Well that is a really good assumption but not all of them have the numbers. Coconut Cream for examlpe has no number what so ever. I just picked up random ponies out of my daughters ... Lullabell and Ribbon Wishes don't have numbers either. Did they not make batch numbers for these?
Spitsfireatspeedy

I know that seems weird to me too spits...
If they put the numbers on in order for quality control..why wouldn't all the ponies have numbers...just doesn't make too much sense to me...i really amm baffled...I think it is neat that we all have different numbered ponies though

I'm really baffled too XO! I can't figure for the life of me why they have numbers on their feet while some don't. I wish Hasbro had a a detailed extensive question and answer page about the g3's :/ . I wish there was someone we could ask I'm so curious to know why they are numbered.
Spitsfireatspeedy

could it be like an inspector number? i've gotten things before where they had stickers on them that said "this product inspected by agent #555" or whatever their number is. similar to the batch number, but if they weren't "inspected" then they wouldn't have a number. just a guess

Well that is an idea but why would the same pony have different numbers and then some not have any at all? I still really puzzled as to why they have done this.
Spitsfireatspeedy

well continuing on with my inspector idea... same ponies but different numbers would just mean a different person inspected them, which would lead to different inspector numbers. its not like one person has to be assigned to one specific pony and thats it. then the ones that don't have numbers would be the ones not hand checked by the quality control people. a scenario would go something like this...

quality control inspector #55, #79, #101, #03 check the first 1000 kiwi tarts on the production line. then they figure that after 1000 kiwis, they have the problems worked out so they can move on to the coconut cream production line and inspect the first 1000 of those. and so on and so forth.

hmm...can we tell its a slow day at work for me LOL!

Lol . I see what your getting at now and maybe that would explain the numbers on the ponies feet.
Spitsfireatspeedy

Those are "tool numbers". Any large-scale molded production item has them. Because they're making such a large number of Ponies, and probably in several plants at that, you've got more than one mold (aka tool) producing each pose. The number's on there so that if a molding flaw is found, it can be easily traced back to the proper mold.

Wow we have solved the mystery:P.
SPitsfireatspeedy

mlpcrazy wrote:

well continuing on with my inspector idea... same ponies but different numbers would just mean a different person inspected them, which would lead to different inspector numbers. its not like one person has to be assigned to one specific pony and thats it. then the ones that don't have numbers would be the ones not hand checked by the quality control people. a scenario would go something like this... quality control inspector #55, #79, #101, #03 check the first 1000 kiwi tarts on the production line. then they figure that after 1000 kiwis, they have the problems worked out so they can move on to the coconut cream production line and inspect the first 1000 of those. and so on and so forth. hmm...can we tell its a slow day at work for me LOL!

But my Merrywheter has a number and she got glue on her mane.