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VER SINCE George Méliès’ La Voyage de la Lune launched a space rocket into the eye of the Man in the Moon in 1902, cinema audiences have been wowed by visions of man (and woman) venturing into the great black and beyond. Though, as far as space sci-fi cinema goes, it’s pretty fair to say that there is everything before 2001: A Space Odyssey, then there is everything afterward. Star Wars was afterward. Almost ten years afterward – and only made possible by the reality and a seriousness that 2001 brought to outer space. But it was Star Wars that brought the fantasy. The sheer overabundance of creativity on display in the outer reaches of the galaxy helped create the classic and beloved space franchise that it is today, bringing so many imaginative characters and civilizations to life. Heading towards its 40th birthday, the original Star Wars is an all-round family favourite film that has enthralled generations of kids who can then go on to share it with their own, or even their grandkids! No matter what age you are, everyone’s got their own fond memory of watching Star Wars for the very first time.
Rebel, Rebel!
A long time ago in a toy shop, far, far away. The Star Wars collecting mania began... The franchise has had its ups and downs but, taken as a whole, these movies have got everything you need: action, romance, humour and spaceships. So no prizes for guessing how I spent my Christmas Eve this year – especially since the new film promised a bunch of the old characters! As a child of the 70s, Star Wars opened up a whole new world for my brother and me. He, lucky lad, owned the Millennium Falcon, which he sometimes let me play with, along with a handful of action figures. Of course vintage Star Wars action figures, posters, games and cards, which once adorned the bedrooms of children in the 1970s and 80s, and might now be found in the odd loft, can be quite valuable. But even more so – as I’m sure you’ve heard – if they were unwanted gifts for their first recipients and never played with! Looking at the prices some of the larger or rarer Vintage pieces are going for today, I know my brother wishes now that he’d kept his spaceship in its box, but that’s hindsight for you! We know you big kids out there must be wondering, as we were – what you would have to pay now for a complete set of 12 Palitoy 3¾” figures if you wanted to buy them today? So we asked Vectis – the largest toy auctioneer in the world – and they showed us the records from their October sale. It seems you should start thinking in the region of a whopping £3,500! ve www.vectis.co.uk
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BY KARYN SPARKS
IMPERIAL SHUTTLE VEHICLE
£504
Palitoy/General Mills Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Imperial Shuttle Vehicle, plus box with some inner packaging. Estimate: £100-120. Sold for £504.
www.vintagexplorer.co.uk
PALITOY 3¾” FIGURES
£3,240
Palitoy/Kenner Star Wars 3¾” figures Marvel Competition Prize: Star Wars Weekly week 5 dated 8th March 1978. Competition winner Colin Derrig (the vendor of this Lot) was one of the lucky 25 correct entries. His prize was a set of 12 Palitoy 3¾” figures: Vinyl caped Jawa; Luke Skywalker; C-3PO; R2-D2; Chewbacca; Princess Leia; Tusken Raider; Darth Vader; Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi; Stormtrooper; Han Solo, Death Squad Commander. Nerd alert!.. all are 12A backs, except the Jawa and Death Squad Commander – both on 12B backs. There are also two letters from Star Wars Weekly stating: “Enclosed are 8 of the prizes you won in the Star Wars Weekly miniature competition, unfortunately these are all we have had the moment as the other 4 models have not yet arrived from Palitoy”. The second letter states, “Dear Reader please find enclosed the remaining figures owed to you from the Palitoy Miniatures contest, you should now have the complete set of Star Wars figures.” There is also a compliment slip from Star Wars Weekly. The plastic bubbles have been cut to release the figures, and some are missing their card foot stands. Estimate: £1,000-2,000. Sold for £3,240.
PALITOY AT-AT VEHICLE
£1,020
Lot 4152 Palitoy General Mills Star Wars Return of the Jedi AT-AT. Condition is mint in good, sealed box. Estimate: £300-500. Sold for: £1,020.
www.vintagexplorer.co.uk
ve / February-March 2016 / 47
Star Wars figures are regular features of Vectis sales, so we asked what their top ten individual figures fetched over the last year – and the hammer prices were out of this world! Take a look...
1
£18,000
Palitoy Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Boba Fett 30B un-punched card back. Estimate: £10,000-15,000
2 3
Palitoy Star Wars Death Star. Estimate: £1,500–2,000
4 48 / February-March 2016 / ve
£10,200
Palitoy Star Wars Jawa 3¾” figure, vinyl cape, near mint, bubble is excellent – base of bubble stem is crushed and slightly coming away from card at foot, on a near mint, un-punched, 12 back card. Estimate: £6,000-8,000
£5,760
£5,040
Palitoy Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) 3¾” vintage figure, Near mint, within near mint bubble (very minor crease to bottom right hand corner, slight edge wear and surface scuffs), 30B un-punched card back-original price sticker applied ‘D.J.’s Toys 1.40p’. Estimate: £2,000-3,000
www.vintagexplorer.co.uk
5
6
7
£5,040
8
£4,560
9
£4,080
10
Palitoy Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 30B un-punched card back – original price sticker applied ‘D.J.’s Toys 1.40P’. Estimate: £2,000-3,000
Kenner Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back 3-Pack Series 3 Imperial 3¾” vintage figure set, #No.70080, Zuckuss, AT-AT Driver and Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot. AFA Archival Graded B80 W85 F80- 80NM. Estimate: £2,000-3,000
Star Wars Power of the Force Yak Face 3¾” vintage figure, AFA Archival Graded Card 80 Blister 85 Figure 90 Yellow- 80MN, on a 92 un-punched card back. Estimate: £3,000-4,000
www.vintagexplorer.co.uk
£3,600
Palitoy Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Yoda (brown snake) 3¾” vintage figure. Near mint, within excellent bubble, on a Plus 30B un-punched card back. Estimate: £1,000-1,200
£3,600
Kenner Star Wars 3-Pack Series 2 Creature 3¾” vintage figure set, #No. 39480, Hammerhead, Walrus Man and Greedo. AFA Archival Graded B80 W85 F8580NM. Estimate: £2,000-3,000
£3,360
Palitoy Star Wars Luke Skywalker 3¾” vintage figure, mint, within near mint bubble, on a near mint 12B un-punched card back. Estimate: £1,000-1,200
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