Tolkien Visual Collecting Guide: Tolkien Action Figures

Although there are not many Action figures series, there are a lot of individual figures and a lot of variations.

This guide does not cover Dolls, Figures, Toy Soldiers, War Gaming Figures or Ornamental Figures.

The Lord of the Rings Toy Archive is the best website for all details of Tolkien Action Figures.

The Figure Realm website is the best for details on action figures, although not easy to navigate (under checklists browse H for Hobbit and L for Lord of the Rings).

Dash is a good resource, although not particularly structured.

This is an interesting article about Lord of the Rings action figures.

Knickerbocker

This is the first series of action figures based on Tolkien. They are based on the Bakshi animated movie. The series is not very big. They are now very collectable.

Figure Realm link

Magazines

Action Figure Digest (#25)

Toy Vault

This is a very weird series, it is not big and the selection of characters is quite random. Although this series is not big, there are quite a few variations on the same characters.

Figure Realm link

http://www.toymania.com/archives/metoys/metoyshistory.shtml

Original Packaging

New Packaging

Toybiz

These figures are all based on the Lord of the Rings movies.

This is an intestesting article featuring Toybiz Lord of the Rings about product packaging

http://www.designforceinc.com/lord-of-the-rings-package-design

Figure Realm has the most comprehensive guide to Toybiz figures.

Figure Archive also has a very good guide

Large Scale

Deluxe Series

6in Series

This series is excellent and also very big. There are lots of variations, particularly packaging. It was a shame this series finished, there were more planned (see below).

This is a good checklist (although there are a few errors and the rotk carded series is missing)

http://lotrcollectors.com/toybiz-lord-of-the-rings-checklist-guide/

This is a video of a fantastic collection

https://youtu.be/DFlG5aSrHqY

Please note that a lot of these figures were also produced with packaging variations for other countries.

See seperate blog entry for more details on variations.

Fellowship (Green packaging)

http://madfroghobbit.blogspot.co.uk/p/first-wave-halfmoon-box-green-t.html

Figures - Half Moon Fellowship Series 1: Frodo, Legolas, Newborn Lurtz, Strider, Witch King Ringwraith

Figures - Half Moon Fellowship Series 2: Gandalf, Gimli, Orc Overseer, Samwise Gamgee, Saruman

Figures - Half Moon Fellowship Series 3: Aragorn (Real Arrow Launch), Elrond (in armor), Traveling Bilbo, Orc Warrior

Figures - Carded Series 1: Boromir, Frodo, Galadriel (Lady of Light), Prologue Elven Warrior, Strider, Twilight Frodo, Twilight Ringwraith

Figures - Carded Series 2: Arwen, Elrond (in armor), Gandalf the Grey (Light up Sword), Gimli (Axe Throwing Action), Legolas (Dagger Slashing & Arrow Launching), Traveling Bilbo, Witch King Ringwraith

Figures - Carded Series 3: Birthday Celebration Bilbo, Elrond of Rivendel, Gil-Galad, King Elendil, Lurtz, Moria Orc Archer

variant Birthday Celebration Bilbo (red jacket)

Figures - Carded Series 4: Bilbo Transfixed, Gandalf the Grey, Mirkwood Legolas, Peter Jackson (as a Hobbit) might be series 5?, Prince Isildur, Super poseable Boromir, Super poseable Strider

Figures - Carded Series 5: Boromir (with electronic sound) (super posable), Council Legolas, Flaming Ringwraith, Galadriel Entranced, Weathertop Strider

Figures - Carded Other: Coronation Arwen (UK exclusive, variation of Return of the King figure)

Large Figures: Cave Troll - Electronic

Promo Figures: Uruk-Hai (Burger King mail-away), Lurtz (Burger King mail-away)

Note: there are 2 variations of the white mailer box for the Uruk-Hai.

Uruk-Hai limited 5000.

2 Figure Packs: Boromir/Lurtz, Frodo/Samwise, Merry-Pippin/Orc, Uruk-Hai/Gimli

3 Figure Packs: Ringwraith/Strider/Frodo (UK exclusive), Orc overseer/Gandalf/Sam (UK exclusive), Orc overseer/Gandalf/Boromir (UK exclusive)

Figures with Horse: Arwen/Asfaloth, Ringwraith/Horse, Ringwraith/Horse/Frodo (Canada exclusive)

Gift Packs: Fellowship (plastic capes), Fellowship (cloth capes), Fellowship (cloth capes, Gandalf plastic), Bearers One Ring

Fellowship (Red packaging)

Figures - Half Moon Fellowship: Boromir (Aus exclusive), Merry & Pippin, Ringwraith, Travelling Bilbo, Twilight Ringwraith, Galadriel, Prologue Elven Warrior, Moria Orc

Two Towers (Red packaging)

Figures - Half Moon Two Towers Series 1: Easterling, Faramir, Gandalf the White, Gondorian Ranger, Legolas (Rohan Armor)

variant Gandalf the White (bright white)

Figures - Half Moon Two Towers Series 2: Eomer, King Theoden, Rohirrim Soldier, Grima Wormtongue, Saruman the White

Figures - Half Moon Two Towers Series 3: Aragorn, Frodo with Light-up Sting, Helm's Deep Aragorn

Figures - Half Moon Two Towers Series 4: Gollum (Electronic Sound Base), Smeagol (Electronic Sound Base), Legolas (Rohirrim Armour), King Theoden in Armor, Sam in Mordor, Twilight Frodo, Gimli Helms Deep (Aus exclusive)

Figures - Half Moon Two Towers Series 5: Berserker Uruk-Hai, Grishnakh, Ugluk, Frodo (with Elven Cloak)

Figures - Carded Series 1: Crossbow Uruk-Hai, Eomer, Eowyn, Helm's Deep Aragorn, King Theoden in Armour, Saruman The White, Smeagol

Figures - Carded Series 2: Berserker Uruk-Hai, Frodo w/ Sting, Gandalf the White, Gollum (Electronic Sound Base), Helm's Deep Legolas, Treebeard

Figures - Carded Series 3: Boromir, Gamling, Isengard Orc, Super Poseable Frodo, Super Poseable Helm's Deep Aragorn

Figures - Carded Series 4: Dungeons of Isengard Orc Captain, Gate of Mordor Sam, Hama Royal Guard of Rohan, Legolas (Arrow-Launching), Prince Theodred, Super Poseable Shagrat Mordor Uruk-Hai Warrior

Figures - Carded Series 5: Balrog Battle Gandalf, Battle Action Aragorn, Battle Cry Uruk-Hai Warrior, Possessed King Theoden

Large Figures: Sauron - Electronic, Cave Troll - Electronic, Treebeard

2 Figure Packs: Elf Archer/Berserker Urk-Hai, Merry/Grishnakh, Pippin/Ugluk

Figures with Horse: Arwen/Asfaloth, Aragorn/Brego, Aragorn/Brego, Gandalf/Shadowfax, Ringwraith/Horse

variant Aragorn/Brego (figures other way round)

Gift Packs: Fellowship, Heroes Middle-Earth

Return of the King (Blue packaging)

Figures - Half Moon ROTK Series 1: Crossbow Uruk-Hai, Eomer (in Ceremonial Armor), Frodo in Goblin Armor, Sam Gamgee with Goblin Disguise Armor

Figures - Half Moon ROTK Series 2: Eowyn in Armor, Gandalf the White, Super Poseable Gollumn (crawling action), Super Poseable Pelennor Fields Aragorn

Figures - Half Moon ROTK Series 3: Eowyn with Sword Slashing Action, Gollum (with Electronic Sound Base), Smeagol (with Electronic Sound Base), Prologue Bilbo, Treebeard

Figures - Half Moon ROTK Series 4: Aragorn King of Gondor Armor, Haradrim Archer, Legolas in Rohan, Pippin in Armor, Aragorn

Figures - Carded Series 1: Aragorn King of Gondor, Haradrim Archer, Legolas in Rohan, Pippin in Armor

Figures - Carded Series 2: Faramir in Gondorian Armor, King of the Dead, Merry (Rohan Armor), Morgul Lord Witch-King

Figures - Carded Series 3: Arwen (in Coronation gown), Cirith Ungol Uruk-Hai, Gimli (Coronation Attire), Ringwraith, Super Poseable Shelob, Super Poseable Smeagol

Figures - Carded Series 4: Denethor Steward of Gondor, Minas Tirith Citadel Guard, Shelob Attack Frodo, Smeagol Stoor Fisherman, Super Poseable Aragorn, Super Poseable Gorbag

Figures - Carded Series 5: Electronic Eye of Sauron, Gothmog, Legolas (Dagger-Throwing), Mount Doom Frodo, Mount Doom Sam, Sam Gamgee in Orc Armor (with Electronic Base)

Figures - Carded Canadian Exclusive Series (dual language): Super Posable Strider, Hama, Council Legolas, Smeagol, Super Posable Boromir, Super Posable Minas Tirith Guard

2 Figure Packs: Aragorn/Legolas (UK exclusive), Berserker/Frodo (UK exclusive), Gollum/Frodo (UK exclusive), Haradrim/Legolas (UK exclusive), Theoden/Morgul Lord (UK exclusive), Treebeard/Gandalf (UK exclusive), Gandalf/Saramun 'White Wizards' (UK exclusive)

3 Figure Packs: Aragorn/Gimli/Legolas 'Freedom to Edoras' (UK exclusive)

Large Figures: Battle Troll, Sauron (Electronic), Sauron/Saruman 'Lords of Darkness' (UK exclusive), Treebeard, Ringwraith/Fell Beast, Cave Troll (Spain only)

Figures with Horse: Arwen/Asfaloth, King Aragorn/Brego, Ringwraith/Horse, Sharku/Warg, Gandalf/Shadowfax, Legolas/Horse, Aragorn/Brego

Gift Packs: Fellowship, Fellowship (with Peter Jackson), 5-Pack (Spanish only), Warriors of the Two Towers, Heroes of Rohan (is this a pre-release of Warriors of Two Towers?), Coronation, Quest for Mordor, Mount Doom, Ringwraith

Epic Trilogy

Figures - Carded Series 1 - Fellowship: Council of Elrond Aragorn, Fiery of Ringwraith, Super Poseable Frodo with Journal, Galadriel Entranced

Figures - Carded Series 2 - Two Towers: Balrog Battle Gandalf, Eowen Shield Maiden of Rohan, Gandalf Stormcrow, Legolas, Legolas (Arrow Launching & electronic sound base)

Figures - Carded Series 3 - Return of the King: Electronic Eye of Sauron, Gondorian Swordsman, Super Poseable Gothmog, Mordor Orc Lieutenant, Morgul Lord Witch-King

Others (Various packaging)

Gift Packs: The Defeat of Sauron, Helm's Deep Battle Set, The Return of Gandalf (UK exclusive), Battle Shelobs Lair 3-Pack, Elves of Middle Earth, Kings of Middle Earth, Pelennor Fields, Lothlorien, Black Gate of Mordor, Final Battle of Middle-Earth, There and Back Again, Burden of the One Ring

Other

Carry Case (Canada)

Mega Deal Value Packs: Legolas/Helms Deep Aragorn/Gothmog, Legolas/Morgul Lord Witch-King/Orc Lieutenant, Gordoreon Swordsman/Legolas/Gothmog

Planned (never produced)

Lord of the Rings Epic Trilogy Wave 3: Aragorn w/ Light-Up Palantir, Super-Poseable Legolas, Easterling w/ Banner, Orc w/ Banner, Corsair

Lord of the Rings Epic Trilogy Wave 4:Barrow Wight, Birch Ent, Rosie Cotton, Berserker Uruk w/ Bomb, Aragorn w/ Red Sleeves at Rohan, Wulf of the Wild Men

Prototype

There have also been quite a lot of prototypes of these figures available.

Magazines

Toyfare (Feb 2002)

Toyfare (Jan 2003)

Toyfare (Feb 2004)

Action Figure Digest (#90)

Action Figure Digest (#142)

Bootleg

These are unofficial figures ripping off the Toybiz range. They were very poorly made and not widely available.

The site has some details

Single figure packs

Double Figure packs

NECA

https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=seriesitemlist&id=580&universeid=427&figures=lordoftheringsneca

Balrog

This was made by popular demand to match the scale of the Toybiz 6in series.

Epic

20in

These are based on the movies, very big almost statues or dolls.

Gandalf

Aragorn

Legolas

Applause

These were again based on the movies, they are almost statues.

Fellowship

Two Towers

Bridge Direct

These figures are all based on the Hobbit movies. They are a bit disappointing when compared to the Toybiz figures, particularly the 4in figures, although the 6in are comparable. The series is also not very big, it is a shame the did not produce more of the 6in figures, some were planned (see unreleased).

There was a Smaug figure produced but this was to a much smaller scale are is classed as a toy soldier.

Figure Realm link

This is a good checklist of the figures

6in

Unexpected Journey