THE SPECIALISTS COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: Reader Q&A on Hardy figure, Divas collectibles, determining value of old figures, more; New Trivia Question
Jan 19, 2012 - 2:23:49 PM
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By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist
In Brief: This edition features answers to reader questions on upcoming Mattel releases, the value of older figures, and more, plus a trivia question on one sloppy autograph.
Question: “Are the Blue Blazer jakks figures a sought after item anymore?” – MDF
Answer: The Blue Blazer figure from 1999 is still one of the more popular bone-crunching action (BCA) figures from Jakks-Pacific. It was released just prior to Owen Hart’s death and instantly became a hot item. The value has dropped considerably over the years, but it still carries some value. A loose, complete figure in good condition usually runs about $10-$15, while one still in the package is usually around $15-$25. More information on the Blue Blazer figure will be included in next Tuesday’s collectibles column when it is featured in the action figure spotlight.
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Question: “What do you think about the potential value of this glow-in-the-dark Jeff Hardy figure from ShopTNA?” – Jon Ly.
Answer: Exclusive action figures have a rich history. For years many companies offered exclusive mail-away figures; Kenner had collectors in a frenzy over the first mail-away Star Wars figure (Boba Fett) prior to the release of “The Empire Strikes Back.” By the mid-1990s, companies began offering Internet-exclusive figures. Jakks-Pacific has produced a multitude of mail-away and Internet-exclusive WWF/WWE and TNA figures over the years; some have become very valuable, while others only sell for a few dollars.
Jeff Hardy is incredibly popular and almost all of his figures command higher than retail prices. The TNA website is currently selling this exclusive figure for $19.99, which isn’t a bad deal.
But, there is never any guarantee as to the future value of collectibles. Too many variables could swing the value of this either way – the number of this particular figure produced, the amount of other Jeff Hardy figures available, if Jeff is able to stay sober and continue his career in pro wrestling, etc.
The best advice is to always collect what you like. This is one cool figure, so if you’re a fan of Jeff Hardy, pick one up.
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Question: “I was wondering if you know which Divas will be included in Mattel's collections during 2012?” -- Alejandro Valverde
Answer: Early checklists from Mattel show a handful of Divas scheduled for the first part of 2012. Vickie Guerrero’s first Mattel figure is available in some markets now, and can be found online at sites like ringsidecollectibles.com. It should be more widely available in the next few weeks, and will be easy to spot: Vickie is included in Mattel’s 13th series of basic WWE figures, which is the first wave of figures in a new white packaging.
The first Mattel figure of Layla is included in Mattel’s Series 15, which is scheduled for a February release. Nikki and Brie Bella are included in Mattel’s WWE Two-Packs 15, which should be out in March. Mattel’s collectibles website, mattycollector.com, will be offering the first modern era figure of Miss Elizabeth as the sixth and final Legends figure of 2012, scheduled for a November or December release.
Mattel has produced quite a few Divas since taking over the WWE line in 2010, including Kelly Kelly, Michelle McCool, Eve Torres, Melina, Mickie James, Beth Phoenix, and Natalya.
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Question: “I have 4-5 plastic bins full of wrestling figures from WWE and WCW from the mid-90s still in the packages. What's a good source to check their value?” -- Jim Holovacko
Answer: This question is asked more often than any other. There are some action figure price guides available, but values change so often that they just aren’t very reliable. Most collectors agree that the best way to find out how much a figure is worth is to track sales on sites like eBay. That way, you can get an idea of what people are actually paying for an item.
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Trivia Question of the Week
Some wrestlers have very cool signatures. The Undertaker, Bret Hart, and Rey Mysterio are three who sign crisp, clean autographs almost every time. But, some wrestlers’s signatures are completely illegible. Whose autograph is this?
Send your response to michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com. The correct answer – and the names of those who got it right – will be published in next Tuesday’s collectibles column at PWTorch.com.
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