There is no 90’s kid out there that does not know about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The crime-fighting brothers were first created as a sarcastic comic book in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, which both of them were working under at Mirage Comics. The publisher initially thought to release it just once, but soon released many more due to its rise in popularity. Although, most people knew TMNT through TV shows released in 1987 rather than the comics.
The comics were intended to be sold to older audiences because of the graphic violence depicted. In contrast, the animated shows had a lighter, comedic, and kid-friendly side and were the most famous. The production outfits based the turtle’s adaptations on the cartoon show.
Because of its popularity, several companies created toys and merchandise out of the TMNT franchise. Some of the toys became a collector’s item to die-hard fans and toy collectors. Some of the toys were even sold at a high price because of its rarity.
These are some of the rarest and most expensive TMNT items collectors have bought it for.
#5: Undercover Donatello Action Figure – $707
Toy companies took designs off of episodes in the cartoon series and movies. One of which is the extremely rare Undercover Donatello. The design was based on the TMNT movie in 1990.
The movie scene initially showed Raphael walking on the streets with a trench coat and fedora. But the toy companies accidentally used Donatello’s purple color instead of Raphael’s red theme. That one mistake led to this toy becoming a rare collector’s item.
#4: Don’s Camo Hydro Skimmer from “The Next Mutation – $999
You have Saban Entertainment to thank for the live-action TV series titled “Ninja Turtles: Next Mutation.” However, this version of TMNT introduced fans with a fifth mutant turtle which was a female named Venus de Milo.
The Next Mutation series released a separate line of toys, including the camouflage boat. The show only lasted for a while and did not become too popular, but others still wanted to get the toy and spend thousands of dollars just to own it.
#3: Leonardo’s Katana – $1,499
Out of the four turtles, everyone can agree that Leonardo’s katana is the coolest weapon. But a toy company created a kid-friendly version of the traditional Japanese sword based on the “Next Mutation” toy series collection.
At present, the toy katana is a rare collector’s item and will make you spend at least $1,499 to own it. Even if it is just a plastic toy, it is expensive because of its part in the TMNT history.
#2: Sewer Playlet – $1,599
The price of these collectable toys just keeps getting higher. One toy that has reached a price of $1,599 is the Sewer Playlet, which was based on the original TMNT cartoon series. It is a toy that is identical to the sewers that the turtles use as their hideout and headquarters. It also comes with lifelike sewer pathways and an elevator that you can operate.
Because of its rarity, you have to prepare a large amount of money to get a mint condition version of the sewer playlet.
#1: Original TMNT Konagi Arcade – $3,300
For die-hard TMNT fans, one of the rarest TMNT items they could get their hands on is the 1989 original arcade game created by Konami. Although there is an NES version of the game, most video game enthusiasts will agree that it was the best game in the franchise. It is pricey and also the rarest TMNT collector’s item you will ever find.
