Then and Now: Our Favorite Figures from D&D's 50th Anniversary Miniatures
Karwind's Collectibles: D&D Miniatures Spotlight
Some of us at the table started with a box of dice and a stack of first-edition books. Some started last year with a phone full of character builds. Either way, D&D turned 50 in 2024, and WizKids marked it with a set that speaks to both crowds: D&D Icons of the Realms: 50th Anniversary. We have a nice pile of it here in the shop, and we want to show you three figures that really capture the spirit of the set.
About the Set
WizKids announced the 50th Anniversary set in January 2024 and it reached stores in late July 2024. It's the 31st Icons of the Realms booster set, and it's a big one: 60 figures in all.
Here's the fun idea behind it. Fifty of those figures are 25 classic D&D characters and creatures, each sculpted twice: once in their 1st Edition look and once in their 5th Edition look. Think Vecna, Strahd, Lolth, Mordenkainen, Acererak, pit fiends, mimics, and blink dogs, old style next to new. The other 10 are secret-rare chase figures, including characters from the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon (Bobby, Sheila, and Uni were revealed by Dexerto) and figures inspired by classic D&D art. Each booster held one Large figure and three Small or Medium ones, at $24.99 a booster or $199.92 for an 8-booster brick.
Going by Miniature Market's single listings, the rarities break down like this:
Commons: 12 figures, like lemures, goblins, kobolds, bugbears, gnolls, and blink dogs.
Uncommons: 22 figures, including the shadow demons, mimics, githyanki, Ki-rin, and both pit fiends.
Rares: 16 figures, the big names: Mordenkainen, Strahd, Acererak, Vecna, Lolth, the efreeti, and the young gold dragons.
Very Rares (the secret chase figures): 10, including the cartoon heroes, the Dungeon Master, Venger, and a Paladin in Hell.
It's a set built for nostalgia, and also a handy way to get 1E and 5E versions of the same monster side by side on your shelf.
A Paladin in Hell (#51, Very Rare)
If you've ever flipped through the original 1st Edition Players Handbook, you probably remember the full-page "A Paladin in Hell" illustration: a lone knight, sword raised, holding the line against the forces of the Abyss. WizKids turned that picture into a figure, with gleaming armor, a checkered shield, and a sword ready for a fight he probably can't win.
Why collectors want him: He's one of only 10 secret-rare chase figures in a 60-figure set, so you won't pull him often. Chase figures like this one also sell for well above most of the set's singles at other retailers. For longtime players, he's a piece of D&D history in plastic. The set's Fiend in Hell (#52) chase figure makes a natural opponent if you want to build the scene.
At the table: He's an easy pick for any paladin or fighter in heavy armor. He also makes a great hero NPC making a last stand.
👉 A Paladin in Hell: $69.99. Shop at Karwind's Collectibles · View on eBay
Acererak, 5th Edition (#41, Rare)
Acererak is the demilich behind the Tomb of Horrors, the 1978 dungeon that's still famous for killing characters, and he came back as the villain of Tomb of Annihilation in 5th Edition. His 5E figure shows the modern take: a gaunt lich in black and red robes with a crown of spikes and a tall staff topped with a glowing orb. He stands about 48mm tall on a 25mm base (per Miniature Market).
Why collectors want him: He's a Rare and one of D&D's best-known villains. We also have several in stock, so you won't have to hunt for him.
At the table: Use him for Acererak himself, or for any lich, necromancer, or final boss with a death wish for the party.
👉 Acererak (5E): $17.99. Shop at Karwind's Collectibles · View on eBay
Acererak, 1st Edition (#40, Rare)
Now the old-school version. The 1E Acererak looks like he stepped out of a classic module: layered purple and brown robes, a spiked crown, and a staff topped with a heavy orb. Put him next to the 5E figure and you can see how the look of D&D changed over five decades.
Why collectors want him: Here's where the "then and now" idea really pays off. Many collectors want both versions of each pair, and Acererak is one of the most popular pairs in the set. He's a Rare too, and he stands about 43mm tall (per Miniature Market).
At the table: He makes a fine evil wizard or cult leader. And if you ever run a Tomb of Horrors tribute, you'll have a matching pair: one version in a flashback, the other in the present day.
👉 Acererak (1E): $11.00. Shop at Karwind's Collectibles · View on eBay
Take a Look Around
These three are just a start. We also have both versions of the goblins, kobolds, Ki-rin, lemures, skeleton knights, and green slaad, plus the 5E Glabrezu, the 5E Githyanki, chest mimics, and more from this set. Lots of them come in sets of three for building encounters. Browse our 50th Anniversary collection, or wander through the whole D&D Miniatures section. Every figure is a single, so you can pick exactly the ones you want.
Here's to the next 50 years of rolling dice.
Michael, Karwind's Collectibles
Set details come from WizKids' announcement (via ICv2), retailer release listings, and Dexerto's reveal of the cartoon figures. Rarity counts, figure sizes, and comparisons to other sellers come from Miniature Market's single listings as of October 2026. Prices come from our website as of October 17, 2026; our eBay listings (export of October 10, 2026) show the same prices. Prices and stock can change.
