15 Most Valuable Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Collectibles, Ranked by Price
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“Heroes in a half-shell. Turtle power!”
The names Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello mean very different things to some people. If you’re at all a “cultured” person, your mind likely goes immediately to the Italian Renaissance artists. However, for those of us fond of “low” culture, they are the names given to the mutant teen foursome by their mentor Splinter, a ninja master who was transformed into a rat-human thanks to the same green goo that warped the turtles into human-reptile teenagers.
Incredibly, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (often abbreviated TMNT) have been pop cultural juggernauts since Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s creations burst onto the scene in 1984. They’ve been the stars of several cartoon series and many movies. And, because the green warriors were aimed at kids, that meant toys. So…many…toys!
Sure, many of the Turtles toys can be found cheaply today at flea markets and consignment shops everywhere, but for the 15 wallet-busting specimens below, you might need to rob a bank to get them into your basement.
Cowabunga!
15. The Next Mutation Don’s Camo Hydro Skimmer
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Year released: 1997
Value: $999
*Value was gathered from sites such as Wheeljack’s Lab and The Gamer, which have an invaluable archive of Turtle toy price tag info.
Bottom Line: The Next Mutation Don’s Camo Hydro Skimmer
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I must have not been paying attention by the time I was in college in 1997, because though I was a huge fan of the TMNT franchise, I don’t recall “The Next Mutation” at all. The series only went for 26 episodes (versus the original show’s 193-episode run), but before it quickly got the ax, toymakers rushed out some playthings to separate parents from their hard-earned paychecks.
Donatello, the genius of the foursome, apparently rode around this vehicle for the show, which may help explain its short duration on TV. And some other braintrust plunked down a thousand dollars for this thing, so at least someone got something out of “The Next Mutation.”
14. Leo’s Katana Sword
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Year released: 1997
Value: $1,499
Bottom Line: Leo’s Katana Sword
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It’s no secret that kids love acting out battle fantasies involving their favorite fictional characters, but I’ll leave the debate about whether that’s a good idea to sociologists who are paid a lot of money to go on TV and offer their opinions.
What’s not up for debate, however, is that this nearly full-size version of Leonardo’s patented Katana cannot be had cheaply. After all, someone has to be paid to install those “authentic battle blade sounds” and “awesome spring-loaded double-blade scissor action” promised on the box! Let’s ask that same TV scientist if those noises make it “better” or worse for kids.
12. Vintage Krang Android Body (Tie)
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Year released: 1989
Value: $1,599
Bottom Line: Vintage Krang Android Body
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Krang, the superintelligent being from Dimension X, was the brains behind Shredder and his army of bad guys. Unfortunately, the brainiac was lacking something rather important for an uber-villain: a body!
In 1989, Playmates released a full-on Krang and android body toy that was true to the way he usually appeared in the cartoon and various video games. As in the show, Krang the brain was placed in the android’s stomach because…why precisely? A better view? But if you figure out a way to get this vintage toy for under $1,599, you’re officially smarter than Krang!
12. Sewer Playset (Tie)
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Year released: 1989
Value: $1,599
Bottom Line: Sewer Playset
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Parents warned us not to play in the sewers, but apparently nobody told Leo and his crew. This rather intriguing, interactive playset features an elevator to move Splinter or Raph up a level or two, a “battle swing” (whatever that is) and, according to the packaging, “realistic” sewer pipes.
Perhaps that unique scent is why one of these sets recently fetched $1,599 online — or maybe that’s how much it cost to get the sewer smell gone! There aren’t too many of the Sewer Playsets to be found, so get it before your nosy neighbor finds out what you’re up to.
11. Original TMNT Konami Arcade Cabinet
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Year released: 1989
Value: $3,300
Bottom Line: Original TMNT Konami Arcade Cabinet
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If you grew up in the ’80s like I did, you almost certainly went to the roller rink to eat cheap pizza, skate with your crush and, of course, wheel over to the arcade room for some four-player action with the green gang.
This was a total quarter pit, requiring more and more pocket change to get through all its challenging beat-em-up levels en route to the Technodrome. Because the game cabinet is nearly 35 years old, you can nab one in perfect working over for a cool three grand. Quarters not included.
10. Playmates Rocksteady 1988 AFA 85
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Year released: 1988
Value: $3,386.66
Bottom Line: Playmates Rocksteady 1988 AFA 85
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Rocksteady and pal Bebop were Shredder’s rather clumsy mutant vanguard. The Shred-head typically sent them out on little errands to make life for the Turtles difficult … no matter how many times they screwed up (which was often). Maybe that’s why Rocksteady is looking so surly for this plastic iteration.
The 1988 Playmates line of Rocksteady’s rhino-tastic toy included some weapons and a shield that is a sewer cover (makes sense considering what universe we’re in). If you have one of these Rocksteadys in your closet, you might get some serious coin in trade if it’s in mint condition. Sewer manhole cover weapon must be included!
9. Playmates Splinter AFA 85
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Year released: 1988
Value: $3,495
Bottom Line: Playmates Splinter 1988 AFA 85
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The Turtles’ sensei and mentor may not have joined many adventures with his four teenage charges, but his action figure had various weapons such as ninja throwing stars and even a bow, which I don’t ever recall seeing him use on the show.
Rather than pine over material goods, Splinter would advise toy collectors to be thankful for what they already have … but if you’d rather ignore that particular lesson, crack open that piggy bank as a vintage Splinter might set you back well over $3,000. Meditate on that!
8. Playmates Undercover Raphael AFA 75
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Year released: 1994
Value: $3,500
Bottom Line: Playmates Undercover Raphael AFA 75
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A running gag of the original TMNT cartoon — and the first live-action movie from 1990 — was that the Turtles could apparently walk the streets of New York “in disguise” by sporting a trench coat, tophat and, very occasionally, a fake mustache.
The residents of Gotham were none the wiser, despite the rounded faces and green skin poking out from underneath their hats. But there ya go. Undercover Raph and his trading card are a rare find indeed, but no amount of disguise can cover up the steep price to bring him home. “Here’s NOT looking at you, kid!”
7. Playmates Undercover Michaelangelo
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Year released: 1994
Value: $3,800
Bottom Line: Playmates Undercover Michaelangelo 1994
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Mikey was always the party guy of the fearless foursome and he never ever apologized for his rather healthy appetite for pizza. Thankfully, when you live in the sewers below New York City, it’s a quick trip “upstairs” to any number of pizza parlors. The Turtles employed this trick often in their “undercover” disguises, though no pizza proprietors ever seemed to give them any grief about the smell. (It is New York, after all, where even spring flowers have a weird musk.)
Clandestine Mikey in mint condition fetches quite a bounty on the resale market and can be yours for a mere $3,800 if the trading card is included and in good shape.
6. Playmates Undercover Donatello
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Year released: 1994
Value: $3,995
Bottom Line: Playmates Undercover Donatello 1994
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Donnie too got his Humphrey Bogart-as-a-gumshoe on by dressing up in this “undercover” getup — though, thankfully, he wore his purple bandana so those of us at home could still tell him apart from his three brothers whenever they applied this rather low-grade attempt at hiding in plain sight.
Undercover Donatello also came with a collectible trading card, which doubtless rockets up its resale value. They toy had his trusty bo staff on hand in case anyone might try to whisk him away to eBay — where one of these figures sold for $3,995 in 2021.
5. Playmates Technodrome
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Year released: 1990
Value: $3,999.99
Bottom Line: Playmates Technodrome
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The evil Krang’s ultimate underground hideout, the Technodrome had all manner of outer space weaponry and gadgets that were designed specifically to rid the world of Krang and Shredder’s least-favorite reptilian heroes.
Playmates unleashed this rather larger model of the Technodrome in 1990, making it one of the largest playsets in the original run of Turtles toys. You could even open up the shell, revealing a host of areas, including a mutation chamber. Sometimes, size really does matter, especially considering an original Technodrome was sold for just under four grand in 2021.
4. Playmates Slam Dunkin’ Don
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Year released: 1994
Value: $4,400
Bottom Line: Playmates Slam Dunkin’ Don 1994
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Apparently, Donny tried his hand at B-ball. We all forgot about the tech genius’s little side career — everyone, that is, except for the good folks at Playmates, who released a figure of ol’ Donny getting ready to go toe-to-toe with Michael Jordan at the height of his prowess.
Slam Dunkin’ Don came with either a red or a white uniform, so if you want to be called a true collector, get your turtle mitts on both of them STAT. What’s $4,800 times two? Tell you what, you run that by your accountant and get back to me … so long as you have both a red and a white Dunkin’ Don in hand!
3. Playmates Foot Soldier Fan Club Flyer 1988
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Year released: 1988
Value: $5,000
Bottom Line: Playmates Foot Soldier Fan Club Flyer 1988
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The Foot Soldiers toys weren’t exactly rare, but this one came with a flyer for the “Turtle Force Fan Club.” (You’re not a member?) Because so few of the fan club flyers were produced and sold along with a Foot Soldier toy, this combination can fetch a pretty penny. In fact, one of these bad boys went for a staggering $5,000 in 2022, which is likely but a fraction of the money the lucky buyer will have to spend on divorce lawyers once his wife finds out about it.
Just kidding … any collector of such toys has never been married.
2. Playmates April O’Neil No Stripe AFA 90
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Year released: 1988
Value: $5,500
Bottom Line: Playmates April O’Neil No Stripe AFA 90
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Enterprising reporter April O’Neil was always “this close” to capturing footage of the Turtles in action, though she almost always turned the camera in the other direction to protect her reptilian friends.
If the Fearless Four really wanted to thank their pal April for covering their shells, they could pool their pocket change and fork over five-and-a-half grand for this 1988 Playmates toy, which mistakenly left out the blue stripes on April’s sleeves (whoops). But before it could be recalled, several no stripe Aprils were already running around the resale market — picking up a hefty ransom at that. And they say there’s no money to be made in the news business!
1. Playmates Scratch the Cat AFA 80
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Year released: 1993
Value: $10,000
Bottom Line: Playmates Scratch the Cat 1993 AFA 80
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It’s OK, I don’t remember Scratch either, and I watched pretty much every episode of the old TMNT cartoon. Scratch’s only “appearance” was in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Radical Rescue” for GameBoy. According to my research on Turtlepedia (I head there daily), Scratch is “the meanest street cat you’re likely to meet.”
He darn well better be at the hefty price of 10 G’s for his action figure! If you recall anything at all from Econ 101 (I sure don’t), scarcity equals value, so no wonder that, given there are so few Scratch toys out there, it’ll cost you more than a bit of cheese to nab this cat-fiend’s action figure.