The world of collectible toys is dominated by “Star Wars,” with record sales into the six-figures generating big headlines.
But the market is far deeper than the headlines would have you think. Franchises such as Masters of the Universe (MOTU), G.I. Joe and Transformers are massively popular among collectors and command eye-catching sums for the rarest and most coveted items.
In the wake of the successful release of Kenner’s “Star Wars” toys in the late 1970s, Mattel was set on punching back with a best-seller of its own.
Lead designer Roger Sweet brought a concept for a character called He-Man at the Mattel Product Conference. Utilizing three prototype models, Sweet pitched the concept as a toy that could fit into any context and had a generic name, “He-Man,” playing up its versatility.
Mattel was sold on the concept and released MOTU in 1982 featuring eight figures, two vehicles and a playset, coinciding with a DC Comics series that helped bring characters such as He-Man and Skeletor to life and propelled the franchise to the top of the heap in the early '80s.
As with so many pop-culture items from that era, the kids who grew up hooked on these toys are now adults with money to spend … and they are willing to pay for toys from the original MOTU release, particularly the most recognizable figure: He-Man.
LCG is offering a sealed copy of the 1982 He-Man figure graded AFA 80+ with an estimate of $25,000 this Sunday, with bidding currently topping $7,000. The toy originally sold for less than $6 back in the early '80s.
“I remember them and playing with them loose as a kid, but I don't really remember seeing them in the package or seeing them at the store,” LCG Auctions founder Mark Montero told cllct. “So, just to see that stuff is really exciting to somebody my age.”
Primarily a sports collector, despite running one of the leading auction houses for rare toys, Montero explained the broad appeal of figures from the era to those of his generation.
The packaged He-Man figure, which is unpunched — meaning it was likely never hung on retail shelves (an attribute favored by many collectors) — is freshly graded, appearing in AFA’s census just last month.
An AFA 80 (slightly lower graded) example sold at LCG in March for more than $26,000.
Besides its grade, the figure is also bolstered by its clear bubble (the plastic used to secure the figure on its card), meaning it hasn’t yellowed over the years, which receive a “Y designation” on the grading label from AFA.
“Certain pieces are tough to find clear, including He-Man, and go for super premiums,” Montero said.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.