Hake’s Auctions first premier event of the year saw a total of $2.2 million when it closed on March 25-26, 2025. The auction saw great sales across multiple categories within the Americana and pop culture memorabilia. One of the many that stood out was the selection of action figures from the prototypes to the fully produced pieces.
The auction offered a group of action figure prototypes, including examples of the Mego Star Trek Aliens prototype test shots. The figures obtained from a former Mego designer are each one of a kind early test shots that were used in promotional photography to sell the line.
The 8” Mugato prototype that has apparent hand-painted color differences on the face, horn, hands, feet, dots, and the tunic sold for $31,576. The 8” tall Romulan that has a few differences from the finished product, such as a non-Vac-Metallized helmet, black pirate style boots, and a vinyl attached belt, saw $30,961.
The 8” Andorian that differs from the final version with die-cut diamonds on the tunic, different style brown boots and gloves, and different size diamond on the belt, hit $29,548. The 6-3/4” Talos with a completely different costume than the finished product with a two-piece yellow suit with gold trim at the bottom realized $28,506. All four crushed their $10,000 estimates.
Transformers rolled out great results on rare pieces, like the Shockwave Series 2 AFA 75+ that hammered for $14,278. This rare first release version has Shockwave (Decepticon Operations) in a window box without a rubsign. At the time of cataloguing, only three examples of the “No Rubsign” first release are in AFA’s Population Report.
The Transformers: Action Masters Inferno card original art bested its $5,000 estimate when it sold for $6,490. The 14-3/8” x 20-1/4” illustration board features mixed media/airbrushed art that was used for the upper right corner of Hasbro’s action figure blister card.
There were multiple Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pieces in the auction, led by the Giant Size Slam Dunkin’ Don hand-painted 1:1 hardcopy prototype that cleared $12,390, besting the $10,000 estimate. The 14-1/2” tall Playmates figure is jointed as the final production figure would be and capitalizes on the popularity of NBA star Michael Jordan, with Donatello wearing a red and white jersey and sporting the number “23.” It is one of only five known larger scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles prototypes.
The impressive action figure sales continued with the G.I. Joe Snake Eyes Series 1 11-back AFA 85 that went for $5,395. The 3-3/4” figure of Snake Eyes (Commando) is on a peach file card. The Mego World’s Greatest Super-Heroes Batman with removable cowl AFA 85 sold for $5,062, well beyond the $1,000 estimate. The 8” tall figure is in a three-panel mixed window box. The Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars Wolverine first shot prototype nearly tripled its $1,000 estimate when it realized $2,985. The 4” tall unpainted piece is cast in yellow and red that was used on production figures with an alternate head sculpt.
All of the top results in Auction #243 Part I and Part II can be viewed at hakes.com.
