The Ultimate Guide: How to Tell if Your Vintage LPS Is Authentic

As vintage Littlest Pet Shop figures climb in value, counterfeits have followed right behind them. Some fakes are obvious once you know what to look for. Others are good enough to fool a casual buyer. Here's how to check before you commit to a purchase.

The "Main 5": Which Molds Get Faked the Most

Counterfeiters go where the demand is, and a handful of molds account for most of the fakes in circulation:

• Shorthair Cats
• Dachshunds
• Great Danes
• Collies
• Cocker Spaniels

It's not a coincidence that several of these are also the molds behind some of the most recognizable characters in the collecting community, like the dachshund used for Savannah Reed. Higher demand means higher prices, and higher prices make counterfeiting worth someone's time.

5 Ways to Check Authenticity

1. Check the Neck Peg

Many original vintage LPS pieces have a clear or translucent neck peg. A cloudy, white, or oddly colored peg can be a warning sign. That said, this isn't foolproof on its own; some genuine releases used white pegs too. Treat it as one clue among several, not a final verdict.

2. Look at the Eyes

Eye style changed across generations, so compare a listing against a confirmed authentic photo of that same number when you can. What's more universal: foggy, blurred, or oddly glassy-looking eyes are a common red flag on fakes, where genuine pieces tend to have crisp, clean detailing.

3. Inspect the Paint & Details

Authentic LPS pieces have clean, deliberate paint application. Fakes often show sloppy overspray, smudged transitions between colors, or a slightly "dirty" look to the finish. An untrimmed plastic rim around the neck or body is another common tell.

4. Match the Magnet to the Era

The underside magnet (or lack of one) should match the pet's release period. If a listing's magnet doesn't line up with what's expected for that number's generation, ask the seller about it before buying, or treat it as a red flag if they can't explain it.

5. Try the "Squish" Test

Genuine vintage LPS plastic tends to have a small amount of give when you gently squeeze it. A lot of reported fakes feel unusually rigid, brittle, or "off" compared to a known authentic piece. This is an informal test best used alongside the checks above, not by itself.

Bonus Tip: Check the Mold Stamp

On some of the most heavily faked pieces, collectors also check the small stamped code on the belly or underside. Look up the correct stamp for that specific number before you buy; counterfeiters sometimes get small stamp details wrong even when everything else looks convincing.

When in Doubt, Buy From a Trusted Source

No single test is bulletproof, which is exactly why authentication matters more with expensive, high-demand molds. The safest shortcut is buying from a seller who already does the vetting for you.

Every figure in our Mega Lots collection is hand-inspected before it ships, so you can build your collection without gambling on a listing photo. Browse the full catalog at thelps.shop.

Want more collector background? Check out our guides on identifying LPS generations and why certain pets cost so much today.