Wrestling MarketWatch: The American Wrestling Association

I'm flat tired out of WrestleMania! Too much of a good thing, at least the glory days. Since that's all we've been talking about here on the blog lately, let's move on. Well, not quite onward, but back to the past as usual. Instead of the bright lights of the World Wrestling Federation it's time to look at another popular wrestling entity of the 1980's. This one that, aside from a bleak final year and change, pretty much had its last stand in the '80s. Of course we're talking about Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association. As a kid, doing my research, I once felt that "everyone" came from the AWA originally. I was half right. Most huge stars did have at least a cup of coffee there. In this edition of MarketWatch we'll look at the recent selling prices of some items that reflect the era, the promotion and its stars.

*Many of the items from '80s AWA represent the brief partnership between the AWA and Jim Crockett Promotions: Pro Wrestling USA. Though the alliance didn't last, it was a key effort to try and battle the now-national WWF. They certainly had the wrestling talent to be competition. In Remco's initial AWA action figure offering a two-pack was produced featuring Larry Zbyszko against "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Who wouldn't have wanted a Flair figure back then? I consider this set to be one of the cornerstones of the beloved Remco figure line and thankfully for collectors it's one of the easiest to locate. Carded examples have recently sold for between $189-$249.

*That Pro Wrestling USA partnership spawned several "supershows" in regular WWF strongholds. In 1985 one such show, Star Wars, was held at East Rutherford, New Jersey's Meadowlands Arena. Flair, Sgt. Slaughter, Rick Martel and The Road Warriors were just a few examples of the talent on the lineup. An audience of 12,000 fans saw Stan Hansen dethrone Martel for the AWA World Championship in the main event. A program possibly purchased by one of those fans back in 1985 recently sold for $25.

*The AWA certainly had hopes of becoming what the World Wrestling Federation was slowly blooming into and to prove it they distributed a high-quality press kit in the early 1980's. This is interesting as even the WWF itself hadn't released such a full press kit as of yet. While some of the claims printed within are dubious to say the least, it certainly paints the AWA in a glorious light. We've taken a deeper look at this treasure before both in a vlog last year and here on the blog. The rather rare kit recently sold for $230.

*While the WWF had WrestleMania and the NWA had Starrcade, AWA had big shows of its own. SuperClash and WrestleRock would be at the top of that list. WrestleRock '86, though somewhat disjointed at times. is visually fun to watch (especially once they're smart enough to move the fans inward for the sake of the cameras) and overall an enjoyable show. You can watch it on Peacock and it doesn't appear that the PC Police which have gotten to other WWE-owned content on the streaming service have bothered to watch this one yet. I'd love to have gotten a glimpse at the merchandise stands at this show because it would be fun to see what all was sold. A bandana from the event recently sold for $82.

*Finally, from the fabled Mat Mania series, comes "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers. For those unaware, the first few Remco AWA figure series were comprised of two and three packs such as the Flair-Zbyszko set above. When the final series was released it was made up of Somers, Buddy Rose, Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty, Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie, Nord The Barbarian and Boris Zhukov all on single "Mat Mania" cards. Referee Dick Woehrle, Ric Flair, Paul Ellering and Nick Bockwinkel were also re-released as part of the series. The "Pretty Boy," loose and complete with jacket, recently sold for $225.

All of these items are a reminder that the WWF wasn't the only wrestling league with marketing back in the '80s. The selling prices are a testament to the popularity that the promotion and its stars still have. We'll be getting new AWA merchandise this year with the first ever figure of Verne Gagne. Now if we can get that Remco-styled '80s version...

"I Have Returned!"--Paul Ellering

Thirty-five years is a long time. I barely remember that many years ago. Although I remember a few things, I can't say that I remember the Remco AWA figure line that far back. If I did I'd remember the debut of "Precious" Paul Ellering as an action figure. Despite stints in the top wrestling promotions of the world, it's taken that amount of time for the legendary manager to see another figure. But two heads are better than one. Taking that into consideration, in a way we now have three individual looks of Mr. Ellering immortalized in plastic. Enter the latest Mattel WWE Build-A-Figure series.

Each year Mattel introduces several series of figures under the WrestleMania banner. There are usually Elites, Basics, and some multipacks. The packaging of these figures usually features the upcoming WrestleMania logo. Probably due to the uncertainty of the theming and just exactly how WrestleMania will go down in 2021, for the Mania-branded figures this year we get a variation on the classic logo of yesteryear. Similar to last year, the Elite offerings include a new "Build-A-Figure" designed to get you to "Collect 'em All." Who is it? You guessed it. Paul Ellering. But instead of just classic Road Warriors-era Ellering, we also get his more modern look which was originally slated to be released in the now-defunct NXT line. Works for me!

The four wrestlers needed this year to build the fifth figure are Goldberg, Edge, Shawn Michaels and Chyna in what is only her second Mattel appearance. Each figure includes a different piece to build Ellering, and Chyna also includes the "dummy" mascot of the Legion of Doom, the infamous Rocco. Unlike last year where an unnecessary set of extra hands came with one of the figures, for Ellering you will need to pick up all four figures to complete the Wall Street Journal-reading manager.

The packaging is in the same shape as other recent Elite releases, but the color scheme makes it a lot more appealing to me, as does the logo. The Ellering parts are well hidden in most cases, but you can still see them if you look close enough. I don't see them being an issue for carded collectors or those looking to get three of the four (only, sadly) signed. That "authentic" logo that's beginning to plague the regular Elite releases isn't here and the hologram is on the back. The "True FX" logo has made its way back down onto the bubble. Couldn't it have stayed away?

The lineup is a bit surprising. Seeing as that Chyna has only had an online release in a two-pack, I'm rather surprised to see her debut in a line like this. It's a pleasant surprise, though, as this is the Chyna release that I personally wanted. Edge is a unique look that to my knowledge hasn't been done before. Shawn Michaels has been partially made in this look, but I don't recall the entrance gear being available before. Goldberg is Goldberg and we'll get to that in a bit. What ties the four together is that these are all looks that the star was seen in at a past WrestleMania. This isn't Ellering's WrestleMania VIII look, but he's the bonus.

Speaking of Ellering, let's tackle him first. The prototype showed the figure with an open coat. The latest word is that there will be a running change and that the original look will be available. It's sort of hard to see the torso in the packaging, so who knows how easy this will be to find if it comes to pass. I'm fine with the closed jacket. The heads here are amazing, though the modern one is mind blowing and in the category of "scary good" along with the Survivor Series Jeff Hardy figure from a few years ago. I had no issue getting the parts to stick, though a friend of mine had an issue with one arm as I did with JJ Dillon and Mean Gene. Rocco in toy form is an absolute kick. If you aren't over the hate by now, it's long beyond time for you to be. He easily ranks among my favorite Mattel accessories right alongside Mine and the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy. Sunglasses and a rolled newspaper would've been nice, but those can be replicated. Rocco is unique.

I have the least to say about Shawn Michaels and Chyna. The Heartbreak Kid is usually a character that I only get in sets like this, for example his Commissioner Build-A-Figure and his release with The Heartbreak Hotel set. His figures from this era never miss as far as looks. Mattel gets all the little nuances and details down pat. Even as someone who isn't his biggest fan, I do appreciate the figures. Chyna is just as I would've imagined. It burns me to say that this version is better than Jakks (which I'm proud to have personally autographed), but it's been nearly two decades since the latter release. Times change as do figure making techniques. 

Goldberg is a disappointment. I do believe that it was said that "Oldberg" (simply an easy way to describe the era of the figure, nothing more) wouldn't be done as an Elite again after his inclusion with the Raw ring, though no one could've predicted that he would have come back for yet another run or two. I happened to pick up that ring in a spectacular deal on Amazon awhile back, so I can provide a comparison. While the body is relatively the same, the scans literally look like two different people. The winner? The Raw ring figure by a mile. But if you passed on the ring, here you go. The blue WWE Universal championship which is included will be a draw.

My sleeper favorite here is none other than Edge. The wrestler himself has actually been mentioned very few times here on the blog, as he was never one of my favorites. I've enjoyed smatterings of him here and there, but I've definitely never been an "Edgehead." I've seen some criticisms of this figure, but it honestly blows me away. I think if Edge had worn this attire all of the time he may have been higher on my list. It makes him look like a tough guy. The beige bat (finally!) accessory greatly helps. It's also fun that this figure is a "sequel" of sorts to last years Build-A-Figure set, as the Mick Foley from that series was Edge's opponent in the match reflected with this figure.

Highest marks for this set across the board. While a few of the figures wouldn't have been my top choices, we have a look that I wanted (Chyna), a look that I wasn't aware I wanted until it was in my hand (Edge), and a Build-A-Figure of a character (and accessory) that I never imagined would see the light of day. The series should be hitting stores in early 2021, but you can order them in time for holiday gift-giving, even already at sale pricing if you're lucky.

Alright Mattel, let's get the rights to Hawk and Animal back and we're in business. What a rush!

Wrestling MarketWatch: The Road Warriors

Longtime readers know that when it comes down to tag teams with face paint, I'm pretty biased. In fact with tag teams in general I'm beyond biased. I am a Demolition guy. Aside from paint and the era in which they came, I honestly never saw much similarities between Demolition and The Road Warriors. Are Sting and The Ultimate Warrior the same just because they both wore face paint in the '80s and '90s? Not at all. That being said, as much of a Demolition fan as I am, I have always been thoroughly entertained by the LOD, as well, and greatly respect what they did for the business.

As of press time we have just recently mourned the passing of Road Warrior Animal. It's time to look back on a small sampling of the merchandise created in the images of Animal, Hawk, and manager Paul Ellering. While a few items may have seen a slight inflation over their regular market value, I think that you'll notice relative stability seeing as that merchandise of "the boys" is usually in high demand regardless.

*For many fans their love affair with the team began with their first action figures. They, of course, came courtesy of Remco and the American Wrestling Association in 1985. Originally Hawk and Animal came sold in a two-pack. It was later expanded to a three-pack by including Paul Ellering. The trio has great accessories and are still the best figure representations of the early days of the Legion of Doom. Although Mattel has promised us that this will change next year, this is still the only released figure of Ellering. The figure was later re-released singly as part of the infamous "Mat Mania" line. The threesome is averaging $100 loose and complete, which isn't too far out of the ordinary for figures that many consider to be highlights of the series.

*Sticking with early LOD we've got what is probably their best remembered magazine cover appearance. The Pro Wrestling Illustrated issue from March 1984 was not only the "year end" issue for 1983, but also a true iconic moment for Hawk and Animal. The cover may proclaim them "Tag Team of the Year" but the combination of their unique look and the incredible photography (horror lighting, anyone?) made sure that no one would forget them even thirty-six years after hitting the newsstands. In what may be a record for the issue it recently sold for $70. This could be the one price listed in this entry that is higher solely from Animal's passing.

*The Road Warriors competed nearly everywhere, but many fond memories stem from their time with the NWA and Jim Crockett Promotions. The underrated memorabilia produced by JCP has long been celebrated in this blog and you may recall seeing many of those southern stars plastered on bandanas. The first one that I owned featured none other than Hawk and Animal. There are actually several designs featuring the tag team, but the one shown here has been selling for an average of $50. Considering how high these bandanas can go, it's actually a fair price.

*Even after Road Warrior Hawk's passing, Animal continued to venture in pro wrestling. He returned to the big time in the mid-2000's with another run in WWE. He still looked good and I was always pleased to see him continue to take part in the business. The company tried to utilize him in several different ways, though he was ultimately released in 2006. Several action figures were born out of this run as were trading cards and promotional photos. His solo promotional photo from this run, complete with the classic face paint and spiked shoulder pads, recently sold autographed for $20. 

*Ending as we started with action figures, we now look at what are probably their best remembered pair. In the ever popular Hasbro line The Legion of Doom was represented in what turned out to be the second and final series of tag team two-packs. The other set, The Nasty Boys, saw manufacturing problems thus causing Hasbro to send LOD-only cases to retailers early on. The Nasty Boys pack was the single Hasbro WWF item that I never saw at retail. Many other fans encountered the same issue. Due to this, many of the over-shipped LOD two packs sat on clearance. This has done nothing to hurt their value or take away from the fact that they are fun figures. You may recall that the Hasbro Hawk even made a cameo appearance at their WWE Hall of Fame induction. The pair of loose figures has been selling for an average of $90.

Hawk and Animal may be gone physically, but their influence will assuredly always be felt in the world of professional wrestling...and its merchandise. What else is there to say? What a rush!

Wrestling MarketWatch: Trending Upwards

Like any form of collectible, wrestling memorabilia goes up and down in price as time goes on.  Some items will simply never drop in value while others have gone from amazing heights to being practically worthless in a monetary sense.  It's all about timing as well as trends in both collecting and the wrestling industry.  Even events ranging from the latest developments on wrestling television programming to unfortunate passings can have an effect.

While I always preach that what really matters is why an item is valuable to YOU, it's always interesting to look at how much, or how little, some of these items have been selling for.  For those of you new to the blog, this is the latest installment in our longest-running regular feature that we call Wrestling MarketWatch.

This time around we'll be looking at a handful of items that have had rather surprising selling prices as of late.  These are items that were selling for less just a short time ago.  We'll also try and analyze just why these particular items have seen their demand rise.  Enough chatter, let's get to the goods...

*Pre-recorded media is always an interesting topic as far as monetary value.  While the layman will dismiss VHS tapes as being antiquated and worthless, prices for many of those are as high as they were a decade ago.  DVD has largely followed in the same path, but it seems like a relatively common disc will suddenly become "hot" every couple of months.

In 2002, the WWF re-released several "Attitude Era" videos on VHS and DVD as the "WWF Attitude Collection."  At the time the releases sat on the shelves and were relatively unpopular.  Obviously this has changed.  For one thing, the "Attiude Era" is suddenly the top wrestling nostalgia period.  It being a prime selling point of the WWE '13 video game as well as an upcoming WWE DVD release will only further this.

Another factor is that DVD material from before the "WWE" rebranding with the unblurred WWF logo has always been highly sought after.  These "Attitude Collection" DVDs were released just before the changeover, thus cementing them into that niche.  Although several compilation titles were released under this banner, Unforgiven 1998 was one of the few pay-per-views that made the cut.  This title recently sold for $53 with some of the others going for as much as $150!

*Event programs are some of my favorite wrestling collectibles.  If you've followed this blog long enough, you know that, as I do tend to feature them often.  The WrestleMania programs will always have a highly collectible shine, as there is no end in sight for the annual event.  Although some of the '90s WrestleMania programs have been selling at high prices for many years, examples from the earlier events had trouble selling at just $10 and $20 not long ago.

Times have changed and apparently so has demand.  Perhaps more collectors are trying to acquire all of the 'Mania programs (a few years did not have a program produced), especially since the ones from recent years have been widely available.  The program from 1985's inaugural WrestleMania has recently been selling from between $50 and $60.  With the iconic cover of Hulk Hogan and Mr. T and great photography inside of both the participants and guest celebrities, it's a publication worthy of any collection.

*1988's NWA trading card set by Wonderama is one of a few wrestling card collections that I will always declare to be underrated.  A wide array of names, a huge number of cards, and a design that really captures Jim Crockett Promotions in its final months add up to a great card set.

Putting together an entire set one-by-one is a difficult, but not impossible, task.  With nearly 350 cards it won't be easy.  Online sellers have had complete, mint, sets available for a few years now for just around $40.  Recently the price has doubled to around $80 per set.  Even at the current average, it's a fantastic deal for a card set that should only increase in value as the years go on.

*You will remember the name...and the action figure.  While plenty of Goldust action figures have been produced since the first in 1996, there will never be a nicer one than the one made by Jakks for their Classic Superstars line. 

Sold as an online retailer exclusive, the figure is clad in the character's trademark robe, wig, gold strap Intercontinental Championship, and is even in gold packaging.  Originally selling for around $25, demand has gone up with Goldust being released from WWE and being much more accessible for autographs.  Between $70 and $80 seems to be the current average, while just a few weeks ago the price had topped out at $100.

*Remco's AWA action figure line is another topic that frequently shows up here.  A favorite of many collectors, the AWA line features a legendary lineup and designs that include cloth clothing and various other accessories.  Obviously examples that have those often-lost accessories will command a higher price. 

The Road Warriors and Paul Ellering are among the most popular wrestlers in the line, however their figures were produced early in the run.  Figures from the last few series were produced in smaller numbers and therefore sell for more.  While Hawk, Animal, and Paul always did decently with their accessories included, a recent sale price of $100 for the trio is high above average.  To be considered complete, Hawk and Animal must have their studded collars, cloth chaps, and tag team belts while Ellering's "Road Warriors" shirt must be present as well.

A mix of items new and old that collectors are out hunting for.  I've said it before and I'll continue to say it: buy what YOU like...not what Joe Blow next door wants or has.  It'll pay off in the long run via the only thing that really matters...your enjoyment.