Vinylmation Beginner's Guide - Vinylmation Dictionary

For today's post, I thought it would be useful for new collectors if I explain some of the words that get thrown around in the world of Vinylmation. When I first started collecting, there were a few words that I wasn't sure about and felt embarrassed to ask.

• Active - a series is described as "active" when it's either still in production and/or still being sold
• Army - when a collector has numerous duplicates of the same single Vinylmation figure, such as Stormtroopers, Killer Bees, Green Army Men, etc.
• Blind Box - a sealed, opaque mystery box that does not reveal the Vinylmation figure inside
• Blox - a colloquialism meaning blind box (BL from blind, OX from box - blox)
• Bloxing - to "buy blind boxes" without knowing the vinyls you're getting
• Case - usually a pack of 24 vinyls, containing two of all 11 figures in a series, the series "chaser" and 1 "filler", however with some series such as Jrs, the number of vinyls in a case varies
• Chaser - the 12th vinyl in a series, designed to be a mystery, unknown figure until you find it. There is only 1 chaser for every 24 vinyls in a series, making it the rarest figure (unless the series has a variant)
• Chaser Variant - also known as a "Variant Chaser", this is a Vinylmation figure that is both a variant and a chaser, meaning it's a variant of the chaser figure, such as Park #13 Pardon Our Pixie Dust Sign
• CM - acronym for "Cast Member" this will often be seen when talking about Disney stores or cast member exclusive Vinylmation
• Combo Set - a set of two or more Vinylmation figures sold together. Combo sets can include Vinylmation of different sizes, for example a 9" and a 3" figure, two 3" figures, a 3" and a Jr figure, etc
• Combo Topper - this is a Vinylmation figure in a clear box attached to the top of a blind box. Not every series has a combo topper, but the Park Series often does. The blind box contains a mystery figure that may be different each time, but there is only one combo topper figure per series
• Common - every Vinylmation that is not a chaser or variant
• Create Your Own - these are blank Vinylmation in both 3" and 9" sizes that come in a variety of colors (black, white, yellow, red and purple). These are a canvas for you to make your own Vinylmation figure
• Custom - a Vinylmation figure made by an individual, not mass produced by Disney
• CYO - acronym for "Create Your Own" Vinylmation
• Dumpster Diver - a slang term that refers to a discarded Vinylmation that has been pulled from the trash. These vinyls are trashed because they do not meet quality control standards during production. This happens for reasons such as being painted incorrectly or painted the wrong color, the figure being a prototype that was not chosen for a set, etc. These vinyls are often discovered by people in China and Hong Kong, who live in close proximity to Vinylmation factories, and are sold as "new", "rare", or "unreleased" on eBay. This word is synonymous with the word "Scrapper"
• Eachez - the name is strange and inexplicable but here's the concept: Eachez is an individual blind box (a single figure release, not part of a series) that has 1 of 2 possible figures inside, either a common figure or its variant. The odds of pulling each figure will be written on the box. Usually there is a 9 in 10 chance of pulling the common figure and a 1 in 10 chance of pulling the variant figure. Sometimes the number of figures is stated, such as Limited Edition 2500, but sometimes the number of figures is unknown. For example, Independence Day Goofy Eachez was a Limited Edition of 2500, with a 9 in 10 chance of pulling the common figure and a 1 in 10 chance of pulling the variant. The Easter Oswald Eachez did not have a stated number of figures but did have the same odds of pulling the common figure and variant figure.
• Exclusive - Vinylmations are called "exclusives" when they are only released at a certain location, for example: at the theme parks, online, in a tourist location (e.g. New York) or when they are released only at certain events, for example: The D23 Expo, Festival of the Masters
• Filler - There are either 16 or 24 Vinylmation in a tray, depending if the series contains 8 or 12 figures. There will be 2 of each vinyl in the tray (making either 16 or 24). However, there is only 1 chaser in the tray, leaving 2 of every vinyl except the chaser. So to get either 16 or 24 Vinylmation in a tray, one of the common figures will be in there 3 times to make up for there being only one chaser. The vinyl that features 3 times is called the "filler" because it fills the tray. The filler is not known until the case is purchased, but it will never be a chaser
• LE - acronym for "Limited Edition"
• Limited Edition - the figure or combo set listed as "limited edition" has been produced in a set quantity. When sold out, this figure/set will no longer be produced. Vinylmation are sold in various limited edition sizes, such as 500, 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500
• Open Window - opposite of a blind box, open window means the Vinylmation is boxed in a clear box that reveals the figure inside
• Retired - a series is often described as "retired" when it has either sold out or been discontinued
• Reveal/Conceal - a new concept where two Vinylmations are sold in a combo pack. One figure is unknown in a blind box (concealed) while the other sits in clear packaging on top of the blind box (revealed) like with Combo Topper figures. However, with a reveal/conceal series, every Vinylmation is sold this way
• Scrapper - a slang term that refers to a discarded Vinylmation that has been pulled from the trash. These vinyls are trashed because they do not meet quality control standards during production. This happens for reasons such as being painted incorrectly or in the wrong color, the figure being a prototype that was not chosen for a set, etc. These vinyls are often discovered by people in China and Hong Kong, who live in close proximity to Vinylmation factories, and are sold as "new", "rare", or "unreleased" on eBay. This word is synonymous with the word "Dumpster Diver"
• Super Chaser - a second chaser in a series that is more rare than the first. Usually a variant of the first chaser. For example Obi Wan and Ghost Obi Wan in the Star Wars #1 series. Disney do not announce the rarity of super chasers and not every Vinylmation series has a super chaser
• Topper - a vinyl released in a clear, open window box attached to the top of a blind box. Not every series has a topper. This vinyl is visible and known before purchase, but the vinyl in the blind box underneath is unknown. The blind box vinyl in a topper combo pack does not always have the same figure inside
• Tray - some people use this term as a synonym for a case (24 Vinylmation), however others use the word tray to mean all 11 vinyls in a series, excluding the chaser. (So in other words, half of a case)
• Variant - a vinyl that is a slight variation of another vinyl in a series. For example, there is a yellow "Bubbles" vinyl in the Cutesters Too series, but there is also a vinyl almost identical, but purple. This is the variant. Not every series has a variant, some series have more than one variant. Some variants are of commons and others are of the chaser. Disney has yet to disclose the rarity of variants

If I've missed out any words that you'd like me to explain, please leave me a comment!