The Vintage Collection Retrospect

The year was 2004 and Hasbro blew collectors minds. That year we finally got something we, as a fan base, had been pleading for years to come back; vintage style cardbacks!  The Original Trilogy offerings came close to the vintage feel but it was not the same. The Vintage Original Trilogy Collection came as a huge surprise to collectors and even with a higher than normal price point, fans ate them up. Included with the figures was a display case so that alone was welcomed when looking at the price. The initial offering included 4 figures from each original film. Listed below is the assortment:

Star Wars

• Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi
• Han Solo
• Princess Leia
• Luke Skywalker

The Empire Strikes Back

• C-3PO
• Lando Calrissian
• Darth Vader
• Yoda

The Return of the Jedi

• Boba Fett
• Chewbacca
• R2-D2
• Stormtrooper

Hasbro did take notice of the stellar sales and offered more vintage style figures in 2007. Although these figure came out in 2007, they still use the 2006 The Saga Collection logo on its packaging. This assortment only consisted of six figures but like their predecessors, they too came in clam shells.  The line was called Vintage The Saga Collection or VTSC for short.

• Bossk (Bounty Hunter)
• Han Solo (Hoth Outfit)
• IG-88 (Bounty Hunter)
• Luke Skywalker (Bespin Fatigues)
• Princess Leia Organa (in Combat Poncho)
• Imperial Stormtrooper (Hoth Battle Gear)

After Saga had completed its run, Hasbro jumped right into the 30th Anniversary series. No new Vintage figures were offered during that time. In fact Vintage would not come back until late Summer of 2010.

2010 was the year fans have dreamed of, Vintage was back and in full swing. The line produced 15 waves for retail and one wave that was exclusive to online retailers. Besides figures, we had several vehicles released in vintage packaging. Some of the vehicles would include an AT-AT, Snowspeeder, X-Wing Fighter, Tie Fighter and many more. Hasbro also released several figure sets that honored the 3-packs. SDCC was home for 2 exclusive sets; Revenge of the Jedi- Death Star set and a  Carbonite Chamber. Both sets were available at SDCC and a few lucky fans scored some off Hasbro Toy Shop.

This era of Star Wars collecting was by far the most fun and that sentiment is felt by other collectors as well. We want the Vintage Collection to come back and Hasbro has stated several times that it will. 2017 might be the year folks and honestly,  the brand needs it. Truth be told, I personally stopped collecting 3.75″ figures once the Vintage Collection ended. I started in 1995 and ended in 2013 and that my friends is one heck of a run. Out of all the figure lines, Vintage takes the top spot.

Here is a breakdown of each release. Just take note, some of the releases had a Galactic Hunt variant.

Wave 1

• VC01 Dengar
• VC02 Leia (Hoth Outfit)
• VC03 Han Solo (Echo Base Outfit)
• VC04 Luke Skywalker (Bespin Fatigues)
• VC05 AT-AT Commander
• VC06 See-Threepio (C-3PO)
• VC07 Dack Ralter
• VC08 Darth Vader
• VC09 Boba Fett
• VC10 4-LOM
• VC11 (Twin-Pod) Cloud Car Pilot

Wave 2

• VC12 Darth Sidious
• VC13 Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker)
• VC14 Sandtrooper
• VC15 Clone Trooper
• VC16 Obi-Wan Kenobi
• VC17 General Grievous
• VC18 MagnaGuard
• VC19 Clone Commander Cody

Wave 3

• VC21 Gamorrean Guard
• VC22 Admiral Ackbar
• VC23 Luke Skywalker (Endor Capture)
• VC24 Wooof
• VC25 R2-D2
• VC26 Rebel Commando
• VC27 Wicket

Wave 3.5

• VC28 Wedge Antilles

Wave 4

• VC29 Kit Fisto
• VC30 Zam Wessel
• VC31 Obi-Wan Kenobi
• VC32 Anakin Skywalker (Peasant Disguise)
• VC33 Padmé Amidala (Peasant Disguise)
• VC34 Jango Fett
• VC35 Mace Windu
• VC36 Senate Guard
• VC37 Super Battle Droid

Wave 5

• VC20 Yoda
• VC38 Clone Trooper (212th Battalion)
• VC39 Luke Skywalker (Death Star Escape)
• VC40 R5-D4
• VC41 Stormtrooper
• VC42 Han Solo (Yavin Ceremony)
• VC43 Commander Gree

Wave 6

• VC44 Luke Skywalker (Dagobah Landing)
• VC45 Clone Trooper
• VC46 AT-RT Driver
• VC47 General Lando Calrissian
• VC48Weequay 
• VC49 Fi-Ek Sirch 

Wave 7

• VC50 Han Solo (Bespin Outfit)
• VC51 Barriss Offee 
• VC52 Rebel Fleet Trooper
• VC53 Bom Vimdin 
• VC54 ARC Trooper Commander 
• VC55 Logray 

Mail-away Exclusive

VC61 Boba Fett (Prototype Armor) 2011 Mail-away

Wave 8 

• VC09 Boba Fett [ROTJ]
• VC26 Rebel Commando [African-American]
• VC62 Han Solo (In Trench Coat)
  VC63 B-wing Pilot 
• VC64 Princess Leia (Slave Outfit)
• VC65 TIE Fighter Pilot

Revenge Of The Jedi [Death Star II] Exclusives

VC66 Salacious Crumb

VC67 Mouse Droid

Wave 9

• VC68 Rebel Soldier (Echo Base Battle Gear)
• VC69 Bastila Shan
• VC70 Ponda Baba (Walrus Man)

Wave 10

• VC75 Qui-Gon Jinn
• VC76 Obi-Wan Kenobi
• VC77 Ratts Tyerell & Pit Droid
• VC78 Battle Droid
• VC79 Darth Sidious
• VC80 Anakin Skywalker
• VC81 Ben Quadinaros & Otoga-222
• VC82 Daultay Dofine
• VC83 Naboo Royal Guard
• VC84 Queen Amidala
• VC85 Quinlan Vos
• VC86 Darth Maul

On a side note, this assortment was nuts and it proved to Hasbro to leave EP1 alone. 

Wave 11

• VC87 Luke Skywalker (Lightsaber Construction)
• VC88 Princess Leia (Sandstorm Outfit)
• VC89 Lando Calrissian (Sandstorm Outfit)
• VC90 Colonel Cracken 
• Rebel Pilot (Mon Calamari)

Wave 12

• VC92 Anakin Skywalker (The Clone Wars Realistic Style)
• VC93 Darth Vader
• VC94 Imperial Navy Commander
• VC95 Luke Skywalker (Hoth Outfit)
• VC96 Darth Malgus

Wave 13

• VC56 Kithaba (Skiff Guard)
• VC57 Dr. Evazan (Cantina Patron)
• VC58 Aayla Secura
• VC59 Nom Anor
  VC60 Clone Trooper (501st Legion)

Wave 14

• VC97 Odd Ball (Clone Pilot)
• VC98 Grand Moff Tarkin
• VC99Nikto 
• VC100Starkiller 
• VC101ShaeVizla 

Wave 15

• VC108 Jar Jar Binks
• VC109 Clone Trooper Lieutenant
• VC110 Shock Trooper
• VC111 Princess Leia (Bespin Outfit)
• VC112 Sandtrooper
• VC115 Darth Vader

Wave 16 – Online Exclusive

• VC71 Mawhonic (Podracer Pilot)
• VC72 Naboo Pilot
• VC73 Aurra Sing
• VC74 Gungan Warrior
• VC102 Ahsoka (The Clone Wars Realistic Style)
• VC103 Obi-Wan Kenobi (The Clone Wars Realistic Style)
• VC104 Lumat
• VC105 Emperor’s Royal Guard
• VC106 Nien Nunb
• VC107 Weequay
• VC113 Republic Trooper (The Old Republic)
• VC114 Orrimaarko (Prune Face)

 

The return of vintage will happen but what will they look like? Hasbro mentioned that Super Articulated figures were not coming back to mainline retail. Could we see the 5 POA figures on vintage cards? Honestly I would be okay with that. I’m a MOC collector anyway so that is no issue. A New Hope will turn 40 next year so lets hope (no pun intended) that the line comes out. This could be a good opportunity to get some of the older vehicles back in circulation. We will never have what we had before but maybe just give us, the fans, something close. Sales are sluggish right now and honestly, who is buying the toys at retail? The line as a whole needs a facelift and by God, Vintage could do just that. I would have bought every figure from TFA on Vintage style cardbacks easily. Hasbro needs to look at what Kenner did with the original trilogy and take some plays from their playbook. 

Also a huge thanks goes out to JediTempleArchives. Without them and their diligent work I would have had a hell of a time compiling release lists.