You can often figure out what’s inside a blind bag before opening it using a few reliable tricks: weighing the package on a small scale, feeling for distinctive shapes through the packaging, scanning codes printed on the box, or shining a bright flashlight through the material. The best method depends on the brand and packaging type, but collectors regularly use these techniques to find specific figures and avoid duplicates.
Weigh the Package on a Kitchen or Jewelry Scale
Different figures within the same blind bag series often weigh slightly different amounts, and those differences are consistent enough to identify specific characters. A small digital scale that reads to the tenth of a gram is ideal. Jewelry scales work well and cost under $15.
Sonny Angel collectors, for example, have built detailed weight charts for various series. In one documented set, the monkey figure weighs 41.2 grams, the deer weighs 45.0 grams, the mouse weighs 45.4 grams, and a secret figure weighs 56 grams. The differences are small but real. Community members have confirmed these readings match their pulls consistently.
To use this method, search for the specific series name plus “weight chart” or “weight guide” on Reddit or collector forums. Someone has almost certainly weighed every figure in the line and posted the results. Weigh your sealed package, compare it to the chart, and you’ll have a strong guess. Just make sure you’re comparing against weights taken from the same series and wave, since packaging weight can vary between production runs.
Feel for Shape Through the Packaging
For soft foil bags like LEGO Minifigure packs, the classic approach is to feel the contents through the packaging. Each minifigure comes with unique accessories: a guitar, a shield, a pair of wings, a broom. These shapes are easy to identify by touch once you know what to look for. Before heading to the store, check which accessories come with each figure in the series so you know what you’re feeling for.
This works best with thin, flexible packaging. Rigid cardboard boxes or thick plastic capsules make it nearly impossible. For LEGO specifically, feeling for accessories has been the go-to method for years, though it takes a bit of practice to distinguish similar small pieces.
Scan Codes on the Box
Some brands print scannable codes on their packaging that reveal the contents. LEGO’s recent Collectible Minifigure series include a data matrix code on the bottom of the box. A free tool called Figure Finder on the Falconbricks website lets you scan this code with your phone camera to see exactly which figure is inside. It currently supports Series 25, Series 26 (Space), Series 27, and the F1 Collectible Race Cars set.
To use it: flip the box over, find the larger code on the bottom (not the small barcode), open the scanner on the Falconbricks site, point your camera at the code, and it will tell you the figure. This is the most precise method available for any blind bag product, since it gives you a definitive answer rather than a guess.
Dot Codes and Batch Numbers
Older LEGO blind bags had small raised dots (bump codes) stamped into the foil that corresponded to specific figures. These are no longer reliable. The dot patterns now vary between manufacturing batches, air bubbles in the packaging can be mistaken for dots, and the positioning is inconsistent. If you’re working with older stock, check the batch number stamped on the bag and look for guides matched to that specific batch. For current series, the scannable box code is far more dependable.
Use a Flashlight to See Through the Box
For brands that use cardboard boxes, a bright flashlight pressed against the outside of the box can reveal the silhouette or color of the figure inside. This technique has gained popularity with Labubu and Pop Mart collectors. The steps are simple: go to a completely dark room, set your phone flashlight to its brightest setting, and press it flat against different sides of the box while slowly moving it around.
You’re looking for the character’s identification card or the figure’s outline. Darker and lighter colored figures are easier to distinguish from each other, and characters with unique features like specific eye shapes or color patterns can sometimes be identified. It takes some patience and the right angle, so don’t expect it to work perfectly on your first try. This method is especially useful when you’re trying to distinguish between color variants rather than entirely different sculpts.
For Squishmallows capsules, collectors have used the same phone-light trick to see through the plastic shell. Antlers, antennae, and distinctive stripe patterns have been spotted this way. The capsule color itself appears to be completely random and doesn’t correlate with the figure inside.
Check Collector Communities First
The single most useful thing you can do before trying any physical method is to search for your specific product on Reddit, YouTube, or Discord. Type the exact series name plus “identification guide” or “how to tell which one.” Collectors share methods tailored to each product line, and the techniques change with every new release as manufacturers update their packaging.
Several apps also help you track what you’ve already pulled. Blind Box Tracker lets you log your collection across Smiski and Sonny Angel series, track your progress toward completing a set, and export lists for trading with other collectors. Pop Mate and Labubu Collector offer similar tracking for Pop Mart figures. These won’t tell you what’s inside an unopened bag, but they help you remember which ones you still need so you know what to look for.
Why Some Methods Stop Working
Manufacturers actively try to prevent identification. LEGO moved away from reliable bump codes. Some brands have started adding uniform weights or padding inside packaging to make weighing less useful. Others have switched from thin foil bags to rigid boxes specifically to prevent the feel method.
This is why community-sourced guides are so valuable. When one method gets patched out, collectors find another. A weight chart that works for one production run might be slightly off for the next, so always look for the most recent information matching your specific batch. If you’re buying in a store, a quick check of the packaging date or batch number against online guides can save you from using outdated data.