Monday, March 28, 2016

Things To Be Aware Of Regarding Star Wars Action Figures

By Raymond Price


Even before the release of The Force Awakens, the rolling droid BB-8 was a big hit. Featuring for just a few seconds in a trailer for the upcoming movie, it captured the hearts of many. This cute little fellow is now available as part of the latest range of star wars action figures.

Since George Lucas first hit our screens in 1977 with the first movie, the series has become a huge hit. Starting at part 4, A New Hope, intrigued viewers and inevitably they were taken back in time with the release of parts 1-3 more than 20 years later. With each movie came a new set of heroes and villains.

The two most famous robots in the original release were R2-D2 and the gold droid C-3PO who have appeared every installment. Collectible figures costing a few dollars were issued when the first movie was on screens and they now command big money if they are in mint condition. To find these two original toys in original packaging now is quite rare and you can expect to pay in excess of 300 dollars for each figure.

The very first toys were manufactured by the Kenner company and a series of 12 figurines known as the "earlybird" range are extremely sought after. As with all collectible toys, the packaging is key to the value. A figure without its packet is worthless to a true collector and costs just $10-$15 for even the most popular characters.

The "earlybird" set came originally with the most famous characters shown on the back and are known as 12 backs. Later the series expanded to include more characters and the 21 backs started to appear. Having a 12 back card can more than triple the price of the item as they are so much rarer.

The toy manufacturer Hasbro purchased Kenner in the nineties and has continued to produce the figures and toys. Licensed to Disney, these new figures are still selling well and fans can own the whole cast of the movie. Die cast characters are now available and are increasingly popular with collectors and they also make a great present to fans of the movies.

More expensive items can also be purchased, such as those featuring animatronics. The adorable, talking and interactive, rolling BB-8 is sure to be one of the collectibles of the future as it is so popular among audiences. Some enthusiasts have gone so far as to make their own working life-size models, but these are unlikely to come onto the market anytime soon as they are works of love for their own private collections.

There are numerous sites on the internet where these collectible items can be purchased. Auction sites and those specializing in movie items are a great place to find that special Luke Skywalker with the double telescoping light saber or a vintage Snaggletooth. If you are planning to purchase a really rare item then make sure to do plenty of research before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars. Reputable dealers should be able to show authenticity and be happy to answer any questions you have about the item. Also if it is being couriered to you then take out ample insurance in case your package is lost or damaged.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment