How to increase the value of your Tomy figures (cleaning, repair, and condition)

A dirty, warped figure, or one with paint transfer, looks—and sells—worse than it's actually worth. A good chunk of that value can be recovered with patient restoration. Rules that actually work:

Cleaning off grime

• Baby wipes clean evenly and leave fewer visible marks than cotton swabs, which tend to scratch in a straight line.
• Always start with the gentlest method and only increase intensity if needed.

Paint transfers

When a figure spent years pressed against another and picked up color that isn't its own:

• Start with water on a cotton swab and light pressure.
• Increase gradually; if it won't budge, move to mild alcohol.
• Vary the angle of your motion instead of always rubbing the same way.
• Patience over force: slow and controlled gets better results and won't leave marks.

Warping

• Gentle heat (hair dryer) to soften the plastic and carefully reposition it.
• Gradual tension using layers of plastic and tape; no heavy pressure that could leave stress marks.

Broken pieces

• Plastic-specific glue, applied in a minimal amount with a toothpick for precision.
• Align before it dries. Sometimes it's better not to touch it if the piece is stable: a bad repair lowers value more than the original damage.

What actually drives the price

Cleaning helps, but it's no miracle worker. Real value is set by three things:

• Rarity (PFS) — how scarce and in-demand it is.
• Condition — loose vs sealed, complete or not, yellowing, paint.
• Demand — how sought-after that piece is.

Restoring raises a piece's ceiling; it doesn't turn a common into a grail. Spend your effort on the ones that are already worth it.

Understand what to keep sealed and what to open in loose vs sealed, and check your piece's true rarity with the PFS.