Hi Joe,
Here are some more thoughts
Joe said:
Christian, are there any more confirmed Emperor/CCP/Teebo/Lumat combination packs out there?
I reckon that you're asking the wrong question here - if I were trying to 'authenticate' (for the want of a better word) the combination in question I would be looking for documented examples of at least one the same. I haven't been able to find another 4 pack that has included a Pal RC.
However, in order to directly answer your question - there is a graded (Booo Hissss enter AFA stage right etc etc) one floating around and I seem to remember it might be in a rather large German collection at the moment:
1983 PALITOY STAR WARS TRI-LOGO (ITALIAN) COLLECTORS 4-PACK LUM/EMP/CC PILOT/TEEBO - you'll have to log in to your account to see more details.
Joe said:
Also noticed that the ERG combo that you linked from billyboys gallery IS different from Andy's one but only by way of the card (billy's shows a TRI ERG as opposed to Andy's Pal rotj ERG.)
Unless we ever run across someone who was a store employee that remembers being given exact instructions on what figures to pack I don't think we can ever be sure 100%
Agreed entirely - as I've mentioned before it is possible that this 4 pack left the factory as is. No-one will ever be able to tell due to the nature of the cardboard header. My recommendation is, and has always been, research research research - even though it pains me to agree with John Alvarez (Jkg John!). I still believe that the CCP is missing.
Joe said:
Its also possible that there was a method to the madness as you propose and it should have a Pal CCP in it but perhaps the store packaging them up didn't have one spare but had a pal RC?
Copied this from the archive :
"Though the great majority of the figures included in these packs seem to have been of the Tri-Logo variety, the Han Hoth that's included here is actually a Palitoy ROTJ issue, the cardback featuring the Chewbacca Bandolier mail-away offer that was a UK exclusive. There were numerous such packaging oddities that popped up towards the demise of the line and its interesting to look back at them to see how Kenner and its foreign affiliates attempted to liven things up."
Ummm.. well there's an awful lot of room for mistakes, miscards, rumours etc with the Tri-logo as we've all seen. However, the crux of the matter is wouldn't you, or your friend, want to have an example that is a known combination???
Joe said:
I still think its possible
, after all if there are no more confirmed Emperor/CCP/Teebo/Lumat packs that makes a grand total of 2.
There are definitely more out there than 2.
Joe said:
Another spanner in the works is billy himself, I only spoke to him a few times on the forums before all that went down with the bagged samples/first shots etc so I don't want to cast any doubt on his character as we still don't know what really happened but whether or not he scammed people or was duped do we still really trust things that come from him?
Nope no spanner matey - it is just that Billy had one and did (does?) have an astonishing collection of mainly European focused sw items. Ok he made a complete and utter wanker of himself with all that bagged First Shot/Sample bollocks but beforehand, and I mean years ago, he was the main 'go to' person re European bits 'n' bobs. It just goes to show that within our collecting community trust is everything, especially as we hardly ever get the chance to meet each other in person, and also if you try to pull a disgraceful stunt you are rightly called out and vilified. IMHO Bill is responsible for 100% of the refunds and if i had bought one of the baggies (and I was offered one) then i would have been knocking on his door long ago.
Anyhow, all that said and done I reckon that all of the above pretty much clarifies my point of view. If your buddy wants to bid and buy the piece then mores the better for the seller - it's still a great piece of Palitoy/Italian history and I hope another surfaces soon... one that I've seen before.
Cheers,
Christian
