Out of all the properties that Hasbro has released, Jem and the Holograms is one of the most captivating. It takes what could be a run-of-the-mill Hannah Montana premise and adds a captivating extended cast, genuinely great music and some of the most inventive fashion of the 80s, animated or otherwise.
Given all of that, it’s no surprise that people are still collecting the original 80s Jem toys, as well as snatching up the new dolls and action figures as soon as they hit shelves. New and old, here are the rarest Jem and the Holograms toys.
The Jem Sneakers, 1987 – $850
When it comes to Jem and the Holograms, the 1987 sneakers are the ultimate white whale. Sold for an astonishingly limited amount of time as a mail-order exclusive, these white trainers are almost impossible to find on the secondhand market, and even the enthusiasts who have them do not have them in their actual size. As a result, these sneakers are very much meant to be looked at, not worn. Though they very rarely show up at auctions, when they do, they tend to have a resale price of around $850.
The Rama Llama, 1988 – $700
The funky pink Rama Llama is the official mascot of Jem and the Holograms, and was released as a mail-order exclusive plushie in 1988. While a fair few examples exist in circulation with varying levels of quality, they only pop up on auction sites or at car boot sales every few years, and in some countries, they are nearly impossible to find offline. As such, they have a resale price of $700.
Jem/Jerrica Twilight in Paris, 2015 – $649
When it comes to toy collecting, a good general rule is that the dolls of protagonists tend to be less valuable than those of side characters. This is because protagonist merchandise tends to have larger print runs, resulting in more remaining in circulation and that lack of scarcity driving the prices down. However, this pattern doesn’t hold for the Jem/Jerrica Integrity Toys re-releases. While all of Jem’s updated dolls are valuable, her Twilight in Paris outfit is most sought out by collectors, leading to an immense resale price of $649!
Rio Integrity Toys, 2014 – $649
Rio Pacheco is Jem’s chief roadie and sound engineer, as well as Jerrica’s first childhood boyfriend. His handsomeness and charisma mean that he attracts a lot of romantic attention from the wider cast, with both Minx and Pizzazz pursuing him. Most of his screen time centres on his love triangle between with Jem and Jerrica, as – like Lois Lane before him – he doesn’t initially realise that they are both the same person. Enthusiasts love the long, expertly-styled hair of Rio’s 2014 Integrity Toys re-release, and this alone has led to a resale price of $649.
Sean Harrison Integrity Toys, 2014 – $599
Sean Harrison is a British singer-songwriter who, over the course of Jem and the Holograms, dated both Pizzaz and Kimber. He spends much of the show trying to convince Kimber he is right for her, even injuring himself while filming a movie in an effort to prove he can be ‘more exciting’. He does eventually convince Kimber to marry him, by crashing her wedding to Jeff with a counter-proposal. While original Sean Harrison dolls aren’t that valuable, the Integrity Toys re-release that hit shelves in 2014 features more delicate facial sculpting and better hair, leading to a whopping secondhand price of $599!
Astral Integrity Toys, 2014 – $599
While most of the performers in Jem and the Holograms are musicians, Astral is instead a magician and paranormal sceptic. She is first introduced as a foil to Rapture, who is pretending to be the reincarnated Houdini in order to steal money from unsuspecting wealthy patrons. Astral swiftly debunked the scam and was set to become a cartoon regular, but didn’t. As a result, she was never given a doll in the original 80s toy line, and so the only official Astral doll in existence is the 2014 Integrity Toys iteration. Maybe that’s why adding one to your collection will set you back $599.
Minx and Rapture Mind Games Integrity Toys, 2014 – $549
Minx and Rapture are a fearsome duo, with the former being a musician with next-level skills when it comes to computers and synthesisers, and the latter being a scam artist obsessed with duping audiences into thinking she is a legendary magician and escape artist. Though the two have their own projects outside of each other, they work together often, which is why Integrity Toys released them as a pair in 2014. This “Mind Games” duo of dolls is coveted by fans and has an average secondhand value of $549.
Glitter N Gold Jem SDCC Exclusive, 2015 – $498
During the original 1980s toy run, a series of Glitter N Gold dolls were released, with extra luxe outfits and even more sparkles. These dolls were so loved that when Integrity Toys bought the rights to Jem and the Holograms from Hasbro in 2012, they also created their own Glitter and Gold dolls. Glitter and Gold Jem never hit toy store shelves, instead being sold as an exclusive at San Diego Comic-Con. This rarity has led to a secondhand resale price of $498.
Rockin’ Romance SDCC Exclusive, 2014 – $480
Glitter N Gold Jem was not the only exclusive toy to be released at San Diego Comic-Con rather than being given a general toy store release. In 2014, Integrity Toys debuted the Rockin’ Romance Jem doll at the convention, boasting a more directly 80s-inspired design than many of the other re-releases, which tend to lean more on timeless silhouettes and colours. Rockin’ Romance Jem has proved to be less popular amongst collectors than Glitter N Gold Jem, but she still has a fairly high resale price of $480.
The Glitter N Gold Roadster Car and Radio, 1986 – $65
The Glitter N Gold Roadster is an incredibly nostalgic piece of Jem and the Holograms merchandise. Not only is it a hot pink toy car based on Jem’s own ride, but it also functions as an AM and FM radio, with the controls neatly hidden away in the boot of the vehicle. Released in 1986, examples of this toy in working condition are few and far between, but it still has a paltry resale price of around $65. Maybe it’s just too kitschy to be truly beloved?