5 - Tonka WWF Wrestling Buddies
In 1990 ads for Tonka's WWF Wrestling Buddies were prominent in every media outlet I consumed as a 4-year-old child. There were less than 10 of these available, but Tonka made sure they got the biggest stars in the WWF, such as: The Macho Man, Hulk Hogan, Ted Dibiase, The Ultimate Warrior, Big Boss Man, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and the tag team duo Legion of Doom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XllxxslzkGU
If they had made a Shawn Michaels buddy, I would have begged my dad to get it for me. These have become a collectible piece, especially when they're still in their box. In May 2023 an Ultimate Warrior, still in box, sold for $825 on eBay. That same month an out of the box Legion of Doom sold for $449.99. However not all of the prices are this high -- in fact, most prices I've seen fall between $180 - $250, depending on which buddy you have.
WCW also had their version of the Wrestling Buddy with Toy Max's Wrestling Champs. Kids could get Wrestling Champs of Lex Lugor, Ric Flair, Sid Vicious, Sting, and a UK version of Sting and Rick Steiner. These don't go for as much as their WWF counterparts -- most out-of-the-box Champs sell for under $100 on eBay.
4 - WCW Fly Buddies
During the height of the Monday Night Wars, WCW and WWF released a slew of merchandise to capitalize on wrestling's newfound popularity. Some toys remain iconic and easy to find, while others are much harder to locate. WCW's Fly Buddies were balls you could throw around. They were shaped like wrestlers such as Sting, Hollywood Hulk Hogan, and The Giant. These are harder to find and don't pop up regularly on auction sites. If you can find one, hang on to it.
3 - ECW Accessories Pack
Extreme Championship Wrestling certainly lived up to its namesake during its initial tenure. With Paul Heyman at the helm, this promotion became one of the largest in the 1990s, but would inevitably be swallowed whole by WWE. ECW has since gained cult status, and lives on in the hearts of fans that experienced ECW during its heyday.
During the height of the promotion various toys were produced, including two accessory packs -- filled with chairs, tables, trashcans, and more -- that standard-size wrestling action figures could use in a match. While toy furniture is nothing new, this is one of the first times toy furniture was designed to be used as weapons during playtime.
These are also harder to come by in auction houses. A basic accessories set that was still new in its blister pack sold for $29.99 on eBay in June 2023.
4 - LJN WWF Wrestling Superstar Sling 'Em-Fling 'Em Wrestling Ring
When you hear the name LJN you likely think of any number of terrible video games the company produced. But LJN was also making some of the best toys from he 1980s, such as this WWF action figure ring that has ropes that could sling a figure across the mat. Released in 1985, this toy ring has since become a real collectors item.
On eBay, an unused in-the-box example sold for $2,999 in June 2023. In April 2023 another complete in box example sold for $810. Many vintage toy wrestling rings can be worth serious money, so if you find one in the wild for a good price, it might be worth buying!
5 - LJN WWF Wrestling Superstars Figures
While almost every promotion worldwide has action figures, a select few become treasured collector's pieces. LJN's WWF Wrestling Superstars line saw a handful of series lines, and even included bendable figures at one point. Series 1 included superstars such as Andre the Giant, Junk Yard Dog, Hulk Hogan, the Iron Sheik, and Rowdy Roddy Piper.
The line had a total of 6 series' included, with many figures commanding serious money. In July 2023 a series 6 Hulk Hogan brand new on the blister pack figure sold for $1,899. In May 2023 a series 3 Macho Man brand new on the blister pack sold for $885.
