The chance to combine science fiction/horror with a top rated TV
show was something legendary 50's and 60's kit maker, Aurora, simply
couldn't resist. So it comes as no surprise that two of the three
Lost in Space kits (#419 & #420) the company issued would feature
the cyclops from the episode "There Were Giants in the Earth." The
classic scene depicted in these two kits was one of the greatest
dramatic moments in the series, when the cyclops monster was about
to throw the huge boulder crashing down on the Robinsons. One of the
curious things about both these kits is that Aurora inexplicably
neglected to include a figure for Penny Robinson. Another strange
feature was that the numbering of the kits did not reflect the year
of manufacture. Hence the last kit produced, the Robinson Robot
issued in 1968, bore the number 418.
While all three kits are highly prized today by collectors, without
a doubt the large Lost in Space diorama kit (#420) featuring the out
of scale Robinson Chariot is the most sought after. This kit in
sealed condition is usually valued at double the price of the other
two kits - and it's not hard to see why. Not only was the Chariot
thrown in, but the base was extended and the cyclops was perched
on a much higher cliff making the monster look so much more menacing.
All this for just 50c more than the original cyclops kit (#419).
Today we can only speculate why Aurora never produced a Jupiter 2
model kit. Perhaps they thought customers would find the design too
"boring." How wrong they were!
Today Aurora's Lost in Space kits rank among the most expensive kits
you can buy. This can be explained partially by the huge resurgence
of interest in Lost in Space in recent years. It's worth remembering
however that the production runs on most TV based kits were
deliberately limited. Executives were attuned to the fact that once
a TV show was cancelled interest in the show would wane. Therefore a
combination of both demand and rarity explains the dramatic hike
in price of these classic kits in recent years.