By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

In Brief: Sting's first action figure from 1990 is an affordable piece of nostalgia.




- Action Figure Spotlight #32: Sting Galoob WCW Series 1
- Originally released: 1990
- What you can expect to pay: $3-5 loose, $15-25 packaged
- Recent sales: $2.25, $3.98, $7.99 (loose); $19.99, $22.99, $25.00 (packaged)

Sting has been popular with wrestling fans for just about 25 years, ever since he broke free from Eddie Gilbert’s stable and became a fan favorite in the UWF in 1987. Ever since then, his colorful facepaint and flashy ring gear have made him one of the most recognizable stars in wrestling to both regular and casual fans.

Galoob was the first toy company to capitalize on Sting’s marketability when the company released the first WCW figures. The line included the first figures of many WCW and NWA stars, including Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, Barry Windham, Sid Vicious, and others. The figures were solid plastic and immobile, much like LJN’s WWF Wrestling Superstars figures several years earlier.

The figures first hit retail store shelves in early 1990s just as Sting’s first reign as WCW World champion was coming to an end. The first series included two figures, one in blue tights and one in orange. Each was sold individually and also in a tag team two-pack with Lex Luger.

Large quantities were released and subsequently marked down at retailers like Kay Bee Toys. Today, they can be found in abundance on the secondary market, usually selling for $3-5 loose and $10-15 packaged.

Galoob released two more Sting figures in the U.K. that are considerably more valuable today, one in black tights and one in ring entrance gear. Toy company OSFTM began releasing similar Sting figures as a part of its WCW line beginning in 1995. Toy Biz took over production of WCW figures in the late 1990s, producing Sting figures with more points of articulation.

The most notable Sting figures from his time in WCW were included in the “Evolution of Sting” box set from Toy Biz. This set included six figures of Sting that depicted how his look had changed over the years, from his breakout match with Ric Flair in 1988 to the Crow-inspired Sting of the Monday Night War era, and also including the black and red Wolf-Pac Sting.

Fans then had to wait more than a decade for a modern era Sting toy. Jakks-Pacific released a popular Sting toy in its first Deluxe Impact series in 2010 and has since produced several more that have captured Sting’s look over his career.

If you’re looking for a toy of Sting, there are plenty out there. But for longtime fans and collectors, the old Galoob figure has a certain charm to it that can’t be replicated.

Ringside Collectibles Offers First Austin Aries Figure

After more than a decade in pro wrestling, Austin Aries is getting his first action figure. Jakks-Pacific is producing a TNA Deluxe Impact figure of Aries, which will be available exclusively at ringsidecollectibles.com. The figure will come with a pink vest and X Division title, and will be available in August. More images and information can be found here - http://bit.ly/KBUJnn

Do you have a question or a story about wrestling collectibles? Contact Michael Moore at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com.

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