Whether some of the strange Stikeez doing the rounds are down to production irregularities or something more troubling, retail analyst Barry Urquhart says Coles' Stikeez promotion has provoked dodgy behaviour from some individuals during all three incarnations of the promotion.
While there may be some natural inconsistencies in the way some figures look, there is a sure fire way to know if you have the real deal – each Golden Billy Banana comes with a certificate of authenticity.
The Stikeez craze erupted after the supermarket giant offered one of the collectables for every $30 spent – there are 24 fruit or veggie characters in the set. The golden banana comes with a $100 voucher, but the item itself is clearly the real prize.
Crazy eBay bidding outcome has created a stir online, with most commenters shocked that anyone would shell out so much for something so silly.
One poster on Facebook’s shopping site, I Bought It At wrote: ‘More money than sense.’ Added another: ‘Absolutely first world idiocy.’