Hake’s Spotlights Action Figure Sales in Auction #241

Hake’s Auctions wrapped their premier Auction #241 on July 30-31, 2024, with $2.9 million in winning bids. The auction offered everything from early 20th century baseball items to toys made in the 1980s. Action figures thrive in Hake’s auctions, and that momentum continued with some selling well beyond their estimates in Auction #241.

The ThunderCats LJN/Rainbow Toys Europe Thunderwings Lion-O deluxe AFA 80 flew to $24,273, over its $20,000 estimate. This European release of the figure differs from the American version of Thunderwings because it comes with Battle-Matic Action, Sword of Omens, and “Secret Power Ring” that causes the figure’s eyes to light up. There were five varieties of Thunderwings Lion-O produced and only seven examples have been graded by AFA. This is the only AFA-graded example of the LJN/Rainbow Toys European release.

The Batman Walking Action mechanical wind-up toy by Marx more than tripled its $5,000 estimate when it reached $15,340. The 3-1/4” tall plastic Batman toy has a removable key and was sold with the original box that features great graphics of Batman on four panels.

Two Mego World’s Greatest Super Heroes Batman figures produced impressive sales. One in the new logo window box AFA uncirculated U85 decimated its $700 estimate by selling for $12,980. A removable cowl Batman figure on rare Kresge card AFA 80 brought $8,437, well beyond the $5,000 estimate.  

Robin the Boy Wonder was also a hit with the Mego World’s Greatest Super Heroes toys. A removable mask figure on the rare Kresge card AFA 70 with yellow shorts (rather than the typical green) cleared $8,050. The Robin boxed figure AFA uncirculated U85 with the new logo window box crushed its $700 estimate when it soared to $7,917.

Superhero toy sales continued with a Captain Action Superman uniform and equipment boxed set with the ring that totaled $3,245. Mego World’s Greatest Super Heroes Superman (large emblem) figure on Kresge card AFA 80 realized $3,634 and a Falcon carded figure AFA 80 from the same series went for $3,569.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sales were led by the Scratch Series 6 54-back AFA 75 that reached $5,192. The 4-1/2” tall figure was released later in Playmates’ original TMNT toy line and Scratch is one of the most coveted figures of the series.

G.I. Joe figures were led by the Dreadnok Air Assault Series 5 vehicle AFA 75 that closed at $4,074. The Sears exclusive toy is rare as sealed and one of only four sealed examples graded by AFA. Additional G.I. Joe highlights were the Snake Eyes (V2) with Timber Series 4 36-back AFA 80 on gray file card that sold for $1,770, a Spirit Series 3 34-back AFA 85 on peach file card went for $1,557, and a Storm Shadow Series 3 36-back AFA 80 on gray file card brought $1,427.

All of the top results in Part I and Part II can be viewed on Hake’s website.