Posey in the United Kingdom
Posey was sold in the United Kingdom first as part of the Groom and Style Ponies, and
that release was available worldwide. After 1985, though, Europe
parted ways with North America and released this version of
Posey, with magenta - not pale pink - tulips. In other regards,
the pony was basically the same as in the previous year, with
straight, pale pink mane and tail.
Posey's pale pink hair fades very easily in
the sunlight. It is not uncommon to find her with white hair on
the second hand market. This is caused by UV damage and is not a
variation. My pony, pictured above, has some fading, but you can
see from the MOC image (below) the shade it ought to be.
"Non So Soft" Posey? Well, no, actually...
Sometimes this Posey gets called "Non So Soft" Posey, because
the So Soft version also has
magenta symbols. This is an outdated term for ponies from the Movie Star set. Posey does not
belong to that set, but to this one, a year earlier.
In the UK, Posey had two releases, and they are easy to tell apart
and to date. A pale pink symbol Posey (sometimes faded to white)
belongs in the 1985 set. The magenta one was released in 1986 as
part of the regular pony release
for that year.
This version of Posey was also sold in continental Europe, in a
variety of ways. Magenta symbol Posey was sold in parts of Western
Europe in the 1986 set as well, most probably on a card featuring
1985 artwork - with card art styles from sets in 1985. In Sweden
and Norway she was sold on a Groom and Style card with the same
art from the set in the UK the previous year. In the Benelux she
was sold on an 1985 earth pony set card from North America,
translated into Dutch and French. In Denmark she was probably
released on a 1985 unicorn/pegasus American style card, translated
in Danish, that did not feature her name.
Some countries had Posey releases made in Italy or Spain. These
did not have magenta symbols.
In 1987, magenta tulip Posey was also part of a set known as "Pony Friends". Not to be
confused with the animal pals that
Hasbro released in North America, this set was available in
Scandinavian countries, as well as South Africa. Although the card
for this release is marked Hasbro UK, they were never sold here.
This set had the same assortment number as the 1986 European set
mentioned above.
Overall, magenta Posey had three releases, but she wasn't
included in the Movie Star set, and she isn't a "Non So Soft"
Pony.
If you're keeping up with all of this, well done.
Second Edition Posey had the same colour brush as her
predecessor, but it was now a dove, not a butterfly. Again, all
ponies in this set came with dove brushes, so this was in
keeping with the rest of the range. She also had a puffy
sticker. In 1986, North American and some European releases
switched to flat scented stickers instead of the round, puffy
ones, but in the UK, puffy stickers reigned supreme until 1987.
Comparing MOC Versions: UK (1985) vs UK (1986)
MOC Posey
(UK, 1985)
The basic type of art style between
the 1985 and 1986 cards was quite similar, although
represented different characters according to the year of
release, and the 1985 card puts more emphasis on the pony
characters it features. Posey's different accessories and
other features are visible in this comparison, but so is the
way the pony is identified on the card. While both cards have
the name under the rainbow, in 1986, these were written on
white ribbons instead of just printed underneath. This is a
key feature of cards in 1986 and into 1987 in the United
Kingdom. Posey is not featured on the front of the 1986 card,
but is pictured on the back of both. In both cases she is
drawn with pale pink symbols, just to add to the confusion.
Thanks to Rosse and StraightDealsToys for the MOC images.
MOC Posey
(UK, 1986)
Posey was also illustrated with paler pink symbols on the 1987
backcard, too. There is no card art of Posey with magenta symbols,
and as far as I am aware, no merchandise showing it either.
1987 "Pony Friends" backcard featuring
Posey
(Scandinavia & South Africa, scans courtesy of Inger &
Monika)
Posey Mint on Card
Pony Friends, 1987
(Image courtesy of Ponyland/Norrskensljus)
Posey's Character
Posey loved flowers. She was a ponyland gardener and her garden
always flourished no matter what. She had an affinity in stories
with the Rainbow Pony Trickles, who shared a passion for
the garden.
