WWF Nailz Hasbro distribtuion question

[mrh]

Sept 19, 2021 7:54:13 GMT -5 candymanwew said:

I was both lucky and unlucky when I first started collecting. I wasn’t allowed to watch wrestling as a small child so I was already 11 in 1994 when I got my first Hasbro, so definitely behind. However, my mom worked at KB toys in our local mall from 1993-1995. So I had about a full year of literally getting to open dozens of cases of the 3 for 10 Hasbros that came in. I opened 3-4 yellow card cases and Nailz was the only one not included so I imagine he was pulled from all late distributions and was only made the first run. I remember thinking as a kid it was because Owen,Crush,Razor, and Shawn were all still in the WWF and Kamala was in WCW.

This is so fascinating candymanwew -- I didn't realize there were separate cases just shipped to KB for the 3 for $10 special.

Any other things you can share? Did each wave come together? Were they all mixed in with each other?

So good to know about Nailz - I always thought he was pulled....

[candymanwew]

Sept 19, 2021 21:21:47 GMT -5 mrh said:

Sept 19, 2021 7:54:13 GMT -5 candymanwew said:

I was both lucky and unlucky when I first started collecting. I wasn’t allowed to watch wrestling as a small child so I was already 11 in 1994 when I got my first Hasbro, so definitely behind. However, my mom worked at KB toys in our local mall from 1993-1995. So I had about a full year of literally getting to open dozens of cases of the 3 for 10 Hasbros that came in. I opened 3-4 yellow card cases and Nailz was the only one not included so I imagine he was pulled from all late distributions and was only made the first run. I remember thinking as a kid it was because Owen,Crush,Razor, and Shawn were all still in the WWF and Kamala was in WCW.

This is so fascinating candymanwew -- I didn't realize there were separate cases just shipped to KB for the 3 for $10 special.

Any other things you can share? Did each wave come together? Were they all mixed in with each other?

So good to know about Nailz - I always thought he was pulled....

I can tell you what I can remember and obviously wish iPhones were around back then to document all of this LOL.

I grew up in Texas, so like Summer-Fall 1994 our KB got a lot of Spanish carding. Mix of Series 3 & 4. I remember buying Undertaker, Greg Valentine, Koko B Ware, Ricky Steamboat, British Bulldog, Mr Perfect with $20 on one purchase. I was mostly into WCW (Summer 94-Early 95) so I remember in my kid brain it would always seem to be missing wrestlers that were heavily featured in WCW at that time...IE No Hogan, Macho, Beefcake, Earthquake, Ric Flair. Made me cherish my Steamboat even more.

Early 95-Summer 95 I remember tons and tons yellow and red cards. On one occassion, I remember where I was standing in the store opening 2 yellow card and 1 red card case but still not a single Nailz, Undertaker #2 or Bret #2. I really think that's why they are so rare.  Once got a case of Yellow Cards with some Series 6 mixed in so got Sid, Hogan No Shirt, Niedhart and Mountie.

On a side note (Summer 95) a kid I met at a summer Latchkey and I worked out a trade... 5 figs for 5 figs. I would give him 5 different yellow and red cards in exchange for his loose Nasty Boys, Dusty Rhodes, Beefcake #2 (no shears), and Adam Bomb. I thought he might be pranking me and I can remember my conversation with my mom saying "Well I will just return these if he doesn't trade with you". He actually brought them to my birthday party that summer and we made the trade. I only knew what those 5 looked like from the cardbacks so was so fired up to own them IRL. He really wanted Shawn/Razor/Yoko so he was more then happy with the trade also. Still one of my best B-day memories all these years later!

[mrh]

Sept 20, 2021 0:52:35 GMT -5 candymanwew said:

Sept 19, 2021 21:21:47 GMT -5 mrh said:

This is so fascinating candymanwew -- I didn't realize there were separate cases just shipped to KB for the 3 for $10 special.

Any other things you can share? Did each wave come together? Were they all mixed in with each other?

So good to know about Nailz - I always thought he was pulled....

I can tell you what I can remember and obviously wish iPhones were around back then to document all of this LOL.

I grew up in Texas, so like Summer-Fall 1994 our KB got a lot of Spanish carding. Mix of Series 3 & 4. I remember buying Undertaker, Greg Valentine, Koko B Ware, Ricky Steamboat, British Bulldog, Mr Perfect with $20 on one purchase. I was mostly into WCW (Summer 94-Early 95) so I remember in my kid brain it would always seem to be missing wrestlers that were heavily featured in WCW at that time...IE No Hogan, Macho, Beefcake, Earthquake, Ric Flair. Made me cherish my Steamboat even more.

Early 95-Summer 95 I remember tons and tons yellow and red cards. On one occassion, I remember where I was standing in the store opening 2 yellow card and 1 red card case but still not a single Nailz, Undertaker #2 or Bret #2. I really think that's why they are so rare.  Once got a case of Yellow Cards with some Series 6 mixed in so got Sid, Hogan No Shirt, Niedhart and Mountie.

On a side note (Summer 95) a kid I met at a summer Latchkey and I worked out a trade... 5 figs for 5 figs. I would give him 5 different yellow and red cards in exchange for his loose Nasty Boys, Dusty Rhodes, Beefcake #2 (no shears), and Adam Bomb. I thought he might be pranking me and I can remember my conversation with my mom saying "Well I will just return these if he doesn't trade with you". He actually brought them to my birthday party that summer and we made the trade. I only knew what those 5 looked like from the cardbacks so was so fired up to own them IRL. He really wanted Shawn/Razor/Yoko so he was more then happy with the trade also. Still one of my best B-day memories all these years later!

This post is amazing candymanwew!! So your mom just held all the cases for you? That's so cool -- and awesome the other employees let her do it.

Man, your post brings up such awesome memories.

[hosehound316]

I remember seeing Nailz multiple times at KB/Toy Works here in Mass. All depends where you are...same with now. I see AEW figures in all wal marts and target, yet some people have never seen one. My mother used to work at the Toy Works that was in Brockton on the East Side and I remember always getting the Hasbros the day they came off the truck.

[ozz]

Oct 6, 2021 7:46:18 GMT -5 hosehound316 said:

I remember seeing Nailz multiple times at KB/Toy Works here in Mass. All depends where you are...same with now. I see AEW figures in all wal marts and target, yet some people have never seen one. My mother used to work at the Toy Works that was in Brockton on the East Side and I remember always getting the Hasbros the day they came off the truck.

My area of WMass certainly wasn't the same

[Hasbromaniac]

All yellow cards equally packed, not saw a shortage in my area growing up in NJ, he was more of a peg warmer there.

[mrh]

Oct 9, 2021 14:48:10 GMT -5 Hasbromaniac said:

All yellow cards equally packed, not saw a shortage in my area growing up in NJ, he was more of a peg warmer there.

Where in NJ? I lived in Bergen County -- and started this thread because he was the only one I never saw!

[brinsko3]

My parents were relentless in trying to find all the figures for me as a kid. I never was able to get dusty but yet all my friends had him. The only other figures they could not find for me up until the green cards were the nasty boys. I never seen a green card in a store. I missed on some of the red cards but I did see all of them in a store called laneco. My parents went back to get the ones I did not get that day which were bam bam yoko and Bret but they were sold out. As for the yellow cards. I was the only kid who had nailz. I remember going to boscovs (I'm from NE PA) and seeing them all but I walked out with none that day. I got all of them for Christmas that year. But I do remember seeing all the yellow cards there after that. I feel like everyone else's parents stuck to the big name stores and hills in my area. The green cards were apparently at hills and in numbers. Not entirely sure why I never seen them or got even one of them. I was able to get some from a random booth in the mall about 95' for $20 each. Got bomb and yoko that day. Traded pokemon cards and $5 for the smoking gunns and borga about 3 years later. Crush and 123 kid eluded me for years til I was able to buy them on my own later.

[mrh]

This thread could go on forever and it would make me really happy!

[hbkjason]

Oct 21, 2021 20:15:52 GMT -5 brinsko3 said:

My parents were relentless in trying to find all the figures for me as a kid. I never was able to get dusty but yet all my friends had him. The only other figures they could not find for me up until the green cards were the nasty boys. I never seen a green card in a store. I missed on some of the red cards but I did see all of them in a store called laneco. My parents went back to get the ones I did not get that day which were bam bam yoko and Bret but they were sold out. As for the yellow cards. I was the only kid who had nailz. I remember going to boscovs (I'm from NE PA) and seeing them all but I walked out with none that day. I got all of them for Christmas that year. But I do remember seeing all the yellow cards there after that. I feel like everyone else's parents stuck to the big name stores and hills in my area. The green cards were apparently at hills and in numbers. Not entirely sure why I never seen them or got even one of them. I was able to get some from a random booth in the mall about 95' for $20 each. Got bomb and yoko that day. Traded pokemon cards and $5 for the smoking gunns and borga about 3 years later. Crush and 123 kid eluded me for years til I was able to buy them on my own later.

I think that the reason that some of you guys in the USA struggled to find the Nasty Boys was that Hasbro shipped about a million of them here in the UK! Seriously, The Nasty Boys and the Legion of Doom were so overstocked in Scotland where I grew up. I remember seeing bins and bins of both sets of figures in a couple of different stores, man if I could go back and buy a couple

[mrh]

Oct 22, 2021 3:56:08 GMT -5 hbkjason said:

Oct 21, 2021 20:15:52 GMT -5 brinsko3 said:

My parents were relentless in trying to find all the figures for me as a kid. I never was able to get dusty but yet all my friends had him. The only other figures they could not find for me up until the green cards were the nasty boys. I never seen a green card in a store. I missed on some of the red cards but I did see all of them in a store called laneco. My parents went back to get the ones I did not get that day which were bam bam yoko and Bret but they were sold out. As for the yellow cards. I was the only kid who had nailz. I remember going to boscovs (I'm from NE PA) and seeing them all but I walked out with none that day. I got all of them for Christmas that year. But I do remember seeing all the yellow cards there after that. I feel like everyone else's parents stuck to the big name stores and hills in my area. The green cards were apparently at hills and in numbers. Not entirely sure why I never seen them or got even one of them. I was able to get some from a random booth in the mall about 95' for $20 each. Got bomb and yoko that day. Traded pokemon cards and $5 for the smoking gunns and borga about 3 years later. Crush and 123 kid eluded me for years til I was able to buy them on my own later.

I think that the reason that some of you guys in the USA struggled to find the Nasty Boys was that Hasbro shipped about a million of them here in the UK! Seriously, The Nasty Boys and the Legion of Doom were so overstocked in Scotland where I grew up. I remember seeing bins and bins of both sets of figures in a couple of different stores, man if I could go back and buy a couple

This is so interesting -- and maybe it is true.

As the OP said -- the Nasty Boys were IMPOSSIBLE to find in the U.S.

[jdbuzz4044]

Oct 23, 2021 0:07:39 GMT -5 mrh said:

Oct 22, 2021 3:56:08 GMT -5 hbkjason said:

I think that the reason that some of you guys in the USA struggled to find the Nasty Boys was that Hasbro shipped about a million of them here in the UK! Seriously, The Nasty Boys and the Legion of Doom were so overstocked in Scotland where I grew up. I remember seeing bins and bins of both sets of figures in a couple of different stores, man if I could go back and buy a couple

This is so interesting -- and maybe it is true.

As the OP said -- the Nasty Boys were IMPOSSIBLE to find in the U.S.

The Nasty boys were impossible to find when I was younger as well. I grew up in central Florida. I never saw the tag team series 2 in stores. I did eventually find the LOD in a toy store called Toy Liquidators in the outlet mall in late 1993. They easily had 100s and 100s of LOD. But no Nasty boys. I ended up getting the Nasty boys in a collectible toy store in 1994. I remember my parents being upset because they rang up $25 for them LOL. That was a lot for toys back then. Toy Liquidators was the same store that I remember them having hundreds of Black card LJNs in the early 1990s. I mean 100's. Easily 25 plus of Andre with black strap, Rick Rude, and Haku. Those are the 3 I remember. I was pouting because they didn't have Ultimate warrior, so i passed on those 3. I was a dumb kid LOL

I NEVER saw the yellow cards in stores upon release. I checked Walmart/Target/Kaybee/Toysrus after seeing them in the advertisement in the WWF magazine for months. I found the red cards one time. It was in a Kaybee in Tampa. I bought the Undertaker, Bam Bam, and Yokozuna. Passed on Luger, Hitman and Perfect. Never saw them again. I never saw the green cards as well. Ended up buying Crush and Adam bomb at a toy show for $25 a pop. Later found the smoking guns/Yoko at a toy show for $5 a piece. Never saw the 123 Kid or Borga to buy in person to this day. My toysrus the final Blue and Purple cards on the pegs for ages. Most likely the reason the green cards never came in. I remember both the Butchwackers and Tantanka being on clearance up until late 1995. The only time I saw the yellow cards in stores was the 3/10 at Kaybee Toy Store. I was able to find Owen Hart and Kamala. My local Kaybee never had Red cards or any other yellow card figures on the 3/10 deal other than those 2. I didn't find Shawn Michaels or Razor until the second release on the last blue card series.

[mrh]

Amazing post jdbuzz4044

Like you -- I had to buy Nasty Boys at a toy shop, and like you, my parents hated paying that much.

I never even found Nailz -- but somehow, I was able to find all the others at retail except the Green Cards. Looking back now, I'm amazed.

I have such a hard time figuring out where I found the Purple and last Blue Card series.

For the Green Cards, my granpdarents ordered them for a catalogue for me. I STILL remember sitting on their couch and opening that box -- I was so happy to get them.

The best memories. And at the time (and now) I would have done anything for that Orange Card series.

I kept hoping there would be another series (this was pre-Internet era) with a USA Lex and updated Owen Hart...

[Rasslin.Bros]

Oct 24, 2021 14:11:21 GMT -5 jdbuzz4044 said:

As the OP said -- the Nasty Boys were IMPOSSIBLE to find in the U.S.
The Nasty boys were impossible to find when I was younger as well. I grew up in central Florida. I never saw the tag team series 2 in stores. I did eventually find the LOD in a toy store called Toy Liquidators in the outlet mall in late 1993. They easily had 100s and 100s of LOD. But no Nasty boys. I ended up getting the Nasty boys in a collectible toy store in 1994. I remember my parents being upset because they rang up $25 for them LOL. That was a lot for toys back then. Toy Liquidators was the same store that I remember them having hundreds of Black card LJNs in the early 1990s. I mean 100's. Easily 25 plus of Andre with black strap, Rick Rude, and Haku. Those are the 3 I remember. I was pouting because they didn't have Ultimate warrior, so i passed on those 3. I was a dumb kid LOL

I got A LOT of stuff at Toy Liquidators. I remember them having floor-to-ceiling 3/$10 Hasbros and 4/$10 Galoobs. One thing Toy Liquidators had that I thought were dumb as a kid, but are worth a lot now, are the Hasbro Minis and the ring. That mini ring is worth more than all but a few Hasbro figures now.

[tagteamcollectibles]

Oct 7, 2021 13:38:25 GMT -5 ozz said:

Oct 6, 2021 7:46:18 GMT -5 hosehound316 said:

I remember seeing Nailz multiple times at KB/Toy Works here in Mass. All depends where you are...same with now. I see AEW figures in all wal marts and target, yet some people have never seen one. My mother used to work at the Toy Works that was in Brockton on the East Side and I remember always getting the Hasbros the day they came off the truck.

My area of WMass certainly wasn't the same

Is your name Dave by any chance out of Springfield area?  I recall some trades in person back in the day with a MansonOzz. 

[Jackass Pacific]

Oct 7, 2021 13:38:25 GMT -5 ozz said:

Oct 6, 2021 7:46:18 GMT -5 hosehound316 said:

I remember seeing Nailz multiple times at KB/Toy Works here in Mass. All depends where you are...same with now. I see AEW figures in all wal marts and target, yet some people have never seen one. My mother used to work at the Toy Works that was in Brockton on the East Side and I remember always getting the Hasbros the day they came off the truck.

My area of WMass certainly wasn't the same

same. i don’t recall ever seeing nailz or owen in western mass as far as yellow cards go. i definitely remember getting shawn, kamala, and razor in the 3/$10 bin. can’t remember who else off the top of my head

[ozz]

Nov 25, 2021 19:34:25 GMT -5 tagteamcollectibles said:

Oct 7, 2021 13:38:25 GMT -5 ozz said:

My area of WMass certainly wasn't the same

Is your name Dave by any chance out of Springfield area?  I recall some trades in person back in the day with a MansonOzz. 

That's me! Who are you?

[jason1980s]

MansonOzz is a legend! Long before a site/board like this was ever a thought, you were one of the few guys who had a site dedicated to everything there was to know about LJN. And I've said this many times and will say it again!

[mrh]

Nov 27, 2021 23:06:48 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

MansonOzz is a legend! Long before a site/board like this was ever a thought, you were one of the few guys who had a site dedicated to everything there was to know about LJN. And I've said this many times and will say it again!

I'd love to hear more about this -- and ozz !

[jason1980s]

Nov 28, 2021 4:17:46 GMT -5 mrh said:

I'd love to hear more about this -- and ozz !

It was around 1998 for me. I was just starting to get on AOL boards and websites to find old LJNs. Previously (1996-1997) it was through Sports Collectors Digest or catalog dealers like John Diccico. The AOL wrestling board was dying mid 1998 with spam which seems odd since wrestling was at such a hot point but luckily I found Mansonozz's website. It was the first time I ever found out about the 1989 series of black card guys who were slated to be produced like Bad News and the Bushwhackers. It was also the first time I saw live pictures of LJNs like Haku or Rick Rude and saw they weren't exactly like the prototype. Additionally, he sold LJN toys that I wasn't able to find, or accessories. I was able to get a Freddie Blassie and Mr. Fuji cane and I bought a few others as well. It was fun getting toys at the flea markets for a few years but with the internet now starting to boom, it was Mansonozz who was really a legend in the early days for me.