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.
STOP IT!!
I remember staring at one at our local Montgomery Wards and wanting it so badly. It was placed high on an unreachable shelf and marked 15 usd, which was far more than my parents were willing to pay for a toy. I was lucky enough to have seen the movie by then (my 2nd R rated film!) due to having a brother who was 8 years older.
Now I finally have my Kenner Alien – along with a slew of inspired by and wannabes. Over the years I’ve collected both of Tsukuda’s interpretations, Halcyon, Super 7, NECA and Gentle Giant (my 2nd favorite) but none of them capture the magic of the original.
Thanks for all that you do for our favorite xeno. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Art
All worthy pieces in any ALIEN collection but none of them would exist without the original Kenner piece. Such an astonishing toy …for so many astonishing reasons.
Thank you for your kind words and have a great New Year!