Unrecorded Phantom Gems

158 Replies, 116114 Views

Disclaimer: Images are not mine.

Not a vehicle, sorry to disappoint. Ranch Set, 1970. is not recorded in the Plarail Museum, and it has surfaced to social media just yesterday after 50 odd years.

It disappeared after only 5 months in 1970, and no records are found anywhere. To get this catalogue image, you need to attend a venue during the early 1970s. Whats even more scary is that the house blocks from the phantom gem Project X theme made it's final appearance here. Also the beloved sakura trees that were described as a "mirage" made it's first and only appearance in this set. So it is a phantom gem within a phantom gem.

This is a very hidden Phantom Gem in Plarail and it is definitely even more rare than up to half of the recorded Phantom Gems. It is so rare, that no one during this time recalled the original packaging. This is the only Plarail which packaging is unknown even until today. This set is estimated to be 70000 yen for an incomplete set as shown below. It is said that most Plarail collectors never heard of this set before, and the minority who knew about the set would go all the way to collect each individual junk condition piece to recreate the set. The house blocks, pink sakura tree and the 4 ranch girders are the ultimate rarities. This journey of collecting made many collectors cry on their blogs.

This is the first ever recorded English source of the Ranch Set, this post.

[Image: ETegq-HPVAAASr-Pt.jpg]

[Image: ETegq-HQVAAAp-EJM.jpg]
(This post was last modified: 03-28-2020, 10:54 PM by Super.)
[-] The following 1 user Likes violater's post:
  • Finno
Very interesting Vio.

I have had several of the Sakura trees in green that came in other sets but haven't seen any that are pink. I wonder if the original packaging for this was a clear plastic bag with a cardboard top with a hole in it so stores could hang them from a pegboard post. Didn't they sell lots of items like that back they. I believe that older clear plastic did not age well and deteriorated to the point that it was unusable and therefore thrown out.

Those houses sure look undersized for the scale of everything else.
[Image: super-smiley-emoticon.gif]
The green trees are common in older sets. No one actually recalled the original packaging, so it is hard to figure out what it really looked like. Not sure whether mass production is confirmed. I know that older Plarails were never made with ABS plastic, so there is no gloss. (also means less prone to yellowing, and more susceptible to scratches). Packaging wise, there could be a possibility that the items are boxed in bigger Tomica-sized boxes. Not even the advertised picture was in any packaging.

Those houses are small, but they can be stacked up in many irregular shapes and sizes. (just like old Lego Duplo)
[-] The following 1 user Likes violater's post:
  • Super
That’s a really cool set! I certainly wouldn’t mind having something like that on my train table nowadays.

What I like about it is that it’s more rural while so many modern Plarail/Tomica sets are very urban, which is understandable. But this is the sort of thing that would totally fit with a steam engine passing by.
[-] The following 1 user Likes Off The Rails's post:
  • Super
I had not thought of it that way OTR, but that is a great idea. Sort of like a Wild Wild West area of a Layout with some steamers. Maybe even an area with some Train Robbers ready to pounce on a train. The Western Steamers could replicate the old TV show 'The Wild Wild West' (not the terrible re-make as a movie with Will Smith)...hmmm...maybe a custom to look like the fancy train in the show.
BTW: The Theme Song for the Wild Wild West TV Show was one of my favorite. Theme Song


[Image: sc00519b4d.jpg]
[Image: super-smiley-emoticon.gif]
Talking about rural Plarail, there is a lighthouse tunnel, farmhouse tunnel, D51 Farm Set, ED-70 Sumioroshi Set, PlayRail D51 Sumioroshi Set (There is no English word for the Sumioroshi Sets, those are the Log Loader). These are old Plarail, so it will be hard to win one at a good price below 50000 yen.
[-] The following 1 user Likes violater's post:
  • Super
I have been after one of those Lighthouse Tunnels for years. Came close a few times. Seems like some are damaged because I don't think they are made of plastic but more a hard paper machete material or fiberglass that can damage over the years. I do like watching the videos of the others but its the working Lighthouse that has my eye.
[Image: super-smiley-emoticon.gif]
Do you have picture of lighthouse tunnel? Would love to see what it look like.
Here ya go


[Image: ju.jpg]

Here is a short video but this one has the yellow fence broken off. This same YouTuber also has videos of some of the other rare sets that Vio mentions above plus other rare vintage items.

[Image: super-smiley-emoticon.gif]
[-] The following 1 user Likes Super's post:
  • drew5195
Thanks for link Super. I checked out youtuber other video. Lot of stuff i never seen before in videos.



Users browsing this thread: 2 Guest(s)