STACK NZ Dec #69

Q & A

EXTRAS

part of a standard loose set of action figures. All three of these figures are roughly on par in their original packaging – they’d be worth somewhere north of $30,000 each. What are the most popular figures to collect? Probably the first 12 release figures from Kenner’s 1977/8 Star Wars series, and then the last 17 from the Power of the Force series in 1984/5. That last series of figures saw a really short release at retail, and they are on average the most expensive as a result.

The StarWars movie franchise has grossed more than US $4.3 billion at the box office since 1977.While that number is impressive, it’s the US $20 billion-plus it’s earned in the sales of toys, rides, books and games that has truly driven the money-making potential of the Force. Collectors have gobbled up everything from underwear and jewelry, to the vintage StarWars action figures that helped kickstart it all in 1978.That vintage toy line, sold in Australia up until the late 1980s, is now highly valued by Gen-Xers, who are just starting to hit their peak earning years. Competition, demand, and prices for rare items has become fierce. STACK catches up with local collector Ben Sheehan, to find out what drives grown-ups to spend increasingly large sums of money on StarWars toys from their childhood.

such as a double telescoping Luke Skywalker are selling for around $25,000 in absolutely mint condition. Prototypes of Star Wars toys are also exceptionally popular right now. What is the rarest piece you have personally acquired? Because I collect vintage Star Wars

What was your first piece? A friend bought me a Star Wars X-wing model kit in 1992. Before I knew what was happening, I’d dusted off my childhood figures, and spent $180 on a vintage

packaged Han Carbonite figure. The guy selling it ripped me off – it definitely pays to research before you buy.

pre-production items almost exclusively, it’s all pretty rare by definition. A lot of pieces I own are one of a kind. But I’d say the wood pattern/ sculpt of the Millennium Falcon ship that was made from the same mold between 1978 and 2009 or so would be it. It’s pretty much a piece or art in its own right. In terms of vintage action figures, is the vinyl -caped Jawa still the most valuable? The loose Australian version of the vinyl- caped Jawa is the most expensive production toy – it generally sells for between $1 to $2,000 depending on condition. The double telescoping versions of Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader sell for around four times as much, but they weren’t released in Australia, and are so rare even in the US that most people don’t regard them as

When did the market for vintage SW initially develop? It was there in the US and Australia even in the late 1970s – albeit a small one. Collectors were struggling to get their hands on every figure even at this time. It kind of hummed along until the line was cancelled in 1985, then really came to life in the early to mid- 1990s. Lucasfilm started licensing Star Wars again at that time, and interest just exploded. There were also a few collecting related books published at that time. Is it possible to predict trends? To a degree. Collectors often carve out a niche for themselves in a particular area of the hobby by making new discoveries or specialising. It might be, say, an Australian collector mapping out which toys were only available locally. Publicising something like that often leads to a rush of interest in those items. So if you keep your finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the hobby around the world, you can see this type of thing unfolding. What is currently hot in the marketplace? Early Star Wars figures in first release packaging, that are in high grade condition. They’ve jumped in value around 300 per cent or more over the past few years. Rare figures

What’s the most extreme length you’ve seen someone go to for their collecting? Without naming anyone – guys have survived on noodles, mortgaged their houses, travelled overseas to find items, gotten themselves hopelessly into debt, begged, borrowed and stolen for their collections. You name it, it’s been done. I’m no longer surprised by anything I hear. I would say though, that as long as it’s approached in a healthy way and doesn’t involve neglecting your partner or family, it’s a great hobby to be involved in.

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