Action Figure Terms
As an action figure collector you are going to come across many different action figure terms. Here I have listed a bunch of the most commonly used terms in the action figure community. Brush up on your skills or maybe learn a thing or two.
Action Figure Terms
- A/O: All original. They action figure comes with all accessories like it did brand new.
- BAF: Build a figure. A figure that is packaged with a piece of a “superfigure”. You must buy all the figures to created the final figure.
- Book Value: Price of a figure by condition.
- Chase: A chase figure is when the manufacturer with intentionally alter the clothing, painting, or pose to create a special variant figure. They are usually identified by the appearance of the figure.
- Collectible: Any action figure that you can collect. Value increases on figures that are high in demand and low in supply.
- CNP: Complete, no package.
- CON EX: Convention exclusive.
- Exclusives: Exclusives are action figures are made specifically for certain stores. Exclusives are usually only at stores that can order in very large quantities.
- F: Fair
- G: Good
- HTF: Hard to find.
- Limited Edition (LE): Figures that are made in large quantites. Often “limited editions” are figures that were not predicted to sell very well.
- Loose: Figure that is no longer in packaging.
- M: Mint
- MIB: Mint in box. Factory condition in box.
- MIP: Mint in package. Like MIB except all accessories are in packages.
- Mint & Complete: Figure has all accessories and everything is in excellent shape
- MNB: Mint, no box
- NM: Near mint
- NRFB: Never removed from box
- P: Poor condition
- Prototype: A pre production sculpt of a action figure.
- Punched: The hole used to hang the card on a peg in stores has been knocked out.
- Semi-Exclusive: Like exclusives but often found in other stores in different regions
- Shot-packs: Action figures that arrive in limited quantity compared to the rest of that line of production. This could be done because of higher production costs or to make that particular figure more valuable.
- Super-Chase: A chase figure that is produced in very limited quantities.
- Unpunched: The hole used to hang the card on a peg in stores has not been knocked out.
- Variation (VAR): Variation action figures can occur because a mistake is made in production and the figure is pulled, fixed and reissued.
- VG: Very good
- VHTF: Very hard to find
Brands and Toy Line Action Figure Terms:
- ANH: A New Hope
- BTAS: Batman the Animated Series
- CW: Clone Wars
- DCU: DC Universe
- DCUC: DC Universe Classics
- EP1: Episode 1
- ESB: Empire Strikes Back
- FF: Fantastic Four
- HAS: Hasbro
- JOE: G.I. Joe
- KEN: Kenner
- LOB: Legends of Batman
- LOTDK: Legends of the Dark Knight (Batman)
- MAT/Matty: Mattel
- ML: Marvel Legends
- MOTU: Masters of the Universe
- MOTUC: Masters of the Universe Classics
- MU: Marvel Universe
- POTF: Power of the Force
- POTJ: Power of the Jedi
- PR: Power Rangers
- RAH: Real American Hero (G.I. Joe)
- RES: Resolute (G.I. Joe)
- ROC: Rise of Cobra (G.I. Joe)
- ROTJ: Return of the Jedi
- ROTS: Revenge of the Sith
- SLU: Starting Line Up
- SOTE: Shadows of the Empire
- SW: Star Wars
- TB: Toy Biz
- TMNT: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- TRU: Toy R Us
With all these action figure terms you should be able to become a collector of action figures in no time. Take the time to study these because they will be important to know when you are buying or selling toys. Knowing the action figure terms could save you from a very embarrassing moment later on down the road.
This is not a complete list of action figure terms because there are action figure terms coming out daily. New action figure terms should be easy to keep up on if you are keeping up to date with the latest toy news.
Feel free to join the discussion below or even add in some more action figure terms that I may have left out.