The Witcher Collectibles: What’s out there?

It’s been ages since I wrote about The Witcher. In this post, I thought we’d talk a little about The Witcher collectibles. 

When I say collectibles, I mean statues, art, replicas, figures like Funko Pops, and similar items.  

I consider things like key-chains, mugs, t-shirts, puzzles, posters, and pins to be merchandise. I’m sure the distinction between collectibles and merchandise varies for different people; some might not even see a difference, but this is where I draw the line.  

If there’s an interest, I might dive into my collection but, in this first post, I want to give you a basic overview of what’s available out there if you want to start your own collection.

I’m not claiming this is a complete list. 

I’m sure there are exclusive, regional, or promotional statues and items circulating the secondhand market not included. This post is an overview, not a comprehensive list of every single item ever produced. 

I want to talk about items that you have at least a chance to get your hands on, either directly or secondhand.

I’ve also chosen only to include official items based on the game franchise. So, when I say licensed, I mean by CD Project Red who, in their turn, have a deal with Andrzej Sapkowski.   

There are plenty of sword replicas, art, and other amazing, crafted products on sites like Etsy. But, for this post, I’m focusing entirely on licensed items. 

The design and aesthetics of these collectibles work for book lovers as well, not so much for fans of the Netflix adaptation. The TV series has its own visual style and character designs, one that often does not add up with the books and the games. 

HIGH-END  

By high-end, I don’t only mean a high price. The items on this list are costly, but they’re also high-quality and produced in a limited quantity. 

These are not mass-produced items; they’re works of art. 

In the high-end category, you have a line of highly detailed and gorgeous statues by Prime One Studios. These are fantastic. They’re also very expensive; the average price is around 700$. 

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I would love these in my collection, but they’re entirely out of my price range. Many of these statues are sold out, or out of production. It’s possible to find new copies at stores specialized in these types of collectibles, but you might have to do some digging. 

Many can also be found on the secondhand market but be prepared for a significant increase in price. When it comes to these collectibles, they don’t decrease in price on the secondhand market, they increase. Significantly.

At a considerably lower price, CD Project Red has come out with two Japan-themed statues of Geralt and Ciri. 

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These two statues were Limited Edition and are, except for the occasional specialized store, sold out. I’m sure it’s possible to find them secondhand, but you’ll have to pay a lot more than the original 250€ price tag.  

If you dream of owning a replica of Geralt’s sword, Kaer Morhen Forge is the place. 

The Polish swordsmith, Artur Wysocki, is the only one with a license by CD Project Red to make replicas of Witcher swords. He makes swords only on commission, with prices starting at 400$.

MID-RANGE 

The mid-range category is the one with the most options and I’ve purposefully set a wide price range. As with the high-end category, I’m not only thinking price; I’m thinking quality.   

In this category, the items are produced at a much higher quantity, and the quality, especially the details in the paint jobs, are predictably lower. 

But, the statutes are still (at least partially) hand-painted, and the sculpts and designs elaborate with many intricate details. I think the quality is comparable to other collectibles at this price-range. For instance, I own a few Ubisoft statues based on the last two Assassins Creed Games, and I find them to be of a similar quality.

By far, the biggest producer of mid-range collectibles is Dark Horse Comics. 

They are licensed by CD Project Red to produce The Witcher comics, the video game companion, The World of the Witcher, as well as the art-book for the spin-off game, Gwent. 

They also provide merchandise like a coloring book, pins, glasses, and puzzles. 

As for collectibles, they’re available at prices ranging from around 50$ up to roughly 130$. 

Their most expensive collectibles are the two busts of Geralt and Ciri playing Gwent.

Their retail price is 130$, but I got “my Geralt” on sale for eighty and Ciri for about 100$. Both busts come with a numbered certificate of authenticity.

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At a lower price, you have their line of statues.

As of June 2020, there are fourteen in total. Most of them retail at 49.99$. 

There are a few exceptions. Regis is a Deluxe statue; it comes with replaceable face and hands so that you can display him in his human or vampire form. That retails at 59.99$. There’s also a “Geralt in the Bath” statuette, which retails at 79.99$.

Finally, there’s the Leshen statue.

Dark Horse Comics has a premium line, Dark Horse Direct. These are their “top-shelf” collectibles, produced in a limited quantity, and are only available through the Dark Horse Direct website. So far, they’ve released some Witcher related artwork and one Witcher statue, the newly released (and already sold-out) Premium Leshen statue.  

Dark Horse Direct does ship worldwide, but for us international collectors, it’s problematic. I own the entire line of statues, and I desperately wanted the Leshen statue, but the shipping cost almost as much as the statue itself, and with import fees added to that, I would have had to pay more than twice the price as an American collector.

No matter how much I wanted it, I couldn’t justify spending almost 230$ for something worth 120$. If they decide to do more premium statues like this, I hope they can find a better solution for non-American collectors. 

(What? Am I bitter that I couldn’t get it? No. Not at all. Excuse me while I go scream into a pillow.) 

Things to consider before buying Dark Horse Collectibles 

• Dark Horse Comics only produce these items; they don’t sell them. They’re sold at retailers like comic book stores, Amazon, and many other places, Google it and find the retailer that best suits you. The exception is their Dark Horse Direct Premium line. 

• If you’re an experienced, high-end collector used to buying seven-hundred dollar statues, you will be dissatisfied with the level of detail, especially in the painting.   

• All figures are hand-painted, and the quality of the paint job can vary. If you have the option, buy them in person so you can choose the best one. 

• These are not items of impeccable likeness, detail and standards. For that you’ll have to fork-up the 700$ for the Prime One statues. But, if you don’t plan to spend your days inspecting each detail, they look great on a shelf.  

• Except for the Leshen statue, these items are not rare or difficult to find. Don’t overpay! Occasionally, they might go out of stock for a while, even a few months, but to the best of my knowledge, they’re all still in production. Despite that, I’ve seen many sellers on eBay asking for outrageous prices; don’t fall for it. You might have to wait a while, you might have to spend some time on Google, but you will find them at a reasonable price. 

In the mid-range category you also have the Nendoroid figures.

These are made by the Japanese Good Smile Company. 

Currently, Geralt and Ciri are available; a Yennefer figure has been announced and is set to release in October 2020. These are usually available at the same retailers as the Dark Horse Comics figures.

I’m honestly a bit torn about these, they’re cute, and they come with a wide range of accessories, different faces, and hands. But they are fragile, and expensive for their tiny size. 

One of these will set you back about 55-60$. Do I still own them? Of course. I’m such a sucker.

One thing to keep in mind is that there are many Chinese fakes out there, even on sites like Amazon. 

If you find one of these for 20-40$, it’s going to be a fake. If you care that it’s an official, licensed product, you need to be vigilant when you look for one of these.

AFFORDABLE

The affordable category is where you’ll find most merchandise like glasses, mugs, prints, t-shirts, etc.  

As for collectibles, the only affordable option is (or was) The Witcher line of Funko Pops.

Technically, these are not expensive items; they retail at roughly 9.99$. 

However, except for Geralt, all figures of the original line, Yennefer, Triss, Ciri, and Eredin, are “vaulted,” meaning they’re no longer produced.

I bought mine when they were released, and last I checked they were inexpensive and easy to find on eBay. 

Something’s happened.

Perhaps the success of the Netflix adaptation has increased the demand, but these are really expensive now! For a second, I was even tempted to sell mine. 

I wanted to end this post with a simple, affordable option for casual collectors, or people just starting out. But honestly, with the prices on eBay right now, it will be less expensive for you to collect the Dark Horse Statues than the Funko Pop line. 

And that’s pretty much it.

Again, this is not a comprehensive list, but I think I’ve covered most of the items currently available. 

Many of these companies are still coming out with new The Witcher themed items, so if you’re interested, keep your eyes open for announcements and new releases. 

I hope you found this post helpful. I’m not an expert by any means, but if you’re new to collecting and have questions, leave a comment, and I’ll answer it as best as I can.