Hamilton's Invaders appreciation thread!

[horrorhunter]

Great HI stuff! (and the two MPC Fireball XL5 playset vehicles)

[frankenstein73]

Thanks HH! I always wondered where those belonged. They fit in with this pretty well so I just left em.

[Hepcat]

here is my set, sears mailaway box.

Wow! Too awesome!



So the Sears custom set came with two Brutal Beetles I take it? Were the two Fireball XL5 vehicles with the set when you bought it or did you throw them in yourself?



In any event, you now have to add a Spooky Spider or two to offset the Fireball XL5 vehicles and even up the odds.

[frankenstein73]

that's exactly how I got the set, I think one of the bugs with wheels (the red and yellow one probably) actually went with my voyage to the bottom of the sea set. I bought both sets from an estate sale 8 or 9 years ago for a song.

[jimm]

Awesome set!

[horrorhunter]

"We're being invaded! Run for your lives!" "EEEEEK!!!"

This is my custom Hamilton's Invaders playset:





CONTENTS:

Hamilton Spider

3 Small Hamilton Bugs

12 Blue Defenders

3 Victims

Mountain & 2 Rock Arches (Metallic Blue Soft Plastic)

2 Dead Trees & Stump (Brown Soft Plastic)

Playmat

Custom Box (by Alan Lortz)

I put this set together to put some of my extra pieces to better use. I bought the box from an eBay listing a couple of years ago. There were some cheap pieces with it but I replaced those with what you see here. The Hamilton Spider is mine from kidhood. It is missing the antennae and the pull-string motor doesn't work anymore, but it still displays alright. The 3 small HI Bugs and the 12 Blue Defenders are original Remco HI pieces. The 3 Victims are Marx Bathing Beauty repops (one of the chicks is bug food but the other two are ready to party with the soldiers after the fight.. or run, depending on how that goes  ). The dead trees and stump are Marx repops. The mountain and rock arches are original MPC. The playmat is one of two I salvaged from a crappy Animal Planet dino playset. The box is by a fellow named Alan Lortz who has drawn several custom playset boxes that have found their way into the marketplace. One of his boxes turns up on eBay occasionally. It's charmingly cheezy, which appropriately fits the theme of this little playset.

[skully]

I remember fondly waking up Christmas morning ( probably 1964), and seeing my Hamiltons Invaders playset under the tree, 10 years old at the time, and just going out of my mind with this toy. It was so cool, pulling the string and watching it go across the floor.  Back then, with 2 other brothers, we each got 3 Christmas presents each, another present was the grenade pistol, I remember shooting my poor brother Bobby in the head with it!!  I think somewhere I still have the old home movie of that incident, I really got in trouble for that one!! Years ago at an Allentown toy show I purchased a 3 tier Hamiltons set with all the items in a huge window display box, sure wish I had that now!!

[Hepcat]

I remember fondly waking up Christmas morning ( probably 1964), and seeing my Hamiltons Invaders playset under the tree, 10 years old at the time, and just going out of my mind with this toy. It was so cool, pulling the string and watching it go across the floor.  Back then, with 2 other brothers, we each got 3 Christmas presents each, another present was the grenade pistol, I remember shooting my poor brother Bobby in the head with it!!  I think somewhere I still have the old home movie of that incident, I really got in trouble for that one!!

Oh man, great memories of a fantastic toy!

Years ago at an Allentown toy show I purchased a 3 tier Hamiltons set with all the items in a huge window display box, sure wish I had that now!!

Wow! What did it cost, and why would you ever part with the set given your experience/memories?

[skully]

Hi Hepcat!!  Well. I didn't want to sell it, but, as bills came due among other things, it was sacrificed, things happen like this sometimes, and as the years go by, you discover that you really did a "dumb" thing selling a particular item, it almost happens to us all eventually, but the memories remain with me, I'll never forget the joy of seeing that toy under the Christmas tree, and eventually buying the "mother of all" Hamiltons invader pieces at that show, And, I think I only paid 50 dollars for it at the Allentown show, unbeliveable!!! I later sold it for a meager 300 dollars!!!

[horrorhunter]

The Horrible Hamilton is the cornerstone of any Hamilton's Invaders collection. Here's a nice working one that someone pounced on pretty quick for $350.00:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Hamiltons-Invaders-HORRIBLE-HAMILTON-by-Remco-COMPLETE-WORKING-See-Video-/111882803414?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=8uWcWgvJT7S5JYWXcbJKxuajGdw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc



It even has a crack on the left side, but except for that it seems pretty well undamaged (the nose seems to have a small blemish).

Horrible Hamiltons are usually found damaged. Some common condition problems are: pull-string motor doesn't work (usually because the string slipped off), antennae broken off, eye(s) missing, cracks, melts in the plastic, broken leg(s), broken pincers.

Prices have really shot up on these in the last few years. I've seen non-working examples with missing antennae and other damage sell for over $100.00. Considering the premium pricing most collectibles command in "like new" undamaged condition I wonder what a loose pristine example would sell for currently.

(I hate to use the term "Mint" except for grading comics/mags, and none of them are really Mint by strict grading standards... well, maybe 1 book in 10,000, or some ridiculously low percentage similar to that. I prefer to use "like new" or "excellent" to describe undamaged toys, since Mint refers to coins and comics)

[raycastile]

I considered buying this, but the crack killed it. I have a boxed, unused Hamilton, but the tip of his stinger is broken. If I had an absolutely mint, perfect, loose Hamilton, I'd switch him out.

[horrorhunter]

My HI Helmet and Guns:



The patch is fan-made.

[horrorhunter]

Here's an eBay listing that's noteworthy for 2 reasons: https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-1964-Horrible-Hamilton-REMCO-Hamiltons-Invaders-and-Cave-WORKS-Video/382615171723?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649



The first reason is the scarce HI Cave. These are corrugated cardboard and not many survived the Monster Kid wars over the years.

The second reason is that the seller makes the statement that only the eye is missing on the Horrible Hamilton, and then goes on to state that there are NO more missing or broken parts or pieces with multiple exclamation points. The pics clearly show that both antennae are broken off. Never trust seller info. Do your research and know what to look for before dropping big bucks on an expensive collectible. BUYER BEWARE!

[horrorhunter]

Another HI Cave popped up on eBay for $100 and sold almost immediately. Here's the eBay pic:



This one has fairly heavy wear on the folds and repair from inside according to the description (probably tape).

These caves are tough to find these days. One in truly excellent condition might sell for a surprisingly large amount.

[Hepcat]

Wouldn't surprise me in the least to see a high grade cave fetch hundreds$. They just wouldn't have survived kid depredations in anywhere close to mint condition.