G.I. Joe Cobra Commander (v1.5) AFA 85 ** 3rd-Highest Grade, Only 4 Higher ** (Hasbro, 1983)....

Description

G.I. Joe Cobra Commander (v1.5) AFA 85 ** 3rd-Highest Grade, Only 4 Higher ** (Hasbro, 1983). By 1983, Cobra Commander had already become the defining voice of villainy in the G.I. Joe universe, a figure whose presence loomed larger than any single battlefield role. The v1.5 release represents the first retail evolution of his original helmeted design, transitioning the straight-arm mail-away figure into full production with newly introduced swivel arms. This subtle but important update reflects Hasbro's early commitment to articulation improvements while preserving the iconic sculpt that had already established Cobra Commander as the ideological and visual centerpiece of Cobra's hierarchy. As part of Series 2, this version marks the moment when the Commander fully entered the mainline, no longer a recruitment incentive, but the unquestioned face of the enemy. This example has been graded NM+ 85 by AFA, with subgrades of C80, B85, and F85, and ranks as the 3rd-highest graded example of this version known, with only four graded higher across the entire population. It is presented on a 20-Back cardback, consistent with its Series 2 release period and firmly rooted in early-line production. For collectors, Cobra Commander is the axis around which the entire Cobra display turns, and transitional versions like this v1.5 hold particular fascination. High-grade examples from this era are increasingly difficult to secure, especially with population rankings that place them among the elite. This is a piece that speaks to Cobra at full voice, confident, confrontational, and unmistakably iconic. When the Commander takes the field, everything else falls into formation.

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