I am, among many other things, a collector. It started when I was a child, buying baseball cards and playing various collectable card games, and I have partaken in similar hobbies ever since, viewing it as a way to connect to various things that I am particularly passionate about. One unending fascination for me is the spectacular literary legacy of Stephen King, and fortunately for me and people like me, the world is full of fun collectables on beyond just the author’s books and the long history of adaptations.
I have previously shared how to build the Ultimate Stephen King collection, and a few months ago I highlighted a number of fun official and custom items that I personally have – but those features haven’t covered everything. There are even more King collectables that I own and love, and I’ve written about eight more of them below.
Pennywise by Hot Toys
Let’s start with this big guy. Many of you will balk at the idea of spending over $250 on a collectable, but the price is consistent with all of the sixth scale figures that are produced by Hot Toys, and it really is a spectacular piece. Based on the version of Pennywise portrayed by Bill Skarsgård in IT and IT Chapter Two, the foot-tall collectable is stunningly crafted – not only seen in the spectacular detail in the face (note the texture on the forehead), but also in the recreation of the jaunty, creepy costume. It has some great accessories, including alternate hands and head, a red balloon, and a jack-in-the-box, but the best extra bit is the base, which is made to look like the rain gutter where young Georgie Denbrough is murdered.
Buy The Pennywise by Hot Toys from Sideshow Collectables
1998 Upper Deck Tom Gordon Baseball Card
Not every Stephen King collectable is going to run you hundreds of dollars – and as proof of that, this is one that you can probably cover with change you find in the laundry. King is a big Red Sox fan in general, but the significance of this card specifically is its connection to the wonderful novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. The book is about a girl who gets lost in the woods of Maine and who finds her will to survive strengthened thinking about her favorite baseball player, the eponymous Red Sox closer Tom Gordon. This card is from the year that the story is set (1998), and while it’s possible that Trisha McFarland is more of a Fleer fan than Upper Deck, I think it’s a fun representation of one of King’s most underrated stories.
Buy a 1998 Upper Deck Tom Gordon Baseball Card on eBay
Custom Misery LEGO Minifigs
LEGO has sadly never officially released a set based on either a Stephen King book or a King adaptation… but that is just a bump in the road for collectors, as there are fans all around the world who make their very own custom minifigs. This includes a seller on Etsy who sells a two-pack inspired by the book/movie Misery, the toys rendering the beloved characters Annie Wilkes and Paul Sheldon. You can purchase them as standard minifigs (which is what I did), but the seller also offers them in a gift box and as keychains.
Buy Custom Misery LEGO Minifigs on Etsy
NECA Creep Action Figure
In my last Stephen King collectables article I highlighted the series of Creepshow figures made by Monstarz, and if you liked those, the NECA-made 7-inch Creep is another toy you’ll probably enjoy. In addition to being a great likeness of the monster featured on Shudder’s on-going Creepshow series (which has featured two King adaptations to date), it has some brilliant accessories – including a scaled version of the Creepshow comic from the original film, and a creepy lantern.
Buy a NECA Creepshow: The Creep 7-Inch Action Figure on Amazon
I Heart Derry Hat
Some Stephen King collectables are rarer than others, but part of the fun in collecting is the hunt for hard-to-find items at reasonable prices. This beaver-styled I Heart Derry hat is a good example. The design is based on the cap that is worn by Adrian Mellon in the opening scene of IT (described in the novel by King and depicted in IT Chapter Two), and it’s a fun prop replica that was originally sold by Hot Topic. They are no longer being produced, but you can find listings for them on eBay.
Buy an I Heart Derry Hat on eBay
Batman #400
With the exception of the adaptation of Creepshow and the first five issues of the Vertigo series American Vampire, Stephen King hasn’t dabbled too much in the comic book world over the course of his career. There is, however, one example of him contributing to a superhero book by DC Comics, and it’s featured in Batman #400 – which was published in 1994. The actual events in the comic are written by Doug Moench, with over 20 artists illustrating the pages, but the issue includes a special introduction by King about his own personal history with the Caped Crusader.
Buy a copy of Batman $400 on eBay
Heroes For Hope: Starring the X-Men
Not playing favorites in the forever war between comic book fans, Stephen King has also contributed to an issue of a Marvel magazine – albeit in a different way than what he did for DC. In 1985, Marvel published a one-shot called Heroes For Hope: Starring the X-Men, and it was an event book that saw proceeds from sales go to aid the American Friends Service Committee. Several talented writers and artists were brought onboard for the project, including George R.R. Martin, Harlan Ellison, Frank Miller, and John Byrne, and Stephen King worked with Bernie Wrightson on pages 10-12 of the issue.
Buy a copy of Heroes For Hope: Starring the X-Men on eBay
1408 Dolphin Hotel Key
Stephen King has previously called Mikael Håfström’s 1408 one of his favorite adaptations of his work, offering particular praise for the performance by John Cusack – and if that’s an opinion you share, then this is a fun collectable you should check out. A few years ago, the monthly subscription service Bam Box created a perfect prop replica of the 1408 key from the movie, and while they aren’t as plentiful online as they used to be, there are still many of them floating around that you can still snatch up.
Buy a 1408 Dolphin Hotel Key on eBay
For more Stephen King-related goodness, check out my weekly Adapting Stephen King column, which chronologically dives into the various films and television programs made based on the author’s work, and head over to our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide to learn about all of the adaptations that are currently in the works.
