Action figure collectors cases - a question

[Mwak73]

Hello.
Would anyone know how available..... Back in the day, when they first emerged..... That collector cases were, in this country?
I'm talking in the 70s and 80s.
I'm not after any nowadays, as I'm not a collector, but I am interested in reading about the original star wars range, and getting to know the details of releases back then. It's purely nostalgic - it's nice to immerse myself back into my childhood, without the ridiculous home-wrecking expense of actually buying everything again
But whereas I can find information online, about most of the toys - the vehicles, playsets and figures - and which were on sale here, and which weren't, back then.....I can find nothing regarding the collectors cases.
I'm talking the whole range .... Those little ones that looked like lunch boxes with the picture on the front, plus the ones shaped like c3po and Darth Vader, plus also, that one that looked like a rifle.
The most I've been able to discern, is that you could, as part of the palitoy "bounty Hunter offer, send off for a Vader case.
But nothing on whether any cases were released in large numbers on the shelves to buy (without simply being occasional imports...I mean fully stocked supply).
My logic says of course, they must have been available, but I can find naff all to say so. Palitoy records dont mention them.
Any knowledgeable souls out there?

 

[Michael Sith]

I'm no expert, I'm sure there will be some that chip in

this is basic

Star Wars News - StarWars.com

Visit StarWars.com to get the all latest news and updates, and test your knowledge with fun quizzes!

www.starwars.com

 

[Mwak73]

Thank you, Michael - as always, anyone taking the time to reply, is very much appreciated.
However, the piece doesn't give much information about this side of the pond... In fact, I don't think it gives any.
It's written, very much from a general Kenner/USA point of view, in its talk of releases. And its quite informative... Just not in the desired area.
This is very much the problem, where my original question surfaced from ...I can find no information about British releases of the cases. Whether in the affirmative or the negative.
Hopefully someone can illuminate things.
It's not a life or death thing, but it would be nice to find out.

 

[stu70]

Here's a link to a list of Palitoy products, the book mentioned is also very good covering the whole Star Wars nostalgia and Palitoy history in the UK, it's available through amazon.

Amazon product ASIN 1476666083

A complete list of Palitoy Star Wars products 1978 - 1983?

This is the final version of the list of Palitoy products that I’ve been working on. It will be included as an appendix in my upcoming book “The Star Wars Phenomenon in Britain.” I decided not to include details of the action figure backing cards and to instead simply mention which wave the...

www.starwarsforum.co.uk

 

[Mwak73]

Thank you for that, Stu.
The thing is, though, I've owned that book for a couple of years.
And its one of my most treasured possessions, with its memories, not just of palitoy, but of details of the original trilogies release here.
But sadly it makes no mention of the cases (correct me if I'm wrong in that, of course).
This is due,I believe, to the fact that palitoy never produced or packaged the cases themselves (and the book's lists, focus only on official palitoy releases, mainly).
I fully believe that palitoy had nothing to do with distribution of the cases over here, but that doesn't mean at all, that they were never sold here.
Also, I own excellent books, which cover greater detail of the palitoy range, by the Facebook group Echo Base, and whilst they mention the cases, it's only from an American release perspective.
And this is where the whole mystery arises from, regarding this subject - surely, what with figures selling over here by the million, they also sold cases, to keep them in.
But I literally can't find any hard facts, to categorically confirm it.
Which seems very strange to me.
Everything points to them not being released here, but that can't be the case... No pun intended.... Can it??

 

[AndyPreston]

As far as I know, the Vader case was fairly widely available in Britain, but through mailaway offers such as the Bounty Hunter Capture Log, not in the shops. The C-3PO case was only offered as a prize in a competition run in John Menzies stores. The rectangular cases weren't generally available here.

Of course, a fair amount of Kenner stock did make its way to retail over here, either due to undersupply of Palitoy product, or through the 'grey market' to independent retailers buying wholesale direct from the States. So, it's quite possible that any of the Kenner cases might have shown up in limited numbers in that way.

 

[Markzane]

It would have been around spring 1981 for the Darth Vader cases as a mail away only option, I always thought the others were US only but I could be wrong.

 

[Mwak73]

That's excellent, Andy, and Mark... thank you.
And it seems to bear out all the (scant) evidence I've been able to find out thus far from other sources.
That the cases were generally very rare things over here.
I knew about the darth Vader one, being part of the bounty Hunter scheme, but the John Menzies thing, is news to me. Great to hear.
The most surprising thing to me, is that the small cases weren't really a thing here. I would have thought they were the more common, if any were going to be.
But I think we've more or less gotten around to the general gist of things, case wise, now -
That they weren't really a thing here, by and large.
Obviously, random stockists getting hold of surplus US stock etc, is something nobody will get a definitive picture of anymore now, so I'll discount any concern with that side of things.
It's purely whether they were able to be found, as widely available, stock, items, on all the shelves, that my question is based in finding out.
And I think you fellas have more or less confirmed, what all the evidence was beginning to suggest.
Thank you for your help

 

[Hod10]

A C3P0 collectors case find from a Palitoy warehouse, suggests it might of been available. According to a post on here from 2015...
https://www.starwarsforum.co.uk/thr...called-it-the-finished-goods-warehouse.27216/

 

[Mwak73]

Thanks for that.
A fascinating read, although not a lot to be gleaned about the availability of the case, sadly. Still, interesting stuff regarding the palitoy site.
Ha.... Do you know my overall reaction to that post.... Last week, I was mocked, by someone on here, and not in a gentle way, on another thread i posted, along the lines of the fact, that i "love writing long posts, don't i".
Blimey, if the guy who made that comment was to read that post about the palitoy factory, his head might have exploded.... It's literally about 20 times longer than anything I've ever written

 

[Clarkspie&chips]

I shouldn't worry about the long post comment, a bit of gentle leg pulling has always gone on here and I'm sure it wasn't meant maliciously.

 

[Mwak73]

Well, all I'll say, to bring that particular chapter to a close, is that a) I'm not an overly sensitive person - grew up among four lads in a divorced household, plus worked 25 years as a lorry driver and warehouseman in the North East.
Which means I'm no shrinking wallflower. Harsh stinging criticism has always been a way of life.
And b) even weighing all of that into the mix, I don't consider someone who doesn't know me, saying "knock yourself out, champ, and keep taking the tablets" as a particularly warm and friendly leg-pulling thing, to come out with.
It's done and dusted now.
Wasn't a problem at the time and isn't now. Ive heard far worse my way, most days since I can recall.