COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: Looking at Cards, Figures, and Other Collectibles of Dynamite Kid

The Dynamite Kid was one of the most revolutionary figures in wrestling history, in many ways changing how wrestling matches are presented in the U.S., Japan, Europe and elsewhere. His out-of-the-ring behavior aside, Dynamite’s impact on the business was evident after his passing, when just about every wrestling pundit with a podcast, website or Twitter account talked about his influence on pro wrestling.

Not surprisingly, Dynamite’s collectibles experienced an increase in value after his death. With his name in the news and his legacy the talk of the wrestling world, sales of his action figures, trading cards, autobiography and other items spiked.

Here’s a look at some of Dynamite Kid’s key collectibles, dating from 1982 to 2018.

Action Figures

Like many wrestlers from his era, Dynamite’s first action figure came from LJN’s WWF Wrestling Superstars line. Dynamite’s figure was sold singularly in Series 3 and in a British Bulldogs two-pack with Davey Boy Smith in 1986. The figure has Dynamite with his right arm raised and decked out in dark red tights with the word “Bulldogs” down the left side, along with black kneepads and two-color red and blue boots.

Dynamite’s figure is a pretty common one, so it’s not tough to find. Depending on the condition, collectors should expect to pay anywhere from a couple bucks to $20. Finding a packaged figure, however, is much more challenging. There have been no Bulldogs two-packs on eBay in the last 90 days, and single Series 3 packaged figures of Dynamite have sold anywhere from $500 to $1,000.

Dynamite also had a few figures from Jakks Pacific’s Classic WWE Superstars line in the mid-2000s. His Classic Superstars Series 20 figure is probably the easiest to find, usually for around $10-$20 packaged and $10 or less loose. That particular figure has Dynamite in red tights with an old WWF tag belt. His Classic Superstars Series 24 figure is more popular and a little more expensive, usually fetching $20-$30 packaged and $10-$15 loose. The Series 24 figure has Dynamite in red tights covered by blue trunks and wearing a British Bulldogs shirt. Dynamite also has a Deluxe Classic Superstars Series 8 figure that has him in red tights and sells for $30-$40 packaged and $15-$20 loose.

In addition, Jakks made a British Bulldogs two-pack in its Classic WWE Superstars line that has become a favorite of collectors. The two-pack has Davey Boy and Dynamite in matching white tights covered by blue trunks, and comes with a figure of Matilda the bulldog and one WWF tag belt. Sales of this two-pack have been extremely volatile since Dynamite’s passing, selling for as high as $100. If you’re patient and wait until things calm down, you should be able to find both figures loose for $25, or packaged for closer to $50.

Trading Cards

Dynamite appeared in several BBM New Japan Pro Wrestling trading card sets over the years. His BBM trading cards date back to at least 1982, when the company produced a card of a very young looking Dynamite in a silver jacket. BBM also produced one of the saddest wrestling cards ever when it included Dynamite in its 1996 set. That card shows a painfully thin Dynamite Kid practically unrecognizable, wearing a black vest and silver tights with the Union Jack on the side. Most of Dynamite’s BBM trading cards aren’t particularly expensive, but can be very difficult to find.

Dynamite appeared on a few Topps WWF trading cards as well. The British Bulldogs were pictured on card #6 in the 1985 O-Pee-Chee WWF Pro Wrestling Stars Series 2 set, which was essentially the Canadian version of the more widely available U.S. release, but with more cards. Series 2 is much scarcer than the first series, and because of this, the Bulldogs card can at times be tough to find, but usually doesn’t cost more than a few bucks. Dynamite also appeared on a few different cards in Topps’ 1987 WWF set.

Most recently, Dynamite appeared in a few different wrestling and multi-sport sets from Leaf Trading Cards. His first autographs appeared in 2014 Leaf Originals Wrestling, which is his most popular trading card. It features an on-card autograph on a smaller size trading card; there are plenty of different color variations serial numbered to differing amounts, along with a short-printer alternate art version that shows Dynamite with long hair. The price varies depending on the color and serial number, but if you’re looking to pick one of these up, be prepared to spend $25-$30 on a base autograph, and go up from there.

Dynamite’s autograph also appeared in 2015 Leaf Legends of Sport and 2016 Leaf Signature Series Wrestling, both of which feature sticker autographs instead of on-card autos. Though not quite as popular as the 2015 Leaf Originals card, these cards are still popular with collectors, particularly after Dynamite’s passing. In addition, Dynamite’s autograph will be included in 2018 Leaf Legends of Wrestling, scheduled for a January 2019 release.

Other Items

Copies of Dynamite’s autobiography, “Pure Dynamite,” can be found on sites like eBay and Amazon. Prices vary depending on the edition of the book and whether it has been signed, but most basic copies have been fetching $15-$20 in recent weeks.

Signed 8×10 photos of the Dynamite Kid can be found through a variety of different retailers; just be sure to look for a trusted authenticator such as PSA/DNA, Beckett or Leaf. Most certified signed 8x10s can be found for $40-$75.

NOW CHECK OUT THE PRIOR COLUMN: COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: Collectors Showing New Love for Older Mattel WWE Legends Figures