Hey gang,

I've recently acquired some expensive new minis, and there is nothing about them to suggest foul play at all, but given the money involved I thought I should check any signs! I'm just wondering , having not really encountered any machine printed lego before (knowingly), is there an easy way to tell if something is machine printed and not the original figure? I just want to be certain I haven't bought a dud. Any help greatly appreciated.

You are being vague.

All minifigs are 'machine printed'. Are you worried about having bought custom-made figures instead of the real Lego produced item? Pictures of what you've bought would most certainly help.

You are being vague.

All minifigs are 'machine printed'. Are you worried about having bought custom-made figures instead of the real Lego produced item? Pictures of what you've bought would most certainly help.

You know what, I may be a complete wally. I've seen so many machine printed alternates on ebay, I assumed that people were machine printing replicas. However, they may be stating machine printed to denote genuine lego parts, and then customizing them. I've bought the recent limited edition phoenix and black spider-man figures, and just wanted to check they couldn't be printed fakes. However I may have fabricated this practise by myself.

So, just to confirm my own idiocy, are machine printed replicas very rare or practically non existent?

So, just to confirm my own idiocy, are machine printed replicas very rare or practically non existent?

OK... I actually sort of figured you were probably talking about the SDCC figures. I have indeed seen a couple of custom SDCC figures offered on eBay, which were also clearly marked as such. They also came with the card. I think they all were created by this guy. However, if you check out the pictures (clickable through his feedback) I'd say that his figures are NOT machine printed but made with slide decals (like Kaminoan also makes and sells), and then sealed (that's why they seem so glossy).

I'd say that currently, machine printed replica's of the SDCC have not yet been made. I think that having a machine that could do this (print both torso, doublesided head AND pants in the case of Phoenix!) would be a significant investment, and it would mean that whoever was making these and passing them off as real, would have to sell loads of them in order to recoup his investment.

So if you have figures that are obviously machine printed, my guess would be that they are indeed real!

Woohoo, dance time! That's a relief, it's the most I've paid for a figure and I just started to worry as the seller, whilst being very nice, had hardly any feedback so I thought I should check.

Just seen there's a guy in South Africa that does loads of machine printed heroes and his seem quite nice. How much investment would be to get a machine capable of doing such work? Not that I have the talent or anything, but I just wonder why there's not more out there.

OK... I actually sort of figured you were probably talking about the SDCC figures. I have indeed seen a couple of custom SDCC figures offered on eBay, which were also clearly marked as such. They also came with the card. I think they all were created by this guy. However, if you check out the pictures (clickable through his feedback) I'd say that his figures are NOT machine printed but made with slide decals (like Kaminoan also makes and sells), and then sealed (that's why they seem so glossy).

I'd say that currently, machine printed replica's of the SDCC have not yet been made. I think that having a machine that could do this (print both torso, doublesided head AND pants in the case of Phoenix!) would be a significant investment, and it would mean that whoever was making these and passing them off as real, would have to sell loads of them in order to recoup his investment.

So if you have figures that are obviously machine printed, my guess would be that they are indeed real!

Woohoo, dance time! That's a relief, it's the most I've paid for a figure and I just started to worry as the seller, whilst being very nice, had hardly any feedback so I thought I should check.

Just seen there's a guy in South Africa that does loads of machine printed heroes and his seem quite nice. How much investment would be to get a machine capable of doing such work? Not that I have the talent or anything, but I just wonder why there's not more out there.

Have you got a link to that South African guy's items?

Anyhow, this is an interesting topic right here on Eurobricks about printing machines, costs and the people who have access to such machines.

EDIT: nevermind: I see you are refering to Christo, who's work is indeed pretty amazing.

Edited September 7, 201212 yr by Alldarker

There really isn't much reason to even do such machine printing of already in existence figs. A custome minifig maker could probably do better simply making true custom minifigs. Why make a counterfeit green phoenix when you could just as easily make a custom and highly desirable red/dark phoenix or white one without all the hassle?

There really isn't much reason to even do such machine printing of already in existence figs. A custome minifig maker could probably do better simply making true custom minifigs. Why make a counterfeit green phoenix when you could just as easily make a custom and highly desirable red/dark phoenix or white one without all the hassle?

My guess would be profit. At this time, what do you think would sell at a higher price, green or red Phoenix? If he has cards as well, he could sell a counterfeit green for a lot more than a red.

My guess would be profit. At this time, what do you think would sell at a higher price, green or red Phoenix? If he has cards as well, he could sell a counterfeit green for a lot more than a red.

Exactly, currently SDCC figures are going for around $100 - $150 each, and that's only likely to increase. A custom one would struggle to reach that. Therefore counterfeiting limited, sort after figures is certainly something I wouldn't be surprised to see on ebay.

Also, Alldarker, I never thanked you for your help and the link on machine printed was fascinating so, thank you!

Edited September 8, 201212 yr by shinobisgreenshinpads

Exactly, currently SDCC figures are going for around $100 - $150 each, and that's only likely to increase. A custom one would struggle to reach that. Therefore counterfeiting limited, sort after figures is certainly something I wouldn't be surprised to see on ebay.

Also, Alldarker, I never thanked you for your help and the link on machine printed was fascinating so, thank you!

No problems! Actually, as a proud owner of a complete set of 2012 SDCC Superheroes (+ Bilbo) myself, I'm actually working on a good quality photo series of them.