.
DeleteI'll do a post re the regular colour one soon, so that should become clear!