I have got 21 different smurfs with Hong Kong '81 and 20 with Hong Kong '83, but not a single one with Hong Kong '82.
It's your turn to interpret that.
It almost seems that the gardener with the rake is the only one??
And as you say Simon there are lots lots of Hongkong-smurfs with the years 1981 and 1983. And since we all know that the smurfs peaked around the year 1982, at least in the US, this seems extremly odd. Many, many smurfs were made in 1981 and 1983 but only ONE made in 1982??
Also the fact that it was around the year 1982 that all hongkong-molds with a year earlier than 1980, was changed to 1980.
So the facts are like these I think.
All smurfs made in Hongkong pre 1982 or 1982 can be found without W Berrie. And all smurfs with the year 1983 or higher always had W Berrie, Applause etc.
And I would also think that no smurf made in Hongkong after 1982 and with a moldyear before 1980 was ever changed.
Something definatly happened in 1982 in the Hongkongfactory!!