UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

Nothing was posted five years ago. But there is an old post I want to dig up.

I have been following this Facebook group recently and occasionally posting. If I had to paint with a broad brush, then the group is mostly people recently rediscovering M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. Or, at least, they are the most actively posting members.

What surprises me is the desire to know, “What is rare?” It is asked many different ways, but it often asked.

Assume you never have anything rare. I have been running this website since June of 2009. I have received hundreds of emails (maybe more?) asking about M.U.S.C.L.E. items. Only three times did the person have something of interest.

1. Salmon Geronimo Shouting
2. Red #134
3. Stan Resnicoff

That’s it. Three times.

I’m racing towards almost exactly 11 years of this website and there have been three instances. If that doesn’t blow your mind, then you’ve seen a lot of amazing things. Like, maybe you’ve seen too much.

I think there are two main reasons anything is considered rare in the M.U.S.C.L.E. community. First, nobody cares about M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. The hobby is tiny. It stops enough of the figures we want from rapidly entering the marketplace.

Because plenty of figures were made.

I believe these are actually conservative numbers. M.U.S.C.L.E. was a top ten selling toy of 1986. Mattel needed to stock the Wal-Marts and Toys R’ Us stores, but also the many toy selling stores of the time. I can remember getting toys at Sears and a local hardware store, plus places like Children’s Palace or KB Toys.

I will never find data to create an inarguable, conclusive final figure count.

If we look at the available data, then it doesn’t feel completely irresponsible to assume, over two years, well over 200 million figures were cast – which would work out to around 130,890 Master Sets. (I know the manufacturing process didn’t work like that, I’m just trying to make a point.)

So assume nothing is rare, and just enjoy the toys.