By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

In Brief: C.M. Punk has consistently been the most popular wrestler among toy collectors since Mattel released its first series of WWE figures in 2010.

The most talked about wrestler of 2014 hasn’t even stepped into a wrestling ring since January.
C.M. Punk’s departure from WWE and his explosive interview with Colt Cabana over Thanksgiving weekend - not to mention everything in between - kept fans talking, wondering, and guessing. Meanwhile, collectors kept on buying. Punk’s figures got white hot in 2011 and his scarcest figures have held their value.

Punk’s WWE career has been preserved in action figure form by Mattel (and, to a lesser extent, Jakks Pacific). Here’s a look at five historically significant Punk figures, from his first in 2006 to likely his last in 2014.

(1) 2006 Jakks Pacific ECW Series 1 C.M. Punk. The former indie darling debuted with WWE in mid-2006, and had his first action figure by the end of the year. This figure has Punk in yellow trunks and black boots, with long scraggly hair and both hands wrapped in white tape.

Many of Punk’s Jakks figures are indistinguishable from one another, so there isn’t much demand. If you’re looking for Punk’s very first action figure, you can probably find a mint-on-card toy for $15-20, or a loose figure for under $5.




(2) 2010 Mattel WWE Elite Series 1. Punk was included in the first series of Elite figures when Mattel took over the WWE toy line in January 2010. This figure has Punk in blue shorts and comes with a removable black T-shirt with a picture of Punk’s taped fists.

This figure got hot right about the same time Punk did in June 2011 and has become a very tough figure to find. Mint-on-card figures have sold recently from $135 to $250, and loose figures with the shirt and display stand usually sell in the $40-60 range.




(3) 2011 Mattel WWE Elite Ringside Collectibles Exclusive Straight Edge Society. Talk about perfect timing. Ringside Collectibles began advertising the figure in the spring of 2011 and released it just weeks before Punk’s career-changing pipebomb promo in June 2011. This exclusive figure has Punk at his Straight Edge Society best, with removable lucha-style mask, a towel to cover his head and a sling for his arm.

The figure was an instant success and has only increased in value and popularity since. The figure originally retailed for about $30 exclusively at ringsidecollectibles.com. Today on the secondary market, mint-on-card figures usually sell in the $150-175 range, and loose figures with all accessories usually fetch right around $100.




(4) 2012 Mattel WWE Elite Series 16. Punk showed up to the 2011 Money in the Bank pay-per-view in Chicago sporting black tights with red stars and blue and white highlights, along with a brand new “Best in the World” t-shirt that quickly became the hottest shirt in wrestling.

This figure captures that moment, which was arguably the hottest of Punk’s career. Recent sales for mint-on-card figures have been in the $35-50 range, with loose figures (with t-shirt) usually selling for $25.




(5) 2014 Mattel WWE Elite Series 29. Punk’s most recent figure hit retail shelves this fall. Given his comments on Colt Cabana’s podcast, there’s a good chance this may be his last WWE action figure. Mattel captured the look Punk sported after returning from hiatus in the summer of 2013, with muttonchops and a removable blue hoodie. This figure is in stores now, with a suggested retail price of $18-20.




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

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