Original Kenner Star Wars Figures (1977-1985)

3.75 Inches of Pure Nostalgia: Original Kenner Star Wars Figures (1977 to 1985)

In the summer of 1977, Kenner had the license to make Star Wars toys but no product ready. Their solution was the "Early Bird Certificate Package," an empty box with a promise: mail this in, and we will send you four figures when they are ready. Those figures arrived in early 1978, and over the next seven years, Kenner produced 96 unique action figures that launched an entire industry. Today, carded originals sell for hundreds to tens of thousands, and one prototype recently broke the all-time record for a toy sold at auction.

Quick Value Summary

The Story

Kenner was a Cincinnati toy company best known for the Easy-Bake Oven when they signed the Star Wars deal. Nobody expected the film to be a hit, and Kenner certainly did not expect the demand they faced in December 1977. The Early Bird Certificate was a gamble: sell parents an empty box at Christmas, deliver toys months later. It worked. By the end of 1978, Kenner had sold over 40 million figures.

The original 12 figures (Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2, Chewbacca, C-3PO, Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Ben Kenobi, Han Solo, Jawa, Sand People, and Death Squad Commander) launched the 3.75-inch scale that became the industry standard. Over the next seven years, Kenner expanded the line through The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, ultimately producing 96 figures plus dozens of vehicles and playsets.

What drives value today is a combination of rarity, condition, and packaging. A sealed, carded figure on a "12-back" card (the earliest packaging showing only 12 figures on the back) commands the highest premiums. The grading standard is AFA (Action Figure Authority), and an AFA 85 or higher carded figure can be worth 5 to 10 times more than an ungraded one.

How to Identify It

• Scale: 3.75 inches (approximately 9.5 cm) tall

• Manufacturer markings: "© G.M.F.G.I." (General Mills Fun Group Inc.) or "© L.F.L." (Lucasfilm Ltd.) stamped on the figure's leg or back, along with "MADE IN HONG KONG" (or Taiwan, for later figures)

• Card backs: Identified by the number of figures shown: 12-back, 20/21-back, 31-back, 32-back, 41-back, 48-back, 65-back, 77-back, 79-back, and more

• Date stamp: Most figures include a copyright year in the leg markings

• Bubble: Original carded figures have a clear plastic bubble glued (not heat-sealed) to the card

• Kenner logo: Yellow Kenner star-burst logo on the card front

Value by Condition

Known Errors and Variations

• Vinyl Cape Jawa: The original Jawa shipped with a vinyl cape in 1978. Kenner quickly switched to a cloth cape because the vinyl version looked flimsy for the retail price. The vinyl cape version is one of the most sought-after production figures, with carded examples selling for $15,000 to $28,000.

• Double-Telescoping Lightsabers: The earliest Luke, Obi-Wan, and Darth Vader figures had a two-stage telescoping lightsaber. Kenner simplified this to a single-stage saber for cost reasons. The double-telescoping versions are significantly more valuable.

• Blue Snaggletooth: Included only in the Sears Cantina Adventure Set, this taller, blue-suited version of Snaggletooth was based on production artwork rather than the actual film. The standard retail version was shorter with a red suit.

• Rocket-Firing Boba Fett: Never released to consumers due to choking hazard concerns. Only prototypes exist. One sold for $1.34 million in 2024, setting the all-time record for a toy at auction.

Authentication and Fakes

• Reproduction weapons are everywhere. Original blasters and lightsabers have specific mold markings and plastic colors. Reproductions tend to be slightly different shades or have smoother surfaces.

• Card reproductions: Fake blister cards exist. Check the print quality under magnification, the cardboard thickness, and whether the bubble is glued (original) or heat-sealed (reproduction).

• COO stamps: The "country of origin" stamp on the figure should match known production records. Reference sites like the Imperial Gunnery database are essential for verification.

• AFA grading: For high-value purchases, insist on AFA-graded examples. The sealed case protects the figure and verifies authenticity.

• Yellowed bubbles: Some degree of bubble yellowing is normal and expected on 40+ year-old toys. A perfectly clear bubble on a "vintage" carded figure can actually be a red flag.

Where to Sell

• Heritage Auctions: Top venue for rare variants, prototypes, and high-grade carded figures.

• Hake's Auctions: Strong results for vintage toys and Star Wars in particular.

• Goldin Auctions: Where the $1.34M Boba Fett sold. Good for headline lots.

• eBay: The biggest marketplace for standard figures, both loose and carded. Excellent for common to mid-range items.

• Facebook Groups: The "Star Wars Vintage Collector" groups have active buy/sell communities.

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