Star Wars. Transformers. Masters of the Universe. G.I. Joe. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. These are the licenses that dawned in the late 1970s and 1980s and are still with us today, which means the original toys are still in high demand with today’s collectors and can go for big bucks at auction. The latest Hake’s auction has a variety of 1980s toys on the block, and below a few of the hottest items – but check out all the listings here(by category)…either to do some crazy window shopping or – if you’re feeling lucky – place a bid.
Hake’s – STAR WARS (1978) – LUKE SKYWALKER 12 BACK-A AFA 85 NM+ (DOUBLE-TELESCOPING, POP 3).
One of the earliest, rarest and most sought-after Star Wars figures, Luke Skywalker with double-telescoping lightsaber, is being offered on an unpunched card. Unpunched! After this, all Lukes were single-telescoping, and production numbers skyrocketed, making this as rare as it gets. To find it not opened, not played with and not partially chewed on is a miracle. Current bid: $15,000
With its logo in three languages, the “Tri-Logo” Star Wars figure is highly desirable, and this French release by Meccano features a different figure colorway and a unique blister bubble. Make it Boba Fett, and you’ve got a recipe for high bids! Even on a punched card, it’s the highest graded example of this configuration. Current Bid: $13,200
Hake’s – STAR WARS: THE POWER OF THE FORCE (1985) – IG-88 92 BACK PROOF CARD AFA 80+ NM.
When is an empty cardback worth more than one with a figure on it? When it’s one that was never made! Infamous bounty hunter IG-88 was never released on a Power of the Force card, but this unpunched proof card exists all the same! With 92 characters on the back, it’s the ultimate unproduced Star Wars collectible. Current Bid: $9,350
Hake’s – GLASSLITE STAR WARS: DROIDS (1988) – VLIX AFA 60 EX.
Ah, Vlix. The Star Wars: Droids character who was only released in Brazil, due to the show’s cancellation. Not the prettiest character, but the rarest, with only 13 AFA-graded examples in existence. Don’t call yourself a completist until you pick one of them up. Current Bid: $7,500
Hake’s – STAR WARS: THE POWER OF THE FORCE (1985) – YAK FACE 92 BACK AFA 80 Y-NM (KENNER CANADA).
Ah, Yakface – another looker, another figure that was only released internationally. This one came from Canada, where he clearly saw some things that yellowed his blister, but his card somehow remained unpunched. Current Bid: $6,110
Hake’s – STAR WARS (1977) – CHEWBACCA RARE FIRST SHOT ACTION FIGURE AFA 85 NM+.
Pre-production samples of the first 12 Star Wars figures are very rare, so this “first shot” Chewbacca is a bit of a find. With no paint, no legal stamp, no hole in the foot and made of a stiffer material than regular figures, this all-brown Chewbacca comes with a slightly different version of his bowcaster and is graded for his – and your – protection. Current Bid: $5,500
Shockwave, one of the most in-demand Series 2 Transformers, is not one you hear a lot of talk about, but while there are over 60 graded examples of the Decepticon lieutenant, only three are of the rare “no-rubsign” variety. Sure, rubsigns are infinitely cooler than no rubsigns, but the numbers don’t lie, and that’s why this walking laser gun is going for a pretty penny. Current Bid: $5,500
Hake’s – TRANSFORMERS (1985) SERIES 2 JETFIRE AFA 80+ NM (TRADEMARK LOGO).
Another in-demand Series 2 Transformer, the Autobot Jetfire is doubly desirable, due to his toy history as a Macross jet from Japan, spreading his love cross two fandoms. This particular example enjoys a minor packaging variation – a trademark logo instead of a registered logo – which makes it far more valuable. Also, he’s an awesome-looking jet AND robot, so, you know. Current Bid: $3,300
Special attention must be given to Slam Dunkin’ Don, the Donatello variant that gave him the same basketball jersey number as Michael Jordan. But this hand-painted prototype is 14.5 inches tall, making it the fore-runner to an unproduced Giant Turtle version of the figure. Or is it just a really big prototype to the 1992 figure? Or a cool display piece for the showroom? Whichever way, it’s a key part of Turtle and basketball pop culture. Current Bid: $2,310
When talking about crazy TMNT action figure variations, not enough attention is given to Make My Day Leo, the figure that pays tribute to Dirty Harry? Naming this Leonardo figure after Harry’s famous catchphrase, giving him a Mutagen Magnum revolver (albeit with flag) and dressing him up like a motorcycle patrolman (the villains in Magnum Force) makes the whole enterprise pretty edgy, in one man’s opinion. Not only do you get the original wax sculpt, you get the molds used to make the resin copies and an unpunched proof card for the final release! Current Bid: $2,000
Oh, to live on Snake Mountain, with the trap doors and the evil voice of doom… For the second release of this iconic He-Man playset, certain language was changed on the box, from “voice of evil” to “voice of Snake Mountain.” Still, the evil is evident in this toy, with the grinning monster face and the voice-changing wolf’s head microphone. Court the forces of darkness with this high-graded example. Current Bid: $2,200
Hake’s – G.I. JOE (1984) – DESTRO SERIES 2/32 BACK AFA 85 NM+.
Nothing special about this Destro figure except that IT’S DESTRO. Possibly the coolest of all Cobra characters – heck, all G.I. Joe characters! – this evil weapons supplier, he of the shiny metal mask, was also a pretty darn cool toy. To own one on card that you can look at every day, maybe talking to yourself in his deep voice, perhaps while wearing a large medallion, can only bring sunshine into your life. Current Bid: $1,815
1970s Mego Figure Bonus Section!
Hake’s – MEGO STAR TREK ALIENS- MUGATO PROTOTYPE TEST SHOT.
While there are four Mego Star Trek Alien prototypes up for auction in this batch, special attention must be given to the Mugato. Not because this prototype features hand-sculpted feet and hand-painted parts, making it a unique piece of Mego and Trek history, but because the artist was clearly told to give the Mugato a snazzy suit of clothes, when the TV-episode Mugato was just a big, hairy white ape with a horn. Why was he given clothes? This is one of life’s big questions. Current Bid: $2,585
Nowadays, if you want to get a toy unmasked, they’ll sell you a completely separate figure and call it a variant. Back in 1973, they’d give you a removable mask, like with this vintage Robin figure! Of course, they might also give you yellow shorts instead of green shorts, but a lack of quality control was worth the trade. Despite the shorts issue, or perhaps because of it, this rare, carded Secret Identity Robin figure is ready to go for big bucks. Opening Bid: $2,000
