Meet David Schafer: Inside the Collection
David's collection of iconic toys and comics still pack a punch today! Take a look.
Jun. 29, 2025
David is a vintage memorabilia and toy collector who has spent decades assembling the toys, comic books and collectibles from his youth—all in excellent condition. What began with a few nostalgic childhood toys grew into a treasure trove of thousands of gems.
David shares some of his rarest and most valuable finds, including a Batman and Justice League playset released at the height of the Caped Crusader’s 1966 fame, a Mad magazine straitjacket once available by mail only, and a 1941 comic book featuring Wonder Woman.
It’s a blast from the past, packed with pop culture punchlines and superhero showstoppers. Let’s play!
1. Futuramic Spaceship
The Futuramic Spaceship is one toy David never knew about as a kid—but as an adult, he knew he had to add it to his collection.
This 1954 toy is something David considers one of the best ever made, especially for its time.
Over the course of several years, David tracked down all the parts, accessories and even the original box. Talk about dedication to space preservation!
According to David, these toys were originally sold with either yellow figures and silver hardware, or vice versa.
Many of the sets warp over time—maybe from going to warp speed—and most of the figures don’t hold up. But David’s set is in stellar condition, making it incredibly rare.
Our expert valued this toy at $13,000. A price that’s truly out of this world!
2. Batman/Justice League Playset
Everyone will recognize these characters! This playset is from a 1966 release, right around the time Batman '66 was surging in popularity.
David actually purchased it from our expert, who now admits to having a bit of buyer’s regret because it’s just that special.
The original set came with many small parts but was sold in a box without a window or protective covering. That meant kids often picked up and played with the items right in the store—leaving many sets incomplete by the time they were sold.
According to our expert, he’s only ever come across four complete versions, making this an incredibly rare find.
Over time, these playsets have appreciated in value thanks to the popularity of the franchise and David’s improvements, including restoring the door latch, upgrading the figures and even adding a new mint-condition box.
Our expert values the set at around $30,000. That's a super price for a superhero collectible!
3. Johnny Ringo Frontier Playset
This is a Johnny Ringo playset made in 1960. Marx was one of the biggest toy manufacturers of the 1950s and ’60s, known for its high-quality, highly detailed playsets.
Johnny Ringo was a one-season wonder, airing only in 1960. The series was expected to be more of a hit, but didn't last long. Still, it holds a special place in the heart of our collector.
David's playset is in near-mint condition and would have originally sold for just around $6. Today, it’s worth a whole lot more. It’s got both quality and value.
Our expert, who’s never seen another Johnny Ringo set in such great condition, estimates its value at $10,000.
That’s one rootin’-tootin’ collectible!
4. Mad Magazine Straight Jacket
This is a MAD Magazine straitjacket that could only be ordered through MAD Magazine in 1958. The magazine famously parodied The Facts of Life with their "Yaks of Life" spoof which is one Lisa is familiar with.
MAD is known for its TV show parodies, but their popularity also spawned quirky collectibles like this.
This mail-order-only item was available for just about a year. This item is so rare that our expert says this is the first time he’s ever seen one in person.
He values it at $5,000, proving this collectible is no laughing matter.
5. The War of the Worlds Playset
This War of the Worlds playset came out in 1952, coinciding with the release of the popular movie. It was made by a company called Archer Plastics, which sold exclusively to smaller mom-and-pop toy stores.
The playset itself doesn’t really look like anything from the movie, but it’s still an out-of-this-world toy any kid or adult would have loved to have.
According to David, there were quite a few problems when he first purchased the set. He had to hunt down missing parts and restore it to the complete masterpiece he wanted.
David estimates he’s invested between six and seven thousand dollars in the restoration.
Finding another set in such great shape would be a cosmic rarity. Our expert valued it at $13,000.
6. All–Star Comics #8
This is All Star Comics No. 8 from 1941, featuring the original and first appearance of Wonder Woman.
Despite her debut, she isn’t on the cover because the publishers weren’t sure if a female superhero would be successful. Instead, they included a nine-page insert to test the market and see if Wonder Woman could fly off the shelves.
That nine-page insert became incredibly successful, eventually launching Wonder Woman into her own comic and into superhero stardom.
He acquired this copy in 2019, and it’s graded 5.0—a mid-grade condition that’s still remarkable for a comic of this age.
Today, it’s worth around $120,000.
7. The total value of David's toy collection:
