But the other SR figures are in Fact Super Rare. When considering rarity, you have to keep in mind the general production mass of figures in a series in general. Thousands and thousands of one Muscle figure could be made and has surely been found by now, where as less than 10 of these other figures throughout the collector community has been found. That's rare enough to me. Even if there were 20 or 30 SHA or BHS known to exist...that's still pretty rare given the whole shebang.
Rare is a term usually used to describe the most difficult items to find for a given collectible series. So the last 17 vintage Star Wars figures are always considered Rare...even though they are pretty much common as dirt. They were not as mass produced as any previous Star Wars figures. The same can be applied to MOTU, TMNT, GI-Joe, Thundercats, etc.. Where usually the last produced figures in these vintage series are often sought after and considered rare, they are still quite common, and easily found.
To sum it up. If these figures are considered RARE. Would not these extremely less common, and possibly easily lost Muscle figures be even more Rare? If not the true definition thereof?
If we had 20 to 30 recorded of any of the "SR's", then we'd have Color figures that were even rarer. I think we always have to consider both the small world of collectors looking, and the even smaller world of owners that think these toys are worth listing on eBay. Just seeming rare, doesn't mean it is legitimately rare. People still can't get over SC, think how long it will take for them to get over BHS and SHA!
As for SW Last 17, those aren't rare. I don't think any collector would label them as rare. There aren't as many Stormtrooper Lukes as Farmboy Lukes, but neither is rare. You only get into true rarity with the Last 17 when you start talking about MOC figures, which can make your head spin.
But I think we're getting off the point, which I think you actually agree with – there are different tiers of rarity. SHA is rarer than a Flesh Claw, but not Super Rare. I just think we need to more accurate differentiate the non-poster figures.
I don't have perfect labels, but my thought is that they break into 3 groups:
1 – SC, Wrestling Ring
2 – SHA, BHS, Dr. Bonbe (anything with more than 1 example)
3 – Everything Else
I would even argue that once more than one turns up, it is out of group three. Even as an owner of a SR, I question its authenticity – and all the figures in Group 3 are open to that question.
This will sound insane, but here it goes: I don't know that a figure cast in MUSCLE plastic is automatically a MUSCLE figure.
There are numerous possibilities for a singular MUSCLE-like figure to appear, from far fetched to quite viable – but without more data, specifically tangible data, they all remain possibilities.
