In a quiet corner of Greenwich, a man named Jamie Moakes has spent fifteen years and thousands of pounds asking one of philosophy's oldest questions through an unlikely medium: a minor plastic toy from a 1980s cartoon. Inspired by the financial crisis and the arbitrary nature of gold's worth, Moakes set out to prove that value is not discovered but invented — and chose Ram Man, a forgotten He-Man character, as his instrument. His experiment sits at the intersection of performance art, market theory, and stubborn human belief, reminding us that the distance between a worthless object and a prec
BBC
· Jun 20, 2026
· society
· 3 min read
High
Sourcing: Verified
Man's 15-year quest to make 1980s action figure Ram Man a valuable currency
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Economy & Finance
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Bias & Framing
⚖
BBC presents an eccentric collector's 15-year hobby with lighthearted framing, avoiding critical examination of market manipulation schemes while emphasizing the subject's self-awareness and charm.
Bias Direction
center-left
Confidence
MED
Human interest/quirky feature story that humanizes the subject through sympathetic narrative, using humor and self-deprecation to deflect from potentially problematic behavior (market manipulation). The framing emphasizes artistic intent and social commentary over financial deception.
lofty plan
quest
struck a chord with people
tongue-in-cheek
sidekick
scooped
Voices of people who may have lost money or been misled by the scheme
Financial experts or economists commenting on market manipulation ethics
Perspectives from other collectors or toy market participants affected by artificial scarcity attempts
Critical analysis of whether this constitutes fraud or legitimate artistic performance
Long-term outcomes and whether anyone actually suffered financial harm
Geopolitical Impact
🌎
Individual's 15-year attempt to artificially inflate 1980s action figure value through market manipulation has no geopolitical significance.
Escalation Risk
low
Confidence
HIGH
Economic Lens
📈
Individual attempts 15-year market manipulation scheme to artificially inflate value of 1980s action figures through artificial scarcity, mirroring commodity trading tactics but achieving minimal economic impact.
Market Signal
neutral
Confidence
HIGH
Collectibles and memorabilia market
Retail/secondary markets
Entertainment merchandise
Minimal direct impact. This represents a niche, individual-scale operation with negligible effect on consumer purchasing power or household finances. May serve as cautionary example of speculative bubble risks in illiquid collectibles markets.
Highlights potential gaps in consumer protection regarding speculative commodity schemes and market manipulation in unregulated collectibles trading. Could inform discussions on transparency in secondary markets and consumer education about artificial scarcity tactics.