Funko Convention Exclusives Explained

Convention exclusives are some of the most wanted Pops out there. We do a lot of the big West Coast shows ourselves, so we've seen the lines and the sellouts firsthand. Here's how convention Pops work and how to tell which show one came from.

What makes a Pop a convention exclusive

Funko releases certain Pops for big pop culture conventions. They're sold at the event, and sometimes through select partners around the same time. Because the first run is tied to one show, they're usually made in smaller numbers and get harder to find once the convention ends.

Reading the sticker

Funko labels convention stickers by season instead of by show name. You'll see:

• Summer Convention: the biggest one of the year, generally tied to the San Diego summer show.
• Fall Convention: generally tied to the big New York fall show.
• Spring Convention and Winter Convention: smaller releases from other shows during the year.

Many stickers include the year, which helps tell different editions of the same character apart. Some convention Pops also say "Limited Edition" on the sticker.

Shared exclusives

A "Shared Exclusive" sticker means the Pop was sold at the convention and through select retailers at the same time. These are still limited, but usually easier to track down than a convention-only release.

Other event exclusives

Beyond the big four seasonal stickers, you'll see exclusives from other shows and events too, like WonderCon or Los Angeles Comic Con, and retailer events like TargetCon. Collectors treat these just like other exclusives: limited run, specific sticker, higher demand after the event.

Are convention Pops worth it?

For a lot of collectors, convention exclusives are the core of the collection. They're limited, they mark a specific year and event, and the designs are often more creative than regular releases. Like anything collectible, value depends on the character and the franchise, but popular convention Pops tend to hold their value well.

Watch out for fakes

Because they're valuable, convention Pops get faked a lot, sometimes just by slapping a fake convention sticker on a regular Pop. Make sure the sticker is crisp, the right color and matches verified examples. Our guide on spotting fake Pops walks through what to check.

Can't make it to the show?

That's what we're here for. We bring convention exclusives back from the shows we work and list them on the site. You can find them in our Exclusives section, along with store and Special Edition releases. And if you're at a West Coast show, come say hi at our booth.