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Masters of the Universe (MOTU) is a Mattel toy line that appeared in the early 1980s, pitting He-Man against Skeletor over control of Castle Grayskull. The first figures (series 1, known as "8-backs" because eight characters are shown on the back of the card) and large playsets such as Castle Grayskull are now among the most sought-after pieces, especially sealed and graded by AFA.
Sources : Antiques Trade Gazette · Gizmodo
Gizmodo notes that a Castle Grayskull sold in 2025 for more than $209,000, far more than the two record sales of June 2026 (He-Man and Snake Mountain).
Source : Gizmodo · 2025 sale
A record for a 1980s production action figure sold at auction, according to Gizmodo. It beat the previous record, set in 2022, for the same figure graded AFA 80: $32,512.
Source : Gizmodo · LCG Auctions June 2026 sale
Skeletor's lair, graded AFA 85, set a record for this playset in the same sale as the $80,736 He-Man.
Source : Gizmodo · LCG Auctions June 2026 sale
It set a record for this playset and made national headlines, according to LCG. A sealed AFA 80+ copy was then offered with an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000 and finally sold for $10,359.60 including premium, according to the Antiques Trade Gazette.
Sources : LCG Auctions · Antiques Trade Gazette · LCG Auctions fall sale, 2021
According to VeVe, a near-perfect 1982 He-Man sold for about $10,000 in 2017: the rise since then shows how fervent the demand has become.
Source : VeVe · 2017 sale
Prices found in the press and on marketplaces during our research of Oct 4, 2026. These are isolated sales, or asking prices where stated: they are not a price guide. Amounts are in their original currency.