Mr. Gold distribution

MagicMushroom · May 2013

What is this? You think this is funny, USA? I hate them. WHY PUT HALF OF THE GOLDEN MINIFIGS IN USA??

@rocao - edited title to be descriptive

rocao · May 2013

Hate is a pretty strong word to be throwing around. I can imagine a course for this discussion that will salvage it, so I'll leave this thread open for the moment.

Here are a couple points of information about the graphic you posted:
- Each state in the US gets a dot, whereas it represents an entire country for the rest of the world. Because of this, the dispersal of dots will look disproportionate.

- Each dot does not represent the same number of Mr. Golds found. For instance, the one dot for the UK represents 89 Mr. Golds, while many of the dots in the US represent 1.

- Not all countries received shipments and started selling at the same time, so there may be a fair amount of lag.

ThisIsMyCup · May 2013

for anyone that has found a mr. gold, where in the box was it located or if you found it at target, which slot did you find it in? i know the common consensus is that it replaces a ballplayer, but where is the physical distribution?

CapnRex101 · May 2013

To be honest, if you were correct in suggesting that the US has many more Mr Gold Minifigures than anywhere else, I think this would be perfectly justified on the part of Lego. The US has among the highest proportions of the Lego market, as well as having a far larger population that European countries which are also high among TLC's priorities such as the UK or Germany.

Thus, one would surely expect to find more Mr Gold Minifigures there than anywhere else I would have thought.

@ThisIsMyCup - I found my Mr Gold about half way down the left hand row of a box, although I think that is just random.

SirKevbags · May 2013

A much more realistic comparison is to look at the number in the US V western Europe. Also where they are registered doesn't always represent where they were found. Our own raffle winner will complete the registration in the US but he was found in the UK.

Pitfall69 · May 2013

I don't even know if I want to get into to this. This "hatred" toward the USA because of Lego is misdirected.

SirKevbags · May 2013

I read it as hatred towards the promotion but if it was directed at a nation then no it can't be justified.

madforLEGO · May 2013

rocao said:
Hate is a pretty strong word to be throwing around. I can imagine a course for this discussion that will salvage it, so I'll leave this thread open for the moment.

Here are a couple points of information about the graphic you posted:
- Each state in the US gets a dot, whereas the rest of the world represents a country. Because of this, the dispersal of dots will look disproportionate.

- Each dot does not represent the same number of Mr. Golds found. For instance, the one dot for the UK represents 89 Mr. Golds, while many of the dots in the US represent 1.

- Not all countries received shipments and started selling at the same time, so there may be a fair amount of lag.

I think what @rocao posted is going to have to be put over and over again as IMO what he is saying is correct.

And I also seriously doubt that anyone in the USA thinks its funny, or some kind of joke.
If anything it is annoying to anyone that has not found a Mr Gold, but that would be about it I think

Pitfall69 · May 2013

I read it as: We, the people of the United States think it is funny that Lego made Mr. Gold more available for us. Then, the next sentence said: "I hate them" Who does he hate? I took it to mean he hates the US.

Pitfall69 · May 2013

Also, because of EBay and the like; are we really sure where Mr. Gold was found? That is why I thought the post was not well thought out. Especially, because they joined just to post that.

margot · May 2013

rocao said:
For instance, the one dot for the UK represents 89 Mr. Golds, while many of the dots in the US represent 1.

Exactly. There is a dot in my state for the ONE Mr. Gold I found.. that's not a lot...

mathew · May 2013

I live in the United States and I think it's funny that he's ticked off. Thumbs up. For the matter, I haven't seen a single Series 10 polybag here in St. Louis, MO. Therefore I hate the East Coast since it appears that the majority of them are being allocated there. I would be filled with so much hatred that fire would shoot out of my eyeballs if I lived in Alaska! Grrr...

SirKevbags · May 2013

I've not kept a check on distribution but the UK 89 does surprise me. Pushing 20% but the ebay factor can't be ignored when you're dealing with only 500. Just 50 being registered in an alternative market will throw the numbers off.

LegoMom1 · May 2013

I never thought I'd be saying this but @rocao makes a good point, (at least here). I'd also like to add to this- do the math! As of this post, there are 188 Mr. Golds in the US, 193 if you add in Puerto Rico, a US territory. There is a world total now of 492. That is certainly not half. Also, as others have said, let's not forget, this number represents those registered- there are many more that have been found and not yet registered or have been found in one place and registered to another.

Pitfall69 · May 2013

Not everyone of them are going to be registered either.

SirKevbags · May 2013

I've been a tool here. The total number available is 5000. I had 500 in my head.

samiam391 · May 2013

Another point, that I think those who are getting upset over this "issue", is the fact that this is a piece of plastic. Yes, it's the magical chrome, but do we really need to be throwing the word "hate", around?

I take my minifigures as seriously as anyone, but at the end of the day I'm not ignorant to the fact that they are just plastic. It's not worth it to get all in a huff about them, there are far more important things in life.

LegoMom1 · May 2013

@Pitfall69

True. Some will remain forever sealed. :)

Jonn420 · May 2013

We have more stores = more distribution

Dont hate, look harder

LegoFanTexas · May 2013

rocao said:
Hate is a pretty strong word to be throwing around.

There are many things I "hate" in this world...

1. Violence/abuse against women and children
2. Families not having enough food to eat
3. Oppression, racism and discrimination against anyone

Uneven distribution of Mr. Gold around the world? That would be about #46,721 on the list of things I could hate about this world, which really means it doesn't rank at all.

Yes, I know we have our hobbies and some of us really do want Mr. Gold for personal collections, and that is fine. I know we can't all run around all day talking about the above three items. But to "hate" the Mr. Gold situation? That is really darn harsh and I thought I'd toss a reality check in. :)

piratemania7 · May 2013

I think it's quite simple really. The US has more individuals buying LEGO and more discretionary income than most other countries. That's not an opinion that's probably a UN fact. At the end of the day LEGO understands marketing like any other company. So really, that's all this is. We have over exuberant people here looking and looking and looking for this oh so magical mini figure. It is what it is...

rocao · May 2013

LegoMom1 said:
I never thought I'd be saying this but @rocao makes a good point, (at least here). I'd also like to add to this- do the math! As of this post, there are 188 Mr. Golds in the US, 193 if you add in Puerto Rico, a US territory. There is a world total now of 492. That is certainly not half.

I manage a good point from time to time, if from no other reason than dumb luck and law of averages.

Thanks for doing the math. Assuming that this distribution holds for the full 5000, I would still need to see the data of the overall sales by region for me to say this is unfair as I believe the OP is suggesting. I have faith in TLG to distribute Mr. Golds in a proportionate fashion. It would strike me as odd to go through all the trouble to construct a global tracking system just to upset entire portions of their worldwide customer base.

GothamConstructionCo · May 2013

@MagicMushroom
please don't "hate" just participate :)

LegoMom1 · May 2013

^Agreed, (oops, I did it again :) ), but even when the final numbers are in, or at least the majority of them, let's not forget that this promo is a random distribution, and random doesn't always turn out to be even or fair.

Bosstone100 · May 2013

Reminds me a of song I heard. Starts out like this..

I hate you.
I hate your hate for me.
I hate the way that he said he hates your hate.
Your hate can go :bleep: itself.

Yellowcastle · May 2013

If it were 100% random, then TLG would be opening themselves to quite a bit of heat should certain markets not get served or if all were distributed in the first run. I imagine the randomness is limited only to the bags. I'm guessing they're strictly regiment ing the spigot including how many per retailer, etc.

CapnRex101 · May 2013

samiam391 said:
I take my minifigures as seriously as anyone.

@samiam391 - Perhaps more seriously than most though ;)

samiam391 · May 2013

LegoMom1 said:
let's not forget that this promo is a random distribution, and random doesn't always turn out to be even or fair.

Tell me about it. VIP Keychain anyone? ;o)

ThisIsMyCup · May 2013

anyone want to trade a VIP keychain for a mr. gold?

SpaceCake · May 2013

Found one after feeling less than a handful of packets. First time I have seen series 10, too! I only went to the shop to grab something to eat and the golden box of mini figs caught my eye. Very happy!! Number 2586/5000!!!

LegoMom1 · May 2013

SpaceCake said:
Found one after feeling less than a handful of packets. First time I have seen series 10, too! I only went to the shop to grab something to eat and the golden box of mini figs caught my eye. Very happy!! Number 2586/5000!!!

Congratulations. You might want to repost in the "Mr.Gold hunt thread." It has all the reports of Mr. Gold findings by members, as well as our frustrations too. It is quite an exciting thread.

phatphil55 · May 2013

Felt thru less than 2 boxes, felt a top hat, felt good, got home and opened the packet, felt real good!

Number 93 in the UK. 2672/5000

4487 Left to find.

Pitfall69 · May 2013

Well, not exactly. Not everyone is going to register their Mr. Gold. Some will stay sealed, some will be opened, but for collecting purposes, won't be registered. I would also think that some may never be found.

LegoMom1 · May 2013

phatphil55 said:
Felt thru less than 2 boxes, felt a top hat, felt good, got home and opened the packet, felt real good!

Number 93 in the UK. 2672/5000

4487 Left to find.

Congratulations. You might want to repost in the "Mr.Gold hunt thread." It has all the reports of Mr. Gold findings by members, as well as our frustrations too. It is quite an exciting thread.

piratemania7 · May 2013

Pitfall69 said:
Well, not exactly. Not everyone is going to register their Mr. Gold. Some will stay sealed, some will be opened, but for collecting purposes, won't be registered. I would also think that some may never be found.

It never occurred to me! You are right, some may never be found. For whatever reason. Imagine some lonely box sitting there; for years, in a dark corner of some small toy shop that the owner bought from a walmart or target or S@H?

Also, imagine even years from now another one "pops" up! So yeah, point being we probably wont have all the schematics by say end of year and have all 5000 accounted for.

Good point @Pitfall69

Pitfall69 · June 2013

I'm also positive that there are kids and parents that have no idea about Mr. Gold. Kids tear open the packs and throw away the packaging.

Mr. Gold distribution

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