Destro — G.I. Joe Action Figure (1983-1984)

Destro is Cobra's arms dealer and one of the three pillars of the organisation alongside Cobra Commander and the Baroness. The vintage figure arrived in 1983 with his chrome-plated head, red-lined tunic and removable weapons — a design distinctive enough that it has been reissued almost continuously ever since.

The 1983-84 original is the one collectors chase, and it is the reissues that complicate the market. Classified Series, Retaliation and 25th Anniversary versions all carry the same name at very different prices, and loose figures are easy to confuse without a filecard or backing card.

When buying, check the chrome head for pitting and flaking — it is the first thing to degrade and the hardest to fix. Confirm the figure has its original weapons and stand, and look at the O-ring: perished elastic is normal for the age and replaceable, but a figure that will not hold a pose has usually been restrung already.