Basquiat BE@RBRICK #7 and #8: what the numbers identify

The #7 and #8 in these Jean-Michel Basquiat BE@RBRICK titles identify artist-version releases. They are separate from the numbered main blind-box series and from the percentage that describes nominal size.

That gives a collector several numbering systems to keep apart. A Basquiat #8 400% component is not automatically a figure from main Series 8, nor does #8 identify its place in a disclosed production run.

Read the number in the manufacturer’s sentence

Medicom’s #7 announcement calls it the seventh version and specifies a 100% and 400% set. The #8 announcement calls that release the eighth version and specifies the same size combination. Both quote ¥12,000 before tax in their respective announcements.

The schedules differ: #7 carries March 2021 planned release/shipping wording, while #8 carries July 2021 wording. Those source statements help distinguish the announcements. They should retain their planned status unless you are separately documenting confirmed availability.

The distinction is easy to lose in a shortened marketplace headline. Keep the complete title in your notes even if you use a shorter label on a display shelf.

Compare versions without inventing an edition count

An artist-version number does not establish how many figures were manufactured. It also does not establish pull odds. These are named set announcements, and facts about a numbered blind-box assortment cannot be imported into them merely because both use numbers.

For the main-series system, refer to the consolidated Series 1–52 guide. For these artist versions, use the individual #7 and #8 detail records in the Master Index.

A version-focused collector can use those records to define a shortlist. Make each version one target, then specify whether the complete mixed-size set is required. If you accept a single larger component, document that preference rather than quietly changing the original purchase configuration.

Match photographs to the version you mean

Ask a seller to identify the version represented by the actual item and packaging. A title saying only “Basquiat 400%” leaves the central question unresolved. Compare the supplied photographs with the exact official source for your intended version.

Use multiple views when deciding which treatment you prefer. That preference is editorial and personal; it need not be justified by a claim that one numbered version is rarer or a better investment. The two source pages do not provide that evidence.

If you already own one version, link the acquisition receipt and your own photographs to its reference record. You can then compare a later offer without relying on memory of a similar artist name.

The smallest useful label is still fairly precise: Basquiat, version number, size, and whether the original set is complete. Keeping those details together prevents an orderly-looking collection list from combining several different products under one name.

Index status: This index is in beta and may contain errors, missing information, or display issues. We’re continuing to review and improve it.

Browse the gallery’s BE@RBRICK collection for current listing details.