My modest collection of Major Matt Mason toys is high on the list of things that spark joy for me, as per Marie Kondo. (Is the KonMari Method still a thing?) They were my favourite childhood toys, and as such it just makes me smile to have them on display with the rest of my idiosyncratic selection of collectables.
All things considered, they're in remarkably good shape for 60 year old toys. The Major himself and Sergeant Storm have their original helmets, and none of the armature wires inside their molded rubber figures are broken. The number stickers are missing from the helmets, and a few bits of paint here and there have rubbed off (which has made me reluctant to give them a really good cleaning) but outside of that they've stood up quite well.
Similarly, my Supernaut Power Limbs, which cost me a staggering $9.99 (probably less than the original retail price) is virtually in mint condition and even has most of its original stickers. I also have one of the simple molded Cat Tracs that were packaged with the figures, a Jet Propulsion Pack that's missing one of its guiding strings, and of course my Space Crawler, which is missing its winch string and hook, rear roller, and hubcabs, but which still runs. All in, the entire collection has cost me about $130 CAD, which may be a lot to spend on vintage toys - or at least I would have thought so until I saw the current state of the market.
I'm generally a bit of a purist when it comes to things like this, but I'd like to see the Space Crawler restored to something closer to its former glory, even if it involves non-original alternatives. Surprisingly, options are available online for both of the issues: several people have reproduced the original stickers in free downloadable PDF format, and a recent search on eBay revealed several options for reasonably priced 3D-printed replacement parts for the Space Crawler.
As usual, eBay also showed me a selection of related posts, including the following for two Major Matt Mason figures and a space crawler:
Personally, I'd be embarrassed to sell two figures in this kind of condition. It's bad enough that one of the figures is missing virtually all its paint, and both have lost all of their hair and eye colouring, but the figure on the left is missing most of its right arm, for heaven's sake! Given the level of abuse that the two dolls have suffered, it would be a miracle if their armatures weren't broken in a few spots, although the item description isn't specific. It simply says "FOR PARTS", which suggests that the crawler engine probably doesn't work either.
The price for this battered trio of toys? An astonishing $170 CAD, plus $51 shipping to Canada.
The next eBay suggestion was equally surprising. This is a box - an empty cardboard box. Admittedly, it's in reasonable shape for a box from 1967, but still, it's an empty box*.
Buy It Now price on eBay? $216 CAD. Plus $75 shipping. When was the last time that you paid almost $300 for an empty box?
All this goes to illustrate what happens when there's a limited supply to meet demand. Mattel is not making new Major Matt Mason toys (well, there was an odd re-release of reimagined classics in 2022, but not really the same thing) and as such, anything and everything from the original line is now a desirable commodity, and pricing reflects that fact.
That being said, it makes me wonder if the Matt Mason toys that I owned in my childhood are still out there. I honestly have no memory of what might have happened to them - they were certainly well used, but as demonstrated, that's apparently not a barrier to having them show up on the market. Not that I'd buy them. I'm certainly sentimental about things like that, but the ones I own now are in much better condition.
- Sid
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