Thursday, August 25, 2005
My recent additions.......
A few days ago I found 4 Original Trilogy Collection figures at my local Family Dollar. Family Dollar?!?! I was shocked, but very pleased. I was even more pleased to see that they were only $5 each. Yes my friends, I got a bargain. It gets even better. They are in great shape. I had to include a picture for you. The four figures are 2 Darth Vaders, Princess Leia, and R2-D2.
I will try to make a post every time I add to my collection. I just won some great vintage loose figures on Ebay. I will show them when I get them. My next post will be about the Telescoping Saber Darth Vader, Ben Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker. I mentioned these in my last post. I will go more in detail this time.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Budget Vintage Collecting..........
All collectors with any serious aspirations to build their collection drools over the idea of having a set of 12back figures. For those who may not know, a 12back carded figure is the first carded figures released. I say carded because their was 4 figures offered in an early bird special that came in the mail, packaged in baggies. That discussion is for later. The back of a 12back figure has the first 12 figures that were released pictured. 
This fact makes 12back figures very valuable. I do not have and many of you do not have $5000 or so to drop on a set of 12backs. Their still is a way to collect vintage action figures with a limited budget. Collect them loose. Us poor people have to come back down to reality and settle with the fact we cannot spend the high dollars on figures. This does not exclude us from collecting very cool pieces of Star Wars history. During the Vintage Era (1977-1985) their were 92 figures released. 93 if you include the Canadian released "Yak Face." With all the different variations their are 107 figures. An example of a variation is the Jawa with a vinyl cape and one with a cloth cape. Same figure, different cape. I did say we were budget collecting so let us reduce the number to 105. Why? The Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi telescoping saber (TS) variations are out of the roof. These are very rare figures. Just get the regular saber on these two. I am keeping the Luke Skywalker TS on the list because their are more in circulation. Out of the 105 figures, many of them you can get in the neighborhood of $10. I am talking about figures in good condition with their weapons. Many of the figures will cost you in the $10-20 range. Other will run you higher. Their are three figures that I consider to be the prize pieces of a collection like this: Luke Skywalker TS, Jawa vinyl cape, and the blue Snaggletooth. These figures will run you over $100 each. Depending on the condition the Jawa could run you between $200-300. You do have to beware of fake vinyl capes on the Jawas. If you include the Yak Face in your vintage loose collection, he will be a prize piece also. With a little time and patience you can have a loose collection that you can be proud of. Many people will even think you have a large collection of Star Wars toys. One thing that is for sure, you will have a complete collection of a great part of Star Wars collecting history. Go budget collecting.
If you are looking for a list of the vintage loose figures, please let me know. If I have enough interest I will post it for you. The best source that I have found on this subject is a book called Star Wars Vintage Action Figures by John Kellerman. This book has pictures of all the figures with their correct weapons and variations.
If you have any questions and/or want to know more details about something I talked about let me know. If I missed something or am wrong about something let me know. I hope this has been helpful. Please do not forget to have fun in your collecting and do not let it become an obsession. Thank you.
This fact makes 12back figures very valuable. I do not have and many of you do not have $5000 or so to drop on a set of 12backs. Their still is a way to collect vintage action figures with a limited budget. Collect them loose. Us poor people have to come back down to reality and settle with the fact we cannot spend the high dollars on figures. This does not exclude us from collecting very cool pieces of Star Wars history. During the Vintage Era (1977-1985) their were 92 figures released. 93 if you include the Canadian released "Yak Face." With all the different variations their are 107 figures. An example of a variation is the Jawa with a vinyl cape and one with a cloth cape. Same figure, different cape. I did say we were budget collecting so let us reduce the number to 105. Why? The Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi telescoping saber (TS) variations are out of the roof. These are very rare figures. Just get the regular saber on these two. I am keeping the Luke Skywalker TS on the list because their are more in circulation. Out of the 105 figures, many of them you can get in the neighborhood of $10. I am talking about figures in good condition with their weapons. Many of the figures will cost you in the $10-20 range. Other will run you higher. Their are three figures that I consider to be the prize pieces of a collection like this: Luke Skywalker TS, Jawa vinyl cape, and the blue Snaggletooth. These figures will run you over $100 each. Depending on the condition the Jawa could run you between $200-300. You do have to beware of fake vinyl capes on the Jawas. If you include the Yak Face in your vintage loose collection, he will be a prize piece also. With a little time and patience you can have a loose collection that you can be proud of. Many people will even think you have a large collection of Star Wars toys. One thing that is for sure, you will have a complete collection of a great part of Star Wars collecting history. Go budget collecting.If you are looking for a list of the vintage loose figures, please let me know. If I have enough interest I will post it for you. The best source that I have found on this subject is a book called Star Wars Vintage Action Figures by John Kellerman. This book has pictures of all the figures with their correct weapons and variations.
If you have any questions and/or want to know more details about something I talked about let me know. If I missed something or am wrong about something let me know. I hope this has been helpful. Please do not forget to have fun in your collecting and do not let it become an obsession. Thank you.
Monday, August 22, 2005
What I collect.........
Every collector should have a focus when collecting. I do have a little bit of a variety of things. I also have a lot of other things. I do understand that my collection will pale in comparison to 
many other's. Most people that I am around think I have one of the largest. Of course this is not true. The focus that I have chosen are as follows:
Vintage loose: These are the Kenner 3' 3/4" action figures put out from 1977 to 1985. My goal is to collect all of these figures complete with all the variations in the best condition possible. Of course I want to collect these figures still in the package. I just cannot afford carded figures. It is unbelievable how many different variations of carded figures are out there along with how much they sell for.
Baggies: Figures that have been packaged in a plastic bag. These figures have been offered in various ways. They come in playsets and special mail-in offers. I will not go into detail because it will be the subject of a future post.
Unleashed: These modern figures have turned our favorite Star Wars characters into pieces of art. The first one that I bought was the Darth Maul. Since then I have picked away at these beautiful figures. My goal is to collect two of every variation. One to display out of package and one to display in package.
I do collect 3' 3/4" figures. They do not represent a major focus in my collecting goals. I also have a long way to go in collecting them. Number 500 was just released. I only have around 100.
Let the discussion begin. I want this to be an educational experience for all of us (one thing that is for sure, I am far from knowing it all, my name is not Sansweet).
many other's. Most people that I am around think I have one of the largest. Of course this is not true. The focus that I have chosen are as follows:Vintage loose: These are the Kenner 3' 3/4" action figures put out from 1977 to 1985. My goal is to collect all of these figures complete with all the variations in the best condition possible. Of course I want to collect these figures still in the package. I just cannot afford carded figures. It is unbelievable how many different variations of carded figures are out there along with how much they sell for.
Baggies: Figures that have been packaged in a plastic bag. These figures have been offered in various ways. They come in playsets and special mail-in offers. I will not go into detail because it will be the subject of a future post.
Unleashed: These modern figures have turned our favorite Star Wars characters into pieces of art. The first one that I bought was the Darth Maul. Since then I have picked away at these beautiful figures. My goal is to collect two of every variation. One to display out of package and one to display in package.
I do collect 3' 3/4" figures. They do not represent a major focus in my collecting goals. I also have a long way to go in collecting them. Number 500 was just released. I only have around 100.Let the discussion begin. I want this to be an educational experience for all of us (one thing that is for sure, I am far from knowing it all, my name is not Sansweet).
