Sci-fi fantasy collectibles mean different things to different fans and the value changes significantly with the demand. There are dozens of science-fiction franchises out there, and each one has a hardcore devoted fanbase. It would be easy do a top five for each major franchise since their fans are that devoted.Some science-fiction fans could belong to several franchises such as yours truly, as I’m a fan of Marvel, Star Trek, and Supernatural. Others are devoted to fantasy genres like Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings and even go to the extent of LARPing.While others are devoted to obscure series like Space 1999, Firefly and Babylon 5. Hardcore nerds out there have special places in their hearts for franchises old and new, the popular and the obscure.Sometimes, it doesn’t matter what franchise it’s in, if it’s iconic enough like Sauron’s One Ring, or a statue of Gollum, it belongs in a man-cave. It can be a toy, a statuette, a film prop, a comic book or a trading card. I may not be a big fan of Batman, but I won’t say no to a life-size statue in my living room and a Batmobile in my garage. I can’t help but recall that urologist, played perfectly by Billy Bob Thornton, in The Big Bang Theory with all his movie props and replicas.
As everyone’s tastes are different, it’s hard to always know what the hottest collectibles are for us geeks. Given a choice between a dinner date with Miley Cyrus or Mr. Spock’s original ears autographed by Leonard Nimoy, what will it be? No question there. But a dinner with Emilia Clarke? Spock’s ears can wait.Well, it’s tough, but here are the top five objects we think any sci-fi fan would want in his or her collection. The items here have to be attainable enough but not on the level of Bill Gates. If you are able to spend from a few hundred up to a million dollars for your favorite franchise, then good for you. We value your happiness.Check out our handpicked sci fi fantasy collectibles that have everything from George Reeves original Superman costume to real Valerian Game of Thrones steel.
Owning the Batmobile is the dream of many sci-fi fans, whatever incarnation it may be in. Riding in it and getting to say “I’m Batman” can make the day of just about anyone. Just ask Batkid. Owning a replica of Adam West’s Batmobile or Michael Keaton’s version would require one of Bruce Wayne’s bank accounts.Ben Affleck’s version should be easily reproducible with enough fiberglass or 3D printouts, unlike Christian Bale’s large Tumbler. If you don’t have the dough, Christian Bale’s Batcycle would make a cool project. Getting the actual studio vehicles would require you being a high-roller in Vegas or a major Apple stockholder but reproductions are possible.The most common reproduction is still Michael Keaton’s Batmobile once featured in History Channel’s Pawn Stars. It’s sleek and looks futuristic enough to hold up for almost three decades. Other iconic cars in demand are Back to the Future’s DeLorean and KITT from Knight Rider.
No doubt that HBO’s Game of Thrones is one of the hottest properties of the current generation. It’s easy enough to get Jon Snow’s cloak and sword but getting a life-sized Iron Throne replica will either require lots of material, ingenuity, and creativity or a huge paycheck for one ready-made. The going price for such replicas can be from $10,000 (unlicensed) to $30,000. Not exactly a steal but once you have it, it’s difficult not to act spoiled. Feel free to tell everyone in the room that ‘the king can do as he likes’ all day.
Who doesn’t love Iron Man nowadays? C’mon DC fans, even you can’t say no to a life-size Iron Man replica or at least a life-size bust in your bedroom. He should go well beside that T-100 or Predator statue in your man-cave.At a minimum, Iron Man’s chest piece and eyes should make a cool nightlight. It would also be cool if it includes a Jarvis-like AI. These days, you could probably customize an Echo Dot, stick it into a life-size Iron Man bust and call her Friday. Life-size replicas of the Mark 42 went on sale from Sideshow Collectibles for $8,500. That’s about a few hours paycheck for someone working on Wall Street.If you want to go cheaper, half an armor would do. Again, Sideshow Collectibles sold various life-size Iron Man busts for under a thousand dollars. Currently sold out, imagine that, but keep checking back here on eBay as they keep coming back.
Lord of the Rings, The One Ring and Other Props
These items can easily be tied in this list but replicas of these are a dime a dozen. What geeks would want most are the actual studio props used in The Lord of the Rings movie.The One Ring, such a tiny thing, probably gets misplaced quite often during production so there should be several of them going around. Are there? There are nine which were sold at auction in 2015. The main prop was expected to sell for over $80,000 while the other 8 were expected to sell for $20,000 each.But if you want a replica with added value, New Zealand’s Jens Hansen is the craftsman that actually made the studio props, and they can be found here on eBay. If you’re not into jewelry, you can get the various swords and weapons from the series.
It would probably be difficult to find a sci-fi fan who’s not interested in comic books. Many fans would have dedicated shelves for their collection or boxes upon boxes stashed in a closet.The centerpiece of these collections would be the rare ones like Spider-Man’s first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 or the first appearance of the Avengers in Avengers #1. But the most iconic of comic books is Action Comics #1 which features the first appearance of Superman that sparked the superhero genre in the 1930s.Perhaps the most expensive 9-grade copy sold for 3 million dollars at an auction in 2014. Nicolas Cage used to own one until it was stolen from his home. Now we’re not asking hardcore geeks to pine for a 9-grade copy. There are other copies out there, a bit tattered and worn but could still sell for $10,000 or so. It’s the perfect centerpiece for any comic book collection, not just for marquee value, but lucky owners will be helping preserve a piece of history.Click here to check out all the sci-fi and fantasy collectibles we’ve handpicked right here.
