Some Surprises with Vintage Club Scorpion

It took a while, but at last my Vintage Club Scorpion has arrived. (The "Label Created" tag was on him for almost a week before finally it showed that he was moving through the system.)

I like the new box very much - it has clean lines and a simplicity that appeals to me.

When Heath began arriving a few weeks ago, there was a lot of chatter on social media about his protective wrapping. Breyer had used the honeycomb paper that we'd first seen at BreyerFest, but unfortunately it had not been opened and "fluffed" when packing, so collectors' Heaths were shipped in what was essentially only a few layers of wrapping paper.

My Scorpion arrived wrapped just as Heath had been.

 A very, very tight paper "cone of shame" was wrapped around his head. It was wrapped so tightly that I had to cut it to remove it. I had some pretty big concerns at this point as to how my new model had fared during his journey to me.

Fortunately, he was okay. Scorpion has a very heavy coat of gloss, heavier than any I've seen for a while, and that may have helped keep him from being damaged in transit.

 

There is a bit of extra plastic on his near eartip but that really doesn't bother me.

Doesn't Scorpion's forehead marking look like the one on Two Socks' forehead?

I'd name him Two Socks after her except he only has one. (But then, Two Socks actually has three, so...)

I really like the color of his mane and tail. Abby's (if it weren't mostly chewed off by Hokey) is the same color.

There were two things I found really interesting, though, changes that Breyer has made to Vintage Club pieces.

First, the belly stamp does not include a tiny horse that is actually among the offerings for the year. Every year that has been a hint as to what one of the Vintage Clubs's offerings was going to be.

The entire stamp has been redone.

Here is the 2016 stamp with the Western Prancer on it and the word "Breyer" as an identifier.

And the 2019 stamp which has the Pacer and Breyer's name on it.

The other change? The numbering. I've circled Scorpion's number up in the left hand top side of his box.

Usually Breyer's model have a four digit number (occasionally more) but Scorpion's number contains two letters and two hyphens. A double check on my order confirms that that is his number. Identify Your Breyer has not yet added him to their database, but The Breyer Value Guide also has this new numbering listed as Scorpion's number.

I then began to wonder if the regular run releases had had a change in numbering, but those that I checked did not. I'm not a member of the Premier or the Stablemate Clubs but it will be interesting to see if their numbering has been changed.

I have a really busy day today, but if I get time, I want to photograph the belly stamps of my Vintage Club pieces. I've been a member since the first year of the club, so I have a sample of each. I am wondering if I will find other changes as I go from year to year.

As for the numbering, I think this is the first change among the Vintage Club pieces, and if I have any extra time, I will check that, too.

Stay 'tooned!