The 1980s! The decade where we got a glimpse of the future, and were amazed by its visions of flying cars, transforming trucks, and robots made of jungle animals. And while much is made of the music of the 1980s, it’s the toys of that era that have truly withstood the test of time. Hake’s Auctions has a variety of 1980s toys on the auction block this month, and they inspire dizzying levels of nostalgia, both for those who lived through it and those who wish they did. Check out some of the top items:
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (1986) – ETERNIA SERIES 5 PLAYSET AFA 70 EX+
Ah, Eternia – home of Snake Mountain, Castle Grayskull and a little-used monorail system that connects all three. Seriously, why did He-Man never take the monorail? It would have saved a lot of gas for the Air Raider and Sky Sled. Anyway, the Eternia playset’s monorail featured the Battle Tram, Sky Cage and Jet Pack Fighter, and all seem like perfectly acceptable, all-electric forms of transportation. This massive box was marked down to $70 back in 1986, but you’ll pay a little more for it today. Starting Bid: $5,000
TRANSFORMERS (1985) SERIES 1 – OPTIMUS PRIME AFA 85 NM+ (HASBRO/IGA MEXICAN RELEASE)
Mas de lo que ves! That means “More than Meets the Eye” in Spanish, more or less, and that’s what it says on the box of this Mexican release of Optimus Prime. Much more rare than the US release, this version replaces the Tech Specs chart on his filecard with a full Spanish biography, just one of the many little touches that makes this a collector’s must-have. Current Bid: $2,000
VOLTRON – DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE (1984) – PANOSH PLACE GIFT SET AFA 75 EX+/NM (WINDOW BOX)
Sure, you can gift someone a PART of Voltron, but then you need to know what lions they have, or which color is their favorite, or what body part they prefer to play with. Better to just gift them the full robot, with all five lions and a bevy of weapons. This gift set from 1984 is any kid’s (or adult’s) dream. Opening Bid: $1,000
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1988) – TURTLE BLIMP SERIES 1 VEHICLE AFA 85 NM+ (VIDEO GAME NOTICE)
You’ve gotta love the attitude rolling off the box for the Turtle Blimp by Playmates: “Blueprints included for easy-to-follow assembly. If you’re a know-it-all, chuck ‘em!” “Collect all the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle accessories… or else!” “We’re four wild and crazy guys!” Okay, that last one was likely cribbed straight from 1970s SNL episodes, but overall we’d say the copywriter deserves a raise for making a blimp sound like a fun time. To seal the deal, it comes with a joke book. Opening Bid: $1,000
THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS (1986) – FIRE STATION HEADQUARTERS SERIES 1 PLAYSET UKG 75%Q
With the firehouse making a new appearance in the latest Ghostbusters film, demand is sure to double for the original 1986 Firehouse action playset by Kenner. The only downside to owning this graded, 75% rated (opened but not played with) boxed set is that you can’t play with the working firepole, ghost trap, containment unit and Goop Grates. Sure you can see them all on the box, but that’s gotta be torture. Starting Bid: $1,000
M.A.S.K. (1985) – THUNDER HAWK SERIES 1 AFA 85 NM+ (SECOND RELEASE, LONG MASK)
While every MASK vehicle had its own appeal – the pickup, the semi, the motorcycle that turned into a helicopter – the most iconic was definitely the Thunder Hawk, a Camaro that turned into fighter jet. (Okay, “jet” is generous, it was really just a flying Camaro.) While this 1986 release spells out “Camaro” on the box for the first time, it also features some other minor differences from the 1985 release, not that anyone will be looking closely enough to care – they’ll be too busy admiring the picture of the flying Camaro. Starting Bid: $1,000
G.I. JOE WEAPON TRANSPORT PROTOTYPE VEHICLE
When was the last time you saw a prototype GI Joe vehicle? This all-grey model of the Weapon Transport is made of plastic and styrene, with part numbers labeled in marker. Sure, it’s missing a tire and has a few cracks in it, but this is a piece of history, a behind-the-scenes piece of an iconic American toy line. It’s your patriotic duty to place a bid, assuming you’re an American. If not, it’s still pretty darn cool. Starting Bid: $1,000
HONORABLE 1970s MENTION:
MEGO WORLD’S GREATEST SUPERHEROES (1976) – AQUAMAN CARDED FIGURE AFA 75 EX+/NM
The Mego Corporation is back, churning out pop-culture icons in the 8-inch scale on a regular basis, but they only recently regained the DC license at that scale, which they did so well with in the 1970s. This 1976 Aquaman is mint on card, with a clear blister and crisp green pants, and is one of only four examples graded by the AFA. Starting Bid: $2,000
HONORABLE 1960s MENTION:
GILBERT JAMES BOND 007 THUNDERBALL ACTION FIGURE IN BOX
While G.I. Joe was the first action figure, James Bond was hot on his trail! This 1965 Gilbert figure of James Bond as he appeared in Thunderball includes the likeness of Sean Connery, as well as a mask, snorkel and swim fins. Once you buy it, you have the right to remove the snorkel from the front of his pants, thereby avoiding awkward conversations. Starting Bid: $200
