It’s New Year’s Eve and what’s a delightful lad with a joyous, charismatic personality and a heart full of adventure like myself going to do, tonight? Not much, really. I’m not in a social mood and will just stay at home and mess about on the internet. Maybe I’ll check out some 1979 Kenner ALIENs currently for sale on eBay. Here’s one for US $1,275. This is worth staying home for, right? ...right? Awright. So the truth is I have no social life. So what? Let’s check out this fellow. It looks like a decent figure, complete with all body parts present, maybe a little dusty but this coating is nothing some warm, soapy water and an old tooth brush couldn’t remove. The arms are loose at the shoulders on this old toy but that’s standard considering these sought after vintage toys are now in excess of forty years old and the anchors used to fasten the arms in place are made from neoprene rubber.They’ve long deteriorated and loosening is expected.

A box is included in the sale and it shows some clear signs of aging along with a little wear and tear that can’t be avoided. At least the red insert card is present. That’s a welcome sight as these internal features that aid in holding the figure steady inside the box are often missing. There’s a wonderful piece of documentation affixed to the front of the box in the form of a “LIONEL UNADVERTISED SPECIAL” discount price sticker displaying the original price of US$14.97 reduced to US$7.91.That’s almost a full 50% off the original recommended price. Such price stickers are often present on these toys as retailers attempted to clear huge volumes of unsold stock that nobody wanted four decades ago.

In this regard, it’s kind of crazy to think these old items can now sell for one hundred times the original recommended retail price. Had this box been in better condition and included the poster, then sure. It could easily sell for US$1,497. Doesn’t it make you wish you had the foresight and bought up an entire end-cap pyramid of these unpopular toys from K-mart in 1980 when they were discounted and retailing for less than US$10?

Anyway, Happy New Year to all my friends throughout the world. This past year has been kind of crap. Next year has to be better. Peace to all. 🙂

-Windebieste.

It’s been a few weeks since one of these head pieces for a 1979 Kenner ALIEN action figure have been available on eBay. One is available now, listed for US$299.99. This is a genuine, much sought after piece being offered here. Nonetheless, if you are balking at the prospect of spending three hundred US dollars on a forty year old piece of plastic for a toy that failed miserably at retail, feel some consolation knowing the seller is willing to accept your Best Offer.Kenner produced an estimated 150,000 18 inch ALIEN toys in 1979, expecting to match the dizzying sales of their previous 3.75 inch Star Wars range of action figures, two years earlier. A target that fell well short of any sales targets and killed off any future for the ALIEN production line, including a proposed production of run of 3.75 inch ALIEN action figures. Most of the surviving 18 inch tall ALIEN toys have since lost these domes with around 90% of them lacking this distinct feature.

These loose domes frequently fetch prices in three figures. This item will end up selling for an amount that will make non-collectors respond in head scratching wonder where the value lies. It’s not a perfect piece, either. Mild and light scratches are present and one of the tabs intended to (inadequately) hold the feature in place has been broken. So, while it’s not in perfect condition, it is still a significant piece that will contribute to fully realising the potential of bringing someone’s currently incomplete Kenner ALIEN toy to 100%.

-Windebieste.

If you are looking for a 1979 Kenner ALIEN along with a box – but you don’t care too much about the box condition or whether it’s genuine or not – one has become available on eBay. The seller has started bidding at US$49.95. While this listing does include all three critical components – the ALIEN toy, a box and a poster – it’s important to note that only the figure itself is original; and even that item is significantly removed from being in perfect condition. Let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer.Starting with the figure, because it’s 100% the real deal without any reproduction parts present, it does display a variety of flaws but the welcome presence of critical features such as the dome and the dorsal crest add significant value to the figure regardless of any problems it may have. But these flaws are definitely present and it’s worth being mindful of them. Continue reading →