By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles

The initial reaction to Mattel’s WWE toys from collectors wasn’t a very positive one. After almost 15 years of collecting Jakks-Pacific WWE toys, kids and collectors were forced to buy a new line of figures.

When the new Mattel toys hit the market in January 2010, many fans complained about their smallish bodies and unrealistic faces. The Elite figures, at $17 each, were considered overpriced by a lot of collectors.

But, just like Jakks did in the 1990s, Mattel improved its figures tremendously. The head sculpts got better, the bodies were noticeably different from wrestler to wrestler, and the Elite toys came with some pretty cool accessories.

Just three years after their release, Mattel’s Elite figures have become popular with kids and highly collectible with adults. Here is a look at 10 figures from Elite Series 1-20 that are especially popular with wrestling fans.




(1) Kane, Series 12 Flashback Figure ($60-80). Mattel scrapped its WWE Legends line of action figures in 2011 after just five series. Beginning with this figure of Kane, Mattel started inserting Legends figures – now dubbed Flashback figures – into its Elite line. This figure, which captures Kane’s original Attitude Era look, was extremely tough to get from the time it was released, so many collectors never even found one in retail stores. Some Elite figures start out hot initially (Kevin Nash Series 16, Kelly Kelly Series 17) and cool off rather quickly. That hasn’t been the case with this Kane figure.

(2) Jeff Hardy, Series 1 (Unreleased; $100-150). When Mattel began designing its WWE figures in 2009, Jeff Hardy was arguably WWE’s most popular wrestler. But by the end of 2009, Hardy was out of WWE and fighting serious drug charges. Mattel pulled his figure from the first wave of Elite toys, but several have surfaced on the secondary market. A few years ago they were selling for several hundred dollars, but have since settled into the $100-150 range.

(3) Mr. McMahon Toys R Us Exclusive ($60-80). The only toy of Vince McMahon made by Mattel so far was a Toys R Us Exclusive. In order to get one, you first had to buy roughly $80 in WWE merchandise. This figure was released in 2011, and the value has held steady since.

(4) Hornswoggle, Series 7 ($50-75). The seventh wave of Elite figures was heavy on DX, with Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Hornswoggle all in DX gear. Most fans groan when they think of the DX/Hornswoggle skits, but that hasn’t hurt the value of this rare figure. Hornswoggle comes with a small ladder, DX T-shirt and army-style helmet.

(5) Batista, Series 6 ($50-80). Many fans are drawn to the Elite figures because of their cool accessories, whether it’s Zack Ryder’s Internet Champion belt or William Regal’s purple robe. But one of the scarcest and most valuable Elite figures came with nothing more than a pair of removable sunglasses. Batista left WWE in 2010, the same year that Mattel began making WWE toys, so there aren’t a lot of Batista figures from Mattel. This one is especially popular with collectors, thanks in part to Mattel’s intricate details on Batista’s tattoos.

(6) Goldust, Series 6 ($50-80). Goldust was little more than a guest star in backstage skits when this figure came out in late 2010. In fact, many of the figures from this series sat on the shelves for months but have since gone on to become some of the most sought after Elite toys on the secondary market. Goldust was one of the first Elite toys to feature intricate detail and cool accessories, namely a gold and black robe and long blonde wig.

(7) C.M. Punk Ringside Collectibles Exclusive ($50-75). Punk was a two-time World Champion in WWE and an ROH favorite, but it was his role as the leader of the Straight Edge Society that really moved him up the card in WWE. This figure captures that point in Punk’s career, complete with a sling for his injured arm and a lucha libre-style mask to cover up his head, which had been shaved bald by the Big Show.

(8) The Miz, Series 9 ($40-70). Mattel has made a lot of Miz figures, but this is his most popular. The Miz comes with a long black trench coat and a shiny United States title belt that is one of the most detailed toy belts ever made. The belt itself sometimes sells for as much as $25. The Miz’s figure from Series 11 is also a popular figure and comes with the Money in the Bank briefcase and the WWE Title belt.

(9) Edge, Series 13 Flashback ($40-65). The WWF had high hopes for high hopes with Adam Copeland when they signed him in 1997, and by 1998 he began showing up on WWF television as Edge. It wasn’t long after that Edge joined Gangrel and Christian in The Brood. This figure comes with the trench coat and sunglasses that Edge wore during that time in his career. A Flashback figure of Christian from his tag team days was just released in Elite Series 21, complete with big, goofy sunglasses.

(10) Yokozuna, Series 15 Flashback ($35-50). Yokozuna’s sheer size easily makes him stand out among all other Mattel toys. The figure is incredibly sturdy and heavy, and comes with a ceremonial robe that Jakks never included with its Yoko figures. This figure started off hot, and then the price dipped. Prices have steadily increased again over the last few months, and assuming Mattel doesn’t make many more toys of Yokozuna, could remain a hot toy for years to come.

PWTorch Collectibles Specialist Michael Moore can be reached at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com .

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