How to Spot a Fake Sonny Angel: A Tiered Guide for Collectors

With Sonny Angels gaining popularity among collectors worldwide, fake figures have unfortunately flooded the market. Whether you’re new to the world of Sonny Angels or a seasoned collector, this guide will help you tell the difference between an authentic Sonny Angel and a counterfeit one. We’ll walk you through three difficulty levels—from beginner to expert.

👶 Beginner Level: Easy Visual Signs

If you're new to Sonny Angels, start by inspecting basic visual clues. These are the easiest tells:

• Facial Expression: Real Sonny Angels have soft, balanced facial expressions. Fakes often look "off"—slightly angry, surprised, or unevenly printed.
• Paint Quality: Authentic figures have clean paint lines. Fakes may have smudges, overspray, or really bad fakes can be overly pink.
• Body Proportions: Real Sonny Angels have a sturdy, well-balanced body. Some fakes are thinner, bulkier, or poorly molded.

• Notice how the Sonny's in the example could pass off as a real Sonny Angel to the unassuming eye, however the thicker paint lines, blurry unaligned mouths, and higher contrast paint makes these fake.

🔍 Intermediate Level: Packaging & Texture Checks

Ready to dive deeper? Packaging and texture offer more reliable clues:

• Blind Box Design: Real Sonny Angels come in high-quality boxes with consistent font, spacing, and clear logos. Fakes may use outdated designs, poor print quality, saturated colors, or incorrect series names. The plastic wrapping on fakes are often loose or extremely thin.
• Material Texture: Genuine Sonny Angels have a smooth matte texture. Fakes can feel waxy, sticky, or too glossy.
• Insert Leaflet: Real boxes often include a series checklist insert. Fakes sometimes omit it or include incorrect versions.

🎓 Advanced Level: Collector Secrets & Regional Codes

For the serious Sonny Angel collector, these advanced tips will help verify authenticity with confidence:

• The Necks: The heads on Sonny Angels (excluding Hippers) are detachable! Authentic Sonny Angels usually have clean smooth necks with clean paint cut-offs. Fakes usually have jagged necks, extra material, or random paint spots on the neck. Overall if the neck doesn't feel "clean" then it may be fake.
• Barcode Region: The barcode on the box usually starts with “45” (Japan) or “49” depending on the region. Fakes might use generic barcodes or none at all.
• Weight Check: Real figures generally have a good weight to them. Once you get your hands on a few authentic Sonny Angels, you'll get the hang of how an authentic Sonny Angel feels like. Counterfeits may feel unusually light or too heavy due to cheap materials or hollow insides.
• Official Retail Source: Always buy from official retailers or trusted toy shops like Gurashies.com, which specialize in authentic Sonny Angel, Smiski, and other collectible toys.

🛍️ Final Thoughts: Stay Informed, Collect Confidently

Learning to identify fake Sonny Angels is a valuable skill for any toy enthusiast. By understanding visual cues, packaging quality, and advanced identifiers, you can protect your collection and shop smarter. When in doubt, always purchase from reliable sources with a proven track record.

Looking for the real deal? Explore authentic Sonny Angels at Gurashies.com.