Skeletor

SUMMARY:

Skeletor, the “evil lord of destruction,” was produced in Taiwan, Mexico (Aurimat), Venezuela, Argentina, Hong Kong, Brazil (Estrela), Spain, India, Greece and France. This figure has a removable harness, skirt armor, staff, and a power sword. Like most vintage figures, it has a twisting punch action. 

The Aurimat Skeletor is characterized by pale greenish-blue skin tones and a face paint application that resembles the Hong Kong Skeletor with pointy yellow paint (rather than rounded).  The accessories are a dark grayish-purple or a lighter bluish-purple and are all marked Hong Kong. The figure is found usually marked © Mattel. Inc. 1981, but 1983 marked versions do exist. There’s reportedly a “Mexico” marked Skeletor variant, but that is unconfirmed. Skeletor (just like He-Man) has variations of the hand callus. 

The Aurimat Skeletor was initially released in the first year of Los Amos del Universo production (1984). The accessories on the first release are semi-rigid, dark-grayish purple marked HONG KONG, and a batch number. The hand mold is unique in that it has a ridge on the right hand for better weapon handling. The boots are dark purple to match the accessories, and both boots and accessories look black in certain light scenarios. The accessories on this figure can fade to light gray tones. 

The following year (1985), the Aurimat Skeletor was released without the hand ridge, with much lighter purple accessories that are thinner/more flexible, and what appears to be lighter boots as well (not in all cases). 

Skeletor was presumably released for a third wave (1986). The logic would be that it would be without a hand bump. It's believed this is the release with the MEXICO marking in the back.

The Aurimat Skeletor has 2 main face variations. The first is a muted yellow face that I call a “ghost face,” and the second is a more vibrant yellow face paint application. Minor face variations seem to exist as well. Usually, the muted face app corresponds to the first edition and the vibrant face app to the second edition, but not always.

Due to heavy color shifting and degradation with the Aurimat Skeletor, it's difficult to know for sure just how many accessory color variations are legitimate factory variances and how many are due to color shifting / degradation. Purples fade to blue, dark purple fades to gray, and Aurimat accessories are found along that spectrum.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
1. Pale greenish-blue skin tone
2. HK-style face paint (pointed yellow paint)
3. Soft heads
4. Dark accessories

1984 RELEASE:
(Hand callus)
MARKED: © Mattel. Inc. 1981
HARNESS: HONG KONG (Batch no. 24)
SKIRT: HONG KONG (Batch no. 22)
SWORD: HONG KONG (Batch no. 23)
STAFF: HONG KONG (Batch no. 21)

1985 RELEASE:
(No hand callus)
MARKED: © Mattel. Inc. 1981 or possibly 1983
HARNESS: HONG KONG (Batch no. 24)
SKIRT: HONG KONG (Batch no. 22)
SWORD: HONG KONG (Batch no. 23)
STAFF: HONG KONG (Batch no. 21)

1986 RELEASE: Presumed, but unconfirmed.
(No hand callus)
PRESUMED MARKED: Mexico
ALL ACCESSORIES MARKED: HONG KONG