Why don't all LEGO Keychain have tags?

Legogram

I recently purchased a few keychains from lego.com, and only 1 has the plastic lego tag attached.  I just checked the site, and see very few have them.  Can anyone tell me why some do and some don't? 

EddieDoesntMind

@SumoLego

spaceinvader1979

Interesting question, I hope someone can explain us.

Yodalicious

There once was a man named Sumo,
The answer you seek he did know,
He had many a keychain,
From Emmett to Bane,
Constantly his collection did grow.

But seriously, @SumoLego, your assistance is required. 

SumoLego

Although I have studied many, many keychains I don't know the official answer.

However - early minifigure keychains had a Lego logo printed on their backs.  There is a notable change whereby the printed logo disappears from the minifigure, and the various iterations of the companion tag arrives.  I am sure that Lego wanted to ensure that the logo appeared conspicuously.

Most of the Harry Potter keychains and Star Wars keychains have the familar tag in the 2010-era.

I can't pinpoint off the top of my head when the tags disappeared.  My best guess is that once Lego hit its current popularity, the necessity of identifying minifigure keychains was gone.  

SumoLego

And there is no Bane keychain.  @Yodalicious

Legogram

@SumoLego  Thank you for the information.
After I received an order with multiple keychains, I was disappointed to note only the DC minifigs had the tags.  I am surprised that Star Wars and Marvel don't have them.
I really like the tags, and wish they were on all of the keychains.
Thanks again!

SumoLego

I think the SW keychains stopped with the plastic tags between 2007 and 2008.  

The HP keychains from 2010 have the tag - but the tag has WB (Warner Brothers) trademark information.

The first gen Marvel keychains with square tags have the Marvel trademark information on them.  

Similarly, the current DC keychains have the DC trademark info.  That may provide some insight - if Disney/Marvel waived the need for a trademark language.



DC tag (current)



HP tag (2010)

Legogram

I read in another thread that at least one of the UCS sets did not have the "plaque" with it that the previous ones had included.  I guess this is probably the same type of cost cutting, just on a smaller scale.
It is really nice to have that tag information, if only to identify when ownership transferred.

SumoLego

Maybe - or the product is strong enough (brand recognition) that a separate Lego tag became unecessary.  Everybody can readily identify a Lego minifigure.

Legogram

^  Today yes - but who knows about the future with the copycat brands.  Of course, they can always copy the tags too, like everything else.

Redbullgivesuwind

You know, in an alternate universe there are plastic tags without keychains on them....

Yodalicious

SumoLego said:

And there is no Bane keychain.

No Bane? What about Lois Lane? Or Jack Lalanne? A candy cane?

Alright, I'll stop.

Legoboy

Legogram said:

I read in another thread that at least one of the UCS sets did not have the "plaque" with it that the previous ones had included.

Well they're not real UCS sets then.  ;)

SumoLego

Yodalicious said:

SumoLego said:

And there is no Bane keychain.

No Bane? What about Lois Lane? Or Jack Lalanne? A candy cane?

Alright, I'll stop.

There is a Zane.  And a Cad Bane... for shame!

SprinkleOtter

SumoLego said:

Yodalicious said:

SumoLego said:

And there is no Bane keychain.

No Bane? What about Lois Lane? Or Jack Lalanne? A candy cane?

Alright, I'll stop.

There is a Zane.  And a Cad Bane... for shame!

What a pain....

TheOriginalSimonB

If a keychain falls from the sky in Spain, where does it land?

Istokg

For one of the best collection of LEGO keychains anywhere, my German collector friend Jan K. has more keychains than anyone I know.... tags or no tags....

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=26662

AllBrick

TheOriginalSimonB said:

If a keychain falls from the sky in Spain, where does it land?

On my head and into my brain.

bookmum

If you actually put keys on your key chain having the tag on it is just another bit to make your house keys too heavy to carry around? 

TigerMoth

bookmum said:

If you actually put keys on your key chain having the tag on it is just another bit to make your house keys too heavy to carry around? 

Only if you live in a 100 room mansion. Even then, do you have to take them all with you?

SumoLego

Istokg said:

For one of the best collection of LEGO keychains anywhere, my German collector friend Jan K. has more keychains than anyone I know.... tags or no tags....

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=26662

He's got a lot of the older odd keychains.  I'm sure those will get my attention at some point...

But I am sure either @joel4motion or me have the exhaustive list of Star Wars Keychains and variants...

bookmum

@TigerMoth I have two door keys plus a plastic electronic fob thingy to get into the building. Maybe it was having 3 lego dudes hanging on them didn't help. Although down to two as yoda is currently on parents in law spare key. Still most heavy thing I stuff in my pocket.!! 

TigerMoth

bookmum said:

Still most heavy thing I stuff in my pocket.!! 

Pockets aren't like handbags ;-)

bookmum

I know! I hate carrying handbags but do end up with far too much stuff crammed in my pockets. 

Legogram

I am anxious to get home so I can spend some time looking through those keychain pictures.  There are some really interesting ones from the few I have had the chance to view.

@Istokg Thank you for posting those pics!

SumoLego

@Legogram - if you are really interested, the (somewhat) complete list is in the Lego Collector book.  The full line of Fabuland keychains always gets my attention.

http://brickset.com/sets/ISBN393597664X-1/LEGO-Collector-2nd-Edition

Legogram

@SumoLego Thanks so much.  I will have to see if I can find it, since the link didn't show any to buy.

I find them quite interesting, and hope I can find the book!

SumoLego

(The book is very hard to find.  I have one, but have been trying to buy on locally for the last three years.)

@ToddMyers may still have a first edition?  I can't remember.

Legogram

@SumoLego   I didn't see it in Todd's current list, but I will send a message to him just in case.

I tried a few other places with no success, but I'll keep trying.  I may find it in a resale shop.

Thanks for your help, and please keep me in mind if you see one somewhere.  :-)

bookmum

@SumoLego FABULAND KEY RINGS!!! 
I remember getting some free when you bought fabuland sets circa 1983 or 84 or 85 or so. I had two Morty Mouses. One I gave to a friend, I still have the other. He doesn't have the actual chain bit attached anymore. He sits on my bookshelf. 

SumoLego

I fight the urge to bid on them...

catwrangler

Same here. So lovely, but I must be strong.