Here’s an ideal project if you are inclined to be creative and want to take part in the joy of restoring one of these vintage ALIEN toys. This item is for sale right now on eBay. Bidding starts at US$249.99 for this incomplete and broken old toy. 
He’s almost all there and only missing the dome that sits loose upon the head. He’s still in some need of repair as both arms are broken from the figure and need to be re-attached. It’s not a hard task, actually. I’ve done it many times. Take the figure apart, slap a 3mm bungee cord inside the torso and voila! he’s all fixed. Done. OK, so there’s a few additional steps required but it’s an easy repair. The dorsal crest is also provided and can be re-attached. Jam a piece of foam rubber in with the pegs to hold it in place works wonders and can’t be any simpler. Right now, US$250 is a reasonable price for this item. Grab him and make him whole once again.
By the way, here’s a method I like to use to get those severed arms back where they belong. Have fun with this figure, whoever has the joy of landing it. It’s an ideal candidate for repair and subsequent display.
-Windebieste.
He’s a lovely sample, too. Complete with all parts present and only minor scuffs here and there along some dust that mar his otherwise “perfect composure”. The dust can be cleaned off with some some warm water, mild detergent and a toothbrush. The value is all there! That is, if you think US$600 is an appropriate price for a grotesque toy that was discounted to under US$5 in order to clear unwanted stock nobody wanted and wouldn’t sell in 1980. No box, poster or small child unable to sleep at night included. Make an offer.
He appears to be a little dusty and worn about the edges. Certainly, his glow in the dark head paint appears to be worn and the legs are likely to be very loose as a display stand is required to hold the figure upright. His arms have been re-stringed but his mouth parts are fully functional and all of his appendages are present on his back. This is a reasonable and average condition vintage toy but this is a high starting price for a figure that is incomplete and clearly a long way from optimum condition. This is a price you would expect to see on Kenner ALIEN toys in a substantially better condition. Nonetheless, prices on these old toys have been climbing dramatically of late and US$300 may yet become the new benchmark for incomplete and used Kenner ALIEN toys. Will this fellow sell at US$300? It only takes one bid to flag it as Sold.
One of the attractions here is the claim this figure is fastened to the insert card and being held in situ by zip ties. This can mean the figure has never been removed from its box and as such can considerably ramp up the value of the toy. What about figures that have been removed from their box and then fastened back in place with replacement zip ties, is the toy still valuable? Sure. But it also means the figure has been removed from the box and as such it is considerably reduced in value.
Yes! It does get better. Much better!
Thank you Gareth, for the opportunity to answer your questions regarding this book.
These Q&A sessions are a lot of fun! I’m going to have to do more of them, I think.
Dubious items of this nature were created by fans deprived of the opportunity to own legitimately manufactured 3.75 inch ALIEN toys after they were originally planned and then cancelled in 1979. Unusual home grown product like these items, emulating what could have been, were sold at markets and toy fairs to satiate equally enthusiastic fans wanting to own product that was otherwise simply not available at the time. This of course changed in 2013 when Super7 finally released officially licenced versions of these toys. Until then, the only way to own such merchandise was simple. You had to make it yourself.
This is one of those examples where the very canny seller on eBay has realised people might pay any amount of money to own one of these toys. So, he’s listed it for a ridiculous price and added Make Best Offer option to the sale. The “best offer” option is significant because he’ll keep the item listed until he receives the amount he feels will be the highest he will get. Patience is the game here. It’s a selling technique that functions a little like an auction, but without the timer. Surely, this item will eventually sell and the person making the highest offer will score this prize. How much will it actually sell for? Only the parties involved in the transaction will ever really know as the sale will only reflect a “best offer accepted” acknowledgement along with the original listed price.
He’s a little worn around the edges and his glow in the dark paint shows some scuff marks but his average condition still makes this sample a good, welcome find for someone. Figures in this condition are relatively common and frequently appear on eBay. They can sell for any price, typically starting around the US$100 mark. Despite this being the case, the US$325 price tag on this item is somewhat high and is usually expected on complete figures. On the other hand, prices on these forty year old toys have been climbing. It’s nothing new.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer with this listing. While all of the figure’s parts are there, not all of them are original. The dome in particular is a notable reproduction. While it does provide the vintage figure with some claim to completing it, the presence of the part is no match for an original piece the toy would have possessed when first purchased, either in value or presentation. While the dome is a facsimile, it’s easily replaced and discarded should a genuine piece be acquired. I would also extend suspicion to the two halves of the tongue as these may also be replacement parts inside the mouth.