I recently bought my favorite vintage madball (locklips) mint on a pristine card.
It got here and the paint was flaking off and the foam as a whole didn't hold up, it looked as if there was crumbs in the blister pack. Got it for insanely cheap but still got a full refund on it. Really disappointing if they are all just going to decompose over time even kept well. Has this happened to anyone else?

my madballs from when i was younger pretty much melted/disintegrated away. something about the foam doesnt hold up

mine too, but I still have quite a few of the knockoff mini plastic ones you could buy for a quarter in the vending machines. probably look alright with a new paint job.

the old foam ones were deteriorating when I first had them. playing with them ripped off the paint.

I have all the ones from series one and two, along with touchdown terror and other Madballs stuff. Most of the ones I had were MIB when I got them, opened them a year or so ago so my son could play with them and they were perfect. However, a few I had recently purchased did crumble. It depends on where they were stored, if it was a super hot attic, that helped dry the foam out. Coincidentally, the fella that had worked for TCFC ( Those Characters from Cleveland) and came up with Madballs is my pal and old studio mate. A few years ago I designed and wrote a book based on some incredible paintings he did, he wanted to reciprocate so he painted the below piece for my son.

I don't think they where designed to last that long. The outer shell is a part rubber compound that will inherentlly dry and break down. The foam core well is even worse. They should have been done in vinyl.

Oh wow, that painting is amazing. Seriously one of the best pieces I have ever seen!

I saw a madballs birthday card at target the other day. Would make the perfect gift for a skullbrainer.

Oh my god, that painting is my dream come true.

All of the old madballs that I've got in the last while have been in pretty good condition, I took a couple of the headpoppers I have out of their boxes though and the rubber heads were kind of slimey and had what must be the worst smell of any smell ever, it cleaned off pretty good though.

that painting rules! i'm not even a madballl head but i would hang that thing with pride!

holy crap those mugs bring me back...the mummy and lock mouth were my faves.

Ralph, that painting rules! You must have some crazy art collection.

Well Joel, like my toys it's all been stored for years. Someday soon when I build a studio, I hope to hang the Madballs painting next to an incredible Bemon piece another incredible artist painted, wink wink!