Questions & Answers

Can you tell me more about the origin of the figure? There has been some information and rumors passed around over the past 22 months since this figure surfaced.  This figure was sold at auction to the current owner in August 2003.  The auction lot had several other figures that were made by a joint effort with Hasbro and the Venezuelan toy company named Rubiplas.  All of the other figures were released in Venezuela.  Note the 2 other rare exclusive figures, Manleh and Shimik (click to original auction picture below).  From there, the seller contacted me and a couple other well known people in the Joe Community.  I had never seen this figure before and told him not to sell it until he knew exactly what it was.  If it was a fake, then definitely don't sell it, but if it is real, it could be one of the rarest G.I. Joe figures of all time.   I suggested that he send the figure to a number of reputable and trustworthy dealers who could authenticate it.  The seller did one step better, he contacted the original manufacturer and they were kind enough to research their records and issue a certificate of authenticity in October 2003.  The owner decided to keep this figure and for the past 20+ months, he has been happily enjoying it.  However, times have changed, and the seller contacted me last month.  He is looking toward a bright future with a lovely wife and aspirations of buying a home.  So he asked me how much I thought it was worth.  I would love to have purchased this figure for myself, but recently I made an investment in the original pencil sketch art to the rare Argentina 2nd Series figures ("Argen 7").  So owning the original art to the Cobra Mortal is enough to keep me very happy (see the art prints that were done HERE).  Anyways, that brings us to today...your chance to own a rare piece of G.I. Joe history!

Before I put in an offer, how do I know it is a genuine figure and not a custom?   I have posted several pictures so you can examine the items for yourself.  Please let me explain each image.  Pictures 1 & 2 are both the inside and outside of the figure.  I disassembled it in order to examine the plastic body more closely.  The body is made from white plastic.  The figure has a black paint mask (note the factory overspray).   The Cobra symbol is highly detailed.   Pictures 3 & 4 is a copy of the file card (original owner kept the file).  The most impressive evidence is on the back side of the file card.  Note the Hasbro logo and the Rubiplas logo.  I show in the picture my Argentina (Plastirama) file card for comparison (not for sale).   Picture 5 is the original Certificate of Authenticity by the toy company Rubiplas in Venezuela!  How cool is that?!?!   Finally, I have personally examined this figure and am not ashamed to show you close up pictures.  If I thought this figure was a fake, I wouldn't stick my neck out for this.  Or do all the work to conduct and sell this figure for the owner.  Finally, this figure will sell.  There have already been good offers from knowledgeable collectors that know this figure is authentic.  

Can I split up the offer money in payments?  This sale is running for 15 days, covering 3 Fridays.  We thought that Friday was a good day since that is pay day for many people.  Thus giving more people a chance to budget and make a competitive offer.  So we hope this amount of time is long enough for the winning person to have their offer ready at the end of the sale.  However, if you think you will need to arrange a payment plan, you must work out the arrangements with the owner BEFORE the end of sale.  There may be some room for flexibility in order to allow for more people to enter. 

Do you have any trade references?  I am the co-author of a 100+ page book titled, International Action Figure Archive.  It covers International GI Joe figures from over 13 different countries around the world.  I have been professionally selling toys and collectibles since 1999, and have a 100% positive feedback rating on Ebay.  A list of references can be made available if needed.