MARX PREHISTORIC FIGURES IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
TOY SOLDIER HQ INC - WEB SITES & LINK
TOY SOLDIER HQ INC - MAIN PAGE
TOY SOLDIER HQ INC - MAIN ID PAGE
TOY SOLDIER HQ INC - MARX ID PAGE
MARX DINOSAUR INFORMATION MONOGRAPH
MARX PREHISTORIC ITEMS
For lots of great information about the production of Marx dinosaurs, click on the above link to find Joe DeMarco & Mike Fredricks great article.
In 1955 Marx made three molds of dinosaurs; PL-749, PL-750 & Pl-755, each with five or six animals. In 1959 a new mold was made that included a new style "Skinny" T-Rex plus seven dinosaur poses from the earlier molds each with slight revisions. A final prehistoric animal mold, PL-1083 was made in 1961 that included both dinosaurs and mammals.
Mold PL-749 had 3 cavities making one of each dinosaur per mold shot.
1955 PL-749 1st Series, larger mold ejection circles under the feet.
1959 PL-977 2nd version, smaller mold ejection circles under the feet.
1955 PL-749 1st version (picture above);
1959 PL-977 2nd version new pose (picture below);
- Picture courtesy David Schafer.
Made in 1959 Mold PL-977 had 8 cavities making one of each dinosaur per mold shot. This mold has a new T-Rex and seven revisions/variations of dinosaurs found in molds PL-749, PL-750 & PL-755 made in 1955.
- Blister card with reissue Marx PL-977 dinosaurs from the 1980s as sold by the Spaulding Dinosaur Company.
Made in 1955 Mold PL-750 had six cavities making one of each dinosaur per mold shot.
The 1955 Original pose right has his arm pointing down, the 1959 Revised pose has his right arm pointing up;
1955 Original PL-750 pose with large circle on bottom of left front foot and medium circles under others.
PL-977 1959 Revised pose with medium circles under all four feet.
PL-977 Revised pose first made about 1963 with small circles under all four feet.
The 1955 Original pose has a big circle under his left front foot. The 1959 revised pose does not have a circle under a foot;
The 1955 Original pose has a fat toe pointing to the side. The1959 Revised pose, has a thinner toe that is pointing forward;
Pteranodon - only in PL-750
Made in 1955 Mold PL-755 had 7 cavities making one each of the; triceratops, sphenocodon and Cynognathus and two each of the; dimetrodon and plateosurus per mold shot.
The 1955 Original pose has thicker horns. The 1959 Revised pose has thinner horns.
The 1955 Original pose has a mold ejection circle on the belly. The 1959 Revised pose does not have a circle under belly
- Picture courtesy David Schafer.
PL-1083 had 8 cavities making one set per mold shot.
By now we have all learned that the dinosaurs were extinct before man came on earth. Marx was concerned about incorrectly putting cavemen with the dinosaurs and mentioned the facts in a small booklet, but play value won out and the cavemen were included in their prehistoric playsets. Mold PL-746 had 12 cavities and made two sets of six figures per cycle. Please note these molds have almost never ceased production. Early figures were made in flat cream, tan and light brown while waxy colors appeared in the 1970s. Post Marx usage by Superior (no relation to T.Cohn who used "Superior" as a brand bane) who made them in redbrowns and butterscotch, Toy Street who made them in a stiff pale tan, and New Marx who made several colors so some of these figures may be recasts. Figures have been found at the old Marx landfill where the cream colors have changed to whites and grays after years of burial. Copies have also been made.
In 1981 Dimensions for Children made a prehistoric play set that included cavemen that are compatible with those made by Marx.
Two Hong Kong copies. 
