An unopened 1987 G.I. Joe: Defiant toy sold for $57,596.40 at LCG Auctions on Sunday night , setting a record for any 1980s G.I. Joe toy while tying the all-time record for any 1980s toy.
Graded U85, the toy was designated “uncirculated” by grading service AFA, indicating the original cardboard packing slip still covered the item, and it was never offered on retail shelves.
Less than 20 sealed examples have been graded by AFA, with just seven designated "uncirculated." The entire AFA census shows only one uncirculated example graded higher.
The Defiant: Space Vehicle Launch Complex is one of the rarest and most coveted toys of its era. Priced at $99.99 in 1987, it was the most expensive toy to produce at the time, while measuring an astounding 50 inches high and 30 inches wide. Some collectors believe as few as 5,000 units were ever produced.
Prior to this sale, the record for a 1980s G.I. Joe toy was set by an uncirculated example of 1985 G.I. Joe: USS Flagg, graded AFA U85, which LCG sold in March for $41,430.
This sale ties the record for any 1980s toy, which was set by a 1984 Transformers: Megatron in July 2023, also at LCG.
Two other records set by LCG in Sunday night's auction include the highest price paid for any 1987 G.I. Joe Cobra Commander Explosion Back, which sold for $12,535 in AFA 85 condition, beating the previous record of $8,562, as well as the highest sale of any 1978 Kenner 12-Back Chewbacca, which sold for $10,742 in AFA 85 condition, crushing the previous record of $6,250.
While many collectors' first thought when it comes to G.I. Joe might still be Logan Paul's $3.5 million purchase of first-edition Pokemon cards — which turned out to be filled with near-worthless G.I. Joe cards — the franchise is far from a disappointment when it comes to the market for its sealed toys.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.