WOLF retro REVIEW. 13th July 2024
Interesting and factual information may be provided, but our review aims to deliver insight from the perspective of a Wolfs mind and eyes.

A simple set to collect if only three were enough?
Background
The vintage Star Wars Collector series toys were essentially Kenner’s re-issues of the original toys from 1978. There were three toys altogether including the Dewback, Landspeeder and Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter. Released in 1983 these were identical in every way to the first release except for a large “COLLECTORS SERIES from the original film STAR WARS” announcement in the top right corner of the packaging. Another less noted difference was in the fine print that evidenced production in the year 1983.

The Collector series graphics appear as a laser blast in the top right corner.

Darth Vader’s head appears on the top right corner to make known that this ship was specific to him
Why?
Return of the Jedi was released in 1983 and with that came conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy. Star Wars was at its peak and Kenner had flooded the market with toys. There really was no need to add even more stock to crowded toy shelves, especially with toys that could be considered rather dated. Obviously, business is business and with toy sales at an all time high you can’t blame Kenner for capitalizing and selling as much product as possible. Distinguishing these Star Wars toys were the bright red laser graphics announcing them as part of a new series known as the “Collector Series”.


We can’t be certain why these three were chosen specifically but as a group they look balanced with size and colour.
Who were the collectors?
Were there really collectors of Star Wars toys in 1983? Apparently, there were and testimony to this are the number of sealed in package toys that have survived till present day. Collectors in 1983 may not have necessarily been specific to Star Wars as few at that time would have imagined how much these Kenner toys would appreciate. More likely the collectors in 1983 were just collectors of toys and sci-fi memorabilia in general. Naming these as “Collector Series” may have been intentionally to target this group of consumers.


A nice trio of toys that were not too big and not too small.
Only three?
It is possible that Kenner had it in mind to release even more of their older toys and continue the Collectors Series line indefinitely. However, by 1984 the franchise saw a rapid decline in interest. With no new movies on the horizon, the Collector series came to an abrupt end. Of course, we are only speculating and it could also be that these were simply left-over surplus stock which Kenner cleverly found a way to re-brand and sell off.



Availability and desirability.
The collector series were not popular and naturally would have struggled alongside the more novel and fresh-looking Return of the Jedi toys. However, there were possibly many die-hard fans who saw them as an opportunity to relive earlier toys they may have missed out on. Today they are not cheap but compared to the original issues they are significantly less. This makes them more affordable alternatives to the originals which can demand as much as three time the value of a “Collector Series” variant. Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter is normally the most valuable of the three followed by the Landspeeder, and finally the Dewback.


The fine print states clearly that these are from 1983.
Collecting.
Most serious collectors of vintage Star Wars toys don’t take the “Collector Series” very seriously. They are not as rare or collectible as the original issues so are only appealing if they are in exceptional condition. An exception to this is the Collector Series boxes with foreign language which are very rare. For the less intense collector or someone interested to just dabble gently into the Vintage Star Wars universe these three toys could be an answer that won’t break the bank.


Word of the Wolf.
Collectors new to Vintage Star Wars just need to be aware that these are from 1983 and not 1978 to avoid being fooled into believing they’ve found a bargain as Collector Series will generally be worth a lot less than their earlier counterparts. At the time of this article there were several of these toys for sale on eBay and mint sealed examples do surface quite often.
In many regards these toys remind us of Hasbro’s re-issuing of vintage Star Wars action figures with a line they call “Retro Collection”. This line has continued to grow in popularity with new releases yearly. If Star Wars continued to be popular after 1983, we may well have seen many more “Collector Series” toys. Now we will have to wait and see if any of these old ships, vehicles and creatures get remade as part of Hasbro’s Retro collection line. The way things are going it may very well come to pass.

Remakes are nothing new, but the Collector series could be considered the very first attempt in the Star Wars universe. Today we see vintage figures remade as part of a Retro Collection line (far right).
Disclaimer
The information in this review is intended for informational or educational purposes to provide readers an understanding of how something may be seen from a certain design perspective. In this case it is from the view point of WOLF DESIGNS. As design is subjective this review should only be considered as an independent opinion. Information further to being of an opinion is provided to the best of our knowledge based on our own research at the time of doing the review. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or inconsistencies and reserve the right to change or update any content as appropriate.
The final responsibility of the design resides with the original manufacturer.