It’s beaten up, broken, coated in dust and showing its age but it’s going to sell. Even in this condition, these old toys can pull good money. This one for sale on eBay started at auction a couple of days ago with a starting price on the clock of US$60. Since then, it’s ticking down with keen purchasers expressing an interest with 13 bids already pushing it to the US$100 mark. There’s still five days remaining and you can bet these bids haven’t stopped yet. Those last few seconds will be very interesting. Not bad for a derelict, four decades old toy that isn’t really all that rare. It’s the old toy’s reputation working those dollars on the clock.

It’s broken at the neck with severed arms and missing the dorsal crest from its back. Dirty, scuffed and definitely showing its age. It’s still a great piece and all of its problems can be resolved with a little effort. These toys are easy peasy to dismantle, address all of the problems present in this sample and reassemble it. The head can be fitted back to the neck nub with a few screws and a custom made plate (or just glue it). The arms can be fitted back in place with some bungee cord and a pair of short lengths of sturdy wire (I like to use material extracted from wire coat hangers). As for that missing piece on its back? Yeah. That too. If you can find one on eBay, if you’re lucky and fit that back in place, too. Placed in the right hands, given a good clean and a timely makeover, this rough looking  item could still easily become a prize possession in someone’s collection.

-Windebieste.