The magnitude of this manufacturing error is rather minor compared to many of the other error figures. However, the interesting part is the seeming consistency in the error. The three figures with flashing were collected from various lots of figures over a number of years.
While it could never be said with absolute certainty, the discovery of these three figures does suggest that they were cast from the exact same model. This does not suggest a “variant” figure #227 – rather an interestingly common Manufacturing Error Figure.
If any collectors has a #227 with a similar toe-tag in Flesh or Magenta, then please email the University of M.U.S.C.L.E.. It would be interesting to have picture of one particular figure, in every manufactured color, with the same error.