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Vintage Kenner Star Wars action figures are among the most sought after toys for collectors. While the entire toy line is worthy of being in your collection, there are some that are more valuable than others. Perhaps because very few of them were made, or due to some kind of limited-time promotion, these Kenner figures tend to fetch higher prices at auction houses or digital storefronts. However, sometimes the reason for their high value is a manufacturer mistake.
Jawas don’t really play a key role in the original trilogy, so you wouldn’t think their action figures would be very sought after. Sure, they’re smaller and cuter than the rest, but they’re hardly major characters in the movies. And yet, some of the Kenner Jawa figures manufactured around 1978 are more valuable than those of the main characters; sometimes going for up to $28,000 for mint, unopened ones. The reason behind this is because someone made the mistake of using vinyl for their little capes. This one on Hakes Auctions is currently going at $9,435, which is actually quite a discount.
1978 Kenner Jawa Figure Is So Expensive Because It’s Cape Was Made Of Vinyl
Back when the action figure was being designed, someone at Kenner had the idea to make the Jawa’s cape out of vinyl. It offered a leathery look, closer to what we see the little rascals wear in the movies. Unfortunately, what they didn’t realise was that vinyl tends to degrade much faster than regular cotton or other synthetic materials. This meant that the capes would start aging and coming apart pretty soon. The company quickly switched materials, making the vinyl caped Jawas pretty rare to come by.
Of course, considering that these vinyl-clad Jawas were wearing garments that would break down easily, you could get a great price for them depending upon how little wear and tear was on them. One little mistake back in the late ‘70s has resulted in these little critters becoming some of the most expensive vintage action figures in the collectors’ market.
It’s actually pretty fitting that this happened with the Jawa figures, as they’d be the first ones to start hoarding and scalping these unintentionally valuable action figures. Of course, if you do acquire one of them, you’ll have to make sure you store it in a way that minimises the vinyl degradation. Maybe you could freeze them in carbonite?
Which is your favourite Kenner Star Wars figure? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the Forum!
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