Tell me about some of your favorite Minimate memories! Four folks will get $25 gift cards to Luke's!

[youbastards]

This is from C2E2 2012, I believe.

 

 

[luke314pi]

Here's the 2 pics I have from C2E2 2014. 😊

[Navaan]

I still want to eventually get a meet up going. Still thinking 'Minni-Mate Meet Up' or something and doing it in Minnesota.

 

That loks like a lot of fun.

Edited July 23, 2025 by Navaan

[minifigvig]

but where in Mini-sota, Mini-apolis or Mini-tonka ?

[Shanester]

On 7/21/2025 at 11:55 AM, luke314pi said:

I obviously won't be entering this contest, but my best Minimate memory is definitely C2E2 2014. For those of you who weren't there, it was not only where we unveiled our Deadly Foes of Spider-Man exclusive, but it was also the biggest MMV get together so far. We rented out a hotel meeting space and people brought in customs and Minimates to trade. Chuck and Zach came and chatted with fans. We had posters custom made with the Deadly Foes set and milestones from our store. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

One of my best Minimate memories for sure.

[buttheadsmate]

Buying Minimates may now become a memory !

'Ebay' holds many memories for me , good & bad .  I've been trawling ebay for 20 odd years to find the latest grail that  I was hunting , US ebay primarily .  I would set my alarm clock ,on occasion, to bid on a US listing that ended when I would normally be sleeping in the UK . This method often ended with me bidding more than I had intended purely because I was tired & determined to make the effort worthwhile .  To obtain a  complete collection of 'anything' requires determination , deep pockets & a measure of ruthlessness , I have always had 2 of those .   Watching this forum debate "what bastard sniped me?" wasn't pleasant but all is fair in love, war & minimate collecting. Obviously people here sussed me out ...my ebay handle is 'buttheadsmate' !   

Much the same happened when ToysRUs started selling Minimates online , they listed them, I gorged on them .  I soon began to acquire a Minimate-conscience , I already possessed a huge normal-life conscience but 'collecting' had blinkered me .  I began to think I might be 'a scalper' but soon convinced myself that I couldn't be because I rarely sold FA.   This new-found conscience led me to have 'blow-outs' ...... you had to be there to understand ...I loved them.

Luke made buying Minimates much easier , Walgreens made it harder, promos were the bane of my life .  Fellow-members here, several guys in fact, helped in my acquisitions & I am indebted to them . 

...to be continued.

 

[buttheadsmate]

Barry's thread currently showing those Marvellous Christmas Minimate designs reminded me that my first Minimate was Santa Spidey . Santa Spidey was purchased from Boondock Collectibles , an ebay seller who has had the same auction listing for SantaSpidey for nigh on 20 years !  Santa Spidey was therefore the first Minimate I ever owned  & I always wonder if other 'completist fools like me' realise that it is a unique Minimate Spidey even without the hat ? For emphasis it is not  the same as the first SM that was packed in so many other various package variants.  Later on in my 'collecting' career I scored an UK ebay 'win'  which consisted of dozens of them freshly packaged , nobody else bid on them .   Then there was the BSG Santa Red Dress Six which rests in my 'specials' box .  That purchase became slightly notorious because of who sold it I recall !  There's another on ebay at the moment ,been there for a while & I can't say that it is a 'must buy' .......just a memory.

The Spidey Max resin figure prototype ebay 'win' was memorable but I still mourn the 'loss' of Wolverine Max .

 

Edited July 24, 2025 by buttheadsmate
sp.

[cylonchaney]

bhm blowouts. LOL

Many a board member acquired many a grail. 

It's like if Smaug had an amnesty day where you could plunder his hoard for a reasonable fee.

Protip: Grails can also be acquired by anyone hoarding Dead Pegasus Sixes that they're willing to trade. 

[Trekker 42]

On 7/24/2025 at 4:49 AM, buttheadsmate said:

Buying Minimates may now become a memory !

'Ebay' holds many memories for me , good & bad .  I've been trawling ebay for 20 odd years to find the latest grail that  I was hunting , US ebay primarily .  I would set my alarm clock ,on occasion, to bid on a US listing that ended when I would normally be sleeping in the UK . This method often ended with me bidding more than I had intended purely because I was tired & determined to make the effort worthwhile .  To obtain a  complete collection of 'anything' requires determination , deep pockets & a measure of ruthlessness , I have always had 2 of those .   Watching this forum debate "what bastard sniped me?" wasn't pleasant but all is fair in love, war & minimate collecting. Obviously people here sussed me out ...my ebay handle is 'buttheadsmate' !   

Much the same happened when ToysRUs started selling Minimates online , they listed them, I gorged on them .  I soon began to acquire a Minimate-conscience , I already possessed a huge normal-life conscience but 'collecting' had blinkered me .  I began to think I might be 'a scalper' but soon convinced myself that I couldn't be because I rarely sold FA.   This new-found conscience led me to have 'blow-outs' ...... you had to be there to understand ...I loved them.

Luke made buying Minimates much easier , Walgreens made it harder, promos were the bane of my life .  Fellow-members here, several guys in fact, helped in my acquisitions & I am indebted to them . 

...to be continued.

 

Far from selling them, you actually sent me the original Thor minimate for free once because I just couldn't find the damn thing. I recently put in a Luke's order to get immaculate versions of original Cap, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and the F4 (Mine are the broken the beaten and the damned from years of intense use) and I'll be putting BHM's Thor into a Minimates Classics display with those guys since he didn't get his ass kicked nearly as hard. He was precious cargo.

Edited July 27, 2025 by Trekker 42

[buttheadsmate]

4 hours ago, cylonchaney said:

bhm blowouts. LOL

Many a board member acquired many a grail. 

It's like if Smaug had an amnesty day where you could plunder his hoard for a reasonable fee.

Protip: Grails can also be acquired by anyone hoarding Dead Pegasus Sixes that they're willing to trade. 

Dead Pegasus Six ....only 343 to go !    

Is he kidding or is he mad?

[buttheadsmate]

On 7/23/2025 at 1:38 PM, luke314pi said:

Here's the 2 pics I have from C2E2 2014. 😊

Most of the people in this picture have been acquitted & no further charges were made .  

[cylonchaney]

One more for me is the Minimate community. I tried to search old PMs to find who but could not.

Anyway, many years ago, I was searching for Unification Spock to complete my Trek collection. Someone from the board just sent me one for nothing. When I asked what I could do in return, he just said he was doing it for the toy karma!

If that person is still on the board, please step up and take credit. I'm embarrassed that I can't remember who and don't have any record anymore. It was only 10 or 15 years ago. LOL Seems to me that it was not a well known name (at least to me). I'd remember if it was Luke or bhm. The one thing I definitely remember is the phrase, "doing it for the toy karma".

But there were a lot of people like that back in the heyday of Minimates.

Edited July 24, 2025 by cylonchaney

[Navaan]

Last chance for folks to jump in, I'll be selecting THREE at random (and one not at random after the awesome story by @jettstorm ) and send out the codes a little after noon so people can use them on the store when Luke is getting stuff up!

 

[jettstorm]

I am extremely flattered that our story was that well received. I don't ask that I be given any special treatment with regards to the odds as that wasn't the reason I posted as much as I enjoy telling that story but either way it is much appreciated. Also, I haven't forgotten about the Nightwing forum, just got busy this last week, I will check it out this weekend and hopefully I can share my story there as well.

[Navaan]

WINNERS FROM THE DRAWING WERE-

https://imgur.com/a/RaQZtd5  <- Results

@Shanester @buttheadsmate @Dave

Sending you your codes, now!

Edit: Codes sent! They were originally to be 25 bucks, but the site doesn't allow increments of $5, and it would feel wrong to do a lower amount, though abut doing five for $20 for the original hundred I had budgeted, but, eh, figured four for $30.

Hope y'all get good things!

Edited July 25, 2025 by Navaan

[nandoninny]

horray for everyone!

[luke314pi]

Thanks for holding this drawing and congrats to the winners!

[Chooch]

Congrats folks! And thanks @Navaan, this was a fun thread.

[Navaan]

Happy to offer!

[Padrino]

Congratulations! 

[Dave]

Thank you for your generosity

 

[Navaan]

You're welcome, but no thanks needed. Appreciated, tho! I just wanna spread some positivity.

I think, what I might do next payday, is do another thread, 'what was the best X minimate' discussion with another 30 dollar drawing or something.

[buttheadsmate]

A great gesture & a big surprise. Thank you.

[buttheadsmate]

Like I said somewhere else , I'm on vacation at the moment so I'm more active on here than I normally am ...sorry !

Regards  'memories' I also have many (almost) personal stories of people here just sending me stuff for no obvious good reason except 'goodwill'  I chose not to expose their goodwill in this thread , they know who they are & they know that I was more than grateful at the time & still am .  Thank you !