Recently, I've been doing some LEGO buying on eBay using the links down below. I've found some wonderful opportunities to pick up lots of cheap pirates and accessories, including sharks.

While putting away a recent order, I noticed the specimen on the left, in a style that I had never seen before. I immediately checked the rest of my nearby sharks, sawfish and such, and found that all of them were of the style of the right one.

It would seem that at some point, LEGO changed the shark mold. It is a minor difference unless you're looking for it, but I think it's better. Why better? Well, you could mount one of the left style on a clear 1x4 antenna and have it swimming in the ocean. It's much more difficult with the right one.

I assume that the left style is newer, since most of my sharks are of the earlier era, having come in the 1989/1990 sets.

Just to be clear, I don't think it's a fake. Both have the proper LEGO markings including the part number, and those markings appear in the same location.

So... which type do you have? I don't really think this is poll-worthy, but just a good chance to informally discuss the kinds of variations that can occur in pieces.

I have both. The left version came in such sets as the divers line, in which we see the sharks swimming conveniently over green seaweed. I also have the right version, which as well as being seen in pirates and earlier sets, was also in the old Aquazone and Aquashark sets (not sure if those theme names are quite right, but you get the idea anyway ). So yes, it was definitely a mold change.

What's wrong with your sharks, do you like chopping animals' heads off?

All my (3 , but I'm allmost sure I have another one laying around) sharks are like the right one. Only one exception, one of them has a small hole above the "inverted stud" (when you look at them in the same way as on your pictures). Don't know what my sawfish looks like thought, I'll have to find him first.

The first one really looks more usefull, for the reason you mentioned.

Edited June 8, 200816 yr by Fluyt

I have both. The left version came in such sets as the divers line ... the right version in pirates and earlier sets.

Good, that's sort of what I thought. I'd be curious to see if any of the left ones made it into the late pirate sets.

I really like the newer ones more, which is unusual for me.

What's wrong with your sharks, do you like chopping animals' heads off?

They were photographed standing upright with their mouths wide open. You try balancing a couple on their noses and taking a picture...

All my sharks are like the right model so I had never seen this new "specimen"

Anyway I thinks it's just a mold change, just like Mini-Figure heads

I only have one shark, and it's in the style of the one on the right.

-Toa Of Justice

Edited June 8, 200816 yr by Toa_Of_Justice

I have both types of Sharks. Its cool you noticed an interesting find as that.

It would seem that at some point, LEGO changed the shark mold. It is a minor difference unless you're looking for it, but I think it's better. Why better? Well, you could mount one of the left style on a clear 1x4 antenna and have it swimming in the ocean. It's much more difficult with the right one.

I thought this mold change occurred in the late 90's around the time of the Divers theme.