Star Wars Vintage Action Figures: The Coolest Collectibles Available!

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Opinions vary on the “coolest” collectible toy markets, but most fingers point to vintage Pez, vintage Hot Wheels, vintage Transformers, and vintage Star Wars. Out of these, Star Wars vintage toys are arguably among the most valuable individually, though with the plethora of Pez variations and prototypes available, Pez are likely more valuable in aggregate.

In the late seventies, Kenner produced an original line of twelve Star Wars action figures, and this entire line is highly desirable to Star Wars enthusiasts, each fetching more than $2,000 if in their original packaging and in great condition. The most valuable vintage toy is argued to be Vlix, a short-lived character who appeared in a 80’s Brazilian cartoon. Vlix runs well over six thousand dollars if in good condition.

Adding to the valuation of these figures is the exclusivity of the license. As an example, Kenner Canada, located in Ontario, had rights to Star Wars toys in Canada from 1977 until 1985, but only manufactured about 10 percent of the figures at this time. That, plus the fact that the Canadian lines were packaged with bilingual packaging, adds an interesting twist to those interested in the collectible value of Star Wars figures.

Another interesting collectible item available, but very hard to find, are toy prototypes. Prototypes and test products are very common in other markets, e.g. the collectible Pez market, but much rarer in the Star Wars market.

While many current Star Wars fans are young, and because there has been a glut of new licenses released, these newer figures will probably never attain the valuations that existing vintage toys attained. For example, a recent toy release features Star Wars toys that transform from characters like Darth Vader into objects like the Death Star. These Transformers figures mashups are selling right now, but supply is also high, removing one of the valuation factors from the equation.

There are also other overseas releases, with the Japanese Star Wars toys being very unique, and therefore, very desirable and highly collectible. European toys are also popular and regularly confused with Canadian releases, due to their bilingual packaging. The easiest way to tell these releases apart is by viewing the address on the package, which will clearly indicate the country of origin.

With Star Wars toys, you have high demand for vintage figures, top-quality vintage figures, an excellent movie franchise, collectible opportunities, and a rabid fan base. All of these factors lead many professional collectors to believe that Star Wars vintage action figures will hold their value for the long haul.

So dig in your attic, uncover that old AT-AT Walker or Landspeeder, and see if you have a goldmine on your hands!

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