The Story Behind Ron English's Rare Mario Grin Designer Toy

The Story Behind Ron English's Rare Mario Grin Designer Toy
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The Story Behind the Ron English Mario Grin Toy

The Ron English Mario Grin is one of the most iconic and valuable designer toys on the market today. Created by renowned pop artist Ron English in 2008, this rare 12 inch vinyl figure puts a dark and cheeky spin on Nintendo's beloved mascot Mario.

Ron English's Signature Style

Ron English is known for his unique, rebellious approach to art that frequently incorporates and satirizes iconic pop culture characters. His work tackles consumerism and authority with an ironic sense of humor. The Mario Grin toy encapsulates English's signature style - a mischievous twinkle in Mario's eyes, an exaggerated toothy grin, and a "just ate the canary" posture.

Limited Run Appeals to Collectors

The Mario Grin was produced in two colorways, with only 48 pieces made of each. This ultra low edition size immediately appealed to designer toy collectors. The bright blue and red "Player One" colorway depicted Mario in his classic Nintendo colors, while the black and white "Ink Blot" version put a dark spin on the normally cheerful plumber.

The toy was first sold directly through Ron English's website for $250 each. Due to the miniscule production run, the Ron English Mario Grin almost instantly started appearing on secondary markets for over 10 times its original retail price.

Secondary Market Prices Continue to Climb

In the 15 years since its initial release, the Ron English Mario Grin has become a holy grail item for designer toy aficionados. Mint condition, first edition examples in the numbered Player One colorway have traded hands for $10,000 to $12,000 as of 2022. The black Ink Blot version has sold for nearly as much.

Factors Driving Up Values

There are several key factors fueling the exponential increase for this toy:

  • Extreme rarity - With only 48 figures per colorway, few are ever available for sale
  • Iconic mashup - Beloved Nintendo character + renowned counter-culture artist
  • Hand painted - No two are exactly alike, adding uniqueness
  • Cultural significance - Represents the early days of coveted Western urban vinyl toys
  • Speculation - Collectors betting values will continue rising long-term
  • ]

Mario Grin vs. Other Designer Toys

While other rare designer toys have also crept up into the five figure range, the Ron English Mario Grin stands alone for a few reasons:

  • Made by one of the most famous artists in the scene
  • Reworking of a hugely popular intellectual property
  • Very old (2008) compared to other recent popular platforms like Be@rbrick
  • Lack of trust and widespread scams plague newer platforms

Where to Buy Soaring Mario Grins

For those seeking this holy grail designer toy, options exist but come with caveats.

Primary Market

In late 2022, Ron English did another tiny run of Mario Grins available through his website, but these sold out instantly. When releases do occur, they are in very limited supplies listed at $250, so lightning fast checkout skills are required.

Secondary Market

Sites like eBay, Grailed, Instagram hashtags, and specialist collector forums feature occasional Mario Grin listings, but bidding can quickly escalate. Prices often exceed $10,000 for authentic first edition examples. Condition, edition size, and box inclusions also impact pricing spread.

Beware - scams abound on secondary markets regarding this toy! Misrepresented editions, knockoffs, resealed boxes, and bait-and-switch pictures are common tactics to fool bidders. Verify seller reputation vigorously.

Future Outlook

As Ron English continues garnering acclaim in fine art circles for his subversive pop culture works, and the early days of designer toys become more mythologized, the Mario Grin stands poised to remain highly covetable. While unlikely to repeat the exponential growth of the past 15 years, steady increases adjusted for inflation seem probable. That cheeky Mario grin will likely maintained its cachet and value for years to come!

FAQs

How many Ron English Mario Grins were produced?

Only 48 figures were produced in each of the two colorways - Player One (blue/red) and Ink Blot (black/white), so 96 total toys exist.

What makes the Mario Grin so valuable?

The extreme rarity, iconic mashup of Mario and a counter-culture artist, hand painted uniqueness, and historical significance in the designer toy world all contribute to its covetable status.

What should I check for when buying one?

Make sure to thoroughly vet the seller's reputation and carefully inspect photos to verify legitimate first edition markings. Resealed boxes, knockoffs, and scams are common for rare toys.

Will prices keep rising for the Mario Grin?

As Ron English's fame increases and early designer toys become more collectible, steady long-term price increases are expected. While unlikely to repeat massive spikes of the past, it should easily maintain value.

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