The final known set of original 9 prototypes, here in living color! This set has come to be known as the “Design set” – it has many similarities to the original 9 “Faith” set just recently reviewed. Less overlap with the third “Executive” set we reviewed individually. And some pieces that are just absolutely WILD – full departures that share no similarities with any other versions seen. We have pictured all three sets below so they can be compared in one place.
The “design” set includes 10 pieces – two spots – including the brown and white example reviewed in a recent article. It is pictured with the rest of its set below.
Brownie (Cubbie) – This is a beautiful Brownie/Cubbie proto that has a full chocolate color fur departure and the traditional honey nose and ears. The production brownie/cubbie had only a different color snout.
Spot – The other spot in this set is the famous “reverse” color Spot! This piece is WILD! Every piece of white fabric we saw with the production Spot, is black, and vice versa. No spot of any kind of this piece’s fabric:). This piece is SO COOL! -0.5 ranking for sure.
Squealer – This Squealer is WILD!! Complete vivid departure from the production example. If you didn’t know any better, you might not recognize that this is Squealer. Solid red body and black snout, ears, and tail! Red fabric is in about half of this design set.
Flash – This Flash is more similar to production/the Faith prototype example in that the core body is the same, but we see solid red fin and belly. You can clearly tell this is Flash, but also a distinct prototype with some vivid departures. Rank on this one would be closer to 0.5.
Chocolate – WOW WOW WOW! This Chocolate is a full and wild departure. Light pink with fuchsia antlers. Interestingly, the ‘Faith’ example also had fuchsia antlers – seems Ty very seriously consider that color option. We have seen a few other Chocolate protos all with different colored antlers!
Splash – This Splash is more similar to production/the Faith prototype example in that the core body is the same, but we see solid red fin and belly. You can clearly tell this is Splash, but also a distinct prototype with some vivid departures. Rank on this one would be closer to 0.5.
Pinchers – This Pinchers has a solid white belly and the extra long antenna Not a wild departure, but very neat, and with all pax tags. This guy is similar to the Faith prototype example, similar departures, just with light pink. Another we would rank closer to 0.5
Legs – This Legs is another ultra neat piece! Production green body, but an entirely orange face mask, and feet! No other Legs protype like him! A rank in the -.5-0 range.
Patti – This deep fuchsia Patti prototype has the original deep fuchsia body fabric, and solid white extremities (bill and feat). Very clearly a prototype, and similar to the Faith example (that one had light pink extremities). Also very beat, but closer to .5 ranking in our book.
Rarity Rank: -.5 – .5. A full departure original 9 set – as a complete set, elevates these pieces up a notch. All with pax tags and 1992 dates. Granted, original 9 prototypes are as good as it gets in beanie land – but some of these pieces are wild departures and would rank closer to a coveted -.5 rating, with others at the 0 and .5 ranks given slightly weaker departures/other existing departures of similar or greater strength.
Rarest Beans 