Random minifig of the day: min161

Is this thing biased towards more recent minifigs? I’m sure it’s just a selection bias or whatever it’s called in my own mind, but it sure seems like it pulls up newer figs (last ten years) moreso than older stuff.

Looks like the bot is interested in Minecraft now…

Im as confused as you are mate...

All hail Hypnofrog!

@Miyakan said:
" @peterlmorris said:
"Is this thing biased towards more recent minifigs? I’m sure it’s just a selection bias or whatever it’s called in my own mind, but it sure seems like it pulls up newer figs (last ten years) moreso than older stuff. "

Biased to recent minifigures? No. Each minifigure has the same chance of being picked. But biased to recent years? Yes. Very much so! That is purely to do with the population proportions.
There are a lot more minifigures released per year for the last decade than there were in the early days of the minifigure. So while the last decade is only 25% of the timespan of minifigures, it may have over 40% of the minifigures in the database. And the first decade of minifigures could have less than 10% of total minifigures.
At those proportions you would expect to see four times as many minifigures from 2015-2025 than you would from 1985-1995.

(All figures are examples only. I have not done the research to determine exact proportions.)"

Ah so I’m not crazy, I just didn’t realize how many unique figs have been produced more recently. I figured there’d be a fairly mundane explanation. Thank you!

If you squint really hard the torso almost looks usable.

Ender Explorer two days ago, Swamp Explorer now, I can only hope we get, like, Tundra Explorer in a couple of days

Almost the same fig (but the pants) as the magazine gift fig: min203

@peterlmorris said:
" @Miyakan said:
" @peterlmorris said:
"Is this thing biased towards more recent minifigs? I’m sure it’s just a selection bias or whatever it’s called in my own mind, but it sure seems like it pulls up newer figs (last ten years) moreso than older stuff. "

Biased to recent minifigures? No. Each minifigure has the same chance of being picked. But biased to recent years? Yes. Very much so! That is purely to do with the population proportions.
There are a lot more minifigures released per year for the last decade than there were in the early days of the minifigure. So while the last decade is only 25% of the timespan of minifigures, it may have over 40% of the minifigures in the database. And the first decade of minifigures could have less than 10% of total minifigures.
At those proportions you would expect to see four times as many minifigures from 2015-2025 than you would from 1985-1995.

(All figures are examples only. I have not done the research to determine exact proportions.)"

Ah so I’m not crazy, I just didn’t realize how many unique figs have been produced more recently. I figured there’d be a fairly mundane explanation. Thank you!

"

So I went and looked at the numbers, it gets even crazier. Over half of the minifigures have been created in the last 10 years. 8,927/17,559 - 50.8%
In the first 10 years only 403 unique minifigures were introduced. so there is only a 2.3% chance of getting a minifigure from 1975-1984.

1994 was the first year with over 100 unique minifigures, 1998 they broke 200. 2006 for 300, 2010 over 400. 2011 for 500. 2013 then 2014 for 600 then 700. 2016 over 800. 2019 over 900. Then 2023 jumped over 1,100 before dropping back to just over 1,000 in 2024. So far 2025 has had 456 unique minifigures.

All numbers are from the Bricklink minifigure database. This includes Duplo figures. Taking them out doesn't change the proportions much, but it does push some milestones out a couple years, with numbers only breaking 100 in 1996. (I don't know if Duplo figures can be selected for RMotD)

@Miyakan said:"(I don't know if Duplo figures can be selected for RMotD)"

Duplo things in general are not eligible for RXotD articles.

@TheOtherMike said:
" @Miyakan said:"(I don't know if Duplo figures can be selected for RMotD)"

Duplo things in general are not eligible for RXotD articles."

Sets aren’t, for sure. I can’t remember if parts were or not, but it doesn’t matter much unless that comes back. Minifigs, on the other hand, I think are strictly defined by Bricklink, so Duplo might be eligible. @Huw?

@PurpleDave said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Miyakan said:"(I don't know if Duplo figures can be selected for RMotD)"

Duplo things in general are not eligible for RXotD articles."

Sets aren’t, for sure. I can’t remember if parts were or not, but it doesn’t matter much unless that comes back. Minifigs, on the other hand, I think are strictly defined by Bricklink, so Duplo might be eligible. @Huw?"

As you said, it won't matter unless RPotD comes back (which, personally, I've lost hope of seeing), but I went back to the very first article and @Huw said "only System or Technic pieces." In the very first RMotD article, he said "[C]ertain categories will be excluded, such as Duplo." So that's your answer to both those questions.

@TheOtherMike said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Miyakan said:"(I don't know if Duplo figures can be selected for RMotD)"

Duplo things in general are not eligible for RXotD articles."

Sets aren’t, for sure. I can’t remember if parts were or not, but it doesn’t matter much unless that comes back. Minifigs, on the other hand, I think are strictly defined by Bricklink, so Duplo might be eligible. @Huw?"

As you said, it won't matter unless RPotD comes back (which, personally, I've lost hope of seeing), but I went back to the very first article and @Huw said "only System or Technic pieces." In the very first RMotD article, he said "[C]ertain categories will be excluded, such as Duplo." So that's your answer to both those questions."

Ah, I was busy identifying source prints for a bunch of test shots legs another LUG member got his hands on. Mostly they’re Chima Crocs (specifically Crominus), but a lot of them have one blue legs and one dark-bley leg. Freaky stuff.