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Lucky Draw figures are extremely limited-run versions of mass-release toys, given to winners of contests usually run by Japanese children's publications such as TV Magazine, TV Kun, and Comics Bonbon, but sometimes held through other collector-aimed, Transformers-related books or directly through TakaraTomy. These figures are typically either straightforward chrome-covered versions of figures (usually in gold or silver), or non-chrome redecos with entirely new color schemes.
Although Lucky Draw toys are primarily a Japanese concept, the name "Lucky Draw" did not originate in Japan, nor is it used there currently to describe these toys. In Japan, these toys are referred to as campaign prize items. The term "Lucky Draw" probably originated from Hong Kong and Singapore eBay sellers who typically label them "Lucky Draw" in their auctions.
The quantity of a Lucky Draw figure produced for a contest usually ranges from 10 to 50, but sometimes can be as few as one (Custom Color Galaxy Convoy) or as many as 300 (Black Tracks). However, sellers from Singapore and Hong Kong tend to obtain Lucky Draw figures in suspiciously high quantities, leading many collectors to believe that the total number produced is actually quite a bit higher than the number given away in the contest.
The extreme rarity and unique look of these toys makes them desirable to some high-end Transformers collectors, who pay as much as several thousand US dollars for a single Lucky Draw toy. Other collectors find no appeal in these figures because of the frequent use of gaudy-looking, all-over chrome on them and the high price tag.
Most well-known Transformers Lucky Draw toys were released during or after Beast Wars aired in Japan. During the entirety of Generation 1 in Japan, only three Lucky Draw exclusives are known to have been released: the gold Convoy trophy, the silver Chromedome trophy, and the Transformer Junior leaders set. (Rare chromed versions of many of Kabaya's Generation 1 Transformers kits exist. These may have been given out as Lucky Draw toys as well.) Several other Lucky Draw figures were released during Diaclone and Microman Microchange, including chrome versions of Jazz, Bluestreak, and Browning.
The Lucky Draw concept is almost exclusively Japanese. The only known Lucky Draw-type toys from a contest held outside of Japan were an Optimus Prime with a custom head based on the winner, offered as a door prize at BotCon 2006, and a highly detailed, non-transforming, chromed movie Optimus Prime in truck mode and robot mode given away by Hasbro in a fan video contest on TechTV.
List of Known Lucky Draw Figures
Generation One
- Gold Convoy Statue
- Silver Chromedome Statue
Beast Wars
Beast Wars II
- Gold Lio Convoy
- Gold Chrome Lio Convoy
- Black Lio Convoy (not to be confused with Black Lio Convoy)
- "Galva" Lio Convoy
- Black, red, and yellow Lio Convoy
- Green Apache
- Blue Bighorn
- Red Diver
- Green, white, orange, and pink Scuba
- Blue and yellow Tasmania Kid (not to be confused with Bound Rogue)
- White Moon
- Gold Galvatron
- Silver Galvatron
- "Lio" Galvatron
Beast Wars Neo
- Gold Big Convoy
- Blue Big Convoy
- Gold Magmatron
- Black Magmatron
Beast Wars Metals
- Gold Convoy
- Silver Convoy (not to be confused with Apelinq)
- Gold Megatron
- Silver Megatron
- Gold Convoy Vs. Silver Megatron
Car Robots
- Black Super Fire Convoy
- Clear Glittery Super Fire Convoy - unconfirmed
- Black God Magnus
If you squint really hard, you can't even see me.
- Brave Maximus (complete version)
Meet your Makerbot.
Collectors Edition Japanese
- Gold Wheel Convoy
- Secret Starscream
On the Highway to Heaven
Micron Legend
- Gold Super Mode Convoy
I'm much better in Black.
- Gold Jetfire
- Blue Ultra Magnus
- Black Megatron
- Green Unicron (A.K.A. Unicron of Light)
Superlink
- Gold Grand Convoy
- Gold SL Grand Convoy
- Custom Grand Convoy
- Gold Rodimus Convoy
- Silver Rodimus Convoy
- Gold Omega Supreme
- Black Kicker
- Red Fire Kicker
- Black Galvatron
Masterpiece
- Gold Convoy
Binaltech
- Meister Mayuki Iwasa
Robot Masters
- Custom Colour G1 Convoy
- Brave Maximus (A.K.A. Cybertron Base)
- Red Arsenal Force
Galaxy Force
- Gold Galaxy Convoy
- Silver Galaxy Convoy
- Custom Color Galaxy Convoy
- Gold Megalo Convoy
- Gold Master Galvatron
- Blue Flame Convoy (A.K.A. Flame Convoy Sky Lynx Edition)
- Ignition Prize Force Chip
NOT "Night Slash Cheetas"
Beast Wars Returns
- Perfect Choice Cheetas
Movie
- Gold Optimus Prime
- Gold Protoform Optimus Prime
- Gold Protoform Starscream
- Gold Leadclass Oprimus Prime (Hasbro HK Statue)
Henkei
- Gold Convoy
- Gold Galvatron
See also
External links
- luckydrawtransformers.com - Extremely comprehensive info and stats on Lucky Draw Transformers.
- Transformers@TheMoon Lucky Draw gallery - Similarly comprehensive pictures of all Lucky Draw Transformers.