Sandro Nascimento. Funko pop: the iconic head dolls

It started in 1998 as a small garage business in Washington, USA. The goal of friends Mike Becker and Rob Schwartz was to create ‘low technology toys and nostalgic themes’. Funko’s first product -which manufactures collectible pop culture figures -was a Bobblehead figure -a type of doll with the big -headed head -the Big Boy.

In 2005, the leadership was assumed by Brian Mariotti, responsible for the revolution in the company. From this time, Funko diversified its products and obtained licenses from large industry labels, such as Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros., among others. Thus were born the famous Funko Pop figures! – The best known product of the brand. Dolls with large heads and round eyes.

Sandro Nascimento, 50, lives in Valongo and has about 1500 of these dolls. He says collecting is in his blood and is not hard to believe, as his first collection began with only seven or eight years. «I started by collecting stickers. As I was always a football adept, I was very fond of the so -called ball stickers, they were fascinating, ”he says.

Later, the stickers joined the comic books and records. «The passion for BD emerged in adolescence. As I was always in love with superheroes, I ended up meeting a store in the port specialized in the area of ​​American BD -Ghost World -and so began this pet, ”he recalls. In addition, he is passionate about science fiction. Currently, Sandro volunteers in two Star Wars custom organizations: A 501st Legion Portuguese Garrison and Rebel Legion Portuguese Base.

“Regarding the records, I grew up listening to my father’s vinyls and that taste has increased over the years. Nothing ‘hits’ all the ritual of placing a disk to play and then hear its characteristic sound, ”he shares.
He discovered the Funko Pop dolls in 2014, in one of his trips to the BD store. “I came across a little head dolls, which immediately caught my attention because they had this particularity. I found them very cute, ”he admits. And decided to buy. «The first I bought was a minion from the movie ‘Gru – The Maldiscosed’. I bought it because my wife was very fond of these characters. The idea of ​​collecting came very shortly after, when I realized that there were figures of other topics I liked, such as Star Wars, ”he reveals.

At this time, it has about 1500 funko pops. « The rarest will be the first version of singer Ozzy Osbourne, a La Muerte from the movie ‘Book of Life’ and also the Mickey Wizard of Disney Animation movie, ‘Fantasy’, » confides Sandro.

As with all kinds of collecting, there are always items difficult to find ‘due to their manufacture limitation’. « There are some super limited, such as 24 pieces worldwide, which makes them quite rare and expensive, » he explains. Over the years he has acquired some more expensive than others: « But I think the most expensive may have been La Muerte Glow in the Dark that it must have cost me at the time I bought it about 120 euros, » he admits.
What you consider most special in these dolls is precisely your form. «The head, which is its main feature. In the beginning we are strange but then joins, ”he says.

Sandro believes that his collection is currently valued at about $ 40,000, about 38,000 euros. « Over the years I will have invested more than that, » he adds.

Regarding the places where the objects buys over the years, according to the collector, other stores have emerged in Portugal, such as BD, Geek Planet, Pops Store, My Pop Mania, Geekdo and MagicalFunPop. « I buy in several, I didn’t want to leave any, because they all have their value and weight in the market of Funko Pops collecting. »

Unfortunately, Sandro laments, begins to lack space for such a large collection. « But I have saved it in showcases, shelves and part of the collection tidy in boxes waiting for place to be placed, » he shares.
Questioned about whether it will continue to collect the dolls, ensures yes. « It will certainly continue, with a more refined taste in the choice, but once a collector, always collector, » he jokes.

It hasn’t thought much about the future you want to give to the collection. However, the ideal « would be to create a space where it could make known to the general public, like gallery ». « Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to expose them all, but it is an idea that pleases me, » he reveals.