- May 4 is Star Wars Day, a day dedicated to the franchise that started back in 1977.
- “Star Wars” items can see discounts of as much as 80% on “this day.
- However, not all “Star Wars” items are created equal: some are worth an astounding amount of money.
- From a rare Vinyl Cape Jawa Figure worth $53,000 to Blue “Snaggletooth” Action Figures worth up to $500, some of your old “Star Wars” toys could be worth a pretty penny today.
May the fourth be with you.
May 4 has been memorialized as Star Wars Day for its punny play on the iconic “Star Wars” phrase, “May the force be with you.” What started as a day celebrated only by die-hard “Star Wars” fans, Star Wars Day has forced itself into mainstream media as a day dedicated to the franchise that started back in 1977 and is still going strong today.
Star Wars Day is a way for fans of the sci-fi series to indulge in all things “Star Wars” with movie marathons, cosplaying, and more. With a wide variety of “Star Wars” branded merchandise, it’s not hard for hardcore fans or novice fans to get in on the action. However, there are some “Star Wars” toys that are more valuable than others.
In celebration of Star Wars Day, here are the "Star Wars" toys now worth big bucks.
Blue "Snaggletooth" Action Figure: $150-$500
This action figure from the original "Star Wars" film, "A New Hope," is actually named Zutton, but is commonly referred to as Snaggletooth. In the film, the character wore a red suit, but an early production run of the figure clad him in blue. The resulting "Blue Snaggletooth," while not exactly priceless, is still popular among collectors for its novelty value.
Han Solo with small head and blaster: $1,977
"Star Wars" figures are notorious for having many variations and discrepancies among them, some of which can be worth a ton, like the Han Solo figure with a head that's too small for its body.
The 1978 run of the Han Solo figure for "A New Hope" featured the pilot with a head that was disproportionate to the rest of his body.
The figure is most valuable when it's still in its packaging, and depending on the condition of the card, can sell for around $2,000.
"Yak Face" (Saelt-Marae) Action Figure with collectors coin: $2,000
If the name "Yak Face" doesn't ring a bell, congratulations, you might not be a "Star Wars" superfan. This obscure character - also known as "Joe Camel" for its uncanny resemblance to a certain cigarette mascot - was cut from toy-maker Kenner's line, after production of the toys had already begun, according to Gizmodo. The leftover toys were sent to Europe and Canada, making them especially prized by American collectors who had been deprived of the experience of playing with Yak Face as children.
Though you can get some figures for fairly cheap online, this figure with a collector's coin is worth thousands still in the package.
"Revenge of the Jedi" merchandise: $5,000
Products with errors on them usually go straight to the trash. But not in the case of "Return of the Jedi." Before the third installment of the original trilogy was released in 1983 , the film was called "Revenge of the Jedi." However, some merchandise had already been released bearing that title, such as toy backing cards and posters.
Avid "Star Wars" fans are constantly seeking out these items with the incorrect title and are willing to pay large sums of money for them.
AT-AT Driver with Collector’s Coin: $5,500-$7,500
Often when manufacturers tell you something is "collectible," it's a case of wishful thinking. But it has proved true in the case of the "Power of the Force" coins that were available with select action figures or as mail-order prizes. The coins themselves range in value from $3-$5 up to $250-$400, but an action figure, with accompanying coin, still in its packaging, can fetch more than that - like this AT-AT Driver figure did at a recent auction.
"Star Wars" Comic Issue #1 35 cents variant: $11,000
When Marvel released the first issue of its "Star Wars" series in 1977, they charged 30 cents. But in an effort to test a price hike, Marvel rolled out issues that cost 35 cents in certain markets. The ones with the 35 cent price tag are considered highly valuable for their limited run, and it's estimated that only 1,500 issues exist. Depending on its condition, the 35-cent variant can run upwards of $11,000.
Brazilian Glasslite ‘Vlix’ figure: $16,500
What do you get when you combine a) a foreign company; b) an obscure character; and c) a spinoff television show, and then d) only manufacture the toy for a short time? You get what the Star Wars Collectors Archive calls "the rarest of all Star Wars figures to be commercially released." The chubby, blue-skinned Vlix was a character from the 1985 cartoon show "Droids," which aired for only 13 episodes.
The figure is among a handful of scarce and desirable models manufactured by the Brazilian company Glasslite.
Luke Skywalker with telescoping light saber: $25,000
There were thousands of action figures made of the hero of "Star Wars," but far fewer of this early version that featured a telescoping lightsaber (there were also telescoping lightsaber versions of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader).
Much to the dismay of both fans and manufacturers, this version of the toy proved too fragile, causing the telescoping feature to be scrapped, making it a scarce and valuable commodity.
Canadian "Empire Strikes Back" Multi Pack: $32,500
As any self-respecting collector knows, the most valuable toys are usually the ones in their original packaging, in all its retro glory. A set of action figures sold in Canada to promote "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980 was part of a nerd's paradise of an auction held by Sotheby's in 2015. The multi-pack sets were sold exclusively at Sears stores in Canada, and were prized enough even at the time that packs were often found ripped open in the stores.
Unpainted Boba Fett prototype figure: $35,000
Who doesn't love Boba Fett, the bad-ass bounty hunter who tracked Han Solo across the galaxy? The character, who uttered only a handful of lines in the original trilogy, proved so popular that he was given a back story in Episode III. It's perhaps no surprise, then, that Boba Fett figures are among the most prized (and expensive) action figures. An unpainted prototype version made by British toy-makers Meccano sold at auction in 2016 for the record-breaking sum of about $35,000.
Vinyl Cape Jawa Figure: $53,000
Jawas, the "sand people" who attack Luke Skywalker in the original "Star Wars" film, are not typically a fan favorite, but this figure is a classic example of how limited supply can increase demand. This Jawa figurine was first sold with a vinyl cape, but manufacturers later swapped it for a cloth one. This isn't called the "holy grail for 'Star Wars' collectors" for nothing. For one thing, fakes abound, to the point that some fans question whether Vinyl Cape Jawa is even real. For another, it's worth well more than its weight in gold: the small figurine measures only a few inches tall, but an authenticated original can fetch thousands of dollars on auction.
Tyler Chin contributed reporting to this article.