By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

In Brief: After his Raw match against John Cena, expect interest to surge in Sami Zayn’s collectibles.

And just like that, Sami Zayn is a superstar.

After playing the lovable underdog character perfectly in NXT for more than two years, Zayn brought his character up to the main roster on the May 4 edition of Raw. Zayn put in a valiant fight but ultimately lost to top star John Cena.

Zayn has created a substantial buzz over the last year-and-a-half, ever since the introduction of the WWE Network exposed his talents to a larger audience. His appearance on Raw could mean even more interest in his trading cards, action figures and other memorabilia.




Trading Cards

Zayn, as El Generico, is featured on card #60 in the Missouri Wrestling Revival (MWR) trading card set. Originally offered for sale for just $1.50 at MissouriWrestlingRevival.com, this card has picked up steam over the past few months. In April, a copy of this card graded BGS 9 (mint) by Beckett Grading Services sold for $25 on eBay. One gem mint copy (BGS 9.5) is currently being offered on eBay for $65.

Just like the Tyler Black (a/k/a Seth Rollins) card from this set, which was previously covered HERE, card #60 of El Generico could get hot if Zayn really takes off in WWE.

Zayn’s first licensed WWE cards were released in the NXT Prospects insert set in both 2014 Topps WWE and 2014 Topps WWE Chrome. Both versions can be found for about $3 or less, but eBay listings for the Chrome version have dried up somewhat over recent weeks, and the card is getting tougher to find.

Another early card of Zayn’s to keep an eye on is card #180 in the 2014 Topps Attax WWE set. This gaming card set was distributed exclusively in the U.K., so this card is considerably tougher to find than Zayn’s other early Topps cards. It can usually be found for around $3, but keep in mind you’ll probably have to pay considerably more in shipping.




Keep in mind that Topps has not yet produced a certified autograph of Sami Zayn. There are some offered on eBay that sellers claim to have gotten in person. As always, be cautious when buying an autograph that doesn’t come with a COA from a reputable company. In Zayn’s case, he has a very distinct signature, so check any items against a certified autograph sold by WWE last year (more on that later).

Zayn is also being advertised as a big part of Topps’s 2015 Road to WrestleMania and 2015 WWE Undisputed products, which will be released this fall. His first relic and certified autograph cards will probably generate quite a bit of interest from collectors.

Action Figures, Autographs, and More

Zayn’s first Mattel WWE action figure is included in the brand new Basic Series 50 set. The figure has Zayn in black tights with red designs, along with one black and one red elbow pad. These figures have just started showing up in retail stores, so if you’re lucky you should be able to find one for under $10. If you have to order one from eBay, expect to pay between $25 and $30.

Following the success of the first live NXT special in 2014, WWE Shop began offering signed 8x10 photos of top NXT talent for $15 each, including Zayn, Paige, Adrian Neville and Emma. The Zayn pictures are long gone from WWE’s website. The only current auction for one of these signed photos on eBay is from a seller in the UK who is asking $60.74. The last completed listing for one of these signed 8x10s was back on April 15.




As an independent wrestler, Zayn was a marketing machine, selling El Generico masks, t-shirts, and other items online. Many of these items, along with DVDs from Dragon Gate USA, Evolve, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, and others, can still be found online.

PWTorch Collectibles specialist Michael Moore can be reached at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MMooreWriter.

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