Production and Materials Terms
AP (Artist Proof): Copies of a limited edition set aside from the numbered run, often for the artist or for promotional purposes. Usually identical to production copies. APs are not numbered within the main edition count. // Colorway: A specific color scheme applied to an existing sculpt. The same mold can be used for multiple colorways, each potentially as a separate limited edition. // GID (Glow in the Dark): A figure made with phosphorescent material or painted with glow paint that emits light after UV exposure. GID variants are common chase or special edition items. // Resin: A hard, rigid casting material used for high-detail, small-run figures. More fragile than vinyl but captures finer surface detail. // Soft Vinyl / Sofubi: The flexible PVC vinyl used in most art toy production, especially in the Japanese tradition. 'Sofubi' is the Japanese transliteration of 'soft vinyl.'
Translucent / Clear: Figures made from semi-transparent or fully transparent vinyl, allowing light to pass through. Common in special edition colorways. // One-Up / Prototype: A pre-production sample, usually hand-sculpted or produced before final production tooling. Prototypes often differ from production figures in details. // Run: The total number of copies of an edition produced. A 'small run' implies scarcity; a 'large run' implies wider availability. // Deco: Short for decoration — the paint operations applied to a figure. More deco operations generally indicate higher production quality. // Flocking: A fuzzy, velvet-like texture applied to vinyl surfaces using electrostatically charged fiber particles. Common on specialty editions.
PVC: Polyvinyl chloride, the base polymer for both soft vinyl and hard PVC figures. In collector usage, 'PVC' often refers to the harder formulation used in lower-cost figures, as distinct from softer art toy vinyl. // Mold: The steel tooling used to cast vinyl or resin figures. A single mold can be used across many colorways. // Seam: The line on a figure where two halves of the mold met during production. Seam quality is a production quality indicator. // Deadstock (DS): New, unsold merchandise from the original retail period. Deadstock figures are genuinely old but have never been owned — equivalent to new-old-stock in other markets. // Custom: A figure that has been repainted, modified, or altered by a collector or artist after production.
Edition and Rarity Terms
Chase / Chase Variant: A rare variant appearing at a lower frequency than standard figures in a blind box series. Often not shown on packaging or shown with a question mark. // LE (Limited Edition): A figure produced in a defined, finite quantity. The production cap creates collectible scarcity. // Open Edition (OE): A figure with no production cap, manufactured to meet demand. // SP (Secret Piece): Another term for chase variant, used particularly by Pop Mart and similar studios. // Edition Number / Edition Numbering: The sequential number stamped or engraved on each figure in a limited run (e.g., 047/500 means copy 47 of 500 made).
HTF (Hard to Find): A figure that is scarce on the secondary market, making it difficult to acquire. HTF is a relative term — what's HTF in one market may be more available elsewhere. // Grail: A figure that a collector has been seeking for a long time, often the piece they consider their most desirable. A collector's 'holy grail.' // Mega: A term used by Pop Mart and other studios for oversized (typically 40cm+) versions of their standard characters. // Retailer Exclusive / Convention Exclusive: A figure only available through a specific retailer or at a specific event, creating geographic or event-based scarcity. // Collaboration / Collab: A figure produced through partnership between two entities — an artist and a brand, two studios, or an artist and a retail partner.
Variant: Any figure that differs from the standard version of a release. Variants include colorways, size variants, material variants, and exclusive versions. // Standard: The main, non-variant version of a figure — the primary colorway produced in the largest quantity. // GITD: Glow in the Dark (alternate abbreviation). // Flicker: A rare defect-based variant where paint misapplication creates a unique pattern — sometimes sought by collectors for uniqueness. // Jumbo: An oversized version of a figure, typically larger than the standard production size but smaller than a 'mega.'
Condition and Packaging Terms
MIB (Mint in Box): A figure in its original packaging in perfect or near-perfect condition. The highest condition designation. // MISB (Mint in Sealed Box): The box has never been opened. More specific and higher value than MIB, which allows for opened but resealed packaging. // Loose: A figure without its original packaging. Not inherently bad — many collectors display loose — but lower value for resale than MIB. // C9 / C8 / C7: Condition grades on a 1–10 scale. C10 is perfect; C9 is near mint; C8 is very good; C7 is good. // Shelf Wear: Light scuffing or creasing on packaging from sitting in retail display — common on authentic figures bought from stores.
Punched: Packaging with a retail display hole punched through it. Standard in retail but undesirable for collectors preserving box condition. // Complete: A figure with all original accessories, inserts, cards, and packaging components intact. // OB / Out of Box: Same as 'Loose' — figure removed from original packaging. // Display Only: A condition descriptor indicating the figure was displayed but not played with, used to communicate careful handling. // Sealed: Packaging that has not been opened, often with original tape or factory seal intact.
Crushed: Significant packaging damage, usually referring to a corner or edge of the box being compressed. // Yellowed: Discoloration of packaging or white/light-colored figure areas due to UV exposure or aging. // Repro (Reproduction): A figure that is a reproduction of an original — not necessarily counterfeit if disclosed, but a concern when not disclosed. // Touch-up: A paint repair on a figure's surface, which should be disclosed by sellers. // TLC (Tender Loving Care): A figure in poor condition requiring repair or restoration.
Community and Market Terms
Drop / Release: The moment a new figure becomes available for purchase. 'Drop day' refers to the release date of a new edition. // Queue: The digital waiting line for high-demand releases, where buyers enter online and are randomly selected or allowed to purchase in order. // Retail: The original selling price from the studio or authorized retailer. Figures trading 'at retail' are available at their launch price. // Resell / Flip: Buying a figure at retail with the intention of selling it immediately on secondary markets at a higher price. // FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): The anxiety that leads collectors to buy immediately for fear a figure will sell out and become unavailable.
Grail Hunt: The active search for a specific desired figure, especially a long-sought piece. // Secondary Market: Any market where figures are sold by collectors rather than studios — eBay, StockX, collector groups, conventions. // BST (Buy / Sell / Trade): Community spaces (forums, Facebook groups, Discord channels) where collectors transact directly with each other. // Grail Achieved: The moment a collector acquires a long-sought figure. // ISO (In Search Of): A listing or post indicating a collector is looking to buy a specific figure.
Trade Bait: A figure a collector holds primarily to trade for something more desirable to them. // Bundles: Multiple figures sold together as a group, often at a total discount from their individual prices. // OBO (Or Best Offer): A listing where the seller will consider offers below the listed price. // Wants List: A collector's documented list of figures they're actively looking to acquire. // Community Verification: The practice of posting photos to collector communities for authentication opinions, especially useful for high-value secondary market purchases.