Why Replicas Are a Thing of the Past

Collecting Models of Prehistoric Animals
A Natural History museum is not the only place where one can see models of prehistoric animals. Thanks to an increasing number of figure and replica manufacturers there has been a big increase in the number of plastic dinosaur models and toys available. It may not be practical for your average householder to have a life-size replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex
at home but they can become a dinosaur model collector and enjoy learning about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals as they build up their collection.
Originally, an industry dominated by European figure makers, usually long-established, family run firms which designed and produced dinosaur models in-house, there has been an increase in the number of replicas designed, as well as produced in the Far East. The industry is now truly global and there is an ever increasing number of dinosaur and prehistoric animal model collectors. Naturally, children collect these models and toys, they are great for encouraging creative, imaginative play. However, there are many serious collectors who have a passion for collecting ranges, especially those that are hand-painted and relatively rare.
Replicas Certified by Palaeontologists
In the late 1980's, Safari Ltd began to make a range of plastic, scale model dinosaurs which had been approved and authenticated by palaeontologists at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, United States). This company was not the first to do so, one example of an earlier museum/manufacturer relationship was the partnership between a Leicester based model manufacturer and the Natural History Museum of London (England). The company, called Invicta made a range of single-coloured plastic dinosaur and prehistoric animal replicas. Each model was approved by the scientists at the Natural History Museum and they could be purchased at the Museum's shop. The figures ranged in size from a nine centimetre long model of Scelidosaurus to much larger models, representing much larger dinosaur such as the Diplodocus. These dinosaurs were designed to be seen together as a collection and they were roughly in 1:45 scale. Invicta stopped making these prehistoric animal plastic and vinyl models in the late 1990s and although they only cost a few pounds each when they were first sold, collectors now pay many more times the original sale price in order to add a replica to their collection.
A Hedge Against Inflation
The serious dinosaur model collector can build up a collection worth a small fortune by careful buying and not removing the model from any packaging or taking off any tags that the model has. Schleich models (a German based replica model maker), regularly retires models and these quickly become highly sort after. Just like fine wine such models can quickly increase in value as they are no longer available for sale in shops and collectors can find that their hobby actually becomes a serious investment as well as a hedge against inflation.
Prehistoric Animal Models are Popular Too
It is not just dinosaur models that enthuse both old and young alike. Bullyland (another German based model maker), recently re-introduced a limited edition set of their prehistoric mammals and early human figures. Originally marketed under the brands "Prehistoric Time" and "Cave People" this series of models featured nine prehistoric animals from after the Age of Reptiles and a set of six hominid figures which depicted the ascent of human kind from the apes through the Australopithecines to Neanderthals and eventually modern humans. This model re-issue has proved to be a big hit with dinosaur fans and model collectors who have got an opportunity to purchase any models they missed out on first time around.
Whether it is young children keen to play with their dinosaur models, or indeed the serious collector building up an impressive collection, one thing is for certain, replicas are a thing of the past. Depicting past history through plastic models and showing the types of creatures that once roamed our planet has led to a big demand for prehistoric animal replicas.

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