Chapter IV, Gifts and wearablesBuying guide
Nightmare Before Christmas Figures: NECA, Diamond Select and More
Which Nightmare Before Christmas figures are worth collecting: NECA Ultimates, Diamond Select, Funko, Jim Shore statues and the 1993 Hasbro line.
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The short of it
- NECA Ultimate wave
- Jack Skellington, Santa Jack, Sally and the Mayor, 7 inch scale
- Diamond Select line
- Select action figures sold in numbered series, plus Best of reissues
- First toy line
- Hasbro, 1993: a dozen characters, each with accessories
- Statues
- Jim Shore for Enesco's Disney Traditions, and Department 56 village figures
The Nightmare Before Christmas figures most worth collecting are NECA’s Ultimate figures for detail and accessories, Diamond Select’s Select series for the widest cast, and the original 1993 Hasbro line for rarity. Funko Pops and D-Formz suit small shelves, while Jim Shore and Department 56 make statues for display rather than posing.
Goth Christmas is not affiliated with or endorsed by Disney. The Nightmare Before Christmas and its characters are trademarks of Disney, named here only to describe licensed products.
What makes a Nightmare Before Christmas figure worth collecting
A Nightmare Before Christmas figure is worth collecting when it is licensed, faithful to the stop-motion puppets and complete. Four checks sort most of the market:
- Licensed maker. Look for a Disney copyright line and a maker’s name on the box and the figure.
- Scale. Scale and height are not the same. NECA’s Ultimates are 7 inch scale, yet its Ultimate Jack stands about 8 inches tall.
- Accessories. Swap heads and hands matter on a character whose face changes as much as Jack’s.
- Packaging. Sealed boxes suit collectors; loose figures are easier to display.
| Line | Maker | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate figures | NECA | 7 inch scale, many swap heads, hands and props | Detail and posing |
| Select action figures | Diamond Select Toys | Numbered series, often two-packs | Collecting the whole cast |
| Funko Pop and Bitty Pop | Funko | Stylized vinyl figures, including a 2023 30th anniversary wave | Small shelves and gifts |
| D-Formz | Diamond Select Toys | 3 inch PVC figurines, picked at random | Desk and blind-box fun |
| Statues and figurines | Jim Shore (Enesco), Department 56 | Hand-painted display pieces and village figures | Mantels and village scenes |
| Vintage action figures | Hasbro, 1993 | A dozen characters, each with accessories | Rarity |
NECA Ultimate Nightmare Before Christmas figures
NECA Ultimate Nightmare Before Christmas figures cover four characters: Jack Skellington, Santa Jack, Sally and the Mayor of Halloween Town. NECA sells each one on its own, in collector packaging with an opening front flap.
The Ultimate Jack Skellington shows how far the line goes. NECA lists him at about 8 inches tall with pinstripe paint, interchangeable heads and hands, pumpkins, a picture frame, Zero with a flight stand, a jack-o’-lantern-in-the-box and a display stand. NECA has also made a 9 inch articulated Jack Skellington with a pumpkin.
Licensed Nightmare Before Christmas action figures
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Diamond Select Nightmare Before Christmas Select figures
Diamond Select Nightmare Before Christmas figures run in numbered Select series, many of them two-packs. Series 5, for example, paired the Easter Bunny with Igor, the Wolfman with the Melting Man, and Vampire Jack with Batboy. The packaging carries side-panel art so a row of boxes reads as a set on the shelf.
The Select line covers a wide cast, including Lock, Shock and Barrel, the Mayor and minor Halloween Town residents. Diamond Select has also reissued sold-out figures as “Best of” series; Best of Series 4 includes Santa Claus.
For smaller shelves, Diamond Select’s D-Formz are 3 inch PVC figurines of characters such as Jack, Sally, Oogie Boogie and Dr. Finkelstein, sold in series with the figure picked at random.
Funko Pop Nightmare Before Christmas figures
Funko Pop Nightmare Before Christmas figures are the easiest way in. Funko marked the film’s 30th anniversary in 2023 with a wave of Pops showing moments from the story, such as Jack with the Halloween and Christmas Town doors he finds in the forest, and Sally with a gravestone. Funko also sells Mystery Bitty Pop minis of the cast, about 0.9 inches tall in blind packaging.
Pops work as stocking stuffers and for fans who want a few favorite characters rather than a full set. Our goth gifts guide has more presents for the horror film fan.
Nightmare Before Christmas statues and village figures
Nightmare Before Christmas statues are display pieces, not toys. Jim Shore designs hand-painted figurines for Enesco’s Disney Traditions range, such as Sally sitting on a gravestone with a cat. Department 56 makes lighted Halloweentown buildings and figurines of Jack, Sally and other characters for its Nightmare Before Christmas village.
The Nightmare Before Christmas decorations guide covers the ornaments, village pieces and toppers that go with them.
Nightmare Before Christmas figurines and display pieces
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Collecting the 1993 Hasbro Nightmare Before Christmas line
The 1993 Hasbro Nightmare Before Christmas line was the film’s first action figure range. Entertainment Earth’s history of the toys says Hasbro made figures of a dozen characters: two versions of Jack (as himself and as Sandy Claws), Sally, Dr. Finkelstein, the Mayor, Oogie Boogie, Behemoth, the Werewolf, Santa and a Lock, Shock and Barrel three-pack.
The same history calls the figures scarce and highly prized today, with Santa apparently the rarest. It also notes that NECA reissued the Hasbro figures in the early 2000s in different packaging, sometimes with altered sculpts, so check which version a listing shows.
Tip
Nightmare Before Christmas figures as gifts for kids
Nightmare Before Christmas figures as gifts for kids need an age check. Many collector figures carry small accessories, and the CPSC bans small parts in toys meant for children under 3. Read the age label on the box, and keep loose props away from toddlers.
For a full dark-season display, start at goth Christmas decor. Fans of other cult films will find licensed Gremlins and Beetlejuice pieces in the horror movie Christmas ornaments guide.
Questions, answered
Does NECA make Nightmare Before Christmas figures?
Yes. NECA sells Ultimate figures of Jack Skellington, Santa Jack, Sally and the Mayor in 7 inch scale, each sold on its own. NECA has also made a 9 inch articulated Jack with a pumpkin.
What is the difference between NECA and Diamond Select Nightmare Before Christmas figures?
Both make licensed, articulated figures. NECA's Ultimates come with many swap heads, hands and accessories in packaging with an opening front flap, while Diamond Select's Select line comes in numbered series, often as two-packs, with side-panel art for shelf display.
Are the 1993 Hasbro Nightmare Before Christmas figures rare?
Fairly rare. Entertainment Earth's history of the toys calls the Hasbro figures scarce and highly prized, and says the Santa Claus figure was apparently the rarest. NECA reissued the Hasbro figures in the early 2000s in different packaging, so check which version a listing shows.
Are Nightmare Before Christmas figures good Christmas gifts?
They suit fans who display the film year round, since the story covers both Halloween and Christmas. Pick by scale and space: a Funko Pop or D-Formz for a small shelf, an Ultimate figure for a collector, a Jim Shore statue for a mantel.
How do you spot a fake Nightmare Before Christmas figure?
Check for a Disney copyright line on the figure and box and a named maker such as NECA, Diamond Select, Funko, Enesco or Hasbro. Loose figures with blurry paint, no maker mark or a much lower price than sealed examples deserve a closer look.
Filed in Chapter IV, Gifts and wearables. Part of Goth Christmas Decor: Black Trees, Dark Ornaments and Krampus.