Incredible as it may seem, 40 year old Kenner ALIEN action figures are actually worth a lot of money. With this information in mind, let’s take a look at one of the pitfalls of purchasing one of these old toys, buying it at auction on eBay. This recently sold sample is in less than stellar condition and it fetched a respectable sum. Significantly, the arms are broken off and half of the tongue is missing. At least the head dome is present- and that’s a feature many purchasers will pay good money for. This auction is over now so let’s take a look at how it went.

firstly, we should acquaint ourselves with the actual item for sale. Here’s the description the vendor provided for this listing, “Missing top part of inner jaw. Clear part that goes over head is a little cloudy.” It’s not a lot to go on but at the very least the vendor does have the integrity to acknowledge the figure isn’t complete and part of the tongue is missing.

3 images are also included in the listing and despite the presence of a photo of the figure’s face, the absence of the internal mouth piece isn’t obvious. This missing piece is a common problem with these aging figures so the forwardness of the vendor with this information is greatly appreciated. Regardless, this is an incomplete figure and the lack of any part will devalue it considerably. Both arms are broken from the figure but they can be reattached and while such dismemberment appears to be a serious and insurmountable problem it’s a minor inconvenience and is easily fixed, actually.

Here’s the 3 photos accompanying the auction:

Importantly, the presence of the dome adds considerable value to the figure and that alone will add around US$100 to the purchase price. Even with the dome present, the figure lacks completeness, so is it really worth US$203.50? 2 prospective purchasers on eBay believe so. Initial listing price was at only US$10 and the bidding started early as it frequently does soon after items such as this are listed.

A number of hopeful buyers place the first low and inconsequential bids. They do little more than demonstrate there’s some interest in this item and none of them are really serious about paying much for it. Then bidder, p***l appears at the auction and places his bid of US$50. This is where the bidding really commences at a serious level and is also the point a new bidder, -***5, joins the auction with his first of many bids.

Then the madness starts!

From this point and for the duration of the remaining auction, this pair of bidders are locked in an escalating race to purchase this item, raising the price on each other in a relentless game of bidding tag. This rapid hand over fist bidding war increases until the price reaches almost US$200 within hours. The amazing thing of course is the time remaining on this sale.  At this stage of the auction, there’s still around 24 hours to go before it closes and the highest bid has changed no less than 25 times with the auction nowhere near finished and the winner a long way from being determined. The vendor must be stoked; and as far as I am concerned this is good free entertainment. All I need is some popcorn as this performance is as good as a spectator sport!

Then, the inevitable pause in bidding happens.  This pause lasts for many hours until the final seconds of the auction.  I take a break from watching this activity and return during the last 10 minutes to witness the result. The auction is almost over and a new pair of bidders enter during its closing moments.  s***7, having stepped in at the last second, sniped the sale away from both previous interested contenders.  Bad luck guys.

There’s a good lesson to be learned from this outcome, if you’re a buyer of one of these these old toys, don’t bid early. Just don’t. You will be countered. …and countered again if you try. Bid in the closing seconds of the sale – and then only bid your highest – not your lowest – amount you are prepared to pay. This way, even if you lose, you’ll have a good idea of what the true value of, well, anything is on Ebay. This bidding war nonsense that commences early is for jokers and it only benefits the vendor and onlookers such as myself. Believe me, I did find this tit for tat exchange hilarious! It was hilarious enough to make a point of posting it as such on the front page of my website. Don’t do this. I will laugh at you.

This sale was pure entertainment to watch. In the end, the price the Kenner ALIEN toy went for was what someone was prepared to pay for it. It could easily have gone for more; or possibly less. Especially less if some patience and restraint was exercised by a pair of bidders driving the price so high early in the auction.  Neither of whom landed the final bid.

Thanks for the free entertainment -***5 and p***l! That auction was a total blast to witness and the real winner here was the vendor, whoever that is. Oh, and I got a lot of laughs out of watching it, too. Congratulations s***7! You are now the proud owner of a 40 year old  collectible toy for US$203.50. You can thank a pair of ebay combatants for that price.

You may think this is an isolated occurrence.  Nope.  This happens all the time with the old 1979 Kenner ALIEN action figure.  By my own estimates a figure in this condition is worth around US$200, anyway. (US$100 for the incomplete figure plus US$100 for the dome.).  You can live without the bidding war drama, though.

Finally, here’s the complete bidding results on this item.  Time stamps are in Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time; because that’s where I live:

-Windebieste.