# Aurora TYRANNOSAURUS REX



## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

OK - this is my Holly Grail kit that I have wanted for years! And tomorrow is my birthday so I'm going for it. I have $300 left over from Wonderfest so here goesssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumbsup:

I had one in 1974 on my 12 birthday so it's only fitting. Here's the kit:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...akeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

Guys! Wish my luck on this one. :wave:

Happy Aurora Trails!
Chinxy!:dude:


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## louspal (Sep 13, 2009)

Good Luck! Looks like it has glow teeth and claws too.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but I have to say that I doubt $300 will take it.


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## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

OK - well $400 is all I got. So I put a bid in on $375 and now I wait for the last minute to hit conferm!:freak:

Chinxy!:dude:


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Good luck with it Chinxy! I really hope you score it mate!!

Chris.


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## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

12 minutes! I'm getting antsy!:drunk: It's up to $212!!!

Chinxy!:dude:


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

How did it go mate????????

Chris.


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## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

Oh well - I guess it wasn't ment to be! It went for $412. I put in $375 cause that's all I could do and that was really pushing it.:drunk:

Oh well, I know some day I'll get one.:freak:

Chinxy!:dude:


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

I'm so sorry Chinxy.
If I ever see one I'll let you know straight away....

Chris.


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## louspal (Sep 13, 2009)

Not being a dino modeler I don't know what these usually go for. Is this so rare because of the blow-it-up, throw-it-at-your-sister fate that so many of the vintage models succumb to, and/or were there so few sold because of the original 1974 price? As a benchmark for me, I think of The Penquin as an example which generally goes for < $400.Ayway, better luck next time!


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## DocJam00 (May 18, 2010)

I remember desperately wanting one of these, but could not convince my Mom to spring for it. Not sure what they went for originally, but it was substantially more than the other Prehistoric Scenes, which she did spring for.

I wonder how many of these ended up as a present from Grandma that was never built?

Doc


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## MonsterModelMan (Dec 20, 2000)

I bought the re-issue and got it for a steal. Something like $35.00. I know...not an original but for that money...I'll take the re-issue and be happy with it!

Maybe next time! 

MMM


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## DocJam00 (May 18, 2010)

There was a re-issue?!? I thought they were never released after Aurora was sold to Monogram?


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Monogram reissued it in the late '70s as a SnapTite kit.
I think is was only reissued once....

Chris.


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## DinoMike (Jan 1, 1970)

It was out in the late 80s as well. I have the 80s reissue, partly assembled and badly primed.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

IT was reissued every time the other kits were reissued, up until the most recent wave from Revell.
As for orignal price, I can tell you that the JCPenny catalog price for 1974 & 1975 was $7.99. In 1976 it jumped to $9.99

The reason it commands such high prices, is because it is the holy grail of PS collectors.
The red plastic with the glow parts is iconic for anyone who owned one as a kid, wanted one as a kid, or collects the PS line.

If that box would have been in nicer condition the auction would have cleared $500 easily.
One of the reasons I don't have a box yet.
Prices are actually a little low right now.
6-8 months ago, 
boxed kits were about $600-800
complete with no box about $200-250
unstarted reissue about $125-150


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I have one complete, with no glue, etc. and just the pupils painted black on the glow plastic. Its bagged up in my dad's storage shed. I should dig it out. I never cared for the kit when I was a kid. I remember it came in a big plain white cardboard box with a lable pasted to the front.


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## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

So Dj - want to sell it? Just thought I'd ask!

Chinxy!:dude:


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

That did pop through my mind. I have all my old PS scenes kits, most of which are in good shape and complete... giant bird, cave, cave bear, sabre tooth tiger, tar pit, jungle swamp, cro magnon man and woman. I need to get that stuff out and look at it. Dad lives a city over and while I go see him on Sunday's, we dont go to the lock and key storage place. 

I remember getting the Tyrannosaurus at Lionel Play World...


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)

Chinxy said:


> Oh well - I guess it wasn't ment to be! It went for $412. I put in $375 cause that's all I could do and that was really pushing it.:drunk:
> 
> Oh well, I know some day I'll get one.:freak:
> 
> Chinxy!:dude:


Chinxy,Try Gary over at www.shadowlandtoys.com thats were got my original one time.He might not have it on his site but shoot him a email he usually gets them in sometimes mib or sealed.


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

Another Aurora T-Rex story: in the mid-90's there was a retro collectors' shop in Manchester, UK, selling 1960's/70 toys and kits, and always with some Aurora kits. This was before ebay, when we still had to buy Aurora kits from magazine adverts with small black-and-white photos, so a real life 'Aurora shop' was a great experience.

One day they had two boxed Aurora T-Rex kits, one unsealed for £60, the other sealed for £100. I bought the unsealed one, so that I'd be able to look at the contents. The sealed kit was still there on my next couple of visits, but didn't interest me once I had the unsealed version. 

But After a while, the sheer rarity of the sealed kit, and the fact that it would always be of value, made me think I ought to go back for it. And while people usually say 'that was a lot of money in those days', £100 in the mid-90's for any sealed Aurora kit was not a lot of money!

The week I was going to go and get the sealed T-Rex, terrorists detonated the largest bomb ever exploded in or dropped on the UK, and the building with the Aurora shop was only about 200 yards from the explosion. Noone was killed, but the centre of Manchester had to be rebuilt, and the bulding with the T-Rex was closed off for months while structural damage was assessed. The shopkeepers weren't allowed inside for those months, and I believe that in time most shops inside were ruined by falling masonry or water leaking in. 

When the shop eventually relocated to anothert part of Manchester, they didn't have the sealed T-Rex, and I couldn't bring myself to ask after it. Hopefully it survived, seal intact, and somebody bought it.


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## Bobj812 (Jun 15, 2009)

I think I had most of the kits from this line. Sometimes I would build a kit, do research and make a report for school for extra credit. Found out that cavemen and dinos didn't live at the same time, despite what Hollywood was telling me! I loved how the bases would lock together, and I always got a thrill opening up the box for the first time -- the pteranodon one in particular struck me. I liked how the saber-toothed cat had legs you could change out. 
And back to the topic at hand, for some reason I had no interest in the T-rex. kit. Maybe by the time it came out I was losing interest in the kits. I do remember seeing it on the shelf of a hobby store I went to all the time, and being impressed with its size, but I liked my allosaurus a lot and maybe that was all I needed.
Had a lot of fun with those kits.


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

Bobj812 said:


> I always got a thrill opening up the box for the first time -


I still get that nowadays!

Great memories there, Bob. It's been a while since we had some good Prehistoric Scenes nostalgia tales here!


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

djnick66 said:


> I have one complete, with no glue, etc. and just the pupils painted black on the glow plastic. Its bagged up in my dad's storage shed. I should dig it out. I never cared for the kit when I was a kid. I remember it came in a big plain white cardboard box with a lable pasted to the front.


You mean this box.









The JCPenny catalog box. That has no backdrop in it.
That is the version I had as well. Wish I had that box now.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

I've got the 80's reissue myself, dark green and ivory plastic. Better luck next time Chinxy, the next one may even go alot cheaper.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I recall the box being more square and having a priinted picture of the box art glued to the front. But its been 30 years... The kit ws bright pumpkin orange/red with glow teeth and toes.


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

Chinxy said:


> Oh well - I guess it wasn't ment to be! It went for $412. I put in $375 cause that's all I could do and that was really pushing it.:drunk:
> 
> Oh well, I know some day I'll get one.:freak:
> 
> Chinxy!:dude:



*You Never know...you just MIGHT*.....


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## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

I can only hope and keep looking!:thumbsup:

Chinxy!:dude:


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## 1bluegtx (Aug 13, 2004)

TAY666 said:


> You mean this box.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey trevor,did you get that photo from the auction years ago?Sure looks like the box i have now,with the clearance sticker tore off! I would be curious to see how much the sticker was for.

BRIAN


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Zathros said:


> *You Never know...you just MIGHT*.....


Hmmmm....I wonder if a re-release is in the mix?...........
Mcdee


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

Zathros said:


> *You Never know...you just MIGHT*.....


Z, ol' buddy, are you teasing us juuuuuuuust a bit??? Are your lips zipped???


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

*"mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph"....*


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

1bluegtx said:


> Hey trevor,did you get that photo from the auction years ago?Sure looks like the box i have now,with the clearance sticker tore off! I would be curious to see how much the sticker was for.
> 
> BRIAN


Yep.
That pic is an auction grab.
As are so many others on my site.
So much cool stuff, and not enough money for me to buy it all.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Zathros said:


> *"mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph"....*


Well said Zathros :thumbsup:
Mcdee


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

...crowbar please, Dr. McDougall...


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## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

OK - since I didn't get the T-Rex, I used some of the money to buy me new cowboy boots! And they weren't $375. Had to get something for my birthday. :thumbsup:

Chinxy!:dude:


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