Vintage Masudaya SONIC ROBOT Train Gang of Five Toy

Considered to be one of the "holy grails" of robot collecting, this is the ultra-scarce Modern Toys/Masudaya tin Giant Sonic Robot (aka "Train" robot), manufactured in Japan in the late 1950s and very early 1960s. It is believed to be the last member of the so-called "Gang of Five," a set of skirted battery-op robots that included Sonic, along with Radicon, Target, Non-Stop and Machine Man. These robots command the top spots in the pantheon of robot collecting, and prices as high as $42,500 have been paid for them individually at auction in recent years.

The robot stands an impressive 15 inches high, and is complete and all-original. There are a few light scratches. The battery compartment is clean and corrosion-free. Note the battery door has a very small crease. I had to look twice to notice. The colors are vibrant. All of the lenses are original, as well as the wheels.

Best of all, the robot works! I put in three batteries and every light in the head lit up and the toy easily moved around. Plus the train whistle could easily be heard. -opamerica