Michael Jackson: A Thriller in vinyl
Michael Jackson‘s untimely passing at age 50 in late June left many fans looking for a piece of MJ memorabilia, whether it be a CD, a poster or something else.
Toy manufacturer Yamato USA had three vinyl figures in the works at the time of Jackson’s death as part of its Canyon Crest Collection — two 7-inch Thriller figures, one dancing and one as a zombie, and a Bad toy.
Vinyl toys have been very popular over the last few years, but The King of Pop was known for being a star on the other vinyl for decades. The Thriller figures were set for release in the U.S. around the time of his death and retailed for $65 apiece, while the Bad figure had not yet been released and was set to arrive in July and was still pre-ordering for $72 on yamatotoysusa.com not long after his death. (All are obviously sold out at this point.)
A variant figure of the normal MJ — but with cat eyes like the scene at the end of the video — sold for as much as $120 in online auctions in the days immediately following his death. The standard Thriller zombie figure has sold for as much as $110, but most can be found for around the SRP.
For those who remember Thriller in its time — perhaps as a child like this writer — the figures might be one of the cooler pieces of memorabilia out there.
Chris Olds has collected sports cards and memorabilia since 1987. Before coming to Beckett Media, he wrote about the hobby for the Orlando Sentinel on his blog, SportsStuff, and for the San Antonio Express-News and The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News. Do you have a comment, question or idea? Send e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.
