BLUE HARVEST

While Lucasfilm was filming the then titled film, Revenge of the Jedi, the company shot on location under a false front, an upcoming horror film called Blue Harvest with the slogan, “Horror Beyond Imagination”. The Blue Harvest gag went all out with the full range of film production items including shirts, caps, coats, buttons, signs, and stationery. One of the biggest irony of the whole Blue Harvest facade is that the logo looks exactly those used for the other Star Wars films!

Movie marker showing title of move (is that an Ewok in the background?)

The Blue Harvest front was only used during the principal photography for Return of the Jedi, but was also adopted in other areas such as a retro T-shirt that was made by ILM in the 90s, a cardboard mailer tube to ship Revenge of the Jedi posters, an episode of the Ewoks cartoon series, and even a popular Star Wars fanzine. The name Blue Harvest is widely known by Star Wars fans today.

Detaching Stickers

Your fingers can get very hot. Use caution when using heat and use it at low temperatures.

Step 1

Use a blowdryer, on a low setting so that it will not generate a lot of heat, to soften up the sticker glue.

Step 2

Use a dull knife to work under the hologram or sticker that is attached to the surface.

Step 3

After the corner has been worked up use your fingers to gently pull back the sticker or hologram letting the blowdryer do the work while you keep tension on the sticker.

Land Speeder

Judging by the number of loose examples of the Landspeeder that still turn up on the collectors market, Kenner made and sold a ton of this low price-point action figure toy. It’s a pretty faithful rendition of the prop used in the film and the unique suspension system was a simple yet effective feature– from the right angle, the toy really does appear to hover.

Having been one of the first three vehicles Kenner brought to market, the Landspeeder was available throughout 1978, 1979 and part of 1980. In ‘78, Kenner offered their larger clients a “Special Offer” version of the toy. It included free R2-D2 and C-3PO figures, as well as a yellow box sticker advertising this bonus. Then, in 1979, the “LP” logo (short for “long play”), which had appeared on all of Kenner’s 1978 products, was removed from the package.

In 1984, Kenner brought the item back to market, as part of their “Collectors Series” of older Star Wars toys. Although this version of the Landspeeder was unmodified, the box underwent slight revisions, the most noticeable of which was the addition of a red-and-yellow “Collectors Series” starburst to the upper right corner. In addition, the Star Wars toy licensees of several other countries–among them Australia and the U.K.–issued a slightly altered version of the Landspeeder. Most notably, the “hoods” of these foreign versions, which could be opened on the U.S. toy, were immovable. In 1995, Hasbro re-used the molds for the Kenner Landspeeder for their updated version of the vehicle. However, the revisions made to the molds, as well as the toy’s more sophisticated paint job, make the ’90s Landspeeder easily distinguishable from its vintage counterpart.

First Issued: 1978 (SW packaging, with “LP” logo)
Re-issues: 1978 (SW packaging, with R2-D2, C-3PO and “Special Offer” sticker), 1979 (SW packaging, without “LP” logo), 1984 (Collectors Series)

Description by:    Ron Salvatore
Photo:    Ron Salvatore
From the collection of:    Ron Salvatore
Country:    United States
Film:    A New Hope
Licensee:    Kenner
Year:    1978
Category:    Toys / Action Figure Related / Vehicles

Catalog Entry

Catalog Description: LUKE SKYWALKER’S EXCITING LANDSPEEDER VEHICLE! Authentic replica of STAR WARS LANDSPEEDER has special suspension which shifts from a non-moving position to a “floating ride” on spring loaded wheels. Two cockpit seats can carry Action Figures in front behind a half-moon, clear windshield, and two spaces on rear deck can carry R2-D2 and C-3PO or other STAR WARS Action Figures. Special release button pops hood open revealing Turbo Reactor and “space hatch” for storage and supplies. Action Figures not included. Ages 4 and up. Source: 1984 Kenner Collectors Series Pamphlet

TIE Fighter

One of the first three Star Wars vehicles Kenner developed and released, the TIE Fighter is one of those super-familiar toys. I mean, seriously, how many of your friends had this thing? As a collector, how many battered, yellowed examples have you seen, sitting around at toy shows or garage sales? If you’re like me, you’ve seen tons– enough to make you never want to see another loose example.

Oddly, the toy was made of bright white plastic. A dull gray would have been truer to the TIE Fighters seen in the first film, but Kenner chose white. Consequently, loose TIEs are often yellowed. It also featured a semi-interesting “battle damage” feature, which caused the side panels to pop off at the touch of two buttons. And then there was the standard “whining” laser sound. The above catalog description says the little red light on the front is “dramatic,” but it’s not– it’s just a little red light. But that’s ok; it was the ’70s, and a little red light was better than no light at all.

Like most toys from the original Star Wars line, the TIE Fighter is not easy to find in pristine, unused condition. Loose, however, they’re common. Several different versions of the toy’s package can be found. The earliest version bears the “LP” logo (short for “long play”), as well as a textual error: it lists the contents of the box as being an X-Wing rather than a TIE Fighter. 1978 also saw the release to major retailers of a “Special Offer” version of the toy, which featured a yellow sticker on the exterior of its box and two figures–Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper–packed inside. In the following year, the toy’s package was modified in a fairly noticeable way. Specifically, the “LP” logo was removed and the title was expanded from simply TIE Fighter to Imperial TIE Fighter. In 1980, the item was issued in an entirely new box; it featured the same photo, but boasted the then new Empire Strikes Back logo. Then, in 1983, Kenner freshened the toy by molding it in blue rather than white plastic and packaging it with several “battle damage” stickers. The “Battle Damaged” TIE Fighter was released only in a Return of the Jedi box.

In 1995, Hasbro released a TIE Fighter toy using the same tooling used to produce the original Kenner product. However, the new toy was modified in several significant ways, including the addition of molded texture to each of its side panels.

First Issued: 1978 (SW packaging, “TIE Fighter,” with “LP” logo and incorrect content text)
Re-issues:1978 (SW packaging, with Darth Vader, Stormtrooper and Special Offer sticker); 1979 (SW packaging, “Imperial TIE Fighter,” without “LP” logo, with corrected content text); 1980 (ESB packaging)

Catalog Entry

Catalog Description: IMPERIAL TIE FIGHTER THE STAR WARS IMPERIAL TIE FIGHTER READY TO DO BATTLE WITH THE REBEL ALLIANCE! Authentically detailed TIE FIGHTER has a large “Solar Panel” on either side of a spherical cockpit. Special buttons release panels to simulate “Battle Damage” action. Hand-operated lever raises seat and escape hatch to allow child to seat most of the STAR WARS action figures. For added play excitement, a dramatic red laser cannon lights up and emits a “whining” laser sound when rear deck button is pushed. Two “AA” batteries and action figure not included. Ages 5 and up. Source: 1980 Kenner Pre-Toy Fair Catalog

Description by:    Ron Salvatore
Photo:    Ron Salvatore
From the collection of:    Ron Salvatore
Country:    United States
Film:    A New Hope
Licensee:    Kenner
Year:    1978
Category:    Toys / Action Figure Related / Vehicles

Kenner Store Display Checklist

By Ron Salvatore

The following chart is intended as an overview of the many advertising displays issued in connection with Kenner’s Star Wars action figure line, between the years of 1977 and 1986. As such, it does not attempt to reel in the various role-play, plush toy, and other non-action figure displays also issued by Kenner during that time. The two exceptions to this rule are the Micro Collection and Die-Cast lines, which I have included, both because their representatives are few, and because I feel they bear a strong relation to the figure line.

Also included are separate sections for the hand-made, largely one-of-a-kind displays used at the annual Toy Fair conventions in New York City; and for the vast array of unproduced and prototype displays featured at one time or another in various forms of Kenner literature. As they help to convey a sense of how Kenner product was displayed to a very different buying audience–the wholesale buyers at Toy Fair–I think they make an interesting counter-point to the more conventional displays covered here. The unproduced designs, too, provide a more well-rounded sense of the field, by giving us an idea of its evolution, from the early Star Wars pieces, up through those planned for the Power of the Force, Droids, and Ewoks lines.

As you can see, the types and styles of displays produced varied considerably throughout the Star Wars run, making it difficult to lump them into the generalized categories usually preferred for these types of charts. In general, however, vintage Star Wars displays can be seen as encompassing four different, very basic types:

* Bin/Standee and Header Card Assemblies: used primarily for the display and in-store storage of carded action figures, these typically consist of a lower, “holder” portion, with a graphical “header card” attached to the unit’s top. The earliest Star Wars display, that used for the Early Bird Certificate, consisted of a bin and graphical header, establishing a pattern that would continue throughout the Star Wars line. The bin/header assemblies shipped with 12, 20, and 21-back figure assortments actually employed an identical bin, a condition which allows today’s collectors some leeway when seeking out a mate to pair with their various header cards. Though some Empire Strikes Back bin units seem to have been released, if not in the States, then possibly in Canada, the tradition had ended by the debut of the Return of the Jedi line, at which point a new “standee” approach was adopted, employing a smaller, less commanding header, with a tall, multi-level unit below.

* Hangers: perhaps the most popular category of display, hanging signs were used throughout the SW and ESB lines to demarcate Star Wars toy areas. They differ from header cards, in that they are usually tear drop-like in shape, and, with a couple of exceptions, focused specifically on action figures, rather than the figure-based toy line in general. These signs were designed either to be hung, or affixed to a metal stand, and are thus referred to as “hang/pole display” in some Kenner catalog entries. Late in the ESB run, as the figure line expanded, the design used for these hangers became rather elaborate in order to allow for more space on which to present the graphics. The result was a new three-sided “mobile” approach, that stands in sharp contrast to the familiar flat “bell” signs featured in previous years.

* Headers: having been issued in a variety of designs throughout the course of the Kenner line, headers represent the largest and most diverse of the display categories. Simply put, they defined the “Star Wars Sections” that were such common features of 70’s and 80’s toy and department stores. Distinct from the “headers” shipped with action figure bins, these might aptly be termed “Toy” or “Action Figure-Area Headers,” as they were frequently positioned above large displays of such merchandise, in order to call attention to them and set them off from competing product. As such, they are usually larger and more commanding in presence than their hanger counterparts. Some were mountable and shipped with the appropriate hardware, while others might be hung or displayed using other means.

* Shelf-Talkers: the standard variety of shelf-talker was shipped to retailers in quantity, when they ordered a certain toy and/or display assortment, as a means for masking the exposed face of a shelf with an advertisement or eye-catching logo. These were of either cardboard/paper or plastic construction, and usually featured adhesive tabs on their undersides, in order to anchor them to the surface of the shelf-top. The ESB and ROTJ lines also saw the release of shelf-talkers with a slightly different purpose–to promote specific offers, and dispense to customers the means for taking advantage of them. The distinguishing feature of this type of shelf-talker was a pad of detachable forms affixed to the unit’s front. Sadly, these are frequently missing from the displays that turn up on today’s secondary market.

* Other Displays: also issued were several other display items, which, while occupying significant places within the field, cannot be easily placed into any of the above listed categories. These include, among others, a small, clear shelf-dangler, used to promote the late release of three early figures, and a vacu-formed, three-dimensional representation of Yoda, meant to be hung from an overhead fixture. These, and others of their like, have been noted below, along with their more standard counterparts.

I have not been able to procure decent images of several of the displays documented below. If you have images of these pieces, or information that either conflicts with, or is absent from this chart, please e-mail me at salfamily@aol.com to let me know about it.

SW 20 Action Figure Header -’Get A Free Boba Fett’

This is the second in a series of three long header card displays issued by Kenner in the late 70s. The first advertised the original series of twelve action figures, the last the full range of twenty-one that was available by late 1979. This one, however, features twenty figures, but it includes something else as well: a prominent ad for Kenner’s second mail-away offer, a free action figure of bounty hunter Boba Fett.

Kenner issued both this display and a similar bell-shaped unit to advertise this promotion. Both pieces are quite rare, though with less than ten examples being known to exist, this long header is amongst the rarest of all Kenner store displays. Up until recently, the only examples of this display that were known to collectors were those few that were sold at a Las Vegas auction held in the late 90s. Since then, a few more have surfaced via independent sources.

Power of the Force Coins

By Gus Lopez

Most Star Wars collectors are aware of the aluminum coins that Kenner bundled with figures during the “Power of the Force” (POTF) promotion, and it is not uncommon to find a few of these coins in most large Star Wars collections. Complete Power of the Force coin sets are extremely scarce, and putting together an entire set of these coins can take years of legwork and a fair bit of money. For a production piece, the scarcity of some of these coins rivals that of prototypes. The POTF coins have received a great deal of attention in recent years, although they still manage to keep a low profile compared to most Kenner items. Some of the going prices for the tougher coins might be quite high, although they could turn out to be relatively low with respect to the actual scarcity and future demand.

There are a number of reasons why some people are thrilled about these coins. First, there’s the mystique of the POTF line since it was so short-lived. It seems that anything made before 1990 with the words “Power of the Force” captures collectors’ attention. The sculpting on the POTF coin line is some of the best Star Wars crafting ever. Not only are most of the sculptings accurate likenesses of the characters, but the scenes are not the same old tired movie scenes and poster images to which we’ve grown accustomed. Also, it’s very easy to start acquiring a fair number of these coins since so many of them are common and cheap.

But once you start down the coin path, you cannot be turned. Ironically, some of the most common POTF coins correspond to figures that are worth a fair bit of money either loose or carded - the POTF exclusives:

• Yak Face
• Anakin Skywalker
• Luke Poncho
• Han Carbonite
• Luke Stormtrooper
• EV-9D9
• R2 Pop-Up Lightsaber
• Imperial Gunner
• Amanaman
• Barada
• Imperial Dignitary
• Lando General
• A-Wing Pilot
• Romba
• Warok

I call these Category I POTF coins, and they consist of the coins that came with the figures that first became available during the POTF era. These are the most common POTF coins around, since Kenner was releasing these new figures at greater rates than the repackaged old figures. I wouldn’t recommend spending more than $10 for any of these, except maybe Anakin and Yak Face (which are a bit scarce and are easily worth up to $35). Don’t believe any dealer who tells you that the Han Carbonite coin is worth a lot because the figure is in demand; the Han Carbonite coin is one of the most common coins around.

There were also a number of coins available on card for figures that were originally issued on ROTJ, ESB, or SW cards and repackaged on POTF card. These include:

• AT-ST Driver
• Biker Scout
• B-Wing Pilot
• Chewbacca
• C-3P0
• Darth Vader
• Emperor
• Gamorrean Guard
• Han Solo Rebel (Trenchcoat)
• Jawas
• Luke X-Wing
• Luke Jedi
• Lumat
• Obi-Wan Kenobi
• Paploo
• Princess Leia Rebel Leader (Poncho)
• Teebo
• Stormtrooper
• Wicket
• Yoda

These are classified as Category II, and in general, these are a fair bit harder to find than the POTF exclusive coins in Category I. For most of these coins, a fair market price is around $8, but some can fetch around $20 such as Han Trench, Yoda, and Gamorrean Guard. Since all of Category I and II coins were available on card, none of these coins are extremely rare.

Kenner had planned to issue about 90 figures on POTF card, but scrapped these plans as interest in Star Wars waned in the mid 1980s. There were 62 coins in the entire POTF coin set (some coins appeared on a few different cards), yet I’ve listed only 35 different coins so far. These remaining 27 coins were only available by mailing in proofs of purchase to Kenner - the last of Kenner’s famous mail-in offers. At this point, few people were bothering to participate in these mail-in offers, making these mail-in exclusives the absolute rarest of the POTF coins. In fact, many collectors who mailed away for POTF coins received coins in Categories I and II, making completion of a POTF coin set frustrating if one had already gotten these coins on card. There was no way to specify which coin you wanted, so it was the luck of the draw, and it’s not like there were many collectors around to trade doubles. Some very lucky people were able to buy complete POTF coin sets directly from Kenner if they thought to ask.

All of the mail-in exclusive coins are tough to find. Even the most common of the mail-in exclusives is probably even rarer than the scarcest of the Category I and II coins. The distribution of these mail-in coins was not uniform. Most people who mailed into Kenner who did not get Category I and II coins, got one of the following:

• Chief Chirpa
• Emperor’s Royal Guard
• Luke original
• Logray
• TIE Fighter Pilot

We’ll refer to these at Category III coins. By coincidence, these figures appear in the 1985 Kenner Toy Fair catalog as figures that Kenner had planned to introduce on POTF card. Apparently at the last minute, the figures were not issued on POTF card, and this could explain why these are the most common of the mail-in coins. Perhaps the coins were struck before the cards and figures were pulled.

There is another category of mail-in exclusive coins that were harder to get:

• AT-AT
• Boba Fett
• Creatures
• Droids
• Han Hoth
• Imperial Commander
• Lando with Cloud City
• Luke with Tauntaun
• Millennium Falcon
• Star Destroyer Commander

Some people did receive these in the mail, but they are much tougher to find than the Category III coins. We’ll call these coins Category IV. Most of these coins sell for around $50 as the average price.

Finally, there’s the Category V set of coins. These are incredibly difficult to find and I’ve only heard of a handful of cases where people actually got these in the mail from Kenner:

• Bib Fortuna
• FX-7
• Greedo
• Han Original
• Hoth Stormtrooper
• Luke on Dagobah
• Princess Leia, Boushh
• Princess Leia Original
• Sail Skiff
• 2-1B
• Tusken Raider
• Zuckuss

In most cases, the few that have made it into collectors’ hands have turned up on the market from ex-Kenner employees instead of mail-in envelopes. I can’t stress enough how incredibly difficult it is to find any of these coins. If you are near completion of your POTF coin collection and come across any Category V coins you need, I suggest not being the least bit picky about the price. You will be lucky to even see these on the market. They usually sell for around $75-100 when they do appear.

These five categories of coins are not etched in stone. There are a few coins that could be promoted or demoted by one category, but the idea is to give a general feel for the relative scarcities of these coins - information that has not been available in any guide to date.

These five categories cover the 62 coins in the regular POTF coin set. There are other Kenner coins as well: the 12 regular Droids coins and the 6 Ewoks coins. The Droids coins were issued in gold color and the Ewoks coins in bronze, to contrast with the silver finish of the POTF coins. All of the coins from the POTF, Droids, and Ewoks lines were made of aluminum, however.

There is a “63rd coin” in the POTF set which depicts two hands holding a lightsaber. The back of the coin describes Jedis, the Force, and lightsabers. It’s tough to gauge how rare this coin is, but I’ve heard of less than 10 in existence thus far.

Then, there’s the small Luke X-Wing coin that has surfaced in recent years. It is believed that this was planned for a mail-in offer that Kenner never held. Of all the specialty coins outside the regular 62 coin set, this coin isn’t too tough to track down. On the other hand, it is believed that there are only 400 or so in existence, which is really not a lot. They can be found for $15-40 fairly regularly, so I’d suggest scooping one up if you come across one.

The next specialty coin is the Luke Jedi Knight coin with two images of Luke on the front and an X-Wing on the back. It is believed that this coin is a prototype for the POTF coin set, and of course, there are only a handful of these around.

There are also numerous Ewoks and Droids coin prototypes that have surfaced. These coins correspond to figures in the 2nd series of these lines that were never commercially available. The coins are available in silver, bronze, and gold. It isn’t too difficult to track down just about every unproduced Ewok and Droid figure on coin (and in a couple different colors) but the average price of these coins is a whopping $200, although that doesn’t stop some dealers from asking even more outrageous amounts like $600.

Next, we turn to variations. There are several that have been discovered, and new ones pop up every day. For instance the Han Trenchcoat coin is available with the name “Han Solo” and “Hans Solo”. The Hans version is the much rarer of the two.

The Sail Skiff coin is one of the rarest coins in existence. To make matters worse, there are three variations of this coin! The regular coin reads “Star Wars Sail Skiff”. In the 1985 Kenner Toy Fair catalog, there is a page with carded SW figures that shows unproduced figures with coins. If you look closely, you can see that the figures with the Sail Skiff coin actually say “Star Wars Sail Barge” instead of the wording on the production coin. A number of these Sail Barge coins have appeared on the market, but they remain extremely rare. Finally, there’s a version of the Sail Skiff coin that says simply “Sail Skiff” across the bottom without the words “Star Wars” across the top.

One of the more common variations occur with the Luke Stormtrooper coins. On some of the coins, it appears that Luke has eyes and on other coins he is lacking any detail in his eyes. Both seem to occur quite frequently.

There are two versions of the Droids C-3P0 coin. One version is simply the POTF C-3P0 coin struck in gold color. The coin reads “C-3P0 Protocol Droid” just like the POTF coin. The artwork looks more like the 3P0 from the Star Wars movies than from the Droids series. There is also a Droids C-3P0 coin with sculpting that matches the Droids look. On this coin, C-3P0 is standing with several other droids, and “Protocol Droid” does not appear on the coin. Unlike the POTF-based Protocol Droid coin, the Droids coin back is updated for the Droids series. It is believed that the Protocol Droid version of the C-3P0 Droids coin is the slightly rarer of the two.

The Millennium Falcon coin, a Category IV coin, appears with two different coin backs. One says “HAN SOLO’s famous space vehicle used by The REBEL heroes in their attacks on the EMPIRE”, and the other reads “Bold and valiant REBEL who performed outstanding heroic deeds in the battle to overcome the EMPIRE”. It is believed that the former was going to be bundled with a Han Solo figure, and the latter with some rebel such as Nien Nunb or Prune Face.

There are also coin back variations on the Creatures coin. One reads “Bizarre-looking, low-life aliens who hang out in local cafes and have a great disdain for any outside intruders” and the other says “Bizarre-looking aliens who hang out at local cantinas and are suspicious of all outsiders”. In this case, it’s believed that the former was an earlier version of the coin (since it contains errors) and the latter one is a corrected version of the coin. The former is the tougher of the two to find.

Most collectors are aware that the POTF coins have two different logos on the backs of the coins: POTF logo and Star Wars logo. Each coin has one of the two logos, and there seems to be no pattern to which logo is used, although there are no mail-in exclusive coins with the Star Wars logo. One interesting subtlety worth mentioning is that there are two different versions of the POTF logo on the coin backs: one with two horizontal lines under the words “STAR WARS” and the other with one horizontal line under “STAR WARS”. The reason this is interesting is that the one-line version correlates highly with the Category V coins! Could it be that the Category V set had the most recent version of the POTF logo? Or was this an earlier prototype design of the POTF logo? It’s hard to say, but this logo does give some indication of a coin’s scarcity. Consult the chart to examine these differences.

How do you store these coins? Some people frame their sets although that makes it difficult to see the backs of the coins, and few people can afford two sets to be able to see the front and back simultaneously in a frame. There is a framed set which appears in the Tomart’s Guide, but there are only about a dozen of these sets in existence, since they were only given to Lucasfilm and Kenner executives. These framed sets contain two complete sets of POTF coins so that the front and back of each can be seen. There are also some custom frames available for POTF, Droids, and Ewoks coins that allow both fronts and backs of the coins to be displayed. This is a nice alternative to standard framing. My preference is to use sleeved pages for milk caps (POGS). The size of the slots is perfect for POTF coins, allows easy removal, and enables one to view the front and back. Storing my coins on pages is like storing cards and when I discover new variations, I don’t need to order new frames to be able to display the whole set together.

Most POTF coins are not too difficult to track down. Categories I, II, and III turn up at toy shows regularly. It’s the Category IV and V coins that will give the collector some difficulty. Some suggestions include taking out “Wanted: POTF Coins” ads in SW Insider, Toy Shop, Star Wars Collector, etc. to list out the coins you need. You’d be surprised how many people have one or two of these tough coins lying around. Since POTF coins are still underrated, it is not uncommon to find some of the tougher coins at bargain prices. Most people don’t even know which coins are the difficult ones!

I found many of my coins by calling some of the more visible, high-volume dealers on a regular basis to ask which POTF coins they have in stock. Since POTF coin collecting is esoteric, it is rare to see coins advertised in ads, however most dealers do have a small stock of these coins on hand. When I go around shows, I always ask dealers if they have any POTF coins behind the table, and it’s surprising how many times this turns out to be the case.

In case you’re bummed you missed out on these coins in the mid 1980s, there are some really nice Star Wars coins that recently hit the market, but people are unlikely to be aware of them. I’m referring to the Bend Ems coins. It’s possible to have bought these Bend Ems 4 and 10-packs and still be unaware of the interesting coin: X-Wing, Millennium Falcon, and TIE Fighter, if the packages were left unopened. The Just Toys company decided in their infinite wisdom to show the generic SW logo side of the coin in the packaging, although the other side of the coin is infinitely more interesting. Since the Bend Ems seem to be vanishing forever from retail stores, I highly recommend buying three 4-packs as I did, and hope to get each of the three different coins. The coins are made from a heavy metal that is gold-tone and they are the same size as the POTF coins. The quality is top-notch which is surprising for a Just Toys product. If you hate the Bend Ems, you can always throw away the figures or give them to a friend so that you don’t need to look at that Gumby Luke Skywalker on your shelf. For $10 a coin, it’s not a bad deal.

I’ve put together most of this information while attempting to complete my POTF coin set piece by piece. As with anything in this hobby, conversations with other collectors have been a valuable help, and in particular, I wish to thank Tom Neiheisel, John Kellerman, and Josh Ling for their valuable input. By staying vigilant in the pursuit of POTF coins, I’ve managed to get all of them one by one.

If you’re serious about completing a set, my advice would be to hold out for an entire set to buy in a one-shot deal. I have heard of sets selling for $1000-1500 in the last year, although sometimes they are sold for a lot more. One recently sold in Toy Shop for $2700. The same dealer was offered $3000 if he could find another coin set to sell. This is what buyers are willing to pay, not really due to gauging by dealers since dealers seldom get their hands on these sets anyway.

Why do I recommend waiting for a set? Well, it’s just too difficult to find these Category V coins. You could spends years hunting these down (and possibly a lot of money) just trying to get the last few. Of course, it’s lots more fun to complete a set piece by piece since you cherish each new acquisition. It is possible to complete a set this way, however, and I would suggest this more fun approach to non-completists since a great deal of these coins are relatively easy to find with very little effort.

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Table of POTF Coins

COIN			CATEGORYPRICE	LOGO	VARIATIONS

Amanaman		I	$5	SW
Anakin Skywalker	I	30	SW
AT-AT			IV	50	POTF2
A-Wing Pilot		I	5	SW
AT-ST Driver		II	8	POTF2
Barada			I	5	SW
Bib Fortuna		V	75	POTF2
Biker Scout		II	8	POTF2
B-Wing Pilot		II	8	POTF2
Boba Fett		IV	50	POTF2
Chewbacca		II	8	POTF2
Chief Chirpa		III	30	POTF2
C-3P0			II	8	SW
Creatures		IV	50	POTF1,2	Back: different wording
Darth Vader		II	8	POTF2
Droids			IV	50	POTF1
Emperor			II	8	POTF2
Emperor's Royal Guard	III	35	POTF2
EV-9D9			I	5	SW
FX-7			V	75	POTF1
Gamorrean Guard		II	15	POTF2
Greedo			V	75	POTF2
Han Solo (with Falcon)	V	75	POTF1
Han Solo (Trenchcoat)	II	15	POTF2	Front: Han Solo and Hans Solo
Han Solo (Carbonite)	I	8	POTF2
Han Solo (Hoth)		IV	50	POTF1
Hoth Stormtrooper	V	75	POTF1
Imperial Commander	IV	50	POTF2
Imperial Dignitary	I	5	SW
Imperial Gunner		I	5	POTF2
Jawas			II	8	SW
Logray			III	30	POTF2
Lando General		I	5	SW
Lando with Cloud City	IV	50	POTF1
Luke X-Wing		II	8	SW
Luke Poncho		I	5	SW
Luke with Tauntaun	IV	50	POTF1
Luke Stormtrooper	I	8	SW	Front: eyes and no eyes
Luke Jedi		II	8	POTF2
Luke (Original)		III	35	POTF2
Luke (Dagobah)		V	75	POTF1
Lumat			II	5	POTF2
Millennium Falcon	IV	50	POTF2	Back: Han and Rebel references
Obi-Wan Kenobi		II	8	POTF2
Paploo			II	5	POTF2
Princess Leia (Poncho)	II	8	POTF2
Princess Leia (Boushh)	V	75	POTF1
Princess Leia (with R2)	V	75	POTF1
R2-D2 Pop-Up Saber	I	5	SW
Romba			I	5	POTF2
Sail Skiff		V	75	POTF2	Front: Barge, Skiff, no SW
Star Destroyer CommanderIV	50	POTF2
Stormtrooper		II	8	POTF2
Teebo			II	8	POTF2
TIE Fighter Pilot	III	35	POTF2
2-1B			V	75	POTF1
Tusken Raider		V	75	POTF1
Warok			I	5	SW
Wicket			II	8	POTF2
Yak Face		I	30	POTF2
Yoda			II	15	SW
Zuckuss			V	75	POTF2

How To Create A Star Wars Custom Card Digital Template

Supplies:

. Flatbed Scanner . Graphic Editor (Photoshop or PaintShop Pro) . High resolution printer

Images can be downloaded off the Internet, though most will be of low resolution due to file size. Any Star Wars book you’ve been using as source material for your customs will have the kind of images you want, or even an existing action figure card.

Resolution is a difficult issue to settle. Some advocate low-res. (100-200 dpi) while others recommend 600 - 800 dpi. However you will be able to tweak and edit the high-roes image much more easily because of the higher definition of detail.
1. SCANNING CARD/ERASING OLD DATA/ADDING NEW DATA: Create a template card by scanning the card that you want to edit. Erase all unwanted information on the card like the picture of the figure, the name, and any other details you decide. You do this by using a paint program to color the scan you made to make it ready for you to insert the reference image and print it out.

2. PICTURES: Find reference pictures that you want to use for the photograph on the card. Once you have done that scan the picture so that you may combine it with the template.

3. THE BEST METHOD: The better (but more time consuming) method is to create a template in your graphic program and add each image as a layer. This will allow you to move the images around to get rid of gaps or overlaps. Then print the final version out.

How To Create a SW Cardback

Supplies:

Print of card front on self adhesive sticker paper . Print of card back on self adhesive sticker paper . Card stock . Clips. Guillotine Stack Paper Cutter. Diamond 1 Corner Cutter Rounding Machine. Scissors. Art Roller/Brayer.

There are various ways to make cardbacks. This tutorial deals with making them with self adhesive sticker paper and new tools to score and round corners. Much cleaner way of making cardbacks.

1. Print front and Back on self adhesive sticker paper: 8.5 by 11 inches adhesive sticker paper. I use a color laser printer, the toner lasts longer and the prints are awesome. Although the self adhesive sticker paper has a Matte Finish the toner looks glossy.

2. Card Stock: Various thickness’s available. I use 100lb thick pieces, 8.5 by 11 inches. Use what makes you comfortable as long as when you hold the card by the edge it doesn’t bend.

Note: Using the same size cardback card stock and self adhesive sticker paper lets you align the front and back of the cardback properly since Photoshop prints dead on in the center.

3. Applying the self adhesive sticker paper to the front and back of the cardback card stock:

a. Clip the right lower corner of the cardback card stock and the self adhesive paper (do not remove sticker backing yet). Clips cost about $6.00.

b. Align the upper left corner.

c. Hold it then clip the lower left corner.

d. Peel the backing of the self adhesive sticker about half way, and cut the backing.

e. Use your fingers to flatten and stick the exposed adhesive to the cardback card stock. Then take the clips off the bottom of the card.

f. Follow the same procedure for the bottom half. Peel the backing off and stick the exposed adhesive to the cardback card stock.

g. Use the Art Roller/Brayer to permanently stick the adhesive sticker paper to the cardback card stock. Art Roller/Brayer cost about $12.00. Follow the same procedure for the back of the cardback.

4. Scoring (cutting out card):

I am now using a Guillotine Stack Paper Cutter, it takes less time and easier to control the cut. You simply align and bring the hammer down. Guillotine cutter cost about $150.00. If you want to stick to old school, then use a ruler and a box cutter blade.

5. Rounding corners:

You simply align and pull the hammer down. You can do several cards at a time with ease. The Diamond 1 Corner Cutter cost about $130.00. There are cheaper rounders but I found this cutter to be the best.

JOURNEY INTO TRILOGO & BUBBLE VARIATIONS

by Stéphane Faucourt author of
From Meccano to Trilogo, the Book

This SWCA Special Feature complements the Trilogo section of the “Meccano to Trilogo” book. In addition, updated tables with card variations can be found on the   Rebelscum website.

Trilogo carded figures were considered cheap collectibles until the late 90’s. In addition, they suffered from an incorrect classification in that photo variants were believed to be the rarest…

The Year 2000 was approaching and many collectors began to gain interest in Trilogo carded figures. Collecting them became a way to complement, or become an alternative to, Kenner figures. The added appeal was that one could own a full set of figures on the same card design.

Another appeal for collectors was that completing a set was a real challenge. Characters widely-known to be rare can fetch hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars on the collector’s market while some cards which sell for only a few dollars are still quite difficult to get, meaning it’s not just a question of money but also luck and patience.

As in any other area of Star Wars toy collecting, collectors started to search for details. They started trying to find variations - the most obvious being the different card types and the hybrid combinations (Palitoy front - Trilogo back, Trilogo front - PBP back).

Trilogo cards still had much to tell about their origins and rarity. Relevant hints can be found in the hanger tab shape, the COO sticker, the cardboard quality and color, a price sticker, and… the bubble shape. These details can be found alone or combined and they are good indicators of rarity and country where the item was sold.

For most collectors, these details don’t make much of a difference in terms of rarity or value between two Trilogo cards of the same character. Some might think, “why would a different bubble, punch hole and/or sticker add rarity or value over the very same card without these attributes?”.

That’s why only a few collectors are willing to pay a premium for these kinds of variations and the rarity really doesn’t make any impact on the card’s value even though an item showing one or more of these attributes is much rarer than the same card with the regular punch (or unpunched) and standard etched bubble.

In some cases the version of the card with rare attribute(s) is the only way to get that figure on a Trilogo card. In these extreme cases the value is then really affected. i.e. General Madine (double-stem bubble + white macao sticker), regular Boba Fett (Palitoy 45-backs bubble shape), dark-insert Emperor Royal Guard (rounded peg-hole + black macao sticker), etc.

Last, but not least, the bubble itself is already a very good indicator of the card’s origin (country of sale) and rarity, which is the aim of this SWCA Special Feature.

The book “Meccano to Trilogo – Star Wars Vintage Action Figure Toys” contains an in-depth review of Trilogo carded figures, fronts and backs, rarity details, and early Trilogos and variants. A detailed figure / card type / bubble shape matrix is also presented in the appendix section.

The first release of the Trilogo card matrix was built over years of collecting and comparing hundreds of items. Much as a collection always evolves so too will the information known and updates are eventually needed. The updates are hosted by Rebelscum and exclusively available there. If you own a variation which is not yet referenced, you are very welcome to submit your entry (see Rebelscum page for submission rules).

Although the book shows Trilogo cards with different bubble combinations, the matrix can be a bit difficult to grasp at first glance. The SWCA and the author have combined their efforts to bring a more detailed view of the different Trilogo bubble shapes, which gives a better understanding of Trilogo cards packaging and rarity. You won’t look at a Trilogo card with the same eyes from now on…

This article is illustrated with detailed pictures of each bubble shape variation found on Trilogo cards. (click the pictures for a larger view)

First, let’s compare all the different types and shapes from a side view (the order and denomination matches the “Meccano to Trilogo” book matrix from pages 138-140).

double-stem bubble

Meccano Rotj 65-back small bubble

Meccano Rotj 65-back medium bubble

Palitoy Rotj 45/65-back bubble

Some types of shapes are broken down into several variants, as detailed below.

DOUBLE-STEM BUBBLES

Trilogo cards found with this double-stem bubble shape are extremely rare to come by; these are part of the early Trilogo cards sold on the French market.

The bubble is taken from the ROTJ Palitoy 45  back and Meccano 65  back cards.

Only a short selection of figures can be found with the double-stem bubble: a few ESB re-releases (Lobot, Rebel Soldier…), and some from ROTJ 1st & 2nd waves (Luke Jedi, B-Wing Pilot…).

*General Madine is the most difficult Trilogo card to find as it is only available as an early Trilogo card with double-stem bubble, there is no equivalent with the standard sized Trilogo bubble.

There are two different sizes of double-stem bubble, but the rarity seems equivalent.

X-Wing Fighter

Is there anyone who was a child during the late ’70s/early ’80s who isn’t familiar with this toy? Not many, I’d wager. The Kenner X-Wing Fighter was simply one of the most popular toys of that era, a fact which shouldn’t be too surprising considering the important role the vehicle held in the most popular film series of the era.

One of the first three action figure toys to be released in the Star Wars line, the original X-Wing can be found in a number of different boxes. The first, issued in 1978, featured the “LP” logo(short for “long play”) in the lower right corner, and the box’s fron tand sides depicted an original Luke figure as occupying the vehicle’s cockpit. 1978 also so the release of a “Special Offer” version of the toy. It came with free Han Solo and Luke Skywalker figures and featured an attractive yellow sticker on its box.

In ‘79, the “LP” logo was removed from the package. The photos on the sides of the toy’s package were also changed– the new ones depicted the newly released X-Wing Pilot figure as being in the cockpit (the frontal image remained the same). Then, in mid-1980, the logo on the box was changed to the blockier Empire Strikes Back monniker, while the silver “racetrack” border was reduced from two stripes to one and the silver-and-red nameplate was replaced with simple white text reading “X-Wing Fighter.” Although the general look of the first-issue ESB box was very reminiscent of the Star Wars original, it in fact featured all new photography. Now not only did the photos on the box sides depict the Luke X-Wing Pilot figure, the frontal photo did as well.

Finally, around 1981, the look of the X-Wing package was completely overhauled, the familiar red-backed image being replaced with a photo showing the toy placed within an elaborate diorama reminiscent of the swamps of Dagobah. This was the last package the original X-Wing toy appeared in. It was replaced in 1982 by the “Battle Damaged” version of the product. The original X-Wing is distinguished from its battle-damaged counterpart by its color: it’s white while the later toy is gray.

Outside the States, in countries like the U.K. and Australia, the toy was released with several major modifications, including a chromed R2-D2 button and no electronics. But even more interesting were the X-Wing toys issued by Japanese licensee Takara. One of the Japanese X-Wings even transformed! But neither bears any resemblance to its Kenner counterpart. In 1995, Hasbro used the old Kenner molds to produce a re-vamped X-Wing Fighter. Its 1995 date imprint, complicated paint job and heightened electronic capacity make it hard to mistake for the original.

Description by:    Ron Salvatore
Photo:    Ron Salvatore
From the collection of:    Ron Salvatore
Country:    United States
Film:    A New Hope
Licensee:    Kenner
Year:    1978
Category:    Toys / Action Figure Related / Vehicles