1984 Kenner Star Wars POTF Yak Face (Last 17, MOC)

1984 Kenner Star Wars POTF Yak Face (Last 17, MOC): The Holy Grail of Vintage Star Wars CollectingIf you spend any time in vintage Star Wars collecting circles, a handful of names come up repeatedly when the conversation turns to the rarest and most valuable figures. Yak Face sits near the very top of that list. Part of the legendary Power of the Force series released in 1984 and 1985 -- often called the Last 17 -- Yak Face represents the end of Kenner's original Star Wars toy line and a quirk of retail history that makes Mint on Card copies extraordinarily difficult to find. For serious collectors, owning a graded MOC Yak Face is a milestone achievement.### The Character: Who Is Yak Face?In the Star Wars universe, the character now officially known as Saelt-Marae appeared briefly in Return of the Jedi (1983), lurking in Jabba the Hutt's palace during the early scenes of the film. A tall, gaunt, camel-headed humanoid with striking facial features, the character had enough visual interest to earn a place in Kenner's action figure line, even if his actual screen time amounted to a few seconds of background appearance.This is a recurring theme in vintage Star Wars collecting: characters with minimal screen presence often become highly collectible figures precisely because they were produced in limited quantities when the toy line was winding down. The casual market -- parents buying toys for kids who wanted Luke, Han, and Darth Vader -- did not generate high demand for background Jabba's Palace denizens. Stores didn't need to reorder. Production runs were smaller. The result, forty years later, is that some of the game's most obscure characters are its most valuable collectibles.### The Power of the Force Series: What Made It SpecialThe Power of the Force (POTF) series was Kenner's final wave of vintage Star Wars action figures, released in 1984 and 1985 as the original trilogy wrapped up. The timing was challenging for Kenner. Return of the Jedi came out in 1983, and by 1984 the retail fever for Star Wars toys had cooled significantly. Kenner was winding down the line rather than building it up.The POTF figures were distinguished by a coin program: each figure came packaged with a small gold-colored collector's coin bearing the character's likeness. These coins were meant to add collector value and drive purchases, and today they add significant value to MOC (Mint on Card) copies.The series originally included 17 figures (hence the "Last 17" nickname), though the exact count varies depending on how different release variants are counted. The lineup included a mix of main characters in new outfits and obscure background characters: Amanaman, Barada, EV-9D9, Han Solo in Carbonite Chamber outfit, Imperial Gunner, Luke Skywalker in Battle Poncho, and others alongside Yak Face.Yak Face occupies a particularly special position within the Last 17 because he was never officially sold at retail in the United States. US Kenner distribution of the POTF wave ended before Yak Face reached American store shelves. He was, however, sold in Canada and in European markets, particularly through the UK's Palitoy distribution and Canadian Kenner operations. This geographical quirk -- combined with the general scarcity of the POTF line -- makes American collectors especially likely to never encounter him at all in the wild.### MOC: Why the Packaging Matters EnormouslyFor vintage Star Wars figures, the packaging is often worth more than the figure itself. MOC (Mint on Card) means the figure is still sealed in its original blister pack, attached to the cardboard backing, unopened and untouched since it left the factory.The value difference between a loose figure (no packaging) and a MOC figure of the same character can be extreme. A loose Yak Face in complete condition with all accessories might sell for $200 to $500 depending on quality. An ungraded MOC copy in strong condition commands $1,500 to $3,000 or more. A graded AFA (Action Figure Authority) copy in the 80+ range can sell for significantly more -- sometimes $5,000 to $10,000 at major auction houses.Several factors determine the quality and value of a POTF Yak Face MOC:Card variation: There are different card back variations for the POTF series. The card back (the reverse of the cardboard) lists other available figures in the series. Different print runs show different figure counts on the back, and certain variations are more desirable than others. An "unpunched" card (the hole at the top of the card, used for hanging on retail pegs, has not been punched through) is worth more than a punched copy.Bubble condition: The clear plastic bubble that houses the figure should be clean, undamaged, and tightly sealed to the card. Yellowing, cracks, or detachment reduce value substantially.Card condition: The cardboard itself should show no creasing, water damage, fading, or corner wear. Star Wars cards from this era are particularly susceptible to corner stress from being hung on pegs at retail.Coin presence: The collector's coin should be visible in the packaging and undamaged.Yak Face cardback specifics: The standard US-style POTF card was not officially released domestically, so copies sold through Canadian and UK distribution channels may show different card back information or branding than expected for domestic US figures.### Value at a Glance| Condition / Grade | Estimated Value ||---|---|| Loose, complete (figure + coin + accessories) | $150 - $500 || Loose, figure only | $50 - $150 || MOC, ungraded, strong condition | $1,500 - $3,500 || MOC, AFA 70 (Fine) | $2,000 - $4,000 || MOC, AFA 75 (Very Fine) | $3,000 - $6,000 || MOC, AFA 80+ (Near Mint) | $5,000 - $12,000+ || MOC, AFA 85+ (Near Mint+) | $10,000 - $25,000+ |High-grade AFA-graded examples have sold for over $20,000 at major auction houses. The Canadian version of the card, which was more officially distributed in North America, is arguably more accessible than some European variants but still extremely rare relative to mainstream vintage Star Wars figures.### Grading with the Action Figure Authority (AFA)The Action Figure Authority is the dominant grading service for vintage action figures, equivalent to PSA or BGS for trading cards. AFA evaluates figures and packaging on multiple criteria and assigns a composite grade that determines the slab label.For MOC figures, AFA grades on:- Card grade (back and front)- Bubble grade- Figure grade (what can be assessed through the bubble)A composite AFA 80 or higher indicates a Near Mint quality presentation. Most genuine POTF Yak Face MOC copies that surface at auction have been AFA-graded, which provides confidence in authenticity and condition assessment.AFA grading for vintage Star Wars significantly increased the trading card-style collectibility of figures that had previously been bought and sold based on subjective descriptions. An AFA 85 POTF Yak Face is a standardized, documented collectible with a track record of comparable sales.### Identifying a Genuine 1985 POTF Yak FaceAuthentication matters at this value level. Key identification points:Figure characteristics: The Yak Face figure stands approximately 3.75 inches tall, consistent with all Kenner vintage Star Wars figures. The camel-like head with distinctive facial features, the yellow/tan body color scheme, and the robe-like clothing are the figure's visual hallmarks.Accessories: The original figure came with a removable staff or spear. A loose figure described as "complete" should include this accessory.Coin: The POTF coin for Yak Face shows the character's image on one side and was gold-toned. Reproductions of these coins exist, so for high-value transactions, verifying coin authenticity is important.Card identification: The card back should list other POTF figures. The character name is printed as "Yak Face" on the card front. Check that the copyright information, Kenner branding, and Star Wars licensing language are consistent with the period.Distribution quirks: Because Yak Face was not officially US retail-distributed, copies encountered in the US typically arrived through import, cross-border purchase from Canada, or UK sourcing. Canadian cards are functionally identical in most respects but may show bilingual English-French text per Canadian packaging requirements. UK Palitoy cards use different branding.### The Star Wars Vintage Market: Context and TrendsVintage Star Wars collecting has grown dramatically since the 1990s, when the collecting community began to organize systematically around documentation, grading, and formal trading. The market accelerated further during the COVID-era collecting boom that drove prices across many collectible categories in 2020 and 2021.POTF figures in general, and Yak Face in particular, benefited from this trend. Prices for high-grade examples moved meaningfully upward, and auction house attention to vintage Star Wars increased substantially. Heritage Auctions, Hake's, and Morphy Auctions have all handled significant vintage Star Wars collections, including POTF figures, in recent years.The market for vintage Star Wars has some characteristics that make it distinct from trading card collecting. The universe of available copies is genuinely small for rare figures, and the provenance of specific pieces matters more when total known populations of high-grade examples are counted in the dozens rather than thousands.### Buying and Selling in Today's MarketFor collectors looking to acquire a POTF Yak Face MOC, the primary venues are Heritage Auctions, eBay with completed listing research, and specialist vintage Star Wars dealers. The collector community at Rebelscum.com and similar forums maintains active discussion threads about recent sales and current asking prices.A few practical tips when purchasing:Verify with community resources: The vintage Star Wars collecting community has spent decades documenting known variants, reproduction parts, and counterfeit coins. Posting photos to established forums before a large purchase is a standard and accepted practice.Understand variation premiums: Not all POTF Yak Face cards are equal in value. Specific card back variants, unpunched copies, and Canadian versus UK versus other distribution channels all affect value. Understand what variant you are looking at before committing to a price.Check AFA grade authenticity: AFA graded cases can be verified through AFA's online registry. For any purchase relying heavily on the AFA grade for valuation, verify the case number against the registry.Condition issues to watch for: Yellow bubbles, loose or separated bubble seals, and writing or sticker residue on the card back are common condition issues that reduce value. On a figure at this price level, these details are worth examining carefully.Factor in regional variations: Canadian and UK examples can be equally desirable to American versions, but the target collector base for specific variants differs. If you are building a specifically US-market collection, the absence of domestic US distribution for Yak Face makes any authentic POTF version appropriate, since no US retail version exists.### Why Collectors Seek Yak Face Above Other Last 17 FiguresWithin the Last 17, Yak Face stands out for several converging reasons:US retail non-distribution: Most vintage Star Wars collectors grew up in the US, where this figure simply was not sold at retail. The story of a figure that "never made it to America" has a powerful pull on the imagination and a concrete effect on the supply of US-origin copies.Visual distinctiveness: The figure's unusual appearance -- the camelid face, the height, the distinctive color scheme -- makes it visually memorable in a way that more generic human figures are not. It photographs well, it stands out in a collection, and it has genuine character.Historical endpoint significance: Yak Face is often cited as the practical endpoint of the vintage Star Wars toy line. Owning a MOC Yak Face is owning the last chapter of a collecting category that defined American childhood toy culture for a decade.Scarcity that is genuinely documented: Unlike some "rare" items where scarcity is more marketing than reality, the rarity of POTF Yak Face MOC copies is well-documented through decades of collector community research, AFA population reports, and auction records.Browse all Toys and Figures →

Related Items