There can never be a more emotionally charged experience than purchasing an original issue styrene figure kit that you once owned as a child. To see and handle a model you haven't seen in over 30 plus years and have a chance to rebuild and display something from golden age of  hobby pastimes. There are of course several pitfalls a buyer needs to watch out for when purchasing an old model kit. First if you are lucky enough to find an unbuilt kit that is complete, you need to know how to go about making the most of your investment. These little styrene models are no longer the .99 cent bargains they once were when new. If a kit is original and sealed then you might want to pass on it, unless of course you are a box collector. The box collector never intends to build the model but rather wants the finest example of the model as it was when in the store brand new. These collectors perhaps will pay the most to get these as new to add to their collection. Then there is the opened unbuilt kit which has perhaps a wider appeal because the kit can be built and the box displayed alongside the built kit. This is the best scenario for the model builder who really wants to experience the pleasure of reliving the days of youth actually putting together a model. A good Seller will check the kit is complete by checking the parts against the instruction sheet. Always ask the Seller before bidding to make sure you are getting the complete model. Your next option is purchasing a built model either painted or unpainted and disassembling it, stripping the paint, reassembling and repainting to acheive the best results for the least amount of money.  You have the opportunity to see if all the parts are there with a build up. However, alot of built kits have missing parts, excessive amounts of glue, misaligned pieces, chips, cuts and other damage, that will have to be addressed. You can figure on spending a great deal of time just stripping the old paint and disassembling the model. Be very aware of the unfamous "Glue Bomb", ask the Seller as to how much glue has been applied, are there any melted or fused together parts where surface detail might be destroyed. You may have to purchase several "parts" models to get the missing or damaged parts you will need but fear not because after all these are plastic and for the most part can be repaired with alittle patience and care. They were produced sometimes in the millions! I strongly suggest you research the model and join a model group before venturing into the no-man's land of model restoring and collecting. These are great sources of knowledge for the novice modeler. Check my "ME" page for links to afew and expand from there! Now many of you are just too busy or don't feel confident in doing the work yourselves and would rather purchase a "restored" or "pro-built" model and that's fine too but again you have to be very careful in making sure the model you are buying is first complete, properly prepared and professionally painted. There are many Sellers out there who specialize in doing this for you and some really fine work out there. Aurora models actually had a staff of painters who factory built display models for Hobbystores that ordered more than 500 models at a time and with each order would send this display model to be used as advertising to show you how to build and paint a model. These models were Airbrushed with stencils and the early ones were quite elaborately painted but when Aurora sales increased, especially with their Monster kits they no longer had enough time to detail these display models and so the amount of colours used were reduced to sometimes only two with the plastic "colour" as the third or "base" colour. The latter factory built kits can look very hastily assembled and painted. These will from time to time pop up here on Ebay and if one is so inclined to want to collect these, again alittle research is in order.  Be prepared to spend alot more to acquire these because after all they are modeling history and scarce. A current pro painted model though is far superior to a factory paint job as the tools and paints have vastly improved since the early nineteen sixties. There is though a great nostalgic quality to a simple Airbrushed paint job straight from that period of time. Airbrushing any model kit doesn't make it a masterpiece and unfortunately this useful tool has become grossly abused in the model world with some very poorly and sloppily painted models full of dust and overspray. If the painter doesn't take the time to properly prep the model before and during painting, the final product can be very disappointing. Before you spend your hard earned money I highly recommend you surf the net for a good look at some of the excellent and properly painted figure models to get a good idea what you should be looking for and the type of results you want. Beware of bargain basement Airbrush paint jobs because to paint using this tool requires the use of masks which are applied to protect other areas of the model from overspray. This process is very time consuming and requires alot of skill to do properly. You will also see models painted with brushes and again a skilled painter can turn a dull looking model into a masterpiece and achieve results equal to or better than an Airbrushed model. Proper colour blending, colour balancing and toning requires practice and skill. Proper assembly with gluing, seam filling, any damage repair takes skill and patience. So how do you find the common ground in getting a good build up and a top notch paint job?  Your best bet is to talk with other collectors out there and see who they recommend. There are several builder/painters out there who will build a model to your specifications and insure it arrives on your doorstep safe and sound. You will find Sellers here on Ebay offering such services as an Auction so watch for these. You will also find Sellers who finish the models and offer them for sale in Auction. Most model kits will have the date of manufacture stamped on them usually but not always on the base piece. Look for these and be sure you know the colour of the plastic and date of manufacture to get the original first issues. Plastic models are made using steel molds and over time just like anything these molds became worn and broken, this is why the first issues of any model kit is usually the most valuable. The details are well defined and take painting very well! Reissues are slightly less in value but may also be issued in special ways as to increase their value, such as "glow" parts, or small production runs, watch for these as well and as always do your homework and research them beforehand. Here are some pubications you can find on Ebay that are great sources of information on Figure Kits! Collectible Figure Kits of the 50's, 60's & 70's by Gordy Dutt, Aurora Model Kits by Thomas Graham and Aurora History And Price Guide by Bill Bruegman.