Thanks to our friends at Loot Crate, I was able to open a box that may very well be the closest thing that I will get to a Hogwarts admission letter: The Wizarding World Crate! This subscription box is packed with goodies inspired by the magical creations of J.K. Rowling, specifically Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. November 2016 marked the launch of this particular subscription series. Let’s have a look!
As unassuming as the outside of the box is, there is still a hint of the magic within. In order to open the crate, you need to break a seal that reads “Muggle Worthy.” Pop open the hood and you are greeted with “I want to be a wizard” printed on the inside.
Much like the posters found in the Loot Anime crates, there was a scroll included that detailed the items found within this shipment. I was pleasantly surprised by the effort that went into such a tiny part of the package. When you first find it, it is rolled up with a sticker “seal” on it. Touches like this add to the feel that this box truly came from another world.
What is a wizard without their owl? Included in this crate was a Pigwidgeon Owl plush. He is soft and well-made. I also appreciated the Harry Potter-licensed tush tag. If you must know, I named mine Archimedes.
Speaking of owls, also found within was a rather hefty keychain depicting a letter from Hogwarts (I guess I did get one, didn’t I?) and an owl. There is also leather tassel to make it all fancy-like. Flip the letter charm over and it has the Harry Potter logo.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them hit theaters this month so it makes sense that the majority of the items be related it. Perhaps the most eye-catching is the shirt, which has the front page from the wizard publication, The New York Ghost. The amount of detail put into the image is surprising. I could tell a lot of time went into the design.
One of the fancier items was a MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America) journal. The pages are unlined with gold leaf around the edges. The very last page has an interesting image that appears to be a map of the United States with spell hotspots. The picture reads “Real Time Hex Indicator.” This was a special touch that I felt added more authenticity to the item.
If you have ever been to a convention (or a Hot Topic, for that matter), you know that Funko POP! figures are kind of a big deal to many collectors. In this box, you have a chance of getting one of five Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them POP!’s: Newt Scamander, Tina Goldstein, the Niffler, Albus Dumbledore, or Jacob Kowalski. My package included Tina Goldstein. I will note that paint job on mine got a little sloppy near the wand, with some of the skin tone color making on to the wand portion.
I actually think this is the least interesting of the items included in the crate. There isn’t much to POP!’s in terms of design and they can easily be found in other stores.
The final item is the Bowtruckle lapel pin. The accessory depicts Newt Scamander’s Bowtruckle, Pickett, peeking out from a pocket, as it does in the new movie. The pin itself has a good weight to it and seems to be of good quality.
Loot Crate’s Wizarding World Crate surpassed my expectations. The thoughtful collection of items were fun to open and I loved that each part truly felt tied to J.K. Rowling’s works. I whole-heartedly recommend this crate to anyone looking for a touch of magic in their lives!
If this unboxing has you interested in subscribing, you can get some money off of your first Crate either by following this link or entering “Geekscape” into the promo code area upon checkout.