What do you consider a "Grail" piece?

[poppetmaster]

Something that has been on my mind in recent months is what is considered a "grail" piece. It seems everyone has their own definition of what a grail is, and I'm interested to know what you think a grail piece is.

I've seen even common (not hard to find) pieces referred to as grail, which I don't think that should be the case...however, if that person feels it is a "super wazoo piece" then more power to them.

So...what is your definition of a "grail"? I'll start.

[Ben]

Anything above $30 per pop is what I consider Grail.
I just can't find any reason to pay $30+ for a pop.

[wraithkelso]

I consider a grail piece to be one that eluded you for a long time and is number one on your list, for instance, Baymax was one last year because I waited until after I saw the movie and by then he'd sold out and I had to wait for another shipment. Also I would consider exclusives to a specific store or company that isn't located everywhere like the new Haunted Mansion figures exclusive to the Disney Parks.

[mistypop]

I use the term "grail" very loosely and mostly just think of it as a person's most prized piece, or their most wanted pop of all time - it could be that it was really hard to find, a rare variant or exclusive, or they spent a lot of money to get it. Or it might not necessarily be any of these, it could just be the pop representing their all time favourite character/person. Basically when someone says that something is their grail, I think of it as being the pop they are most proud of to have in their collection. Or the pop that is most special to them, that they either have, or would like to have.

[SnackDaddy]

That one piece that you want and is so hard to find. I would say under 48LE with a few exceptions like highly sought after higher runs like 480LE Shadow Trooper/Flocked Chewbacca or any of the SDCC 2010 exclusive DC pops.

[poppetmaster]

Interesting thoughts. I figure if the term "grail" is thrown around, it would mean something extremely hard to find/expensive/limited. My thought on it would be something over $300 would be "grail" worthy. If I'm paying that kind of price, it better be damn worth it. Needless to say, I spent nearly $500 for signed Bryan Fuller right after SDCC. Is it REALLY worth that? Most likely not. Not many people are looking for him, not many people care to have him....but I am a big Hannibal fan and even moreso now, sad to see the show gone. But that was one of my "must haves" to finish off my Hannibal set.

[cswhite]

For me it's the rarest piece that you want. Mines the Thor with helmet.

[popfanboy]

That one piece that you want and is so hard to find. I would say under 48LE with a few exceptions like highly sought after higher runs like 480LE Shadow Trooper/Flocked Chewbacca or any of the SDCC 2010 exclusive DC pops.

This ^
Only piece I consider a grail in my collection is my Fundays Lil' Gruesome. Then I see people saying they just got their grail piece in the mail and it's a Hot Topic exclusive from 2 months ago.

[WendyWho]

I use the term pretty loosely.. I guess for me it's a piece that is very hard to find for sale and/or waaaaaay out of my budget if I do find it. Clown Dumbo is a great example. $1000+ the 2 times I've seen him for sale is something I'll probably never be able to spend unless I came into a lot of money. I suppose that's a more "true to definition" grail than most of what I consider to be one.

[Funko_Bandido]

IMO Grail piece can be different for everyone. To me Grail doesn't mean it has to be a $500+ retired pop. A grail to me can just something you've been wanting for a long time and it was hard to get then finally you get that one piece. It can be HT exclusive, or a Walgreens, it's just that person's view of what a grail piece will be for them. Some have 20 pops as others have 600 pieces. Collections vary as for taste. For example, Just because Star Wars Holographic Darth Maul is a rare and expensive pop (grail for many) , to me it's just another "common" because it doesn't interest me...Just my opinion

[big_matt]

Grail could also be those 1 or 2 older, HTF pieces that you need to complete a collection, that may not necessarily be going for big bucks. I'm an avid Wolverine fan, and would like to get a Logan for a decent price. I would also like to find a reasonable Red Skull, Thing, and Ghost Rider for my Marvel collection. While not ultra expensive pieces, I consider them grails.

Also, I got into the Pop game late, and told myself that I wasn't going to get into Star Wars, since I felt I was too far behind to get them all. Well, I got into Star Wars, and have most pieces that are out now and have been unvaulted. I would definitely say that the Shadow trooper (Blackhole trooper, or whatever the official name is), Biggs, Holo Maul, and Luke and Han in ST armor would be my grails for that line. However, a decently priced Amidala, Lando, and Jar Jar have eluded me, go I also somewhat consider them to be grails.

[r2d2]

My grail is a piece that I can not find (it's availability is very rare) or I have not been able to afford it for a long time.
My grail right now is Headless Ned, not a rare piece as there are always a couple on Ebay for example, but I am not able to put down $350-400 on a single Pop right now. It would also be considered my grail as it has been the only missing from my GoT collection for a while.

[brooklyn_geek]

It's different things to different people. For a while ANY Freddy Funko pop was a grail for me. Then it was retired Marvel & DC pieces like Dr. Doom and Shazam...depends on your likes and it's more of a personal thing...

[Jezter]

A grail to me is something I want that is either impossible to find or impossible to afford...
Sadly there are quite a bit in one, or both of those categories.

[JIrish780]

For me, it's a piece I know I have to work at to find. The recent Peanuts line Olaf was the most recent such item that fit that description.

[shogunjlips]

So...what is your definition of a "grail"? I'll start.

That's a picture, not a definition.

[bathtub-tigers]

the piece that i want but for whatever reason can't seem to acquire.

[treswright]

Well if there's one takeaway from this thread it is that it means different things to different people! I don't really use the term myself because if there's something I REALLY want that bad then I will find a way to get it. For me the more expensive a Pop gets the less I want it, and therefore it's not a grail. The above-mentioned Shadow Trooper is a good example, it's just not something that if I had in my case I would look at and say "wow that is such an awesome Pop!!" Frankly it's a pretty -meh- Pop, but it's a grail for many because they are completists and because it's rare and thus just out of their reach. One thing I've learned from decades of collecting is once you obtain something you -think- you just had to have, it loses its luster and you're on to seeking out the next piece. Once you obtain your grail it's no longer your grail. That's why I try not to let my spending on this stuff get too crazy, it just never ends

[StarWarner]

For me a "Grail" is something that I desperately want, but can't seem to get either due to its price or rarity. Once I have obtained a "Grail" it usually remains a favorite in my collection. An example would be my Mad Hatter pop or my Bryan Fuller as Hannibal Pop. I wanted those so badly and found a way to get them. I still have a few "grails." Some I probably won't ever get due to the prices, but others I haven't gotten yet because I haven't found them in good condition or didn't have the money at the time. I will probably never get Biggs Darlighter, Han and Luke as Stormtroopers, and the blue Cheshire Cat. I may be able to get these some day: Admiral Ackbar, Edna Mode, and Nightmare Before Christmas Mayor.

[Squird]

It is whatever someone wants it to be.

Personally, I think the term gets overused. Grails should require some effort and patience to acquire. If it's a new release and you haven't gotten it yet, it's not really a 'grail' to me, it's just a 'want'.

My grail is the King Arthur color proto. Which is also amusing, possibly ironic.

[JsinLegacy]

It is whatever someone wants it to be.

Personally, I think the term gets overused. Grails should require some effort and patience to acquire. If it's a new release and you haven't gotten it yet, it's not really a 'grail' to me, it's just a 'want'.

Pretty much this...

I only have 1 and its never really changed. I just want an Apollo Freddy... either one.. I just want to see it sit on my desk and stare back and me. I want us to be locked in a warm inviting gaze, to know that our souls are... ummm.. I mean.. yeah... I just think its incredibly awesome.

[AliCat4004]

I don't think grail has to do with monetary value or exclusivity. A grail, as I see it, is something unique to each person. Something that the individual loves the look of and their collection would be incomplete without. I also don't believe everyone has a grail either. My grail is Pop Marvel Logan. I wasn't collecting when he was released and now he is $50< . (I hope he's re-released)

[GnomesStalkChildren]

Grail for me is my chase bloody white lady she's a beutiful peices limited to 88 peices and currently can't Be bought without going throught hell and back that's a right there

[FunkoNewb]

It is whatever someone wants it to be.

Personally, I think the term gets overused. Grails should require some effort and patience to acquire. If it's a new release and you haven't gotten it yet, it's not really a 'grail' to me, it's just a 'want

Basically this. When someone says grail and I can look on eBay and there's 100+ results, it makes me facepalm. It shouldn't be something easily attainable produced in mass quantities. My grails are in my signature. Help me find them LOL

[slim1977]

To me, it's a combination of availability and cost. Also it has to be something that you really do treasure when you finally do get it.

[emcee]

I don't ever use the term "grail"

There's just some I really want that are hard to get.

[Poncho Pete]

6 months minimum hunting for it and always at the top of your want list.

[chezpopp]

A pop I want that doesn't exist. Inigo Montoya and 6 inch fezzik. Princess bride pops don't exist yet so to me if they came out it would be my grail. Your all time favorite had to pick one character. Could be a common or a rare but if it has meaning to you than that makes it a grail.

[RoboFist]

In my opinion, people can only have one "Grail" at a time. A Grail piece is the one coveted piece that you want more than any other, but has eluded you and is now very difficult to find (at a decent price). For example, I never had a Grail until the Toy Tokyo Flocked Wolfman. I needed him for many reasons, the first being that I had been wanting a flocked version of the Wolfman Pop since the Universal Monsters line was announced. So when Funko announced it over a year later, I had already been preparing for the moment.

Obviously, the Toy Tokyo fiasco prevented me from snagging it, and it became super hard to find for a slightly-above-average hunter like myself. It had become my Grail because I really wanted it, more than any other, and Ebay wasn't playing fair.

Now that he's mine (also the first Pop I decided to keep in its box, complete with Pop Protector), I don't really have a Grail anymore...and that's actually a super good thing, because Wolfie cost way more than I'll ever be willing to admit...

[MasterSplyntr]

Look forward to the day Funko grabs the license for:

Grail time baby!

[EZA]

I think "grail" gets thrown around way to easily. As mention when someone says X is my grail and it can be found in stores or online quite easily how is that a grail? Remember its Quest for the Holy Grail not Wait till I can afford the Holy Grail. A quest man! time, sleepless nights, going to toy shows, making phone calls, going to flea markets, stores in different cities/states/countries years and years of anguish...and sometimes some people never achieve or "capture" their grail. A rail to me is when I finally find it I will be able to finally say "it is done and complete" and fall over and die. But dammit I will have gotten my grail at least!!

[Squird]

6 months minimum hunting for it and always at the top of your want list.

Sounds about right. At the top of the list and just out of reach.

[zaghawk]

grail
[greyl]
Spell Syllables
Examples Word Origin
noun
1.
(usually initial capital letter). Also called Holy Grail. a cup or chalice that in medieval legend was associated with unusual powers, especially the regeneration of life and, later, Christian purity, and was much sought after by medieval knights: identified with the cup used at the Last Supper and given to Joseph of Arimathea.
2.
(sometimes initial capital letter) Informal. any greatly desired and sought-after objective; ultimate ideal or reward.

So #2 would be the definition most applicable.

I guess that would be to me that's something that you can't just buy or the price on it is so high above your budget, you can't afford it. There is a difference between refusing to pay for something at it's value and not being able to afford it. Or even better would be something you can't even procure because everyone who has it will not sell or trade it, to add even more to that you don't even know who has it.

i.e. In my case my "Grail" is the 6" Seahawks Retro Freddy given out to a few Funko peeps. To me this grail is harder than most big pieces or protos, because I can't just buy it off eBay even for a ridiculous price, the one person I do know who does have it, I'm not going to bother trying to make an offer because my guess is it's not leaving her collection for anything I can offer/afford. And I have no idea who has the other pieces that I could try to make an offer to. I think that's a pretty good example of "grail".