This little guy is over 40 years old:
He’s our Jawa Star Wars figure, which was probably purchased in about 1978. I saw ‘our’ since B and I used to mostly share these as I recall, although some figures were bought in pairs so we both had one.
This guy was one of the earliest we bought, and was one of at least a pair. Originally he had a little gun as well, but that’s long-lost by now. He took part in many elaborate Star Wars dioramas we made both indoors and out, and as with the others figures shown here today miraculously survived being melted by fireworks in the mid 1980s.
We also used to throw our figures into ponds, take them to the beach, and even tie them to parachutes and throw them off our roof! It’s a miracle he’s in such great condition.
That’s an original Yoda figure, from about 1980. As with the Jawa we had two of these, and this guy is in extraordinary condition considering his age. I always loved this figure due to its tiny size and large amount of accessories.
I remember we used to occasionally get one Star Wars figure each when we went shopping, but when the Empire figures hit shelves in 1980 dad bought us a whole bunch at once, including this guy. I can remember being overwhelmed as a kid by all the new figures before I’d seen the film, and had fun imagining what roles some characters would have.
That’s the final vintage figure I have, a guy named Squid Head from the Return Of The Jedi line that came out in 1983. I always loved this character (who was on screen for only seconds) and it was one of my favourite figures from that film. This figure I recall as being distinctly mine, although I don’t recall why.
I remember a trip to Sydney with B and dad in the early 1980s. We stayed in a bright apartment and went to a nearby mall every day. We played video games at a tiny arcade and dad let us each select some Star Wars figures from the toy store. I think that’s when we got Squid Head, because I recall playing with him (I would have been 11) in the garden patio of the apartment.
I asked dad about that trip last year, but he couldn’t remember. I wish I knew more about where we stayed and exactly when.
When I came to America I didn’t bring these guys with me: Bernard sent them to me years later. Back in the day we had loads of Star Wars figures, but some were melted and some sold off. Maybe these were saved because they had cloth parts? Maybe just because they’re cool? I wonder if B remembers?
Whatever the reason I’m glad they survived, because they’re now amongst my oldest possessions. Each of them trigger many happy memories of my childhood, and I’ll treasure them forever 🙂
We had a bunch of figures that were shared but also had our own. We had some doubles, at least we both had a Yoda. That Jawa was mine and the Yoda was yours. I got an IG88 when you got Squidhead. Other figures I recall were ‘my’ FX-7 and ‘your’ Bossk. We both had a 2-1B. I had a Snaggletooth, the common red one. I think we tended to get droids and aliens, not many human characters.
For the trip to Sydney in I believe we stayed at uncle Terry’s flat in Marrickville or some suburb beginning with ‘M’. We played Frogger and Defender in some shopping center and a lot of Amidar in some corner shop.
During that trip we got mini-rigs! You got the CAP-2 with Bossk and I got the INT-4 with an AT-AT Commander.
This must have been in 1982 since those mini-rigs came out in 1982 and I remember we listened to Pass the Dutchie by Musical Youth on the radio in the car. 🙂
I don’t remember what really happened to most of our figures. I have a memory of buying and selling figures in the late 90s. Luckily I kept those that you now have.
That Squidhead is nearly pristine since it was one of the last figures you got. It was not subjected to the sand, magnifying glass and parachutes like the others!
Although I’ll never sell these guys, I looked up the value out of curiosity.
The Jawa is about $20. With his gun he’d be worth about twice.
Squid Head is about $25, about $15 of which is in his gun.
Yoda was a surprise! Even though I would imagine he’s quite common apparently finding versions with all the accessories intact isn’t easy these days and he’s worth about $50.
Of course if they were still carded multiply these prices by 10 or more (in the case of the Jawa, by 50)!