UPDATE: This listing was ended by the seller because there was an error in the listing.
This boxed 1979 Kenner ALIEN toy is now available for sale on eBay. He’s a beauty! Box, figure, poster, insert card. It’s all there, inside a box with the tape across the top of the box still intact and unbroken. For the very fair price of just US$850. Fantastic! Does it mean the box is unopened with the contents undisturbed? No. Sorry, it doesn’t mean that at all. Let’s take a look at this sample.
Firstly, before we continue, I must note that the vendor has been responsible to disclose any issues with the box. That doesn’t always happen. It’s a welcome action on his part and we’ll investigate these implications during the course of this evaluation.
Let’s have a closer look at this item. The box lid is taped shut as is correctly claimed by the vendor. It appears 2 layers of tape (Arrowed: 1) have been used in sealing this item. As both layers are the same width and share the same amount of discolouring due to age, it appears to have been sealed in this way in Kenner’s factory, with a double layer. This is a good thing as the tape is strengthened by the dual sealing. It is rare but welcome as the tape on many aged boxes has split on figures that haven’t had this reinforcement. So, we can safely assume this box is unopened at the top.
When we look inside the window at the figure though, we see the toy is held in place by a pair of non-standard rubber bands holding the figure in place (Circled: 2) instead of using the laddered black zip ties the figure should have. This is a dead giveaway this box has been opened and the contents tampered. This condition may appear to be anomalous with the unopened top but it is fully explained and becomes obvious when we investigate the underside of the box.
Inspecting the bottom of the box, we see the tape has been removed and in its place 3 staples (Circled:3) have been used to re-secure the bottom of the box. It’s obvious, then despite the sealed lid, this box has been opened and then resealed from its underside. Is this a problem?
Not really. The vendor has been responsible to note these conditions in their listing for the item and openly alerted it to the prospective purchaser this issue the box has been previously opened. Nonetheless, it does raise a couple of very important issues.
Let’s take into consideration the tape across the top, first. Despite the opened underside, this tape is found to be severed on most boxes. As the condition of the tape is a big factor in the worth of the box, it still holds up considerable value in this regard. This is still a valuable box simply because the tape is intact. That of itself is very welcome.
Of course, the other major issue raised here is the bottom of the box. Well, to be precise not this box in particular as we know it has been opened and it’s obviously been resealed; what’s important in this regard is the vendor has taken the responsible course of action and made the disclosure in the first place. The problem raised is too many times you will see boxes being sold in any condition but being accompanied by incomplete sets of photos demonstrating the full condition of the box itself. Frequently lacking in such listings are photos of the underside. The problem is obvious, especially for these old packaged toys that have been kept in unknown storage conditions for up to 40 years. Any box that has been stored in damp conditions, for example, may have its underside completely rotted out. If photos don’t disclose such issues on the underside of a box, then you’ve paid a lot of money for a lesser quality item than you may have anticipated.
The bottom line (pun intended) here is simple. Always verify with the vendor that all sides of the box are in the condition you expect them to be. It just takes a photo. Often lacking in listings will be images of the underside of the box so avoid any boxes where no such revelations or photos are present. No one wants a box with a yucky bottom. 40 years is a long time and these old toys have had ample opportunity to degrade in this regard. So make sure you know what the condition of the underside looks like.
In closing, is this item worth US$850? Not withstanding any possible tampering with the figure itself when the box was opened, yes. It is, actually. It’s an average condition almost complete box. Sure, it’s opened on the underside and the figure has been removed and re-secured in place; but the all too often severed tape across the top is still intact. And that’s still a very welcome feature.
-Windebieste.
