Star Wars Toys from the 80’s

The Kenner toy company produced a line of Star Wars action figures based on prominent characters in the original Star Wars movie trilogy. Over 90 unique action figures were produced and sold from 1977 to 1985. Between 1977 and 1984, 300 million Star Wars action figures were sold; Kenner’s success motivated creators of other action-adventure movies to market their own action figure line.

These plastic action figures were usually smaller than four inches and typically moved at five points on their bodies, but there were many differences and unique qualities in the individual figures that departed from these norms. Kenner’s Star Wars action figures were produced along with vehicles and playsets based on the Star Wars movies. The action figures were typically sold in clear plastic packaging attached to product cards. The backs of the cards usually promoted (and sometimes enumerated) all available action figures, upcoming figures and related products. “12-back” cards promoted a line of 12 action figures, “20-back” cards promoted a line of 20 action figures, etc.

The toy line was reintroduced in 1995 and called ‘Power of the Force’ (called Power of the Force 2 in collecting circles to differentiate it from the original 1985 line). Kenner produced these figures as a subsidiary of Hasbro from 1995 through 1999 until its Cincinnati, Ohio office was closed. The remaining year of the line (2000) was produced and labeled as a Hasbro product, as they are done today (as of 2009).

Although Hasbro continues to produce a variety of toys relating to all six Star Wars films, the original Kenner toys are the most sought-after by collectors

Info gleaned from Wikipedia