Is Toa Hagah Norik really that rare?

[randomreviewerbros]

Hey all, been a while since I've posted a topic!

 

So I have owned Toa Hagah Norik since Christmas 2005, and for everyone who doesn't know this, Toa Hagah Norik was sold by himself at Kmart here in Australia in 2005, he was not part of a two pack with Iruini here.

 

I do not own Iruini, I would like to, but I don't.

 

Anyways, so last week I found an add on Gumtree of a person who lived close to me who had many G1 Bionicle sets for sale for $10 each, one was Norik, so I bought 5 sets off him and picked them up yesterday from him. I bought Norik just for the parts and the other 4 were to complete some holes in my collection. I have always known that Norik was rare and have always kept the Norik I originally owned in perfect condition and he is always on display.

 

But my question to all you is, did I make a mistake unparting the Norik I purchased yesterday for MOCing or is it not that rare that I shouldn't worry about doing that?

 

The sets I bought from him were in absolutely perfect condition, and you can tell they haven't been used for years because all the joints creak with movement but I fixed that lol.

[masterchirox580]

From what I understand Norik was really hard to get in mainly America. I have both the toa hagah and they were not that difficult to find back in 05 (you could get them at Tesco). So unless you plan to sell it to Americans I'd say no.

[Chip Wiseman]

I had no idea he was considered rare. Like many US-store-exclusives, here in the UK he was made available anywhere like any other set

[randomreviewerbros]

Thanks for the replies! I was only wondering this because I saw a thread on here from 2014 called "rarest Bionicle sets" and he was mentioned

Edited March 13, 2016 by randomreviewerbros

[Lyichir]

To my knowledge Norik was only sold in a two-pack with Iruini in the U.S. (while Iruini himself was also sold on his own). So that'd account for the slightly higher rarity.

But even so, I don't think he's that rare that you should be concerned about taking him apart.

[randomreviewerbros]

To my knowledge Norik was only sold in a two-pack with Iruini in the U.S. (while Iruini himself was also sold on his own). So that'd account for the slightly higher rarity.

 

But even so, I don't think he's that rare that you should be concerned about taking him apart.

Ok awesome thanks, I bought him only for that purpose seeing that I already owned him before I purchased him for parts the other day.

[Xboxtravis]

Oh that Wal-Mart two pack was fun I think Norik and Iruni were the pinacle of the Metru Toa design.

[randomreviewerbros]

Oh that Wal-Mart two pack was fun I think Norik and Iruni were the pinacle of the Metru Toa design.

They sure were! Great sets!

[MrSciFiGuy]

I only saw him in the twin-packs, never solo. So by himself he might be rare.

[Master Inika]

Yeah, Toa Norik on his own was rare in America. I was only able to find him at Costco packaged with Sidorak. If you bought him used without the packaging, using him for parts probably isn't a bit deal. The really rare parts on him were just the mask and possibly spearhead.

[randomreviewerbros]

Yea cause if I had resold him, he doesn't go for a ton in Australia and international shipping is off the charts in pricing, 

 

Here in Australia he was sold solo, at Kmart, (the first and only time I've ever seen America not get something that we got) and I got him for Christmas that year by himself

[Cheesy Mac n Cheese]

I remember I ordered an overpriced Iruini from Europe back is 2005 thinking he wouldn't be released here...and then he was. Then, not wanting to buy a duplicate Iruini, I refused to buy the Walmart 2-pack of him and Norik.

 

However, LEGO stores sold Norik by himself, and I was able to get him at the LEGO Imagination Center at Dowtown DIsney, Walt Disney World on spring break 2006. I guess it was worth the wait to get him by himself.

 

I can't recall, was Iruini sold individually at most stores?

Edited March 22, 2016 by Cheesy Mac n Cheese

[Toa Smoke Monster]

I always thought that the Toa Norik set was a rare set, because I never once saw it in any store. Not even in a combo pack. I only found Iruini sets. 

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

He is rare where he was exclusive to an Iruini-Norik two pack. Apparently that was not the case everywhere. Regardless... I wish I had him.

 

-NotS

[ToaTImeLord]

I live in the US and I got Toa Hagah Norik on his own. I got it from a Tuesday Morning for a early birthday present. Still want a Iruin set though.

[Illuminatus]

The Toa Hagah weren't available at all in Bulgaria (and yet had Bulgarian text on the back), so they're both equally rare to me. I got my Toa Iruini from Italy in 2005 where they were both available separately, but I wanted only Iruini at the time. Big mistake.

 

To be honest, even though Norik is objectively rarer, I still think Iruini is more valuable as a set, because you can see how the Kanohi Kualsi clearly represents a Nidhiki/Vahki head. Actual effort was put into developing that mask, whereas Toa Norik looks like a very early and obvious sketch of a Toa Dume set that could never have worked as an actual Toa Dume set. Iruini on the other hand, could have easily been a fantastic Toa Nidhiki.

[Master Inika]

The Toa Hagah weren't available at all in Bulgaria (and yet had Bulgarian text on the back), so they're both equally rare to me. I got my Toa Iruini from Italy in 2005 where they were both available separately, but I wanted only Iruini at the time. Big mistake.

 

To be honest, even though Norik is objectively rarer, I still think Iruini is more valuable as a set, because you can see how the Kanohi Kualsi clearly represents a Nidhiki/Vahki head. Actual effort was put into developing that mask, whereas Toa Norik looks like a very early and obvious sketch of a Toa Dume set that could never have worked as an actual Toa Dume set. Iruini on the other hand, could have easily been a fantastic Toa Nidhiki.

I agree that, going by parts, Iruini is more valuable (new Kanohi mold and recolored spearhead) as opposed to Norik (recolored Kanohi and spearhead with no new shape or color), but I think you're being too hard on Norik as a Toa Dume set. It's impossible to say for sure, because both sets must've been changed somewhat after it was decided to make them Rahaga as Toa (like the shields). The only reason I would think Norik wouldn't pass as Toa Dume is the color scheme has silver, which isn't on Dume, but that could go for Nidhiki's silver and Iruini's bronze.