By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

In Brief: New figures of the Bellas, Hulk Hogan, and Bray Wyatt were among the hottest of 2014.

Mattel added dozens of new WWE action figures to its already deep toy catalogue in 2014 - basic figures, Elites, Battle Packs, retail exclusives, online exclusives, and more. Jakks Pacific, on the other hand, released just four new TNA toys.

It’s no surprise, then, that all of the hottest wrestling toys of 2014 were WWE. Even Bully Ray’s first TNA figure from Jakks didn’t garner much attention. Mattel produced first-time figures of everyone from Demolition Crush to El Torrito, and from Road Dogg to Rusev.

Here’s a look at 14 figures that were released in 2014 and captured and held collectors’ interest, in no particular order. Some exclusives that were produced in very limited quantities - such as Ultimate Warrior variations that were available online for a limited time - are not included on this list because the population is just too small and the prices too high for the average collector.

(1) Bray Wyatt Elite Series 28. As soon as the first teaser video aired for the Wyatt Family in 2013, collectors went to work putting together their own custom figures and selling them on eBay. That tided some collectors over until mid-2014, when the first official Bray Wyatt action figure hit retail stores. Bray’s first figure, with removable cloth shirt and hat, was included in Elite Series 28. You may still be able to find this figure at your local Walmart or other retail store for $18-20. Secondary market sales aren’t much higher, usually in the $25-30 range.

(2) Luke Harper and Erick Rowan Battle Packs Series 28. What would Bray Wyatt be without his once loyal followers? The first figures of Harper and Rowan were released around the same time as Bray’s Elite Series 28. Basic figures of Harper and Rowan were included in Battle Packs 28, complete with a rocking chair for kids and collectors to build. Mattel then released Elite figures of Harper and Rowan in Elite Series 29 within weeks of this two-pack hitting the store shelves. But some collectors prefer this two-back of basic figures, because they can get both figures at about the same price as one Elite figure ($18-20).

(3) Mankind Amazon Exclusive. Amazon got in the Internet-exclusive wrestling figure game in 2014 with a new figure of Mick Foley as Mankind. This was the first basic Mattel figure of Foley and captures Mankind in his original brown gear and mask. These can be found online for about $20-25.

(4) Hulk Hogan Defining Moments. Hogan returned to WWE for WrestleMania, and by the end of the year Mattel had cranked out its first toy of Hogan. There will likely be many more toys showcasing Hogan’s various looks during his career, but this figure is a great place to start. It captures Hogan exactly as he looked in the main even of WrestleMania III, with a removable Hulkamania shirt and headband, and a classic WWF Title belt. Because the figure is so new, it’s commanding a whopping $55-75 online.




(5) Rusev Basic Series 47. Speaking of new figures, no wrestling toy released at the end of 2014 has been hotter than the first figure of Rusev. Mattel’s Basic Series 47 is just starting to trickle into retail stores, and Rusev’s figure is the hottest of the bunch. Over the last two weeks, most of these figures have sold on eBay for $60-75, although some have cooled to $30-45 in the last couple days.




(6) A.J. Lee Superstar Entrances. The Walmart-exclusive Superstar Entrances figures have been popular with collectors since they were first released in 2012. These basic basic showcase a wrestler in his or her trademark T-shirt. AJ’s figure is the hottest so far, usually selling in the $15-30 range. If you can find one at your local Walmart, you can pick it up for less than $10.

(7) Jimmy and Jey Uso Battle Packs Series 28. In just over a year, the Usos went from forgotten mid-carders to WWE Tag Team Champions and the workhorses expected to carry long matches on Raw. Interest in their toys picked up, and over the summer of 2014 Mattel released the second two-pack of the Usos. These figures feature the twins’ trademark face paint and yellow shorts, along with a breakable surfboard. Each two-pack retails for around $18-20, but expect to pay $30-40 on the secondary market.

(8) Bella Twins Battle Packs Series 26. Coming out of SummerSlam, a lot of fans were sick of the Brie vs. Nikki storyline. Apparently, wrestling action figure collectors disagreed. The Bella Twins two-pack from Battle Packs 26 was one of the hottest sets of the year, featuring the twins in matching red outfits and the WWE Divas Title belt. Most eBay auctions have ended in the $65-100 range.




(9) Ric Flair Defining Moments. Would you believe that this was the first Ric Flair figure in more than six years? Jakks last released a Ric Flair figure in 2008, and never produced another one during Flair’s two-plus year run in TNA. This feature is classic “Nature Boy,” with a flamboyant black robe and WCW World Title belt. Surprisingly, the figure can be found on eBay for $20-30, and even cheaper elsewhere. A couple Torch readers pointed out that Kmart.com currently has this figure listed for $12.48 with free shipping.

(10-14). Toys R Us Exclusive Best of PPV Corporate Kane Build a Figure Series. Mattel’s Toys R Us exclusive build a figures have been a hit with collectors since the company introduced the concept to wrestling collectors in 2011. This particular set has been huge, mostly because many collectors haven’t been able to find these figures in stores yet. This set includes four wrestlers who played key roles at WrestleMania 30: Daniel Bryan (with WWE and World Heavyweight Title belts), John Cena, Bray Wyatt, and The Undertaker.

Each figure comes with a piece of Corporate Kane, such as head and torso, legs and arms. Collectors who buy all four can assemble their own Corporate Kane action figure. The suggested retail price is $23.99 per figure, but most eBay auctions have been ending at around $50 per figure, or $200-225 for the four - plus all the pieces needed to build Kane.

Follow PWTorch Collectibles Specialist Michael Moore on Twitter @MMooreWriter .

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