The Dino Riders Brontosaurus with Ayce, Ion and Serena is an action figure set of a large brontosaurus dinosaur equipped with armor and heavy weapons. Released in conjunction with a Dino Riders cartoon series, it was produced by Tyco Industries and released into the US, UK, and other countries worldwide in 1990.
Introduced in the 1990 Tyco Toy Fair Catalog, this Brontosaurus with Ayce, Ion and Serena is a huge, and incredibly detailed and well articulated figure, with its head, neck, and legs all poseable.
each page of the Tyco Catalog (imperfect seam)
Tyco Catalog Description
"The battle explodes with action when this authentic 1/24th scale Brontosaurus rumbles onto the scene! The ultimate battle station, the Brontosaurus features rolling land mines, 3 prehistoric Ramphoryncas, Pterosaurs with clip-on missiles, fold-out landing pad, working winch, with interchangeable hooks and a full array of rotating laser cannons. Includes heroic Dino-Riders Ayce, Ion and Serena, each with clip-on weapon accessories."
1990 Tyco Catalog
Features
The Brontosaurus came with three fully articulated Dino Riders heroes: Ayce, Ion and Serena. Each occupied a different place on the command deck atop the dinosaur.
Easily the largest, and one of the most action packed of all Tyco Dino Riders sets, the Brontosaurus is a true collectors item, and a perfect sample of the Golden Age of Tyco when the best toys and RC were released.
With considerable detail, realistic head and neck movement, and poseable legs, Tyco claimed their Dinos as "museum quality replicas" a claim that would later be tested and proven!
After the Dino Riders popularity hand ended and the TV series finished, Tyco would collaborate with the Smithsonian to release the many of their dinosaur models all by themselves with only minor retouches for more realistic color patterns, removal of walk mechanics for those which had it (Bronto did not) and exclusion of accessories and other fiction-related elements. But beware! Sellers often mistake these Smithsonian editions as original Dino Riders when they are not. Compare the photos here if you are unsure.
Attached to the side are three Ramphoryocas flying / winged dinosaurs together with landing pad. Laser shin guards and armor, and droppable land mines and a working winch with interchangeable hooks complete the interactivity of this set.
Marvelous!
pilot in the command deck
ready to be launched at will
Availability and Collectability
As mentioned, there is no question as to the collectability of the Dino Riders Brontosaurus, it's simply epic, however this brings its own challenges. At the time of writing, a mint boxed set sold for $6,200 US Dollars, with many bidders competing for the privilege of owning this classic item.
So how can the average collector seek to own this impressive set, without spending the equivalent of a used Toyota? Unlike many Dino Riders sets, the individual dinosaur is still relatively expensive, around $200 - $300 USD for a loose used Brontosaurus without anything else.
Attainable, but far from inexpensive. Individual accessories are about $20 USD on average, and with a few dozen pieces the price can add up. Still, if it's something you really want (and I can't blame you, I want it!) then it's certainly doable with some patience and maybe a little buyers luck.
