Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtley Awesome Toys
If ever turtle fans were looking to find all their original toys in perfect condition, then they had their chance last month. If they missed out, then it’s time to search through Mom and Dad’s attic yet again. During the final week in November, at the Wessex Auction Rooms in Wiltshire, a collection of 150 TMNT figures – in original, mint condition packaging – were auctioned off for 5,200 British pounds, or roughly U.S. $7,900.
Coming from the collection of a former toyshop owner, the figures were some of the first to be shipped to the United Kingdom from the United States. “He was the only person to get the original run of these turtle figures in the whole country and he said he made an absolute killing through them,” said auctioneer Tim Weeks. Once bigger stores started getting the toys in stocks, though, the collector in question stuck his inventory in storage, and let it rest for nearly 20 years.
Some of the toys in the collection included the basic turtles, but rarer figures, such as Muckman, were also sold (and for a seemingly heftier price, since no one bought it in the ‘80s). The entire lot was expected to sell for somewhere around 4,000 British pounds, but the increased value most certainly came from the condition of the collectibles. However, Mr. Weeks assured fans that any TMNT toy could potentially sell: “Having them in their original packaging does help, but even if they’re loose you can still get good money for them.”
What’s perhaps the most interesting thing to note in this collection is the packaging itself. When the 1987 cartoon was imported overseas, the U.K. was a major culprit in censoring certain aspects of the franchise, specifically replacing the word “ninja” with the word “hero”. However, it seems this issue was applied strictly to the TV show, as the toys sold sported the real name, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, on their packaging.
While not every fan will be able to run out and turn a tidy profit on their old toys, it is reassuring to know that the action figures are still appreciated, and that buyers are willing to do whatever it takes to add the plastic pieces nostalgia to their collections. With the series’ popularity still on the rise and showing no signs of slowing, more lots like this one are sure to pop up, so there’s no need to worry if this one slipped by eager buyers.