For as long as human civilization has existed, there have been those that love to gather collections. The contents of these collections have ranged from valuable trinkets to sentimental belongings. As the years progressed, the nature of collecting changed with the rise of new hobbies and obsessions. As pop culture became a driving force, new […]
Wheeljack’s Lab – Vintage Toy Blog
Follow this blog for the new, the unusual, the rare and cool Generation 1 G1 Transformers toys. Reviews, news, toy resources, galleries, unboxing, opinions and personal reflections on vintage toys.
The Ten Most Expensive Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Toys
Beginning as a cult hit in the comics scene, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was primed to take the world by storm in the 1980s. The idea behind these four teenagers formed when their creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird had a random inspiration while brainstorming. Eastman drew a single image of a masked turtle wielding […]
Ten Most Expensive StarCom Toys
Meeting the thirst for transforming, interactive toys, Coleco introduced StarCom: The U.S. Space Force to toy aisles in 1986. Unlike their competitors, Coleco decided to add a unique element to the play of their new toy line. Thus, each StarCom action figure came equipped with magnets on its feet. These magnets not only allowed them […]
The Ten Most Expensive ThunderCats Toys
In 1985, Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment introduced audiences to the plight of the ThunderCats and their fight to protect Third Earth. The story of ThunderCats could be traced back to a single dinner between Ted Wolf and his daughter, Janice Wolf, in 1981. The two enjoyed workshopping ideas like superheroes, so they brainstormed the various characters […]
The Ten Most Expensive Shogun Warriors Toys
Mattel introduced the Shogun Warriors to America in 1977. Unlike most of Mattel’s catalog, the American toy maker did not develop this toy line. Instead, they saw a popular trend from Japan, the love for giant robots in Tokusatsu, and felt that America would also embrace the robots. So, they licensed several popular toy brands […]
Moments in Toy History: Converting Japanese Toys into the Transformers
In 1984, Hasbro created history when they introduced the Transformers action figures to the market. With a powerful story and exciting gameplay, these toys captured the hearts of children across the planet. While Transformers made a huge splash, they were not the first toy to depict transforming robots. For instance, Banai created toys with basic […]
Moments in Toy History: Revisioning A Real American Hero, G.I. Joe
The story of G.I. Joe began in 1963 when Stanley Winston from Manhattan created his prototype for a military-themed action figure. From the moment that Donald Levine, an executive at Hasbro, set eyes on the prototype, he knew he saw a hit. Thus, Hasbro became the home of G.I. Joe for only the sum of […]
Moments in Toy History: How Mattel Gained the Power through He-Man
Since its founding in 1945, Mattel has been one of the most influential toy manufacturers in both the United States and the world. While one of their earliest creations was the Magic 8 Ball, which continues to entertain children and function as a paperweight, their largest toy line, Barbie, emerged in 1959. With the unrivaled […]
What toys should not get graded by the AFA/CGA, CAS, etc?
For decades, services like the AFA (Action Figure Authority), which is a part of the CGA (Collectible Grading Authority), and the CAS (Collector’s Archives Services) have helped to preserve toys from the past. These services have set a standard metric that measures the mint state of toys and other collectibles. So, collectors no longer rely […]
Moments in Toy History: The Story Behind Kenner Star Wars
For most who grew up in the 1970s, there was one major event that defined the decade: the release of Star Wars and the launch of Kenner’s toy line. While George Lucas did not create the first movie to be labeled a blockbuster, his science fiction epic became a phenomenon of its own. By utilizing […]