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 Bill Byers Collections Bill Byers Collections Bill Byers Collections

A collector since childhood, Bill Byers was drawn to toys from companies like Kenner and Hasbro, his collecting desires further spurred by the toy companies’ savvy marketing technique of showing the other toys in the line on an individual toy’s packaging. “I had to collect them all” says Byers.

As an undergraduate at Ohio State, Byers became fascinated by the production of these treasured toys from his childhood, learning all he could about the artists and their craft as well as what went into the design, sculpting and packaging layout of these toys, supplemented by knowledge shared through toy magazines and collector friends met online.

Born in the mid-1970s, Byers was an avid Mego fan, but upon the release of smaller scale figures like Kenner’s Star Wars and Hasbro’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toylines, he was quickly drawn in.  Collecting them from their introduction in 1982, Byers was drawn to the dynamic, action-packed packaging art, and was hooked after picking out the R.A.M motorcycle and Rock-N-Roll figure after a doctor’s appointment. Asked what favorite piece is, he quickly replied “The Skystriker! The F-14 Tomcat was the plane of my youth and symbolized American air superiority during the Cold War. Unwrapping that toy at my birthday party is a very vivid memory. And Ace had a parachute! How cool is that?”

Branching out into figural and packaging pre-production pieces from Star Wars, Super Powers and G.I. Joe with the help of local store The Earth and his internet contacts, a growing collection began to form. But don’t worry, Byers is far from finished collecting. “I’ll never stop pre-production toy collecting. We’re all just curators of these pieces of nostalgic art and history for a period of time. Allowing others to enjoy the pieces and refresh my own collection is part of the fun for me. Knowing these pieces will go to other collectors that will treasure them is half the battle! Yo Joe!”

Bill Byers Collections

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Items Per Page
of 3
WatchItemDescriptionCurrent BidNext BidTime LeftBidsValue Code
232-1873
G.I. JOE - DOC CONCEPT ORIGINAL ART BY RON RUDAT.
10.75z16-3/8" frame contains mixed media original art that has been double-matted to...
$10,009.21
12
L - $2,000 to $5,000
232-1874
G.I. JOE - DOC COLOR GUIDE/SCULPTURE MODEL SHEET LOT.
Lot of four pieces of internal Hasbro paperwork regarding G.I. Joe Doc action figure,...
$1,752.30
9
J - $700 to $1,000
232-1875
G.I. JOE - COBRA OFFICER UNPAINTED FIRST SHOT PROTOTYPE SERIES 1 (STRAIGHT ARM) AFA 85 NM+.
AFA graded and encapsulated Series 1 3.75" tall action figure of Cobra Officer from...
$3,764.20
10
L - $2,000 to $5,000
232-1876
G.I. JOE - HAWK UNPAINTED FIRST SHOT PROTOTYPE SERIES 1 (STRAIGHT ARM) AFA 85 NM+.
AFA graded and encapsulated Series 1 3.75" tall action figure of Hawk from Hasbro's...
$2,998.51
9
L - $2,000 to $5,000
232-1877
G.I. JOE SERIES 1/9 BACK (FIRST VERSION) FRAMED UNCUT PROOF SHEET.
In 1982 three different G.I. Joe cardback versions were produced - the initial 9 Back...
$8,638.19
5
N - $10,000 to $20,000
232-1878
G.I. JOE SERIES 1/11 BACK COBRA TROOPER & COBRA OFFICER (RED EMBLEM) FRAMED UNCUT PROOF SHEET.
21-3/8x28-3/8" frame that contains uncut proof sheet featuring the 11 Back front/back...
$5,192.00
4
M - $5,000 to $10,000
232-1879
G.I. JOE SERIES 1 MOTORIZED BATTLE TANK (MOBAT) BOX FRAMED UNCUT PROOF SHEET.
Large 30.75x37" frame that contains uncut proof sheet featuring proof for Series 1...
$1,180.00
1
L - $2,000 to $5,000
232-1880
G.I. JOE SERIES 1 VAMP (MULTI-PURPOSE ATTACK VEHICLE) BOX FRAMED UNCUT PROOF SHEET.
Large 30.25x41.25" frame that contains uncut proof sheet featuring proof for Series 1...
$1,180.00
0
L - $2,000 to $5,000
232-1881
G.I. JOE SERIES 1 RAPID FIRE MOTORCYCLE (RAM) BOXES FRAMED UNCUT PROOF SHEET.
Large 26.25x34.75" frame that contains uncut proof sheet featuring proof for two Series 1...
$731.60
2
K - $1,000 to $2,000
232-1882
G.I. JOE SERIES 2 JET PACK (JUMP) BOX FRAMED UNCUT PROOF SHEET.
22.75x29.5" frame that contains uncut proof sheet featuring proof for Series 2 Jet Pack...
$787.89
4
K - $1,000 to $2,000
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