Animal figures you consider your ''White Whale?''

[Shane]

Safari Nasutoceratops, Einiosaurus & Pachyrhinosaurus

wow are those hard to find already? I think I bought mine from Happy Hen in 2019-2020

Typically when a Safari item becomes discontinued, and retailers sell out of their stock, you're left to the mercy of the secondary market, and the newer something is, the fewer people probably want to get rid of it. It can lead to a scarcity that drives up prices. Einiosaurus in particular for some reason has really jumped, but all of them (while available) are going for somewhat inflated prices.

[JimoAi]

yujin striped eel catfish

[bmathison1972]

I've chipped away at most things, but there are a few arthropods from older collections I am missing:

Play Visions: Fleas, Ticks, and Lice, I am missing the crab louse

Play Visions: Bees, Wasps, and Hornets, I am missing the sandhills hornet and tarantula hawk.

Club Earth Caterpillars to GO: still missing cloudless sulfur

Safari Ltd: still missing monarch from Smithsonian collection.

When I look at what I first posted early in the thread, these have all been acquired!

Not sure if I'd call them 'white whales' but I'd still like the Safari spotted dolphin and the Safari Scutosaurus, the latter of which is often on eBay but for $200-$300, which I am never paying for a dinosaur LOL

[Shane]

When I look at what I first posted early in the thread, these have all been acquired!

Not sure if I'd call them 'white whales' but I'd still like the Safari spotted dolphin and the Safari Scutosaurus, the latter of which is often on eBay but for $200-$300, which I am never paying for a dinosaur LOL

The spotted dolphin does still pop up in lots here and there and usually isn't too much money. I was able to get one a while ago, the paint isn't the greatest but it's an older figure so a lot have been "played with".

I saw one once that I almost bought but realized it had "ATLANTIS" branding on the side (which Safari used to do for certain customers who wanted branded items).

But they are out there. It's weird how some items seem to be completely unfindable, and then start to pop up regularly. The Safari glow-in-the-dark deep sea fish for one, and now it seems the crocodile shark is popping up with some regularity.

[EpicRaptorMan]

That Scutosaurus does look really nice. I don't collect prehistoric though.

And I was unaware of Safari Ltd making a full-sized Spotted Dolphin. Looks okay. Tho I think I'd rather repaint another one.
What dolphins share the most anatomical features to a Spotted dolphin for a repaint? I was thinking Mojo's Common Dolphin since I had a spare.

[Ikessauro]

I actually manage to acquire my "White Whale" after 12 years on the hunt. The Toyway Ornithocheirus cost me an arm and a leg, but I did get it.

Also got some Safari Ltd smaller "white whales" like the Red tail boa constrictor.


Now I am on the hunt for the Safari Ltd Giant Alligator or Great Big Gator. For sure one of my current grails still missing on the collection.

[EpicRaptorMan]

@Ikessauro which gators are you looking for? I have one of them I think

[BlueKrono]

Since I first posted I finally managed to acquire the horned frog from a seller in Spain. My next grail is the big Safari rhinoceros viper. I have a 77 inch tattoo of one wrapped around my thigh, and I'm currently learning French so I can go study them in the wild in West Africa.

[sbell]

I've chipped away at most things, but there are a few arthropods from older collections I am missing:

Play Visions: Fleas, Ticks, and Lice, I am missing the crab louse

Play Visions: Bees, Wasps, and Hornets, I am missing the sandhills hornet and tarantula hawk.

Club Earth Caterpillars to GO: still missing cloudless sulfur

Safari Ltd: still missing monarch from Smithsonian collection.

When I look at what I first posted early in the thread, these have all been acquired!

Not sure if I'd call them 'white whales' but I'd still like the Safari spotted dolphin and the Safari Scutosaurus, the latter of which is often on eBay but for $200-$300, which I am never paying for a dinosaur LOL

I curse how many doubles I had of that Scutosaurus back in the day. Just have the one now.

My only white whales are a few of the Aqualand fish, but I'd never pay the current prices. Did manage to get the Osteoglossum and that's good enough for me

[Shane]

Since I first posted I finally managed to acquire the horned frog from a seller in Spain. My next grail is the big Safari rhinoceros viper. I have a 77 inch tattoo of one wrapped around my thigh, and I'm currently learning French so I can go study them in the wild in West Africa.

Definitely a grail of mine. Looks like we got some competition!

I've unfortunately never come across one on eBay or mercari.

[Shane]

@Ikessauro which gators are you looking for? I have one of them I think

I think he means this one:

https://imgur.io/ZdE0Co7

It's a massive 36" figure. May have been cast from a real specimen.

[Ikessauro]

@Ikessauro which gators are you looking for? I have one of them I think

I think he means this one:

https://imgur.io/ZdE0Co7

It's a massive 36" figure. May have been cast from a real specimen.

Yeah, that is the one! I have been kicking myself since I saw one on eBay a few years back and let it "escape".

Other than the copy I bought of the Safari Rhinoceros Viper, I only seen 1 other on ebay recently. Sold very fast. If I see one, I'll let you guys know.

[BlueKrono]

@Ikessauro which gators are you looking for? I have one of them I think

I think he means this one:

https://imgur.io/ZdE0Co7

It's a massive 36" figure. May have been cast from a real specimen.

Yeah, that is the one! I have been kicking myself since I saw one on eBay a few years back and let it "escape".

Other than the copy I bought of the Safari Rhinoceros Viper, I only seen 1 other on ebay recently. Sold very fast. If I see one, I'll let you guys know.

Where did you buy a copy of it?

[Ikessauro]

@Ikessauro which gators are you looking for? I have one of them I think

I think he means this one:

https://imgur.io/ZdE0Co7

It's a massive 36" figure. May have been cast from a real specimen.

Yeah, that is the one! I have been kicking myself since I saw one on eBay a few years back and let it "escape".

Other than the copy I bought of the Safari Rhinoceros Viper, I only seen 1 other on ebay recently. Sold very fast. If I see one, I'll let you guys know.

Where did you buy a copy of it?

The Rhinoceros Viper? Found it in a lot of plastic snakes on eBay. Won the lot for about 60 bucks, also came with some other cool snakes, like the Safari Ltd Timber Rattler and a few others.

[Shane]

So my eBay lot came in, and the Crocodile Shark is in great shape! Cross one off the grail list.

It also had an original Safari Mako Shark in surprisingly good condition. Along with some other old Safari sharks that were decent.

And also a lot of rubbery random old animal toys, but still worth it overall!