UPDATE: Both of these items are now sold.

Listed today on eBay are a pair of Kenner ALIEN toys from different sellers.  They are both used and missing common parts.  The major difference is the level of cleanliness each is demonstrating.  One item is in dire need of a bath; the other one?  Not so much. Otherwise, they’re both in very similar condition.

While both figures are missing common pieces, being the dome and the dorsal crest, there’s an obvious difference in condition and an anomalous listing in price.  The Grub Monkey on the left is clearly in a lesser desirable condition than the more presentable item on the right – yet the Grub Monkey is priced at an additional US$25 more than the other superior figure.  Sure, the Grub Monkey has an additional mouth piece present but the inclusion of that item doesn’t warrant the US$25 increase in price.  No.  There is simply no official price guide for these things so they do get listed with all kinds of expectations.  They do sell at any price and both of these items are listed with ‘Make an Offer’ option.

Surprisingly, despite it’s obvious dirty condition, the Grub Monkey may yet sell  for that amount.  Regardless, it’s a safe bet the cleaner and cheaper sample that will sell first.  It’s simply less risky as well.  Covered in so much dirt and looking like it’s been exhumed from a dog bone burial site raises other questions about the Grub Monkey sample.  Sure, he can be cleaned up very well and made to look presentable but other questions need to be asked:

• How badly degraded are moving features of the figure?
• Will the arms fall off with ease?
• Do the legs move easily or are they caked internally with dirt?
• Has the jaw trigger ceased up?
• Will the jaws open and tongue move forward?
• Are the screws in the figure’s back corroded?
• How much chrome has been damaged on the teeth?
• Are other metal parts within the figure – the serrated tail clip and the return springs inside the head in particular – also corroded – and potentially no longer functional?
• How badly damaged is the glow in the dark paint feature of the head?

These are going to be important considerations that a buyer needs to be made aware of if looking at purchasing the degraded figure.

It’s not hard to work out which of these two items will sell first.  The dirty disgusting, potentially issue laden and more expensive Grub Monkey; or the cheaper, cleaner sample that looks presentable?  For value sake, they’re both overpriced.  Items in either condition would normally sell for upwards of US$120.  Despite missing parts, that’s more than enough to pay for a 40 year old toy in decent condition.  Paying double for one covered in dirt, though?  It may yet sell at that price.

-Windebieste.