3631 - globetrotting monk

[Martin Milner]

I've been acquiring a few 3631 travelling monks to jazz up my Medieval theme, and noticed that the boxes vary.

On the left a 1994 manufactured monk from Malta, in the middle, one made in Spain that came to me via Argentina, and on the right one made in 1995 who went to Italy before he came to me.

[Timotheos]

Mail a couple of those monks in boxes to me.  I don't believe you!

Seriously, though, that monk is nigh impossible to get around here.

The one from Argentina looks like he's been busy.  And, wow, the boxes are all from the same year.

And, hey does any English speaker really pronounce it "playmobeel"?  Maybe it's my American accent.  "PLAYMO-BILL"

[Martin Milner]

Seriously, though, that monk is nigh impossible to get around here.

The one from Argentina looks like he's been busy.  And, wow, the boxes are all from the same year.

And, hey does any English speaker really pronounce it "playmobeel"?  Maybe it's my American accent.  "PLAYMO-BILL"

Yup, here too, but they come up on eBay occasionally - though with P&P added they are at the limit of my comfort zone for a single figure, but monks were an integral part of Medieval society, and I had to have a few. I'd like to get a priest too, but a "Merry Men's Feast" on eBay recently went for over $60 in the US. At that price, I'd have to pay VAT and a customs fee too. I'm just hoping one comes up in the UK, or just the priest alone.

The copyright date is the same, but if you look at the black printing, one was '94 and one was '95 - we don't know about the Spanish monk.

[Timotheos]

we don't know about the Spanish monk.

I've read enough of Don Quixote to not trust Spanish monks, anyway.

But, yeah, around here, monks quickly jump to US $20 - $30, often from the UK, pushing postage over US $10 (though apparently you can actually mail a klickie from the UK for only US $3 plus padded envelope (US $2?).

[Martin Milner]

I've read enough of Don Quixote to not trust Spanish monks, anyway.

But, yeah, around here, monks quickly jump to US $20 - $30, often from the UK, pushing postage over US $10 (though apparently you can actually mail a klickie from the UK for only US $3 plus padded envelope (US $2?).

That;s ironic - I've bought monks and only one came from the UK! Mine all came out around the £10-13 mark including P&P - so they are expensive.

[Arizzo]

I always thought it's a kind of a prerequisite for being a monk or at least a part of their job to travel the world 

[Martin Milner]

I always thought it's a kind of a prerequisite for being a monk or at least a part of their job to travel the world 

In England I think most monks lived in Monasteries centred around an abbey, and would never travel more than a few miles away.

If you have access to any Brother Cadfael books, TV episodes, or books on tape, you can learn a bit about Monks in the 1140s, and things didn't really change until the Reformation (when Henry VIII confiscated most of their lands and destroyed or took possession of the abbeys). Cafael is a detective, using his knowledge of herbs, healing, and the study of human nature to puzzle out his cases.

Brother Cadfael is unusual in that he frequently travels away from the abbey, but always with the permission of his Abbot for a specific purpose. Of the other monks in his monastery, only a few travel at all.

I'm not an expert on medieval monks mind you - there were many sorts (Dominican, Augustinian and Franciscan to name three), and maybe some travelled more than others.

Yet another subject I need to learn more about, sparekd by my Playmobil hobby!

[Sir Gareth]

Those are interesting dates on the boxes, I only collect one of each set normally for my collection so I haven't been able to compare that black print before.

I have checked my Monk who came to me from Italy and he has the same number as yours on the right but it doesn't end 03 95 that section is blank. However inside my box came a mini cat from 1993 so that's how I normally date my set's.