Most Valuable G.I. Joe Toys And Action Figures

[Elmira Telegram 285]

 

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G.I. Joe toys were introduced to the public in 1964 as 12-inch-tall, army-themed dolls. But since young boys wouldn't touch dolls with a 10-foot stick, Hasbro, in a stroke of genius, called them "action figures," coining the term.

Over the next six decades, G.I. Joes transformed from foot-tall dolls in lidded boxes to 3.75-inch figures on blister cards. A children's cartoon introduced the evil Cobra organization and the heroic G.I. Joe team, and the corresponding toy line produced hundreds of figures along with toy jets, cars, motorcycles, unique vehicles and huge playsets.

G.I. Joe toys became a staple in children's toy bins, where most of them were bashed together until their paint chipped and their arms fell off. Today, certain G.I. Joe toys in good condition can command enormous amounts of money. These are the most valuable G.I. Joe toys and action figures.

There are no real, updated G.I. Joe price guides that catalog the hundreds of G.I. Joe figures, so we're looking at the most expensive G.I. Joes ever sold at auction. 

Some notes before we dive into these valuable vintage G.I. Joes:

• "[X] back" refers to how many figures are advertised on the card back. 20 back means 20 action figures are advertised. Sometimes this can impact price. 
• "Explosion back" means empty figure spaces on the back, labeled with a "coming soon" explosion. These are rarer. 
• If you have a G.I. Joe figure and are wondering what it's worth, it's best to check the sold section on eBay for a few months. 

 

• See the complete list here, and groan at the money you could have had if you kept them in mint condition. 

[Chris 1,895]

Man, we had a lot of those action figures. 

But to be of that value they have to be mint and graded, so, the likelihood of having a small fortune in action figures is rare. Thus the prices. 

I still have my Skystriker though. Two, actually ( not the one pictured, sadly ). The one I bought for parts to restore my original and it came with a box, which will be a cool display piece someday. My plan was to sell the second one once I stripped it, but now, I may just restore that one too. 

They make a really cool acrylic display stand for them, I plan on getting one at some point.