How to check a G3 My Little Pony
G3 figures are the solid, brightly coloured ponies of the 2000s: heavy moulds, large symbols and legs built to stand up to play. They were produced in large numbers and copies of them are still common, usually as loose figures or sets.
A G3 record is scored against these five markers, and what each one looks like in the hand.
The five markers on a G3 record
Cutie mark quality
G3 symbols are large, multi-coloured and printed in several passes; fakes show misaligned passes and rough edges.
Eye printing
G3 eyes are wide with layered printing and a clear highlight; fakes lose the highlight or print outside the eye shape.
Hoof markings
G3 hooves carry a moulded Hasbro mark and country code; the magnet fitted into a front hoof on earlier releases is set into the mould.
Body plastic quality
G3 plastic is heavy and solid with an even finish; fakes feel lighter and show seams around the neck and legs.
Mane & tail texture
G3 hair is fine nylon with a straight fall; copies use coarser fibre that tangles and will not lie flat.
What a failing G3 looks like
- A hoof with no moulded Hasbro mark or country code.
- A symbol whose colour passes do not line up, leaving a doubled or feathered edge.
- Eyes with a missing highlight, or printing that spills past the eye shape.
- A body that feels noticeably lighter, with seams visible around the neck or legs.
- Hair that tangles on contact and will not lie flat after a wash.
- A symbol or colourway that does not match any documented release.
Questions collectors ask
Was G3 copied as heavily as G4?
Less so, but copies exist and tend to circulate loose, in sets, or in colourways that were never released. The large symbols are usually where they show: printed in several passes, a copy rarely lines those passes up as cleanly as the original.
My G3 hoof has no magnet. Is that wrong?
No. The magnetic hoof belongs to earlier releases; later figures were made without it. Judge the stamp and the symbol rather than the magnet.
How do I photograph a G3 for a check?
Daylight, close in and straight on: the symbol on the flank, each eye, and the underside of one front hoof. G3 symbols are large enough that a phone photo in daylight shows them clearly.
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 G1 My Little Pony
Figures from the 1980s and early 1990s are the most repaired in the hobby, so a G1 record checks originality as carefully as it checks identity.
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 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
