How to check a G1 My Little Pony
G1 is the generation with the most history behind it: decades of play, storage, sun and repair. That is what makes these figures interesting, and also what makes them hard to judge — a genuine figure can look wrong because it has been re-haired or touched up, and a copy can look right because it was cast from a genuine mould.
These are the five markers a G1 record is scored against, and what each one looks like in the hand.
The five markers on a G1 record
Cutie mark quality
G1 cutie marks are pad-printed with crisp edges; fakes often have blurry or off-register stamps.
Eye printing
Check eye shape and iris detail; G1 eyes have a distinct two-color iris with a white highlight.
Hoof markings
G1 hooves are stamped with the country of manufacture and a Hasbro date code.
Body plastic quality
G1 plastic is dense and slightly translucent; fakes feel lighter and more brittle.
Mane & tail texture
Original G1 hair is nylon with a distinct crimp; fakes use coarser, shinier synthetic fiber.
What a failing G1 looks like
- A hoof with no stamp, a half-formed stamp, or one sitting in a different place from other G1 figures of the same pose.
- Hair that is coarse, overly glossy, or that will not settle back into its crimp after washing — the usual signature of a re-hair.
- A cutie mark with soft, fuzzy edges, patchy ink, or a mark sitting on top of a repaired patch of plastic.
- Plastic that feels light or brittle next to a genuine G1 of the same pose.
- Eyes missing the white highlight, or with colour bleeding outside the iris.
- A figure sold as untouched that shows no trace of age in the plastic at all — compare it with a verified record before believing the description.
Questions collectors ask
Where is the hoof stamp, and why does it matter so much?
It is on the underside of a hoof, and it is the one marking the factory put there: the country of manufacture plus a Hasbro date code. Copies rarely reproduce it cleanly, and it is what ties a figure to a real production run.
My G1 has no visible stamp. Is it a fake?
Not necessarily. The stamp is small and easy to miss at an angle, and heavy playwear or a repaint can cover it. Photograph the underside of each hoof in daylight and compare with other figures of the same pose before making a call.
How do I spot a re-haired G1?
Compare the fibre with a figure you trust. Original nylon hair has a fine, defined crimp and settles back into shape after a wash; replacement fibre looks glossier, feels coarser and fights the crimp. Check the roots as well — a re-hair can leave a slightly uneven hairline.
Can a genuine G1 fail a marker?
Yes, and that is why a record can be marked uncertain instead of fake. Age, playwear, a factory variant or a photo that does not show the detail clearly all make genuine figures look doubtful.
Check your own figure against the database
A PonyProof account is free, and every record shows the same checklist scored for a figure someone has already examined.
More guides
How to tell if a My Little Pony is fake
The five checks collectors run on any figure, the warning signs that point to a copy or a repair, and how to keep a doubtful pony out of your collection.
Read the guideHow to check a G2 My Little Pony
G2 was sold mainly in Europe, so fewer examples have been photographed and compared. The slim mould and the small symbol are what a record is measured against.
Read the guideHow to check a G3 My Little Pony
Chunky moulds, big multi-colour symbols and wide, stable legs. G3 copies still circulate loose and in sets, and the printed symbol is usually where they give themselves away.
Read the guideHow to check a G4 My Little Pony
G4 is the most widely copied generation and the copies are close. These markers are small on purpose — they are the details a bootleg mould and printer tend to lose.
Read the guideHow to check a G5 My Little Pony
The current generation: new moulds, large glossy eyes and figures that arrive mostly in sets. Most G5 copies are cheap loose figures — and the same five markers catch them.
Read the guide
