How to Start Collecting Action Figures

If you’re wondering how to start a good collection, focus on your budget. I would say there are three main budgets: small, medium, and large. We will be covering all of them. Another thing is quality, but most big brand companies are expensive. And the last thing is the secondary market, which is when action figures go out of the market and then go on places like eBay, Amazon, or Facebook Marketplace. Those are the three main criteria we will use. 

 SMALL BUDGET 

To start collecting action figures on a small budget, we have to estimate how much you can spend a week. For this experiment, we will say 20-35 dollars a week (you can change this to your budget). Another thing we have to think about is which franchise, but for this example, we will do two, DC and Marvel (you can change this to your preference).

WEEK 1

We will have to buy bootlegs and more affordable figures for our small budget. Personally, I would buy the Batman DC Multiverse reborn Batman ($25) and the Hasbro Ben Reilly Spiderman retro ($10).

WEEK 3

We skipped a week for a money break, so I would say we have 50 dollars to spend. I would buy the DC Direct Superman Our Worlds at War Action figure ($18) and the mess toys black suit neighbor ($30).  

WEEK 5

We skipped another day, so we have 50 dollars again. I would get the DC Direct Wonder Woman Action Figure ($30) and the Hasbro Marvel Legends 20th Anniversary Series Iron Man Action Figure ($17).

WEEK 7

To spend $50, I would get the DC Multiverse The Flash Movie Action Figure ($20) and the Hasbro Marvel Legends Secret Wars Wolverine Action Figure ($22).

MEDIUM BUDGET

To start a collision on a medium budget, you will have to buy more expensive figures and/or more figures. We have a weekly budget of $80. And we will use DC and Marvel for this ensemble.

WEEK 1

I would get the Marvel Legends Cyclops and Jean Grey Action Figure 2-Pack ($65) and the DC Build-A Wave 14 Batman Justice League Task Force Action Figure ($20).

WEEK 2

I would get the DC Multiverse Aquaman Justice League Action Figure ($12) and Marvel Legends Wolverine and Storm Action Figure ($58).

WEEK 4

I skipped a week, so I have $140, so I would get Family Matters 3 pack ($138).

WEEK 5

I would get DC Direct Gaming Batman & Mutant Leader Comic Book 2-Pack ($15) and MAFEX Gambit Comic Ver. ($30) and Marvel Select Colossus ($35).

WEEK 7

We skip another week for $140 again. So finally, for medium budget, I would get DC Multiverse Flash vs. Titano Action Figure 2-Pack ($70) and Hasbro Marvel Legends Maximum Series Hulk Figure ($70).

LARGE BUDGET

Suppose you have a large budget of 90-300+ dollars. In that case, you can start getting into the bigger brands like Revoltech, Mafex, Hot Toys, Mezco Play Arts Kai and any other third party companies. You should start by first collecting characters that you are familiar with or that you like, then you can start branching off of those figures with ones in the same franchise, completing the set or anything that has to do with that figure.

WEEK 1

I would start with MAFEX and Revoltech, then I would buy Classic Spider-Man 185 MAFEX, and for DC, I would buy MAFEX Hush Batman, both are around $90-120. For Revoltech, I would buy the new Batman Beyond, and for Marvel, I would buy Deadpool 2.5. They’re usually $100-120.

Week 2

Then I would buy any Mezco or 3rd party cloth goods companies

such as Mezco Classic Spider-Man, or Mezco Superman Man, and Mezco Wonder Woman; these figures are anywhere from $100 to $200.

WEEK 3

I would start with Hot Toys or other 3rd party ⅙ scale figures.

I would buy any Hot Toys, Spider-Man from the PlayStation line, or the Justice League Batman; they are both around $241 to $267.

WEEK 4 

I would buy SHF MVCC Spider-Man and Jada Toys Invincible. They are both around $140 each.

WEEK 5

I would buy SHF Gwen and Miles, which are both around $120 each.

WEEK 6

I would next buy SHF Spider-Punk, Punisher, and Spider-Man 2099. Together, the cost is around $130.

WEEK 7

Finally, I would finish off with Revoltech Spider-Man 1.0 and Revoltech Iron-Man. They are both around $267 each.

Written By: Matias Gonzalez and Luke Roley

Edited By: Noah Hampton