In 1967 Topps originally produced these smallwiggly RUBBER UGLIES as a merchandizing idea that spun-off from the monstrous creatures in the successful Topps series of 1965 UGLY STICKERS. The full set of RUBBER UGLIES consisted of an unknown-number of monsters, which probably exceeded the following documentation of 20 pedigree purebreds and 7 additional mutant hybrids. These products were first test-marketed in an open vendor's display box from which kids could select their favorite UGLIES. This marketing approach meant that kids needed to locate multiple display boxes in order to collect the whole set, because no single display box could contain more than one full set. This marketing flaw may have contributed to the failure of the series to sell well enough to warrant wider distribution. Topps transferred the over-stocked RUBBER UGLIES to its own subsidiary gumball division, where workmen stuffed the little devils into multi-colored plastic eggs and sold them as prized trinkets in penny gumball machines. This followed the popular trend of cramming tiny plastic TROLL DOLLS and RAT FINKS into little plastic eggs and selling them as gumball-machine prizes. Subsequent success attracted many independent toy manufacturers to modify the copyrighted designs and mass-produce geneticallty related ugly creatures, many of whom are still patiently waiting inside cramped little plastic eggs in gumball machines worldwide. Manufactured in Hong Kong
