As the recent discussion on our post about the new Series 5 Collectible Minifigures proves, it’s pretty hard to identify the minifigs using any but the “touch and feel” method. Thankfully, SEALUG / TexLUG member Jason Junker has put together this handy guide to find the minifigs you want by touch.
Small Clown: His bowler hat feels similar to the Detective’s hat. He also has a pie, which feels smaller than I thought it would. (that’s what she said) [Tee hee! -ed] Each time I confirmed by feeling for the short legs.
Boxer: The surprise here is that his boxing gloves are attached to his hands. He’s one of the hardest to feel if you don’t know this little fact. Also feel for the gap in his face guard. (Thanks for the “attached gloves tip” W. Heron)
Royal Guard: 2 words, HUGE hat. And feel for the rifle to confirm.
Lumberjack: The only “baseball cap” in this series. The axe is easily recognizable. But be sure that you feel the attached axe head on the end, or it could be the Evil Dwarf’s axe handle.
Zookeeper: I expected the monkey to be easy to feel, but the banana is the dead give away here. No other pieces feel anything like it.
Graduate: He’s the only fig with a 2×2 tile (certificate, like “Disco Guy’s” record from S2), and his graduation cap is what I used to confirm. It’s square, with 1 different feeling corner for the tassel and a little raised bump in the middle of the top.
Cave Woman: The only fig with a squishy element this time. Her hair. Feel for the bone separately, and the club is the same as the S1 Cave Man’s. (Thanks for the “squishy hair tip” W. Heron)
Snowboarder Guy: Just like the last 2 snowboarders, the snowboard is a dead giveaway.
Detective: His hat is double billed, so feel for both sides, or it could be the Small Clown. I felt for the magnifying glass to confirm.
Egyptian Queen: Huge wedge dress, and snake are easy to feel.
Ice Fisherman: The fish, and fishing pole are the giveaway here, just like the last 2 series fisherman/gnome.
Evil Dwarf: The winged helmet is bulky, but so are the pieces for the Royal Guard & Gladiator, so I felt around for 1 of the 2 detached axe blades, or the handle. The difference in the shield between the Gladiator’s is that the front of the Evil Dwarf’s is smooth.
Gladiator: He has a huge bulky helmet, but he’s also the only fig with a knife/sword. It’s shorter than I expected. (That’s what… never mind) The difference in the shield between the Evil Dwarf’s is that the front of the Gladiator’s has a stud.
Gangster: This fig has the smallest accessory, his pistol. I also felt his hat, it’s he same as the Cowboy’s from S1 or Indiana Jones’. I never once knowingly felt his case.
Fitness Instructor: Big long hair, and the “boom box” feels like a brick with a handle (just like the Rapper’s from S3)
Lizard Guy: Last but not least, the one I was most excited about, and will be the first one I open… His tail was what I ended up feeling for. It’s a very large piece that fits under his head like a backpack, so you can feel for that tab with the hole in it as well.
Jason rightly says that it’s helpful to have a good picture in front of you, so here it is:
Or, if you are from Europe. You can simply order the whole set from ValueBrick.at (http://www.valuebrick.at/LEGO-Themen/LEGO-Minifiguren/lego-minifiguren-serie-5/LEGO-Minifiguren-Serie-5-8805-Alle-16-Minifiguren-939.html)
They make a little cut in the package, take a look at which figure is inside and tape the cut. I ordered my set there 2 weeks ago. Quick delivery and I even got an extra still closed MiniFigure.
There is also a code of dots on one of the sealed ends.
^ The dot codes are pretty inconsistent for this Series, and some of them are virtually invisible.
I have been able to complete two sets and get multiple duplicates for the ones I really wanted by using the dots. However, would not be able to provide a dot chart that would be of use. Each package has dots as usual since collection 3. The kicker is that it looks like at least three different packaging machines are being used, each of which hits the dots a bit differently. Each package has a letter number/series in the lower right of the package (back side) I have seen three different combinations – and Each minifig can be found in any of the three identified. In absence of a dot guide, and before the “feel” guide came out, I bought a bunch of them at Toys R us, sorted them as best I could and opened one at a time – marked each package with what had come in it. Took the ones I did not need back to TRU and bough some more, used the previous purchase to sort and opened those to validate. Tonight I was in Wal-Mart and found Series 5 there in a whole new packaging – wall hanging box with over 120 fig packages. Fortunately I had my previous purchase packages in the truck, so I used them to pick through and locate what I wanted. Each package has at least a portion of the dot code visible, use that as a guide to sort from and then use(d) the feel method to validate what was inside. Was able to pick up five more dwarves, five gladiators, four cleopatra, and round out with the rest of what I wanted. So, total of three buying trips (one unplanned) and I am almost done with buying for this series – total purchase of 75 minifigs to yield two complete sets, but with the extras being the figs I want extras of, not the ones I am not interested in.