After my earlier post about a MISB Kenner ALIEN figure being sold for US$3500, I think it’s a good opportunity to explore how much these old toys sold for when they were originally released 40 years ago, in 1979. Fortunately, evidence exists of their original price in the form of vintage catalogs. Price stickers on boxes from the period also reveal similar values. Let’s take a look at a pair of toy catalog samples. These things reveal a lot. 
Firstly, let’s get this out of the way. This pair of catalog extracts are from an unknown source – if anyone knows where they originally appeared, please let me know. Anyway, let’s look at the item on the left first, simply because “HE’S A CUTIE”. Fantastic. The RRP on the ALIEN toy was around US$14.95 at most US outlets, chain stores and toy shops. The US$12.87 displayed in this image would have been one of the cheaper opportunities to purchase a Kenner ALIEN. Almost US$2 off! Fantastic savings in 1979. I believe this advertisement would have been promotional for the sale of the toy late that year, soon after release in October, hoping to attract more buyers at the cheaper rate thus moving more stock rapidly than competitors at US$14.95 – or similar price.
There’s another interesting component to this image that’s worth mentioning. Kenner would frequently use prototypes and other production work in progress samples in promotional content for their toys and the ALIEN action figure was no different in this regard. The item in this photo – blurred and ill reproduced as it is – is one such sample. We know this is a prototype as indicated by the shape of the paint work on the side of the figure’s head which differs slightly from the mass production piece sold on store shelves. This particular prototype (or one very much like it) often appears in promotional print material of the day and also prominently appears on the figure’s box.
The second catalog excerpt features a substantial price reduction of the toy, down to US$4.97, a significant discount of US$10. Speculating here, but this image probably appeared in a catalogue after Christmas, 1979. Sometime in early/mid 1980 is a good estimate. As the toy failed dramatically at retail and was manufactured in vast, enormous quantities in 1979, a huge volume of stock was cleared through discounts such as this and bargain bin sales. It turned out Kenner had manufactured a huge amount of product – and no one wanted it.
Another interesting aside also accompanies this promotional image. This ink line drawing of the figure isn’t an accurate representation of the actual toy, either. This drawing more closely resembles the pose of the MPC ALIEN kit (also released in 1979). The general stance of the figure with its straighter arms and unfurled tail match those of the kit pose rather than the toy. Once again, we see here another promotional opportunity where the toy itself doesn’t even appear in the material used to promote it.
Looking for one now, forty years later, if you want to own a complete Kenner ALIEN toy in perfectly preserved condition, then US$497.00 wouldn’t be out of the question. Seriously. As I like to say about this strange old children’s play thing, “There’s nothing normal about this toy” and even promotional content of 1979 contribute to this standing.
-Windebieste.
