Is Last 17 the new First 12? Controversial!

[TrisCompany]

Hi,

I've been really enjoying reading the posts and expertise on the forum so I thought I'd ask a controversial question about the future - is Last 17 collecting going to be the new First 12? Will they become as popular, if not more so to collect?

Here's a few reasons why?

1. First 12 are repeated on multicards and versions, last 17 only came out once, so more suitable to collect (plus POTF) .
2. Last 17 are in some cases extremely rare especially MOC pops, or at least as rare, if not more so than first 12.
3. Trilogo cards are more difficult to get in pristine condition, with the larger more fragile bubbles especially sensitive to life's experiences, and thus the grade quality brings that extra interest and collectability.
4. Some figures such as Yak Face are soaring in popularity and value even though they aren't all that rare.
5. There are a surprising amount of trilogo country and card variations that are only now still being discovered.
6. Trilogos were released in multi-languages and European countries and arguably more interesting to a diverse multinational population.
7. There's 17 and not 12, so more characters to collect.
8. The price of first 12 MOCs is soaring , last 17 remain more reasonably priced (at the moment) and more open to a wider population of purchasers.

What do you think?



(BTW I'm not saying I agree with the above, but interested in hearing your thoughts- I like both)

 

[jedisearcher]

But:

People will always remember and be nostalgic about the first 12 because everyone had every one, wheras many (particularly in the UK) won't even remember the last 17 on POTF cards, although they may have seen them on trilogo cards.

And besides .... yellow bubbles galore just put people off. I'd love a Yak or Anakin but I'd only ever purchase them face to face to protect the bubble, and that makes finishing the run really tough.

So no, I don't think they'll ever replace them. I like them, they're quirky but I'd still rather have the first 12.

And there's too many ewoks :lol:

 

[Clarkspie&chips]

Great post.

As i started writing my response I was made up on slagging the last 17 off but when you think about it, it really isn't a half bad mix:
You get 4 heroes (and arguably the best luke), the best R2, 1 Imperial, some aliens of which 1 is really different to the rest of the line. The only weak characters are too many ewoks and 2 piece of **** heavy lumps of plastic with zero play value.
Comparing that the the 12 backs which is the perfect set - you also get 4 heroes, Chewie and the droids, the main villain and two henchmen and a couple of background characters and we're not so far off....

 

[Richard_H]

No. Never, ever, ever.

The first 12 had a major role in the movies. The last 17, some of them and you blink and miss them. Others are ewoks!

Everyone wants the last 17 to complete their collections. Then when doing research you see people on ebay posting LAST 17 RARE!!! I've even seen NOT LAST 17 RARE.
Yak Face is a myth. R2 pop-up saber IMO is the most difficult figure to acquire loose. Carded aren't too bad but they'll rocket in prices.

 

[Joe]

Both the first 12 and the final POTF wave have always been the overall winners in the Star Wars packaging popularity contest, even when collecting was in it's infancy. I really doubt that will never change because the thought process is the same the world over:

First/Earliest = Original & best
Final wave = Rarest and hardest to complete (due to short production runs and odd distribution of certain figures like Anakin and Yak).

In answer to the question though..no, I don't think the POTF wave will ever take the lead over the first 12. While all of the 12 back characters are far more plentiful compared to certain POTF figures, they will always be the originals, the figures that started it all and I'm sure you've noticed - they've aged incredibly well too (hardly any yellow bubbles etc).

POTF figures on the other hand are the opposite. Despite being produced right at the tail end of the Vintage era (making them relatively modern by 12 back standards) they've suffered from bubble yellowing and those bubbles will continue to yellow, become brittle and be a nightmare to ship.

It's safe to say that while people are still sending them around the world in AFA cases we will lose many more POTF figures in transit than we will 12 backs, which is a big worry when you spend the kind of money that Yak, Anakin, AT-AT Driver and GG command.

I would also say that overall look of the older 12 back with a clear bubble is preferred by most collectors to the snazzy new look of the POTF logo with a brown and/or cracked bubble attached, so not only are they the originals they also look better on display too!

They are both cool in their own ways of course and the mystery and rarity of figures like Yak and Anakin adds to the appeal of the POTF wave but the first 12 are the clear winners in this fight.

 

[Mr. Bob A. Feet]

I can't even remember POTF when I was a kid and I was only around 9 or 10, guess I grew out of SW collecting soon after ROTJ and the years in between that and the release of the first real game consoles is a bit of a blur apart from Maradona's hand of god!

However the first 12 will always have the mass appeal whilst on the other hand for collectors the last 17 there will always be demand for!..

 

[nohandluke]

Here are my thoughts on the matter...

[youtube]CwcmTRUv6B4[/youtube]

 

[x-pack]

I can't even remember POTF when I was a kid and I was only around 9 or 10, guess I grew out of SW collecting soon after ROTJ and the years in between that and the release of the first real game consoles is a bit of a blur apart from Maradona's hand of god!

However the first 12 will always have the mass appeal whilst on the other hand for collectors the last 17 there will always be demand for!..

Same here. Absolutely do not remember seeing these last 17 in shops at all and was probably still buying, or being bought, toys up until maybe 1986 (10). Vintage collectors are generally guys who grew up with the OT figures and films. I cannot see any one of them saying 'I remember my first Star Wars figure - Amanaman!' :wink:

 

[Michael Sith]

Personally for me, the first 12 figures represent the beginnings and have iconic status, and are the " purist" requirement.

But as this forum, more than any demonstrates, it is about your own perception and what you want to collect.
Once the vintage bug truly bites, it's in the blood, and your eyes are opened to different collecting options.

Last 17 are very cool, especially with the coins and are something that may draw collectors, but the first 12 are iconic and were first on the scene.

Dance your own dance, your collection will bloom,
Don't throng with the crowd, just sing your own tune,
Take your time, enjoy it and savour the chase,
It's a journey of enlightenment not a race,
But beware the charlatan, the repro and the Poon :wink:

 

[theforceuk]

I doubt it, like others have said the first 12 hold something special and evan for collectors like me who weren't born until the 80's they are still the cornerstone for many collectors.

 

[db94]

The last 17 just didn't float my boat as an older kid growing out of SW and as an adult collector there is no reason to add them to my collection(I'm definitely a collect all 77 not 92) - except R2! R2 was always my fav even as a kid but remember thinking the saber looked silly and didn't like that version compared to the other two - fast forward 30 years and it's one of my bloody holy grails!!!!!! But given the choice I would much rather spend cash on getting a 12 back R2 and wait and pick up a pop up version when the prices crash in 2022

 

[walkie]

As a child I remember browsing the toy racks at my local co-op and buying several of the last 17 figures, Luke stormie, Pop-up R2, han carb. Only as a adult collector I learnt about Barada (still doesn't look like a real sw figure to me), Amanaman and the others...

So I have mixed feelings about the last 17, but at the end of the day to be a purist, they are vintage and part of the line.

 

[naughtyjedi]

When seeing last 17 in shops, even as a kid I was of the opinion that Characters like Amanamanaman were scraping the bottom of barrel.

Now of course I love them, and I'd say awing pilot WITH genuine black gun is proving hard to find too..

Btw, if anyone has
Warok
Awing pilot
Luke endor poncho

I'll be interested

 

[xbomber]

I'm going to do a second run. Decided today. Lower grade than the one I did 15 years ago so I can share them with my lad.

I'll be stopping at paploo which I had back in the day on a rotj card. The rest... just don't think I'll bother. The nostalgia doesn't apply. Yes Luke Stormy and R2 are cool. Maybe the pilot too but the rest...

- The amazing purple standing around man with big hat
- The remarkable ghost man who stands around smiling enigmatically
- Lump of yellow and green plastic faithfully based on some yellow and green plastic from the film
- Lando's bigger brother with a camp cape
- Background boring alien with a massive armspan and a random natty yellow top
- Goofy, fat ewok
- ANGRY ewok
- Another ewok because we're running out of ideas now
- Jedi Luke has had a makeover and lost his lightsaber
- Han recreating the part where he hung inanimate on a wall
- Way too big robot with articulated flapping mouth totally out of keeping with rest of the series
- Bring out the gimp

... and Yak face who the Americans go mad for, understandably, but it's also obscure.

Maybe I'm just a couple of years too old. They were just a fraction too late for me to get nostalgic about.

 

[Robstyley]

No.. not for me, no chance. I don't give a monkeys about the last 17 or Power of the Force. For me it's because all the other figures were released on cards/under the banner of the names of the three films. Power of the Force has no relevance, it's a bit of an afterthought and I don't remember them as a kid. Don't get me wrong, some of the figures are great and I do have a 9D9 and Imp Gunner but I don't like them as much as all the others including the first 12. I will collect them - as someone mentioned they are part of the vintage line but it bugs me how pricey they are and I'll prob only pick up the odd one if the price is right.

 

[Section 8]

I have no recollection of the POTF logo or the coins so the 3 last 17 figures I had on a child must have come from TriLogo's which i can vividly remember. Nor do I have a special urge to get the 1st 12 as being born in 1977, most figures i purchased were on ESB, ROTJ and Tri Logo cards.

The most appealing to me are those that trigger childhood memories. Although will not exclude them from my collection, just because it's a line I don't recall. To me, neither 12 ot 17 are so special. The 96 carded figures equally needed to complete the collection.

 

[jayums]

I'm a new member who has only just started collecting, so do your best to ignore my ignorance.

I do remember the last 17, although I just remember them as the ones in the weird packets that didn't quite feel very 'star wars'.

Although I gather they were released 84/85 onwards, I just remember seeing them sitting in the bargain bin for 50p each at local shop, I would say 86-88.

I like a few of the figures (Luke, R2, and the imperial gunner), but the rest don't grab me. I got the feeling that, despite what popular opinion is now, Kenner was scraping the barrel , and the abundance of Ewoks stemmed from them seemed to be the most popular ROTJ figures at the time (at least amongst kids). The plastic would have been put to better use creating a wedge, captain Antilles or tarkin.

I also don't get the feeling the last 17 are as rare as they are made out to be.

So, my head (with its completist hat on) says I should collect the last 17, but my heart says not to bother spending hundred of pounds of lumps of plastic I never liked as a kid, and don't particularly like now.... After all, it could be spent getting mintier versions of the figures I do like.

 

[Woolyniner]

So, my head (with its completist hat on) says I should collect the last 17, but my heart says not to bother spending hundred of pounds of lumps of plastic I never liked as a kid, and don't particularly like now.... After all, it could be spent getting mintier versions of the figures I do like.

I have the same opinion. I would probably collect the last 17 if either most of them were not so expensive, or I had some sort of childhood connection with them. I also find it odd that on most days you can find them on ebay yet they are still pricey, so I do wonder of the prices are over inflated just because they are the famous last 17. First 12 all the way for me

 

[x-pack]

Could the origins in popularity of the last 17 be anything to do with the Sansweet book? That book (Concept to Screen to Collectible) opened my eyes. I had bought some last 17 figures previous to it's release but never realised exactly what they were until after reading it. In my early days of collecting those figures were much more exciting than the first 12. Not sure now :?