It’s commonly known that Star Wars: A New Hope was the first movie to successfully market and sell toys associated with a film. In fact, creator George Lucas used the proceeds from the sale of merchandise related to the first Star Wars movie in 1977 to independently finance the sequels – 1980s The Empire Strikes Back and 1983s Return of the Jedi. Today, few toy lines are as hotly collected or worth more money than some of the original Star Wars items from the late 1970s and early 1980s. Many of the action figures, plastic toys and Lego sets tied into the original trilogy are today worth thousands. And there are several rare and unusual Star Wars items that are of particular value. People reading this will likely be surprised at the current value of many Star Wars toys, and cringe when they recall the toys they had as a kid but threw away. Here are 10 of the rarest and most valuable Star Wars toys. (Prices are based on what items have sold for on eBay and at auctions).
10. Wampa Action Figure – $250
Wampa is the official name of the Abominable Snowman creature that attacks Luke Skywalker at the start of The Empire Strikes Back. And, believe it or not, only one action figure of this iconic creature was ever produced (there have been more since). In 1997, department store chain Target released a 12-inch action figures to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of 1977’s Star Wars: A New Hope. They decided the Wampa deserved a toy too. And because the 12-inch Wampa action figure was the only one of its kind, it is worth a premium to many Star Wars fans and toy collectors. While initially selling for $9.99, the Wampa action figure today sells for $250 in mint condition. Not a bad mark-up for a semi-rare toy.
http://www.ebay.com/p/1997-Kenner-Star-Wars-Collector-Series-12-Inch-Luke-Skywalker-VS-Wampa/1100112416 Via eBay