The My Little Pony Scrapbook: G1 in the UK and Europe

Sandcastle & Shovels

Newborn Twins, 1988-9



Sandcastle &
        Shovels


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Ponies Sold in 1988 in the UK Twice as Fancy (Party) Ponies | First Tooth Baby Ponies | Adventure Boy Ponies | Birthday Party with Tutti Frutti | Princess Ponies (Set 1) |Kiss Curl's Grooming Parlour | Summer Wing Ponies| Magic Message Ponies | Happytails Ponies (Import) | Newborn Twins (Set II, Partial) | Pretty & Pearly Baby Sea Ponies (UK Release) | Crimp & Curl Hair Salon | Lullabye Nursery | Baby Buggy | Sundae Best Ponies | Baby Bonnet School of Dance

Other 1988 Ponies Speedy (Europe) | Regenbogen-Ponys (Germany/Austria) | Baby-Ponys (Germany/Austria) | Princess Ponies (Set II) | Princess Ponies (Germany/Austria) | Brush & Grow Ponies | Peekaboo Babies | Pony Friends (Animals) Set II| Sweetberry Ponies (UK: 1990)| Watercolor Baby Sea Ponies (UK: 1989) | Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe | Brush Me Beautiful Boutique | Slumber Party Gift Set | Perfume Puff Palace (UK: 1989) | Twice as Fancy Ponies: Set II | Clipper | Satin 'n' Lace (Magenta) |Sparkle Ponies (Mail Order)



Sandcastle
Sandcastle: Gold newborn unicorn with blue mane and tail, sandcastle and spade symbol

Pony Data
Set Newborn Twins (1988-9)
Asst. Number 4906.01 (North America)
Accessories Pink snail rocker, purple snail rocker, white teddybear brush, aqua teddy bear brush, nappy box with 2 nappies, two white bottles, yellow BABY necklace with aqua letters, white BABY necklace with lavender letters, two gold ribbons.

North American release had yellow diaper box, not blue snugfit box.
Pose Shovels: Sniffles
Sandcastle: Snookums

Distribution North America (1988)
Germany, France, Austria and maybe other parts of Europe (1989)
NOT sold in the UK.
Other Versions -
Shovels
Shovels: Blue newborn unicorn with gold mane and tail, sandcastle and spade symbol


Sandcastle and Shovels

Sandcastle and Shovels were one of two sets of unicorn twins released in the 1988 set. They did not get released in the UK, but were released in France and in German speaking countries in 1989.

Mint in Box
          Sandcastle and Shovels
Sandcastle and Shovels Mint in Box
North America, 1988


These twins followed the theme of reversed colours, with Sandcastle being gold with blue hair, and Shovels being blue with gold hair. They are one of the more sought after twinsets, and also one of the harder to find pairs.

One odd phenomenon I noted on my boxed twins, above, is that the ribbons are not sealed in the ribbon slot but are on the tails of the ponies. Both ribbons have been tied in bows. There is no evidence that the box has ever been opened, and all of the bubble around the twins is perfectly sealed. Other examples of twins mint in package like this have also been found. At the same time, there exist versions boxed with the ribbon in the ribbon slot. This phenomenon only seems to affect this second release of Newborn Twins.

Sandcastle and
                Shovels
Sandcastle and Shovels: Box Ribbons



Sandcastle and Shovels's Characters


Unsurprisingly, Sandcastle and Shovels' box story referred to them playing by the seaside, and making pretend sand thrones so they could play at being princesses - only to have a real Princess Pony turn their seashell decoratioins into real jewels.

Sandcastle and Shovels had no appearance in the UK media or the animation, so there is no further clue to their character or activities.




Newborn Twins II: North America, 1988