Memories from a 1980's Toy Shop

[Andyclarke]

Here are a few of my original cardbacks which I have kept since I was a kid.

The first one is a Stormtrooper, which was on sale in Toy & Hobby Rochdale they bought up my local toy store around the same time. I remember buying 3 Stormtroopers all at once late 1983 early 1984.
The second one, the Zuckuss I remember buying this from Asda, based on the other prices I guess this was reasonably cheap and brand new out.
The third one the C-3PO 12 back I would like some information on. I'm not sure what the sticker is, is it Argos? (I've seen a mint one on ebay sell not long ago) I'm certain I bought it from a small toyshop in 1981/82, so they may have picked up some old sale stock from elsewhere. I remember thinking at the time how unusual it was because it didn't have the removable limbs.
The Fourth one, the Squid head is from my local town in Rochdale, the shop was called Hobby Toy (which I mentioned earlier they also had a shop in Oldham which later became Toymaster). It was an amazing toy store on 3 levels with a basement and an upstairs. I always remember how it was tightly packed with toys and two people couldn't cross.

Nice memories.

 

[Fishtalk]

My childhood Threepio cardback has the same sticker (and code). I bought mine from a local toy shop, but I think these are Catalogue codes so no idea how they were sold in shops. I've seen several on EBay with the same sticker.

 

[chipsteak]

Having 'replaced' my collection in adulthood via eBay, I'm sure I have some of those price labels. We should have a thread where we can swap for ones with the stores dear to our hearts.

Bagsie the John Menzies and Lewis's ones.

 

[sith-smith]

Wow, cool you have one as early as SW. My earliest is and ESB card.

 

[sith-smith]

Following on from that I've found my earliest card that I still have and the last MOC I bought as kid in 85 8)

 

[Andyclarke]

My childhood Threepio cardback has the same sticker (and code). I bought mine from a local toy shop, but I think these are Catalogue codes so no idea how they were sold in shops. I've seen several on EBay with the same sticker.

Excellent info. Suggests it could be sale stock then from a catalogue, maybe Kay's or Littlewoods.

 

[Andyclarke]

Having 'replaced' my collection in adulthood via eBay, I'm sure I have some of those price labels. We should have a thread where we can swap for ones with the stores dear to our hearts.

Bagsie the John Menzies and Lewis's ones.

That would be great. I love to see the old price stickers.

 

[Andyclarke]

Following on from that I've found my earliest card that I still have and the last MOC I bought as kid in 85 8)

Love the 30 back, think that trumps my 12 back. I still have my original 45as and 45bs as well.

 

[sith-smith]

I've found very few from childhood.

3 with the logo and some non logo'd ones. Nearly half are Kenner!

 

[Andyclarke]

I've found very few from childhood.

3 with the logo and some non logo'd ones. Nearly half are Kenner!

Same here really. I was surprised how many of mine are Kenner. I even had a Kenner Xwing with the bilingual booklet inside. I guess that would be a Canadian one then. I remember it had the swamp scene on the box cover.

 

[sith-smith]

Also what surprised me is that I only have 3 trilogo...last 17 characters. All the later jedi ones I have are kenner

 

[beginner]

better late as too late, thanks for sharing the 80er

 

[JFK]

My memories of a 70/80s toy shop was basicaly me and me brother niking action men and Star Wars figures from walworths ,wasn't everyone :lol:

 

[Grant_C]

That was such a fantastic read.

Do you have any photos of the shop?

 

[Palifan]

Here are a few of my original cardbacks which I have kept since I was a kid.


The third one the C-3PO 12 back I would like some information on. I'm not sure what the sticker is, is it Argos? (I've seen a mint one on ebay sell not long ago) I'm certain I bought it from a small toyshop in 1981/82, so they may have picked up some old sale stock from elsewhere. I remember thinking at the time how unusual it was because it didn't have the removable limbs.

I have a few of these stickers which were on a lot of 12 backs I bought at auction years ago. A friend of mine told me the sticker was the same ones Argos used so it's interesting you mentioned Argos.

I've no idea for sure but maybe someone out there knows as you do see this sticker from time to time of these 12 backs (not sure I've seen them on any other card back variation).

Ian

 

[jedisearcher]

That was such a fantastic read.

Do you have any photos of the shop?

Thanks Grant. Unfortunately no photos that I know about.

 

[Andyclarke]

Here are a few of my original cardbacks which I have kept since I was a kid.


The third one the C-3PO 12 back I would like some information on. I'm not sure what the sticker is, is it Argos? (I've seen a mint one on ebay sell not long ago) I'm certain I bought it from a small toyshop in 1981/82, so they may have picked up some old sale stock from elsewhere. I remember thinking at the time how unusual it was because it didn't have the removable limbs.

I have a few of these stickers which were on a lot of 12 backs I bought at auction years ago. A friend of mine told me the sticker was the same ones Argos used so it's interesting you mentioned Argos.

I've no idea for sure but maybe someone out there knows as you do see this sticker from time to time of these 12 backs (not sure I've seen them on any other card back variation).

Ian

Interesting, thanks for your thoughts. I have just checked online at the old Argos catalogue and there are pages on there that show Palitoy Star Wars sets and figures but they still use a similar numbering system now with 3 numbers first then 4 or 5 after so they don't appear to be from Argos.

 

[jedisearcher]

Here are a few of my original cardbacks which I have kept since I was a kid.


The third one the C-3PO 12 back I would like some information on. I'm not sure what the sticker is, is it Argos? (I've seen a mint one on ebay sell not long ago) I'm certain I bought it from a small toyshop in 1981/82, so they may have picked up some old sale stock from elsewhere. I remember thinking at the time how unusual it was because it didn't have the removable limbs.

I have a few of these stickers which were on a lot of 12 backs I bought at auction years ago. A friend of mine told me the sticker was the same ones Argos used so it's interesting you mentioned Argos.

I've no idea for sure but maybe someone out there knows as you do see this sticker from time to time of these 12 backs (not sure I've seen them on any other card back variation).

Ian

Interesting, thanks for your thoughts. I have just checked online at the old Argos catalogue and there are pages on there that show Palitoy Star Wars sets and figures but they still use a similar numbering system now with 3 numbers first then 4 or 5 after so they don't appear to be from Argos.

I checked that as well, it's remarkable that they've used that 000/0000 code for nearly 40 years.

Someone else mentioned Littlewoods or other catalogues, that'd ge my guess. There's afew around, there was an AFA graded 3PO on ebay for ages before it sold with the same sticker.

Strange that this one is the same character.

 

[Vialli]

This is a great thread guys, I have only just joined the forum but this is the sort of stuff I love to hear about.
I find it interesting members talking about the last 17 in the shops, I remember going into one of my favorite toy shops, Goldies in Coventry, and there being a full rack of these "new figures" for sale, my Star Wars collecting had began to wane at this time and I hadn't gone into the shop specifically for Star Wars but saw them and they caught my eye, at first I thought they were some sort of bootleg figure because all the card-backs had no mention of any of them. I always loved collecting the creatures as a kid but thought the likes of Amanaman, Barada and Yak face were made up characters because I had no recollection of them being in the films, so I bought a Luke Stormtrooper as a token gesture. That was the last figure I purchased from that era and never saw any of the last 17 in the shops again.
I have since completed my collection of loose figures including those other 16, but it's articles like this that really make me think, if I could just go back...........

 

[Cazza]

The only time I saw Last 17 in a shop was on a school trip to France. I was in Year 7, so had pretty much given up on toys, but had some spare cash left at the end of the trip. We were allowed a few minutes in Carrefour, before getting back on the ferry. Really didn't know what to spend my money on, but ended up looking at the records. Picked out 19 by Paul Hardcastle (CLASSIC!), but had a few francs left. Turned around and there was a load of Star Wars figures in the opposite isle. 'Why not?' I thought to myself. I distinctly remember seeing Luke Stormtrooper and Han Carbonite for the first time and thinking they were shocking and that most of these 'new' figures were really naff 'money for old rope'. I ended up buying a Nikto and Klaatu. I hid them carefully in my bag before getting back on the coach :lol: The last figures I bought as a kid.