By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

In Brief: A special two-pack of Razor Ramon and Diesel figures was sold in 1996 just as Scott Hall and Kevin Nash were invading WCW. Today, these are two of the most popular and valuable early Jakks figures.

Action Figure Spotlight #11: Jakks-Pacific Razor Ramon and Diesel Two-Pack
Originally Released: 1996
What you can expect to pay: $45-60 (packaged)
Recent sales: None




In 1996, Jakks-Pacific released the first new WWF toys in three years. To some collectors, it looked like the nWo was invading Jakks-Pacific as well as WCW.

The initial line of figures released that summer included figures of Razor Ramon and Diesel – just as Scott Hall and Kevin Nash were showing up on Nitro. In addition to the two individual toys, Jakks-Pacific produced a two-pack of repainted Diesel and Razor figures.

The decision to produce a two-pack of Razor and Diesel, of all characters, was somewhat confusing. While Hall and Nash were hell-raising outsiders in WCW, their WWF characters had virtually no connection, other than a feud from back in 1994.

This two-pack was the hottest wrestling toy among collectors from about 1996 to 2000. It was sold originally by the mail order company Puzzle Zoo, and then many collectors began finding them being liquidated at places like KB Toys.

At their peak, the two-pack of figures sold as high as $120, and usually in the $80-100 range. But, by the early 2000s, the value came crashing down. More and more surfaced on eBay, and, at one point, they were selling for as low as $15 still in the package.

In the last couple of years, the value of these figures has recovered somewhat. They aren’t offered for sale nearly as often, and usually sell for around $50. At the time this article was published, there was only one being offered for sale on eBay, with no completed listings in the last 30 days.

The first WWF toys from Jakks-Pacific weren’t the sturdiest of toys; it is common to find them missing legs and arms, so if you’re going to buy a loose figure, make sure to ask the seller about the condition of all joints.

Collectibles News

TNA will begin offering a new line of signed collectibles later this week. Make sure to check out this Thursday’s collectibles column exclusively at PWTorch.com for another interview with Don West and comments from a major TNA star about these new items.

Question of the Week: Has the widespread availability of autographs of wrestling’s top stars hurt or helped the wrestling card hobby?

Pete Griffin of Nashville, Tenn.: “I am going to say no. As someone who collects athletes’s autographs in-person, I will tell you that meeting current active wrestlers is extremely tough compared to professional sports teams. Professional sports athletes are easily accessible due to pre-game warm-ups, very organized bus schedules out of their 5-star hotel near the arena, etc. With wrestlers, you never know which wrestlers are staying where, having to chase wrestlers at the airport on their red-eye flight schedules, etc. You might find this hard to believe, but you have a better chance of knowing where to try to obtain Kobe Bryant’s autograph than knowing where Randy Orton’s tour bus is. To most fans with the extra pocket change and busy lives, it might be worth paying the 100 dollars on eBay to secure Randy Orton’s autograph than having to chase the Viper down.”

Chris Davidson: “I think widespread autograph inclusion has overall helped the wrestling card hobby. In the past, high dollar amounts for autographs have kept supply low and demand high, but ultimately demand was only among those who could afford it. Now, with more supply, prices are able to come down for people who want autographs but can't afford ridiculous price tags on eBay, thus increasing the amount of buyers. As much as wrestling fans like being exclusive, the more people who can get involved in buying and selling cards ultimately encourages companies to keep making the product they enjoy.”

Do you have a question about pro wrestling collectibles, or something that you would like to see featured in this column? Contact Michael Moore at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com.

We suggest these recent related articles...

10/5 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Natalya vs. Paige, Owens vs. Cara, Stephanie McMahon, Sasha Banks, Xavier Woods

COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: The History of Foam Hands in Pro Wrestling

9/28 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Kane's Split Personality, Divas Revolution, Heyman & Big Show, Reigns vs. Wyatt

CLICK HERE FOR EVEN MORE PW.NET HEADLINES

CLICK TO EMAIL THIS ARTICLE
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN LISTING