For some reason I don't know, all the ROTF toys have a tampographed alpha-numeric code somewhere on them. I always wondered what they meant, so I turned to the omniscient Google for advice.

OK, I might be the only one that finds this funny, but, just for jives and giggles, I googled the tampographed code on ROTF Ransack's foot, which happened to be C-3138A 92361, and I get this page as the only hit. It has to do with arthritis.

The fact that Ransack's character is portrayed as old and decrepit, and his code pulls up info about arthritis... tee-hee, makes me giggly all over.

My Ransack has no code on any foot.

HURR??



You can kind of make out something black scrawled on top of the left foot.

Sorry, my camera's not the best. Here's a more clear picture of an actual tampographed code on Demolishor. It's in black.

Nothing here either...looks like you got super-secret special one!

I don't have any tampographed numbers on mine either. Any of them.

I don't remember which ones I have have a tampographed code, but in terms of my Ransack and Demolishor... they are NOT the only ones!

Hmm....

EDIT: My Screamer has one too.

Well, my Ransack and Depth Charge don't have codes...

But my Nightbeat has one in silver on the arm. Odd.

my starscream has it. there's also a molded number above it.

Y'all tried googling these numbers to see what comes up?

So did you guys buy stolen test shots from China or what?

Nope. Got my Nightbeat on the up and up.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Code's c-3138a 92291, for the curious. No hits.

I also have this code on my Demolishor and my Starscream. The code on both is C-3138A.

Bought them at a store somewhere here in Los Angeles.

Nope, bought it right off the shelf at a Target.

This would be a good future "ask Hasbro" question, methinks.

Hasbro: "Wait, you mean there's a code stamped on your figure? Hang on, let us go check ours...."

They're not stampings for master copies or anything. I've got a few figures with them as well, but not consistently across the board. Maybe they're the "victims" of the random QC inspections?

Bought mine from Target, TRU, Wal-Mart. No consistency. There's also that code that's carved on some of them. You can see that in the Screamer pic too.

I also found the code on my Voyager Megs in two more different forms. Get this: the first part of the code (C-3138A) is MOLDED on along with all the copywrite info, and the second part of thje code (90961) is carved on, or heatstamped (melted) into the toy.

Branding..... does it hurts us, precious?

Tampographed, molded, and carved. Sheesh.

My Bumblebee has something like that on his foot but I dunno if it's the same thing, all that's there is 90681.

I shall go investigate the others.

certainly would help with the KO issue...

Huh, what? Howsat?

Nice quick way to identify a "real" TF versus a knock off. Maybe it's their version of the new rub sign.

Hmm... ya know, that's a pretty damn good thought.

So why would they only put those codes on a few toys, and not all of them?

Why would they not highlight them in advertising or somesuch?

Who is this supposed to serve? Joebob McAveragecustomer? The fans which can easily tell the difference between "TRANSFORMERS REVENGE OF THE FALLEN" and "AUTOFORM DETISSMOT - NEWS MODELL"?

Tee-hee, you're FUNNY.

I'd think they may be testing a system out before final implementation. Hence why we're getting discrepancies of "molded" codes but no stamps, stamps but no molded codes, and also both...or none at all.



I imagine it's not something they want to advertise like back in the rubsign days. And, well, they do pretty much have the online fan base to figure it out . Seriously though, if they are trying to implement more of a "security" check system into the toys...I wouldn't want to start advertising it. Of course, the thing is...well...the irony of said discussion here.



I'd assume they'd tell the fans at Botcon if the question gets asked. I don't know. It seems to me if its more of a system to catch or help prevent KO , they probably won't want to really blurt out their methodology right away. And, well, the obvious by-product is an ID system for collectors.

That sounds like a reverse tinfoil hat conspiracy to me.

Hmm. Are all TFs of a given mold produced at the same physical factory (as opposed to multiple factory buildings owned by the same "factory" company)? If not, this could easily be some kind of factory-specific identifier.

Well, I doubt they're shipping those heavy steel molds between factories in the middle of a production run, so...

Most likely, I think these codes serve two purposes. 1.) To brand a TF as real vs. knock-off, and 2.) To implement a system only comprehenisble to Hasbro to see where and in what quantities in what areas their products show up in, most likely for distribution research. Becuase the last half of the code (5 digits) seems to remind me of zip codes for some reason.

*puts tinfoil hat behind him and whistles innocently...

I resemble that remark

As I mentioned earlier, could be a case of random selection for internal QA purposes.

I never questioned that. Sounds like a much more likely explanation than the secret only-between-Hasbro-and-fans-though-they-wouldn't-tell-us-about-it proof of authenticity.

The code C-3138A is found printed on the back of a number of Transformers packages. Just looking at what I've got handy, the Universe Mini-Con 10 pack has it...as does Scalpel.

Not sure if it can be tied into the discussion, or if it's already known about, but I thought I'd throw it in there.

MIKE
engledogg

Just had a thought, I'm wondering if there's same/similar codes on SW Marvel X-overs and Marvel U...other Hasbro toys.