SDCC Exclusive Minifigures - Plastic Clamshell Packaging

mattytreks

I know this is probably a shot in the dark, but does anyone happen to know the name of the manufacturer that supplies LEGO with the small plastic clamshell packaging used for SDCC-exclusive minifigures (and on occasion, NYCC, too)?

bobabricks

Would be interesting to figure out as I would quite to aquire some of those, they are very cool. Lego has also used them for other exclusive figures such as the employee and zombie empoyee minifigs. I would not be surprised if the producer is the same that makes the packages for the make a minifig station found in Lego stores.

CCC

I would hope they don't sell the exact same ones. Otherwise the 'genuine sealed' figures will be easy to fake.

Drmnez

^with products that don't have an actual sealing method with tampering verification, can we actually say that it is sealed or never been opened? It all scares me because with fake figs, the backings that can be photo copied, and the plastic clamshell, authentication will be hard

mattytreks

For the record, this isn't an attempt to get plastic clamshells "en masse" for the purpose of say, cranking out counterfeits.

I simply wanted to get a few "mint condition" clamshells to replace a few dented ones that I have.

And I'd prefer to get them straight from LEGO's supplier (assuming that LEGO does not make them theirselves), rather than hoping an eBay listing is mint, then receiving, and re-selling with lesser ideal packaging.

These things are fairly condition sensitive -- meaning for every mint package, there are probably ten or more not mint -- and for whatever reason I'm so much more OCD about the condition of the SDCC minifigure packaging than every other type of action figure that I collect.

SumoLego

mattytreks said: 

For the record, this isn't an attempt to get plastic clamshells "en masse" for the purpose of say, cranking out counterfeits.

Were you winking?  I think you were winking.  Maybe I was winking?  

mattytreks

SumoLego said:

mattytreks said: 

For the record, this isn't an attempt to get plastic clamshells "en masse" for the purpose of say, cranking out counterfeits.

Were you winking?  I think you were winking.  Maybe I was winking?  

Got a good laugh there :)

Jokes aside, I'm not holding my breath on this one.  I feel like this may be info confidential to LEGO and I'll just have to do the best I can to find mint clamshells on the secondary market.

Drmnez

I asked Lego about the clamshell but they wouldn't tell me who made them. 

mh3490

You can do what I have done and buy a lesser item like a bionicle mask and swap the packages or the batgirl minidoll

MorkMan

Check out Placon. They have several kinds of clamshells. 
https://www.placon.com/products/stock-plastic-clamshells/

mattytreks

mh3490 said:

You can do what I have done and buy a lesser item like a bionicle mask and swap the packages or the batgirl minidoll

This has actually been my strategy since SDCC 2017 ended.  I've gotten a few mints, but also have gotten a few that missed that mark -- so certainly have had to eat a few dollars.  The quest continues!

Drmnez

I've been fortunate enough that my sdcc minifigure's clamshell have minimal damage (the ones that have damage). I know the first few clamshells are different at the top then the ones theyve used the last few years. Idk if that means anything to you 

mattytreks

Drmnez said:

I know the first few clamshells are different at the top then the ones theyve used the last few years. Idk if that means anything to you 

Could you elaborate?  I've been collecting SDCC minifigures since 2014 and have not seen any difference in the packaging style.

Drmnez

It is something with the way they closed at the top. I think the 2014 ones were different. I have to look at them when I get home. I noticed they were different when I tried to buy the bionicle mask to replace a dented clamshell.