Duke - Test Shot Prototype

G.I.Joe figures usually began as resin hard copies. These resin models were used to create the molds. The molds were used to press out a run of "First shots" or "Test shots". These test shots were done in many different colors.

Pictured above is a test shot of Duke (2000). The prototype is molded in several colors and the entire figure is unpainted.

Most test shots do not have a date stamp on the figure. However, because this figure was created from an existing mold, it has a Hasbro date stamp.

Note that the legs have marbled green and brown colors - a technology that wasn't used on G.I.Joe figures until 1993. This is an obvious way to tell that the figure is a Duke (v8) (2000) prototype - not from an earlier Duke (v3) (1992). If you see a G.I.Joe prototype for sale, make sure that you know if the prototype is from a later version of the figure or earlier version.