LPS Prototypes

LPS Prototypes are designs Hasbro did not release for purchase. Although it is not always the case, these designs tend to be much different from their official figures.
== Prototype Varieties ==
Typically, there are two circumstances in which a prototype may refer to: 
1) A pre-production design of an existing pet, whose appearance was changed for its official release; these are "proper" prototypes in the basic sense of the term.
2) Pets that have never been released for purchase, which have surfaced either through eCommerce sites or in official promotional content; these are often referred to as Mystery Pets.
=== Pre-Production Prototypes ===
"Proper" prototypes, as mentioned above, are rather common and can be found through a wide set of media:
* Packaging images (see Greyhound #2526 as an example)
* Toy Fair displays
* Official checklists and pamphlets
* Commercials
* Illustrations
* eCommerce sites (legitimacy is questionable)
Although the appearance of prototypes was most frequent during the early years of the franchise, pre-production images can be found for pets of all types within the manufacturing timeline. It is evident that the majority of photo media was created for each figure prior to making the final design changes for release.
=== Mystery Pets ===
The aforementioned Mystery Pets, or unreleased figures, are a much less common phenomenon. These pets can be found through the same means as prototypes. While the majority of these are unknown as to their origins, some have been confirmed as identified Missing Numbers, as is the case with Mouse #756 and Spaniel #757. It is possible that many Missing Numbers were assigned to pets that never made it to the final production phase.
== Value ==
Littlest Pet Shop prototypes have an exceedingly high market value, with demand for the rare figures hiking up prices anywhere from $50 to $600. There are some exceptions, however, such as the prototype Persian that was possibly an early design for Persian #2138. Since the design was never officially released, factories in China continued to manufacture figures of the pet on eBay for as low as $4.00. More information regarding this prototype can be found through this LPS Amino post.
Category:Littlest Pet Shop
Category:LPS
Category:Merchandise
Category:Toys
Category:Unreleased
Category:Trivia