Think last saw hasbro's on the shelf at retail when I visited France in 1999. A lil toy store their had about 5 pipers and a snuka.
But Get this... Last year (2008)
I picked up 6 boxed Hasbro euro rings (with soundbox).
From TRU here in the UK !!!
heres what happened:
I found them by accident... They wer a stack of toys extra stock (action figures Gi-joe etc) Piled high on top of one of the rows (we are talking about 12/14ft high shelve above the pegs). I spotted a stack of these rings through a tiny gap behind the figs . I thought I was seeing things.
I called over to a store worker who went up a ladder to grab me one down.
And yep I was right. He grabbed down the top one of the little stack and it was cover in thick (and I mean thick) dust !!! Couldn't believe it... So we went to get a price at customer service........ LOL... when they scanned it came up invalid item !
I said how I desperately wanted it and perhaps the others... so they called over the assistant manager who was like "where did you find this
" to which the sales guy said "the customer sent me up a ladder they were stacked up high.." Then to my horror the ass mang said well we can't really sell it cause its not on our stock"...... I was like nooooo Please ! Then I suggested what about you ring it through as a
in stock wrestling ring, a jakks one
but then she explained how it would mess up their stock count...... But I again insisted I really wanted it and if there was anything they could do........... to which she replied.... "ok ok... we can ring it through as sale misc"... Dam near pissed myself !!! Then asked how much.... Then the best bit.................99P !!!!
So then to put the icing on the cake I asked if I could have the others... which she said "sure" ...amazing huh !
6 boxed rings for for under £6 ! and this was last summer !!!!!
I still have one but I sold the others on ebay just before Christmas to raise some funds...