What’s all the fuss about Pop Vinyls?

Pop Vinyls (or Pops as they’re also known) are a line of collectable figurines designed and manufactured by American pop culture company Funko.

The designs of the figurines are based on popular characters derived from movies, TV shows, books, comics and video games, as well as being based on real-life musicians, artists, politicians, sports stars and other public figures.

Pop Vinyls – as the name suggests – are made of vinyl, or polyvinyl chloride to be precise (aka PVC), and the standard figure is 4-inches tall. Other sizes exist too, including mini pen toppers and keyrings, super–sized and jumbo pops (10-inches tall) and deluxe towns or moments sets that feature figures with props, buildings and even other characters.

Big brands that often lend fictional famous faces to Funko’s range include Disney (home to the likes of Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm) and Warner Bros. (covering DC Studios, Harry Potter, and the Cartoon Network), just to name a few!

While the most commonly seen Pops come in traditional colours, you can also get limited edition varieties and designs, such as glow in the dark, black light, chrome, metallic or finishes of diamond glitter.

Pop Vinyls are clearly distinguishable by their stylised look, with oversized heads and eyes, small bodies and generally no mouth. The designs often overexaggerate the individuals’ traits but are still instantly recognisable to fans, and can include additional accessories such as weapons (think the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Thor with his hammer, Wong with his protective shields, Starkiller Hero with her blaster or Batman with his scythe).

Most Pops are readily available online and there is a significant reseller market across Facebook Group Pages and eBay. Others might only be released exclusively through events such as San Diego Comic Con and New York Comic Con in the US, or equivalent events here in Australia such as Oz Comic-Con and Supanova that showcase annually in most capital cities.

So, why are Pop Vinyls so damn popular?

Firstly, they are very affordable, with pricing typically ranging from $19 – $35 for a single figurine, so you don’t have to be a serious or cashed up buyer to start building a nice little collection. There are also over 12,000 different types in circulation to date, and this number is quickly growing as these figures gather momentum as a staple for many collectors. 

With so many new TV show, movie and gaming characters and new releases constantly arriving, there is always a new Pop Vinyl coming soon to add to your list of must–haves.

Collectors also love the versatility of Pop Vinyls. Some keep them in pristine condition (in their original box or in a protective casing) while others display them on bookshelves or even create elaborate dioramas using multiple figures.

So, whether you are buying them as a gift – for the young or old – or you are collector or looking at investing in a rare or limited Pop Vinyl, these popular figurines can be a cheap and enjoyable purchase.

Collective Consciousness is a small, family run business operating in Melbourne, Australia. We are an online only operator and our aim is to provide our customers with every day, low prices on their favourite pop culture collectables. Restocking is constantly taking place, so be sure to keep checking out our current range. We appreciate your business.