Mattel debuted it’s WWE line in 2010, with the Basic and Elite Collection. There are currently 93 series of Elites as of this writing. About every year or so, Mattel would tweak or sometimes completely change the Elite Packaging. Sometimes the changes were subtle, like font or rearranging some elements, other times the size, shape, and color of the box would be completely different. The detail that remains consistent is the figure being enclosed in the package. This works better than a “bubble on a card” style.
Here is a timeline of WWE Elite Packaging, from 2010 to 2023.
Photos from FigureRealm.com
2010: Series 1-6
Notes: The debut of the Elites had uniquely shaped boxes with a small window on the back of the box as well. All accessories are visible and the figure is front and center.
2011: Series 7-11
Notes: The big changes here were simple: the Fonts on “Elite Collection” and the Wrestler’s name.
The First Big Shift:
2012: Series 12-17
Notes: The Entire package was changed out for 2012. Series 12 brought on the Flashbacks as well. Series 16 and 17 have the accessories listed on the top of the window.
2013: Series 18-24
Notes: Just a Font change here for the wrestler’s name, and shifting the accessories list to the top right of the window, a bit smaller.
The next big Change:
2014: Series 25-31
Notes: Completely revamped packaging here, with a blue theme and a large picture of the wrestler on the left.
2015: Series 32-38
Notes: Just a few tweaks, with the wrestler’s name moved up, and the photo is smaller on the bottom left. The Elite logo is also smaller at the bottom center. This is also the debut of the new WWE logo on Elite Packaging.
A Big Shift in Elite Collection Packaging…
2016: Series 39-45
Notes: Another complete revamp, this time a new shape, color scheme and the packages are smaller. A nice detail is the Legends, Raw, Smackdown, Wrestlemania, or New Generation logo on the top right denoting the era of the figure. The wrestler is pictured on the side of the box, in a welcome addition.
2017: Series 46-53
Notes: Small changes here, with the Series # on the left side above the wrestler’s name, and changing the accessory list to the top left corner, instead of in the main window.
Another Shift in Elite Collection Packaging:
2018: Series 54-62
Notes: The debut of square sided packages, as all before this had an angle somewhere. These were plain black and white with some red on the package. This group featured diorama displays you could assemble with artwork of the wrestlers in the wave.
2019: Series 63-71
Notes: Not a huge change here. The top flap is white with red print, and the accessory list is now swapped with the series number on the box. The Summerslam series debuted here and would repeat over the next three years. The True FX logo debuts here.
Elite Collection Packaging shifts yet again…
2020: Series 72-80
Notes: Getting away from the all white with bold red across the top, and the angled package is back. The Wrestler’s last name is in large print on the bottom and there is no listing of accessories, as extra hands and heads became more standard. The Wrestlers are not pictured.
2021: Series 81-88
Notes: Just a little tweak here. The red and white on top are switched, and the “Certified Authentic” logo is installed, taking up a good part of the window. There is also now a photo of the wrestler on the left hand side.
A drastic change for the Elite Collection Packaging:
2022: Series 89-93
Notes: another major overhaul as the package has been completely changed. The side of the box is on a 45 degree angle, where the certified authentic and True FX logos are. Everything else is repositioned. The package is now blue, with gray and red.
Coming in 2024:
A huge change yet again, with the goal of having a smaller plastic window. The photo, series, and FTITL details are all on the left, with a large WWE logo on the right. It’s also a return to red, black, and white.
Special Packages:
These were included along the way, but are unique to their waves. Magnum TA came out in a “Lost Legends” wave, but he is the only one who had the Legends-esque package. The Undertaker was a Collector’s edition but a special package found at Walmart to celebrate Undertaker’s career.
But What About The Legends Series?
Legends Elite Collection Packaging:
There haven’t been big shifts in the Legends line, but I wanted to point out a few differences. The Legends series 1-6 were the same size/shape with the card on a bubble, but the Hall of Fame set featured some tweaks as you can see below. When the line was revived for Target in 2020, the package was reset to be more similar to the main elite line circa 2020. Starting at Series 11, the photo of the wrestler was added and the package was in line with the 2021 Elite Collection Packaging. In 2023, a new style was announced, which is a throwback to the original series 1 package, with some new details.
What Makes Great Packaging?
Here are the factors that make a package attractive to me as a collector:
- The entire figure is visible, including boots/shoes
- The accessories are visible, and listed on the box to ensure nothing is missing
- Not too big – shrinking the boxes in 2016 was a welcome change.
- Not too cluttered – stickers all over with accessory lists, True FX, Dioramas, First in the Line and etc can make the box look cluttered. There are waves where all of this is included, but it doesn’t look messy.
