Why are SST PVC figurines so hard to find?

[Ghost X]

Greetings!
After becoming a father, I have found myself getting back into Sesame Street and enjoying purchasing various products for my children. I have been surprised by how hard it is to find some items, specifically PVC figures. Given the popularity and variety of product, I thought it would be easy to order a few online. However, I have only been able to find very few and at crazy prices. Anyone know why this is the case? Any easy solution to grabbing some for this Christmas season?

 

[Drtooth]

The only PVC's on the market at the moment are These ones They are Target exclusives, and as such have the insane price of 6.99 per package of 2, and there are only these 3 packs (Don't get me started on the 123 Playset... 40 busk).

Problem is, there was a very good Sesame Street PVC line a year ago that since disappeared, and they retailed for a buck each...But they cannot be found now

 

[MrTheFrog]

This is what you need to look for. It has 13 characters in it, and was made by Tyco, It was out 10 years ago and can likely be found on ebay:

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/File:Tyco-pvcset.jpg

Hope this helps,
-Artie

 

[Drtooth]

This is what you need to look for. It has 13 characters in it, and was made by Tyco, It was out 10 years ago and can likely be found on ebay:

I think that was part of the problem. He wants to look for currently released stuff, as online purchases of these figures can get pretty pricey because of older collectors.

I will also add you just missed a small series of really cheap figures at Target. There was a set of Cookie, Big Bird, and Elmo at Target's dollar section just a couple months ago. They were produced by Toy island, and frankly, they didn't look all that well made. They have since been cleared out. But you may just be able to find those somewhere... but I stress they weren't all that well made.

 

[D'Snowth]

This is what you need to look for. It has 13 characters in it, and was made by Tyco, It was out 10 years ago and can likely be found on ebay:

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/File:Tyco-pvcset.jpg

Hope this helps,
-Artie

I've gotten the Super Grover, Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster and Mumford from that set... but they were single, and were retailed by Fisher-Price instead of Tyco... I cut out the collectable trading cards from the back of the packages, and they all (but Mumford) have the Fisher-Price logo.

 

[GerilovesMatt]

I have a bunch of applause PVC figures from Sesame Street from the 1990's if you are interested in purchasing.
This includes
Big Bird- painter
The Count - with balloons
Grover - with bouquet of flowers
Betty Lou - majorette
Barkley - frisbee
Elmo - bedtime in bathrobe
Bert - holding the number 3
Oscar the Grouch - with paper plane
Snuffy - Christmas
Alice - wheels on a skateboard
Ernie- with an apple and a book
Ernie- playing with rubber ducky
and I have Telly with a hammer and saw from Tara Toy Corp
They are all in good shape.