Funko Pop! Figures That Are Worth A Ton Of Money
In 2010, a collector's dream (and financial nightmare) hit store shelves in the form of adorably pint- sized figures with oversized heads and black, beady eyes. This, of course, was the introduction of the Funko Pop! figure, the brainwave of Funko co-founders Mike and Claudia Becker, 12 years after the company's inception.
Funko Pop! made its grand debut at that year's San Diego Comic-Con, where attendees could get their hands on the first, small batch that included Batman, Robin, and a handful of other superheroes. Since then, the Funko Pop! lineup has exponentially grown to include nearly 14,000 different figures and counting. Ranging from favorite film and TV characters to musicians, politicians, mascots, and more, they allow collectors to showcase numerous pop culture passions within a single collection.
A typical Funko Pop! figure, upon its initial release, costs approximately $10, give or take a few dollars, depending on the place of purchase. Over time, most figures experience a slight increase in value. For example, the Amazon-exclusive Tony Soprano Funko Pop! with the duck, released in 2023, is going for about $35 on eBay one year later.
Meanwhile, there are some figures that see a massive hike in value due to their rarity, whether they are a Comic-Con exclusive or a Chase, i.e., a hard-to-come-by version of a common Funko Pop! that features a slightly varied design from the original. Are any of your little collectibles worth big bucks (like these collectible McDonald's Happy Meal toys)? Read on to find out.
Metallic Spider-Man Funko, 2011
By 2011, one year after its debut at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, pop culture enthusiasts were well aware of Funko Pop! and were excited over the prospect of adding more tiny characters to their shelves. The brand's second attendance at the international convention to promote Pop! figures saw the introduction of more franchises, including Disney and Marvel.
As part of the latter, Funko Pop! distributed an SDCC-exclusive: a metallic version of Spider-Man. Only 480 were produced, making this figure a highly coveted piece among serious Pop! collectors ... if they're willing to break the bank a little bit. On eBay, a metallic Spider-Man, which has a bobble- head function to it, in new condition sells for upward of $10,900.
At the 2011 SDCC, Spider-Man was released in conjunction with other metallic figures, including Mickey Mouse and The Thing. Though these have lower values at $1,100 and $3,750, respectively, they're still considered "grail" pieces by Funko Pop! lovers, who make it their mission to someday include these in their collections.
Boo Berry Glow-in-the-Dark Chase, 2011
Also at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, two special versions of Boo Berry — the 1970s ghostly mascot for the General Mills cereal of the same name — were released. The original version of the hat-wearing ghoul dropped in 2010 as part of the Funko Pop! Ad Icons Line, which has gone on to include other favorite cereal characters like Cap'n Crunch and Tony the Tiger, as well as other beloved faces found on grocery store shelves, such as the Pillsbury Doughboy and Kool-Aid Man. (Speaking of groceries, check out how much of your income you should be spending on them.)
One special-edition release of that year's Boo Berry is metallic, a common feature of the 2011 lineup. A total of 480 were produced, with the Funko Pop! selling for upward of $1,500. The other SDCC release is an ultra rare, glow-in-the-dark Boo Berry Chase, of which only 24 were made. It's extremely difficult to come across the figure (at the time of this writing, none were available for purchase on eBay). This means that, when a collector does stumble across one, it's not going to be cheap. The most expensive glow-in-the-dark Boo Berry sold in 2023 for $32,000.
Clockwork Orange Glow-in-the-Dark Chase, 2012
In 2012, the wheels were in motion for an entire Funko Pop! series dedicated to the 1971 dystopian crime film "A Clockwork Orange" and its main character Alex DeLarge. However, due to licensing issues, Funko was forced to destroy the products before they even hit the shelves. Still, Funko's CEO at the time, Brian Mariotti, held onto 24 of the figures — 12 originals and 12 glow-in-the-dark Chase editions — and gave them to friends, family, and some of the toy company's biggest fans. Each was hand-numbered and signed by Mariotti, allowing future buyers to know that they're in the presence of an authentic figure.
Regarding the non-Chase Clockwork Orange Funko Pop! figure, YouTuber and collector Frank "GrailMonster" Giaramita obtained one in 2022 for $35,000, paying cash (and he completed the transaction with the seller at the Los Angeles International Airport). As for the glow-in-the-dark Chase figure, this has a higher value than the original, and has been sold for upward of $60,000.
A new, mass-produced Clockwork Orange Funko Pop! was released by the toy company in 2016. For fans of the movie who simply want a piece of memorabilia and don't want to shell out thousands for one of the rare originals (if they're able to even track one down), Amazon has it to by for a more- affordable $41. (But before you hit "purchase," check out the sneaky ways Amazon tricks you into spending more money.)
SDCC-exclusive Freddy Funkos, 2012
Ever since the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, Funko has released event-exclusive versions of its mascot, Freddy Funko. From horror icons like Beetlejuice and Leatherface to Disney favorites like Olaf and the Mad Hatter, Freddy has been recreated in the likeness of numerous characters over the years. While all are limited editions and, therefore, pricey to acquire post-SDCC, some Freddy versions are more valuable than others.
For Funko Pop! collectors, one of the most coveted pieces is Freddy Funko Metallic Iron Man, of which only 12 were made and distributed for free to a dozen lucky attendees at the 2012 SDCC. Ten years later in 2022, GrailMonster got his hands on one for $43,000. An unboxing video shows how the figure was carefully packaged inside a toolbox to avoid damage during shipment. "This is the holiest of Freddys, in my opinion," said GrailMonster, "and I am super, super excited to have it."
Another extremely valuable one is the bloody version of Freddy Funko Jaime Lannister, of which only 12 were released at the 2013 SDCC. On eBay, the figure is being sold for a whopping $99,999. That same year, a non-bloody version was also released, but this Funko Pop! is not as rare. A total of 96 were produced, with this version valued at $4,610.
SDCC Willy Wonka & Oompa Loompa Funkos, 2016
In true "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" fashion, Funko hid four Golden Tickets inside of chocolate Funko Bars at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con. For those lucky ticket-finders, they were awarded an ultra-rare, golden Funko Pop! two-pack of Willy Wonka and an Oompa Loompa, of which only 10 were produced (the other six were said to be distributed to company friends and employees).
Not only is this set one of the rarest Pop! releases, it's also the most valuable. In May 2022, GrailMonster paid $100,000 in cash for it, marking the largest Pop! transaction to be documented. Afterward, he said in an interview with Kotaku, "I have it sitting in the middle of my dining room table ... I'm going to hold it for as long as I can."
Somewhat surprisingly, GrailMonster's ownership of Willy Wonka and Oompa Loompa wasn't that long. In July 2023, another historic sale was made when he parted ways with the set for $210,000. The purchaser was Grail Game, which allows Funko collectors to buy mystery boxes and enjoy the surprise of whatever might be inside. GrailMonster admitted he was hesitant to let go of such a prized possession, but explained in an Instagram post that he appreciates the concept of Grail Game: "The fact that someone in this community will own the most valued Pop! in the world for only a few dollars is really exciting. Bittersweet but worthwhile! Onto the next grail..."