Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Action Figures
Series One Produced by Playmates in 1988

About The Toy Line
A Humble Beginning
Written By Wayne Scheiner
Creators Eastman and Laird developed the concept as a humorous parody, mocking traditional superhero personas by mixing popular elements of the time that generally do not relate to one another. Teenagers, sewers, mutating reptiles, urban vigilantes, superheroes, pizza, and the highly popular ninja craze of the early 80s. All these examples may have sounded quite fitting as standalone concepts on their own in the 1980s; however, they put them all together, and the rest is pop culture history. If you could overlook the absurd genius Eastman and Laird jokingly created in 1984 and found a way to open your mind to something new, you would soon be in for a groundbreaking multi-media treat, as they were.
Eastman and Laird created an official company called Mirage Studios and decided to fund and distribute the printed copies independently. The first print run of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” comic issue was completed, printed, and delivered to the housemate’s living room sometime around May 1984.
The newly formed Mirage Studios printed approximately 3000 comic books of this first run, scraping together what little funds they had and obtaining a small loan from a family member of Kevin’s. Surprisingly, they quickly sold all 3000 copies in a few short weeks. Mirage Studios used the proceeds to purchase 6000 more copies of a second printing, which also had no problem selling out.
After turning down several mediocre licensing offers in fear of losing creative control, the two finally teamed up with entertainment agent Mark Freedman. Freedman would become instrumental in the franchise’s future and began shopping for the perfect licensing opportunity. Mirage’s new agent then shopped the concept to many of the major toy companies of the decade, including LJN, Mattel, and Hasbro, who all turned down the opportunity. After a few weeks of no success, Freedman contacted his friend Richard Sallis who had just started working for Playmates Toys. Playmates, over any other, seemed to show great interest in producing the line and thus began the negotiation process.
Playmates Toys, however, did have some concerns regarding adapting a few less edgy creative adjustments to the Turtles character format. Following the proven 1980’s commercial-driven roadmap to toy sale success, Playmates Toys felt that producing toys on the strength of comic sales alone may be less successful without an animated cartoon to help promote it. The toy manufacturer also felt this necessary to achieve the slightly younger target audience the toys would be promoted towards. Eastman and Laird ultimately understood Playmates’ directional concerns, and while still retaining complete creative control, a successful deal was eventually closed in 1986.
Playmates Toys Limited is an international toy company headquartered in Hong Kong. The company was founded as Playmates Industrial in 1966 by Sam Chan and started manufacturing dolls as a 3rd party supplier for other toy companies. Playmates finally began manufacturing and marketing its own pre-school-based toys in 1975 and opened an additional corporate location in Boston in 1977 and then California in 1983. It wasn’t until after the company became public in 1984 when Playmates finally experienced its first very successful toy with the 1986 release of the electronic cassette-playing robot doll “Cricket.”
In February of 1987, Playmates felt somewhat discouraged after the dismal effect of shopping the concept to retailers pre-Toy Fare. Pitching concept sketches, unpainted prototypes, and less than five minutes of animated footage to retail giants like Toys-R-Us, Sears, and Kmart failed to express interest in the idea. With demonstrated lack of TMNT attention from retailers, Playmates corporate home offices in Hong Kong were not ready to commit to expensive tooling for the product line. Even though 1.5 million had already been invested in animated development and prototyping, the corporate headquarters considered cutting their losses and abandoning the project. Fortunately, that never happened.
Around this time, veteran writer David Wise signed on to create content for the green-lit animated accompaniment. He quickly noted that the four lead turtle characters required individual personalities to help young viewers identify with individualize characteristics. To top off production, the now iconic TV producer Chuck Lorre worked as a composer and was commissioned to produce a theme song for the series. The future “Big Bang Theory” creator then wrote and produced the now iconic TMNT theme song that remains forever attached to the franchise in a catchy melodic form.
With over a year of hard work, Playmates finally introduced the then-unknown Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles lineup at the 1988 New York Toy Fair in February. Despite a halfhearted reception from retailers, Playmates still moved forward with their investment, taking only a disappointing 3,000-piece order. By the time the upcoming 1988 holiday buying season opened, orders drastically increased, and the first wave, including ten action figures and five vehicles, were shipped to stores. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became an instant success.
In 2000 Kevin Eastman would sell his ownership of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise to his Mirage Studios partner Peter Laird in pursuit of other creative projects. In 2003, a darker animated version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise was introduced and ran for six successful seasons. In 2007, a new 3D animated feature-length movie was released in theaters titled “TMNT.” Finishing off an amazing Mirage Studios run, in 2009, Peter Laird and Mirage Studios sold the franchise to CBS Viacom, which also owns Nickelodeon.
Nickelodeon would continue the TMNT franchise by releasing new successful Emmy-winning animated series accompanied by an all-new lineup of updated action figures. In 2014, a Live action / CGI Full-length movie with a $125 million budget hit theatres and grossed over a half $1 billion worldwide. A follow-up sequel, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows,” was released in 2016 and only grossed 1/4 of the 2014 release; however, it was still considered a huge success.
International Controversy
Many parts of the animated series were edited to cooperate with these international regulations, and the franchise was forced to rebrand slightly for select regions. Thus, the cartoon theme song lyrics, all action figure packaging, merchandising, and even video game box art needed to reflect the requested change. As a result, the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” was changed to “Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles” to appease the European and other overseas markets. The original 1987 five-episode mini-series was copped up, censored, and re-edited into one full-length feature video. The video cut was titled “Teenage Mutant Heroes Turtles How it All Began.”
The censorship was finally lifted for the franchise as the updated 2003 animated version was not affected and was appropriately titled “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
The 1988 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV Commercial
Above is a 1987 series one TV commercial for the launch of Playmates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toy line. Most toy commercials from the 1980’s typically aired during after school programming and Saturday morning cartoons as they were common demographic timeslots for children’s programs. Often, the producers of the toy commercials creatively used scenes of children playing with the toys as part of their action-packed commercial-based marketing.



Collector's Price Guide
Click on the “Product Name” to view the collectibles detail page. You can refine your selection by selecting a year or series. You can also enter name into the search box, to find the collectible you are looking for in our data base. If using a mobile phone, click the “+” to view additional details and value data. All values are estimated by Retro Toy Quest and subject to change and discrepancy, depending on the advanced nature of any collector. Retro Toy Quest holds no responsibility for any possible inaccuracies displayed within this reference guide and values may often fluctuate in the current collectors market prior to or after published updates. PLEASE NOTE: Variants, Unpunched, Graded, Early Releases, International, and other unique variations may fetch a higher price point on the collectors market.
Image | Product Name | Alliance | Type | Series | Year | MLC | MIB / MWC | MISB / MOC | More Information | Last Modified |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Leonardo-THUMB.jpg | Leonardo | Good | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $45 | $55 | $300 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-leonardo-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Donatello-THUMB.jpg | Donatello | Good | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $45 | $55 | $300 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-donatello-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Raphael-THUMB.jpg | Raphael | Good | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $45 | $55 | $300 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-raphael-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Michaelangelo-THUMB.jpg | Michaelangelo | Good | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $50 | $60 | $310 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-michaelangelo-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/April-ONeil-No-Stripe-THUMB.jpg | April O'Neil (No Stripe) | Good | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $65 | $75 | $180 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-april-oneil-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Shredder-THUMB.jpg | Shredder | Evil | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $45 | $55 | $200 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-shredder-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Foot-Soldier-THUMB.jpg | Foot Soldier | Evil | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $35 | $45 | $305 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-foot-soldier-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bebop-THUMB.jpg | Bebop | Evil | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $35 | $45 | $265 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-bebop-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Rocksteady-THUMB.jpg | Rocksteady | Evil | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $40 | $50 | $250 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-rocksteady-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Splinter-THUMB.jpg | Splinter | Good | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $35 | $45 | $170 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-splinter-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/TMNT-Cheapskate-THUMB.jpg | Cheapskate | Good | Action Vehicle | 1 | 1988 | $35 | $55 | $120 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-vehicle-cheapskate-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/TMNT-Knucklehead-THUMB.jpg | Knucklehead | Evil | Action Vehicle | 1 | 1988 | $45 | $90 | $165 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-vehicle-knucklehead-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/TMNT-1988-Turtle-Trooper-THUMB.jpg | Turtle Trooper | Good | Action Vehicle | 1 | 1988 | $35 | $50 | $130 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-vehicle-turtle-trooper-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Turtle-Blimp-THUMB.jpg | Turtle Blimp | Good | Action Vehicle | 1 | 1988 | $155 | $230 | $550 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-vehicle-turtle-blimp-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/TMNT-Party-Wagon-THUMB.jpg | Turtle Party Wagon | Good | Action Vehicle | 1 | 1988 | $150 | $225 | $480 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-vehicle-party-wagon-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Missing-Item-THUMB.jpg | The Whole Collection | NA | SERIES 1 TOTAL | 1 | 1988 | $860 | $1,190 | $4,025 | ||
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/April-ONeil-THUMB.jpg | April O'Neil (Blue Stripe) | Good | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $40 | $50 | $80 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-april-oneil-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 | |
https://x7s81d.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/April-ONeil-Orange-Trim-THUMB.jpg | April O'Neil (Orange Trim) | Good | Action Figure | 1 | 1988 | $30 | $40 | $55 | https://retrotoyquest.com/action-figure-april-oneil-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1988 |
How To Use This Price Guide
MLC = “Mint Loose Condition” This is when the action figure or Vehicle is in excellent condition, and is loose and “complete” with all original accessories, but without the packaging and original included paperwork.
MIB = “Mint in box” This is when the collectible is in excellent condition, and is loose and “complete” with all original accessories and original included paperwork.
MWC = “Mint with Card Back” This is when an action figure os is excellent condition, and is loose and “complete” with all original accessories, however included the original card back fully intact. If the original blister bubble is intact, It can bring additional value depending on the condition of the blister bubble.
MISB = “Mint in Sealed Box” This is when the Collectible is in excellent condition, and is factory sealed and was never opened or used.
MOC = “Mint on Card” This Is when the action figure is in excellent condition and is factory sealed and it’s original blister bubble and was never opened or used.
COMPLETE = “Complete” This is when the collectible is 100% complete with all of its accessories. Additional paperwork included with the original package does increase the overall value but does not necessarily consider the item complete
DISCLAIMER: Retro Toy Quest holds no responsibility for any possible inaccuracies displayed within this reference guide. Values may often fluctuate in the current collectors market prior to or after published updates. All values are estimated by Retro Toy Quest and subject to change and discrepancy, depending on the advanced nature of any collector. This collectors price guide is for informational and reference purposes only. Retro Toy Quest is not affiliated with any product or toy company referenced in this guide.
PLEASE NOTE: Variants, Unpunched, Graded, Early Releases, International, and other unique variations may fetch a higher price point on the collectors market. This reference guide is is designed for evaluating complete, in mint condition items only. Incomplete and lower quality conditioned items may fetch far lower price points, and need to be taken into consideration when evaluating your item.