Fix und Foxi figuren are collectible toy figures based on Rolf Kauka’s German comic about two fox brothers. The magazine Fix und Foxi started in 1953 and became the biggest comic success in German-speaking Europe. Kauka licensed the characters to toy makers, food brands and fast-food chains for four decades, which is why the figures look so different from one another.
Expect hard PVC, soft rubber, hollow squeakers, plush and even finger puppets. Sizes run from about 4 cm pocket pieces to 25 cm show figures. A single shoebox can hold five different manufacturers and three decades of production.
A Short History That Explains Every Figure You Own
Publisher Rolf Kauka (1917–2000) launched the comic in Munich, first drawing the foxes with illustrator Dorul van der Heide. The title started as Eulenspiegel and took the name Fix und Foxi at issue 29. Lambiek Comiclopedia documents the full production history and the international artists behind the pages.
By 1994 the magazine had sold around 750 million issues, with single weekly runs topping 400,000 copies. The Wilhelm Busch Museum in Hannover built its 2016 exhibition from Kauka’s private archive, and the catalogue remains the best printed reference for the whole universe.
Your Family Entertainment AG bought the worldwide rights in May 2014 and runs the brand today. That matters for you: any new toy, clothing or food item carrying the foxes must come through a licence from the rights holder.
The Main Types of Fix und Foxi Figuren
Sorting by material saves you more time than sorting by character. Each material has its own damage pattern and its own price band.
- Hard PVC miniatures (4–7 cm). Thin-walled, brightly painted, made for cereal boxes and shop counters. Paint rubs off on noses and feet first.
- Soft rubber squeakers (20–25 cm). Hollow bodies with a whistle inside. These crack at the seam and go sticky with age.
- Articulated promo figures (10–12 cm). In 2000, McDonald’s introduced a Fix & Foxi set with moving arms and heads. Loose joints are normal here.
- Plush (18–25 cm). Schuco-style soft toys. Moths and flattened fur are the usual problems.
- Keyrings, finger puppets and game pieces. Small, cheap, and often the rarest survivors because they got lost first.
Who Made Them: Manufacturers, Marks and Clues
Most Kauka figures carry a licence stamp rather than a factory name. Learn the marks and you can date a piece in ten seconds.
| Maker | Typical era | What to look for | Typical size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heimo (Mölln) | 1960s–1970s | “Heimo” emblem with © R. Kauka under the foot; logo is a circle with a cross | 5–7 cm, plus 20 cm+ rubber |
| Fuchs | 1960s–1970s | Small base stamp, early Pauli variants | 4–5 cm |
| Fischer | 1970s | Daggi, Bussi Bär and Pauli family sets | 5–13 cm |
| Pabel / Kauka-Verlag | 1960s | Publisher-issued giveaways | 4–5 cm |
| ELA, John, Thermoplastik, Finck | 1960s–1990s | Mixed marks, sometimes a plain © R. Kauka | 4–10 cm |
| Bully / Bullyland | 1970s onward | Keyrings and promo tie-ins | 5–8 cm |
| McDonald’s promo | 2000 | Movable joints, McDonald’s moulding style | 10–12 cm |
| Kellogg’s promo | 1970s | Slot-in “Steckfiguren” from cereal packs | 8–12 cm |
Heimo matters most. The company, founded in Mölln in 1963 by former Louis Marx buyer Hans Heidmann, sold roughly 90 million figures across Europe before it filed for insolvency in 1984. Its Kauka licence produced the classic 6 cm cast that collectors still call the 11-piece series.
How to Tell an Original From a Copy
Copies exist, and the soft-rubber squeakers get copied most often. Run this check before you pay.
- Feel the base. Originals carry a moulded stamp: a maker emblem, © R. Kauka, or a country mark. Smooth, blank soles are a warning sign.
- Check the paint. Heimo pieces were hand painted, originally in German workshops and later in Tunisia. Expect slight brush drift, uneven eyes and a colour that varies between two identical figures. Machine-perfect paint on a 1970s figure is suspicious.
- Weigh it. Hard PVC from that era feels dense and cool. Modern reproductions feel lighter and slightly oily.
- Smell it. A strong chemical smell usually means fresh plastic, not 50-year-old plastic.
- Compare the eyes. Kauka’s foxes have distinct pupil shapes. Copies flatten them.
Condition Grades and What Each One Costs You
German collectors grade comics on a four-point scale, and the same logic carries over to figures. Sellers who use it honestly will price honestly.
- Grade 1 – near mint. Light wear only, visible up close. Full original paint.
- Grade 2 – very good. Small visible scuffs, minor paint loss, no breaks.
- Grade 3 – good. Heavy play wear, dull paint, possible glued repairs.
- Grade 4 – poor. Cracks, missing parts, deep stickiness. Sold as spare parts.
Expect a wide spread. Two identical Heimo figures, one grade 1 and one grade 4, can differ by a factor of five in what collectors will pay. Never hide damage in photos. Honest listings sell faster and draw fewer returns.
Value Guide: What Fix und Foxi Figuren Sell For
The table below reflects asking prices I tracked across German marketplaces in 2025 and 2026. Sold prices usually land below these numbers, so check completed listings before you set a price or make an offer.
| Figure / type | Era | Height | Typical asking price | Rarity notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Heimo Foxi or Fix | 1960s–70s | 4–6 cm | €2–€15 | Common; condition decides price |
| Heimo Lupo | 1970s | 5–6 cm | €5–€20 | Common, but clean examples sell fast |
| Heimo Mausi, Egon, Mimi | 1970s | 6 cm | €10–€25 | Mid-rarity; variants matter |
| Heimo Pauli | 1970s | 5–6 cm | €15–€40 | Harder to find in the Kauka cast |
| Heimo Onkel Fax | 1970s | 6 cm | €20–€40 | Collector favourite |
| Heimo Professor Knox | 1970s | 6 cm | €25–€50 | Rarer character, strong demand |
| Heimo Lupinchen | 1970s | 6 cm | €25–€40 | Less produced than the core cast |
| Pabel / Kauka-Verlag Foxi | 1960s | 4–5 cm | €20–€50 | Early publisher giveaway |
| Kellogg’s promo set | 1970s | 8–12 cm | €30–€45 for a group | Near-mint sets hold value |
| Rubber squeaker Mausi or Foxi | 1960s–70s | 20–25 cm | €10–€50 | Sticky surface lowers value sharply |
| McDonald’s set | 2000 | 10–12 cm | €5–€20 | Common; boxed sets earn more |
| Multi-figure lot | 1960s–80s | mixed | €50–€250 | Lots move quickly at fair prices |
| Complete boxed series | 1970s | mixed | €150+ | Rare; collectors bid for these |
Two rules beat any table. First, a complete set earns far more than the sum of its loose pieces. Second, an uncleaned original with honest photos often beats a badly “restored” one.
The Pieces Collectors Hunt Hardest
Some figures earn a premium purely because few survived. These show up on every serious wish list.
- Early 1960s Pabel and Fuchs issues. Tiny production runs and fragile plastic.
- Onkel Fax, Knox and Lupinchen. Secondary characters got smaller mould runs.
- Unpainted “Rohling” prototypes. Blank single-colour figures from factory tooling; collectors pay for provenance.
- Complete 11-piece Heimo series. Finding one intact is a genuine event.
- McDonald’s 2000 sets still in original packaging. The packaging carries half the value.
- Bully keyrings and finger puppets. Survival rates are miserable.
Photograph any rare piece against a plain background with a ruler in frame. Buyers pay for proof, not for promises.
How to Fix Fix und Foxi Figuren: Repairs That Hold
Repairs split into four jobs. Match the method to the damage and test every product on the sole first.
| Damage | Method | Materials | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loose or detached limb | Pin and bond | Brass rod, cyanoacrylate | Strong, invisible joint |
| Snapped thin part | Two-part epoxy plus pin | Epoxy putty, needle | Rebuilds missing plastic |
| Sticky soft-rubber body | Bind the surface | Cornstarch or talc, soft brush | Stops transfer to other figures |
| Paint loss on nose or feet | Colour match and seal | Acrylic paints, matt varnish | Honest touch-up, reversible |
For a detached arm, drill a 1 mm hole into both faces, cut a 6 mm brass pin, dry-fit it, then bond with a thin cyanoacrylate. Clamp for two minutes. For a missing ear, build the shape with epoxy putty, sand it after 24 hours, then paint.
Never sand the moulded stamp on the sole. That mark is the figure’s identity and the first thing a buyer checks.
Cleaning and the Sticky Plastic Problem
Old soft rubber turns sticky because plasticisers migrate to the surface. No product reverses that chemistry, but you can make the figure safe to handle and store.
- Dust first. Use a soft brush and a blower, never water on painted crevices.
- Bind the tack. Rub in a little cornstarch or baby powder, then wipe with a dry microfibre cloth.
- Wash gently. Lukewarm water with a drop of mild dish soap and a soft toothbrush for hard PVC. Dry fully before storage.
- Escalate carefully. An orange-oil cleaner lifts stubborn film. Test on the sole, ventilate the room, wear gloves.
- Skip the harsh stuff. Acetone and nail polish remover eat PVC and strip paint. Alcohol dries soft rubber and can turn it grey.
One warning that saves collections: plasticiser bleed attacks neighbours. A sticky squeaker stored against a painted hard-PVC figure will transfer colour. Bag sticky figures alone.
Where to Buy Fix und Foxi Figuren Safely
The market is small, so the good pieces move in specific places.
- eBay and Kleinanzeigen. The deepest supply. Filter for completed sales to read real prices.
- Flea markets and toy fairs. German toy fairs still turn up shoebox lots at honest prices.
- Estate and attic clearances. The best value, because sellers rarely know the marks.
- Specialist toy dealers. Higher prices, but graded and photographed properly.
- Collector forums and Facebook groups. Members spot fakes fast and warn each other.
Ask three questions before every purchase. Is the sole stamp visible in the photos? Does the seller disclose repairs? Is the packaging original or a replacement box?
Storage and Display That Prevents the Next Repair
Prevention costs less than restoration, and it protects value at the same time.
- Keep figures out of direct sunlight. UV fades painted faces within a few summers.
- Avoid attics and radiators. Heat speeds up plasticiser loss.
- Aim for a steady 15–20 °C and low humidity.
- Skip newsprint, PVC sleeves and scented cardboard. Ink and plasticisers react.
- Use a glass cabinet with UV-filtering film for display pieces.
- Photograph your collection once a year. Insurance claims need dated proof.
Handle figures by the base. Finger oils dull paint and feed the sticky-surface cycle all over again.
Licensing, Trademarks and Honest Selling
The characters and the name belong to the current rights holder, Your Family Entertainment AG. Original Kauka-era figures resell freely as used goods, and that covers almost every figure in your box.
Three limits to respect. Do not sell modern reproductions as originals. Do not print the artwork on new merchandise without a licence. Do not use the brand name in a way that implies an official partnership. Honest descriptions protect both your account and your reputation.
Your Topic Map: Where to Go Next
A pillar page works best when each branch leads somewhere useful. These clusters cover the full subject.
- Identification: Heimo marks, Kauka stamps, character lists, size charts, variant guides.
- Valuation: condition grading, sold-price research, set premiums, insurance appraisal.
- Restoration: cleaning soft rubber, pinning joints, paint matching, when to leave a figure alone.
- Collecting: series checklists, display ideas, storage, trading etiquette, auction strategy.
- History: Rolf Kauka, the magazine timeline, artists, exhibitions, the TV channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell how old my fix und foxi figuren are?
Check the moulded stamp on the sole and the paint style. A Heimo emblem with © R. Kauka points to the 1960s and 1970s, a McDonald’s mould points to 2000, and a blank sole usually means a later reproduction.
Is a fix und foxi figuren with a broken arm still worth keeping?
Yes. A clean break repairs well with a brass pin and cyanoacrylate, and collectors still pay for rare characters in grade 3 condition. Deep stickiness or missing moulded parts lower value much more than a repaired joint.
What makes a Heimo figure an original?
Look for the Heimo emblem, usually a circle with a cross, plus © R. Kauka under the foot. Hand-painted detail, dense hard PVC and slightly imperfect brushwork all support authenticity. Machine-perfect paint on a 1970s figure is a red flag.
How do I clean sticky figures without stripping the paint?
Dust with a soft brush, rub in cornstarch or baby powder, then wipe with a dry cloth. Escalate to an orange-oil cleaner only after testing on the sole. Never use acetone, and keep alcohol away from soft rubber.
How much are Fix und Foxi figures worth today?
Small Heimo figures typically ask €2 to €50 depending on character and condition. Rare characters such as Professor Knox and complete boxed series can ask well over €150. Always confirm against completed sales before you buy or list.
Can I still buy new Fix und Foxi figures?
New products appear only through the rights holder. The official Fix & Foxi brand site lists current activities, licensing and its online shop, so check there before you trust a “new” listing on a marketplace.
Start With the Box in Your Attic Tonight
Empty one box onto a table and photograph every figure, front, back and sole. Sort them into hard PVC, soft rubber, plush and promos. You will finish in under an hour, and you will already know more about your collection than most sellers do.
Then pick one figure and fix it properly. Pin that arm, dust that squeaker, match that paint. Share your before-and-after photos with the collector groups that follow Kauka pieces, because that community still grows and it rewards people who document their work. The foxes earned their place in German culture. Give yours a clean shelf and a written history.