WORLD’S HIGHEST GRADED GI JOE: U.S.S. FLAGG PLAYSET BECOMES FIRST-EVER G.I. JOE COLLECTIBLE TO SELL FOR $40,000

Another Original Factory Sealed iPhone Sells for $100,000+ as LCG Auctions Spring Premier Auction Records More Than $590,000 in Sales 

NEW ORLEANS – MARCH 25, 2024 – Collector interest in pop-culture memorabilia and classic Apple technology continues to escalate as was illustrated in the 2024 LCG Auctions Spring Premier Auction which closed on Sunday night with $591,426 in sales. With just 126 lots up for bids, LCG Auctions—the premier auction house for high-end vintage toys and pop-culture collectibles – established a record average price realized of $4,693 per item sold.

As collectors expected, the record sale price of $41,430 for the world’s highest-graded 1985 GI Joe: U.S.S. Flagg Playset (AFA U85) set a new standard for any G.I. Joe Collectible – surpassing a 1983 Cobra Commander G.I. Joe (AFA 95) action figure sold by LCG Auctions in October 2021 for $37,553. The USS Flagg is not only the ultimate GI Joe collectible, but also the most iconic playset in the entire hobby (across all toy lines), and one of the most recognizable and desirable toys of the 1980’s. This example is a true masterpiece with none graded higher. The playset was originally released in 1985, when the ARAH toyline was at its peak. This example arrived at AFA in “uncirculated” condition – the original cardboard packing slip still covered the piece. The professionals at AFA removed the slip for the very first time and assigned the playset a red label grade of 85.

Other record sale prices realized included: a 1987 Transformers Scorponok AFA 80+ ($29,557) – a record auction sale for any Transformer in grade surpassing the previous record of $20,188 set in the 2021 LCG Auctions Spring Auction; a 1978 Luke Skywalker DT AFA 80+ ($40,5364) – a record for a Luke DT visible saber surpassing the previous record of $31,200 and; a 1984 Transformers Soundwave AFA 85 ($35,764) – a record auction sale for any  Soundwave, nearly doubling the previous record of $20,713.

The 2024 LCG Auctions Spring Premier Auction also showed that the market for Apple technology is still strong as 13 lots of Apple-related technology sold for a combined $186,392. Leading the way was another sale of a 2007 Factory Sealed Original Apple iPhone 4GB Model (First Gen/1st Release) selling for $130,027. This marks the third time in the past eight months LCG Auctions has sold an iPhone for more than $100,000.

Here’s a look at some of the auction highlights. The complete auction catalog with final sale prices is available at www.LCGAuctions.com: Lot # 1: 1985 GI Joe: U.S.S. Flagg AFA U85 (Highest Graded) – *record for any G.I. Joe Collectible (FINAL SALE PRICE: $41,130)   Lot # 2: 1978: Luke Skywalker w/ *Fully Extended* DT Saber 12 Back-C AFA 80+ – *record for any Luke DT visible saber (FINAL SALE PRICE: $40,364)   Lot # 11: 1984 Transformers: Soundwave w/ Rubsign AFA 85 – *record for any Soundwave (FINAL SALE PRICE: $35,764)   Lot # 12: 1987 Transformers: Scorponok AFA 80+ – *record for any Transformers in grade (FINAL SALE PRICE: $29,557)   Lot # 3: 1978: Luke Skywalker w/ DT Saber 12 Back-A AFA 85 (w/ CIB) (FINAL SALE PRICE: $27,570)   Lot # 4: 1982 MOTU: He-Man 8-Back AFA 80 (Rare Clear Bubble) (FINAL SALE PRICE: $26,870)   Lot # 6: Original 2007 Apple iPhone Factory Sealed (1st Release, 4GB) (FINAL SALE PRICE: $130,027)   Lot #10: Early 1980’s Apple Briefcase (Gifted by Steve Jobs) (FINAL SALE PRICE: $7,783)   Lot #21: Original 2015 Apple Watch Factory Sealed (First Gen/1st Release) (FINAL SALE PRICE: $2,761)   Lot #22: Steve Jobs 8th Grade Yearbook (FINAL SALE PRICE: $1,417)

LCG Auctions is currently accepting consignments for its 2024 Fall Auction. To consign an item, visit Consign an item; call 985-282-2533; or email info@LCGAuctions.com.

About LCG Auctions: LCG Auctions was founded in 2021 by a team of passionate vintage toy collectors and experts and is the industry’s first marketplace exclusively for premium vintage toys. It offers rare, difficult to find, high-end vintage pieces rarely available in other marketplaces. Items are authenticated and professionally graded, giving collectors peace of mind in their investment. LCG utilizes state-of-the-art auction software that includes a zoom feature allowing collectors to thoroughly examine the condition of every item. LCG Auctions LLC is fully licensed and bonded by the state of Louisiana (License #: LA AB-551). For more information, visit www.LCGAuctions.com or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/lcgauctions), Instagram (@LCGAuctions), or Twitter (@LCGAuctions).