The action figure collecting community has been buzzing with excitement over the Jeff Jacob Collection since Hake’s Auctions announced that they would be selling the venerable collection. The first auction of the Jeff Jacob Collection, featuring 435 lots of action figures and related toys, just sold for an impressive $1.45 million. The auction closed on January 22, 2025, marking the first time that an action figure-specific auction surpassed $1 million in sales.

The Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12-back-A AFA 85 double-telescoping figure with the SKU on the footer was the auction leader, selling for $105,182. This is an early example of the Ben Kenobi figure with the original double-telescoping lightsaber that had a second extendable piece. Only two carded double-telescoping examples are known in this high grade. This sale set a world record for any Ben Kenobi ever sold.

The complete Power of the Force base set containing 62 pressed aluminum coins cashed in at $41,536. Each of the set’s coins is graded AFA 85 NM+ and originally came directly from a former Kenner employee. Hake’s believes this may be the first time a complete AFA-graded collection of this type has been sold as a whole. It set a world record for a graded set.

Transformers lots were led by the Megatron Series 1 AFA 80 that cleared $41,301. It features the Decepticon Leader in the original window box with the registered trademark logo. Not only did this sale reach more than double the pre-auction estimate, it set a world record for an example at this grade.

The Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) 12-back-A AFA 85 sold $38,940, nearly four times its $10,000 estimate. This rare piece is the dark blue dome variety, it has the SKU on the footer, and there are no examples graded higher on the AFA Population Report. It is another record setter, becoming the highest price paid for an R2-D2 action figure.

The Star Wars early bird mail-away kit AFA 85 with a double-telescoping Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2, hammered for $32,450. The kit was offered with the original white mailer box, vacuform plastic tray, a baggie with plastic pegs for posing figures, mini-catalog advertising the Star Wars action figure line and vehicles, and a mail-away offer for the corresponding stand. It set a world record for any kit ever sold.

The Cantina Adventure Set AFA 85 Sears exclusive was another record setter when it realized $27,258. The set contains bagged figures of a very hard to find blue version Snaggletooth, Greedo, Hammerhead, and Walrus Man, as well as mailer boxes for the figures, a sealed bag of pegs, a cardboard backdrop, cardboard inserts, in-package catalogs, and assembly instructions. There are no examples graded higher in AFA’s population report than this one.

The Empire Strikes Back Boba Fett 48-back-C AFA 85 with the “Free! Revenge of the Jedi!” action figure offer shot his way to $27,258. With none are higher on AFA’s Population Report, this example sold for nearly three times its $10,000 estimate and set a record for this exact figure.

The Star Wars Hero Set three-pack Series 2 AFA 85 with Luke Skywalker (X-Wing pilot), Ben Kenobi (white hair variety), and Han Solo (large head variety) reached $18,691. It has a “Special Offer” on the back of the package showing four different exclusive backdrops that were issued with figure sets. It set a world record for a sale in this grade.

The top seller for G.I. Joe toys was the Cobra Missile Command Headquarters Sears exclusive Series 1 playset AFA 75+ that set a new world record for this grade when it cleared $14,672. The set comes with three action figures on red blister cards with peach file cards on back, and is the only graded example.

New records continued with The Power of the Force Star Wars Jedi Knight prototype 63rd mail-away coin AFA 90 realizing $13,953, the G.I. Joe Storm Shadow Series 3 36-back AFA 85 (single highest graded) went for $12,981, the ThunderCats Lion-O and Snarf Series 2 14-back AFA 80 (orange hair variety) with none higher on the pop report brought $9,423, and the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Mola Ram AFA 85 with bronze skull on staff (single highest graded) reached $5,323.  

Top sales continued with The Power of the Force Nikto 92-back with a Warok coin AFA 85 Australian release selling for $19,325, The Empire Strikes Back 4-LOM 48-back-A AFA 60 (the rarest Kenner Star Wars production figure) reached $18,892, a Boba Fett 21-back-B AFA 85 brought $15,576, and a Revenge of the Jedi Boba Fett proof card AFA 85 went for $14,160.

All prices realized in the Jeff Jacob Collection Part I auction can be viewed on hakes.com.