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In the world of vintage toy collecting, it is usually the smallest details that end up making the difference between an item selling for a few hundred dollars or several thousands. Masters of the Universe toys have plenty of examples of this, including a recent eBay auction that saw four classic figures sell for roughly the same price as a single He-Man figure.
Masters of the Universe recently saw a renewed interest thanks to the character finally making a return to the big screen after almost 30 years, but the classic animated series and the toys that it promoted will always be king of the franchise when it comes to collectors’ pieces. Naturally, among the many characters that appeared in the show, He-Man and Skeletor remain the ones that can usually bring the most money at auction. That is why a set comprising of those two characters, along with their faithful beasts, Battle Cat and Panthor, could have sold for double the amount. The reason it didn’t is about the box.
The detail that could have turned a $4,000 sale into a $10,000 one is something that non-collectors would not even notice. When Mattel launched Masters of the Universe in 1982, the first wave consisted of just eight figures: He-Man, Skeletor, Man-At-Arms, Mer-Man, Stratos, Teela, Beast Man and Zodac. On the reverse of these figures, the box displayed all eight available characters on what has become known as “8-back” packaging. Subsequent releases of these figures featured 12 characters as more had joined the collection by the time the reissues were released. Effectively, an “8-back” is the earliest release of any Masters of the Universe figures, which adds substantially to their value.
Masters of the Universe’s Success Devalued Re-Issues
As the line exploded in popularity, Mattel did not only update the packaging but also ramped up the production runs. The re-issued wave one figures released in 1983 alongside the latest wave were produced in larger quantities. That is a double whammy in collectors’ terms, reducing the value of these for not being the earliest release and for having many more out there in the world.
That is exactly what happened in this recent auction. In May, an “8-back” He-Man figure, sealed in its original box, sold for $4,5000. Just over a week ago, the set of four figures, including “12-back” sealed figures, ended on $4,052. If the He-Man and Skeletor included in the set had been from the original release it is fair to assume that they would have easily pushed the total value over $10,000.
Considering the original He-Man toys cost very little back in the early 80s, several thousand dollars for a set of four is still a strong result and nothing to be balked at. It is, though, a perfect lesson in how vintage toy values really work. Condition, completeness and character all matter enormously, but the small details that define the exact production run are what really define the amounts some collectors will pay for vintage items. One sealed He-Man may be the same as another to most people, but if you don’t know your “8-back” from your “12-back” you could easily make a costly mistake if selling one.
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