Hidden Gems: 10 Underrated 90s Action Figures Soaring in Value

What This Post Covers (And Why You Should Care)

This post identifies ten 90s action figures that collectors have overlooked—until now. While everyone chases the obvious grails (original Power Rangers, vintage Star Wars), these hidden gems have quietly appreciated 200% to 800% over the past five years. Whether you're hunting flea markets in Fredericton or browsing eBay at midnight, you'll know exactly what to grab before prices climb higher.

Which 90s Action Figures Are Secretly Worth Money Now?

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire figures, Street Sharks variants, and unappreciated toy lines like Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars are climbing fast. The 90s produced dozens of short-lived lines that bombed commercially but developed cult followings decades later.

Here's the thing: scarcity isn't everything. A toy can be rare and worthless. What drives value is the intersection of limited production, nostalgic attachment, and condition survival rates. The 90s were a weird decade for toys—licensing exploded, TV cartoons drove sales, and many lines barely lasted a season. Perfect storm for future collectibles.

The figures below represent genuine opportunities. Not speculation. Not hype. Just toys that sold poorly in the 90s, got played with (and broken), and now command surprising premiums in mint condition.

1. Bucky O'Hare – Dead-Eye Duck (Hasbro, 1991)

The comic-turned-cartoon barely lasted one season. Hasbro produced figures for about eight months before pulling the plug. Dead-Eye Duck—the four-armed pirate duck—now sells for $150-$300 mint in package. Loose complete figures fetch $60-$90.

Worth noting: the line had terrible distribution in Canada. Most surviving stock came from clearance bins at Towers and Zellers locations in Atlantic Canada. Fredericton collectors occasionally still find these at estate sales.

2. Street Sharks – Blades (Mattel, 1994)

Everyone remembers Ripster and Jab. Blades—the manta ray variant with the working water-squirting feature—sat on shelves. Mattel produced fewer Blades figures due to the complex (and leak-prone) internal mechanism. Complete examples with working water features now trade for $120-$180.

That said, watch for reproduction accessories. The grey dorsal fin blades were molded in soft plastic that degraded. Modern recasts exist and aren't always disclosed by sellers.

3. WildC.A.T.s – Maul (Playmates, 1994)

Image Comics exploded in the early 90s. Playmates secured the license and produced figures for Jim Lee's WildC.A.T.s. Maul—the size-changing strongman—featured a spring-loaded growing mechanism. The toy broke easily. Kids broke it. Parents threw it out.

Today, a working Maul with all four size configurations intact sells for $200+. Even loose examples command $80+ if functional. The line had minimal production compared to Playmates' concurrent Star Trek and Ninja Turtles lines.

4. Gargoyles – Demona (Kenner, 1995)

The Disney Afternoon cartoon developed one of the most dedicated fanbases in animation history. Kenner's toy line arrived late, underproduced, and disappeared quickly. Demona—the red-winged antagonist—had limited case assortment ratios. She's now the single most valuable figure in the line.

Mint sealed Demona figures regularly hit $400-$600 at auction. The Gargoyles Wiki maintains detailed production information for authentication. Beware: the wings are fragile and often have stress marks from improper storage.

5. UltraForce – Prime (Malibu Comics, 1995)

Before Marvel acquired Malibu Comics, Galoob produced a short-lived UltraForce toy line. Prime—the Superman analogue who was actually a thirteen-year-old boy in powered armor—was the flagship character. Galoob produced the line for approximately six months.

The figure's gimmick—a torso that "grew" when you squeezed the legs—had delicate internal springs that failed over time. Complete working examples are genuinely scarce. Recent sales: $140-$220 depending on paint wear on the metallic blue armor.

6. The New Batman Adventures – Judge (Kenner, 1998)

Kenner's Batman: The Animated Series line ran for years with hundreds of variants. The later New Batman Adventures sub-line had reduced production before the license transitioned to Hasbro. Judge—based on the episode "Judgment Day"—was a single-wave release with poor distribution.

Complete with gavel accessory and removable cape: $90-$150. The figure shares parts with Two-Face but has unique head sculpt and paint apps that distinguish it. Carded examples command premiums from variant collectors.

7. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys – Hercules (Toy Biz, 1995)

Toy Biz struck gold with X-Men. Their Hercules line? Not so much. Retailers ordered conservatively after Hercules: The Legendary Journeys ratings declined. The title figure—Kevin Sorbo likeness with "punching action"—is surprisingly tough to find sealed.

Current market: $60-$100 for carded figures. The real prize is the "Battle Damage" variant with removable armor pieces. That version pushes $150+ when the chest wound paint application hasn't rubbed off.

8. Exo-Squad – Alec DeLeon (Playmates, 1993)

Exo-Squad was Playmates' attempt at serious military sci-fi. The cartoon was excellent. The toys were complex and expensive. Alec DeLeon—the intelligence officer with the light-up E-frame—had electronic components that frequently failed. Working electronics add 50% to value.

DeLeon complete with functional chest light: $180-$250. Without electronics but complete otherwise: $80-$120. The Exo-Squad Wiki has detailed reference photos for verifying accessories.

9. Swat Kats – Razor (Remco, 1994)

Hanna-Barbera's Swat Kats developed a massive cult following. Remco's figures were basic—five points of articulation, minimal paint—but the cartoon's brevity (two seasons) created lasting scarcity. Razor, the smaller pilot kat, had a jetpack variant that's particularly elusive.

The catch? Most Swat Kats figures have severe paint wear on the masks. The metallic silver scratches easily. High-grade examples with intact paint trade at $130-$190. Carded figures rarely surface and can exceed $300.

10. Skeleton Warriors – Baron Dark (Playmates, 1994)

Another one-season wonder. Playmates invested heavily in the property—figures, vehicles, playsets—then watched it vanish. Baron Dark, the primary villain, had light-up eyes powered by a coin battery. The battery compartments corroded. The eye stickers peeled.

A Baron Dark with working lights, intact stickers, and no battery corrosion is genuinely difficult to find. Recent eBay sales: $160-$240. The accessory—his "Sword of Darkness"—was molded in soft plastic that warped. Straight swords add $30-$50 to the figure's value.

How Do These Values Compare to Mainstream 90s Lines?

They're not competing with sealed Ninja Turtles or Power Rangers—yet. But the growth rates are significantly higher because the supply is genuinely constrained.

The Power Rangers figure is the baseline—well-known, heavily collected, but already expensive. The underrated lines have outperformed it dramatically because collectors are discovering them for the first time.

Where Should You Actually Look for These Figures?

Estate sales in smaller Atlantic Canadian cities—Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John—often yield better results than Toronto or Vancouver. The original owners were less likely to sell immediately and more likely to store toys in basements or attics. Climate matters too: Maritime humidity damages packaging, but plastic figures survive well.

Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji outperform eBay for these specific lines because sellers don't know what they have. "Old ninja turtle toys" listings frequently include Street Sharks or Exo-Squad figures mixed in. Always check photos carefully for the telltale signs:

• Bucky O'Hare figures have distinctive glossy card art with green borders
• Street Sharks cardbacks feature the "Jawesome!" catchphrase in yellow burst graphics
• WildC.A.T.s cards have holographic Image Comics logos
• Gargoyles packaging uses deep purple and black color schemes with stone texture backgrounds

Thrift stores rarely have these—the staff recognize "old toys" and price accordingly. Estate sales where you're first through the door? That's where the deals live.

What Condition Issues Should You Watch For?

90s toys have specific vulnerabilities you won't find on 80s or modern figures:

1. Battery corrosion – Any figure with light or sound features needs the battery compartment inspected. Green corrosion spreads and destroys plastic.
2. Paint degradation – Metallic paints from this era often become tacky or flake off. The "rubberized" coating on some Street Sharks variants literally melts.
3. Rubber band deterioration – Action features relying on internal rubber bands (growing mechanisms, quick-draw features) have often lost elasticity.
4. Sticker wear – 90s figures used more paper stickers than earlier eras. These peel, fade, and attract moisture damage.

Here's the thing: you don't need mint condition for these to be valuable. A loose complete Dead-Eye Duck with paint wear still commands $50+. The collector base is growing faster than the supply of even imperfect examples.

Are These Figures Actually Worth Investing In?

They're worth collecting. The investment angle is secondary—and always speculative.

That said, the fundamentals are strong. These properties have active fan communities pushing for reboots, streaming revivals, or comic continuations. A Gargoyles revival announcement would send Demona prices toward four figures overnight. Exo-Squad has been in licensing limbo for years—if that resolves, the existing toy supply is fixed and tiny.

"The 90s produced more one-season toy lines than any other decade. Most failed. But failure creates scarcity, and scarcity—combined with genuine nostalgia—is what drives this market."

Buy what appeals to you. Research the properties. Watch a few episodes of Swat Kats or Bucky O'Hare on YouTube. If the aesthetic resonates, the hunt becomes the reward. Any appreciation is a bonus.

The real opportunity isn't flipping these for profit next month. It's recognizing that a generation of collectors is entering their peak earning years—and they're not chasing the same toys their older siblings collected. They want the weird, the forgotten, the properties that spoke to them when nobody else was watching.

Start checking those estate sale listings. Bring this list. Trust your instincts when something feels underpriced. And don't sleep on the Atlantic Canadian market—sometimes the best treasures hide in plain sight, tucked away in basement storage bins, waiting for someone who knows exactly what they're looking at.