Having been a stalker on here for a while though I'd best introduce myself.
I'm 44 and originally had the SW12 toys back in the day, but I must've moved onto something else (music and girls probably) for ESB and ROTJ cos I never had those figures despite loving the films. Can still remember an old toy shop in Crosby, Liverpool with the spinner stand full of Palitoy first 12 figures. It's gone now, even the building
I originally started collecting loose figures afew years ago because it was cheaper than MOC's (marriage, young family etc.) but stopped for some reason and have now moved into MOC's - despite still being married and having an older family!. Didn't want to waste money so spent awhile discovering the focus concept (duh!), and then deciding on ESB debut cards (any back), and POTF's. I like graded cos I can't tell a fake from otherwise, but I'll take both. I'll head into SW and ROTJ backs when I'm done.
My Mum and Dad has a toyshop in the 80's and I worked there on Saturdays. My Dad let me look after Star Wars stuff for him - we made sure we had a couple of every figure on the shelves, they sold like crazy. We got deliveries when we could - figures, at about the 65 back stage I guess, all the vehicles. Makes me laugh now - because the majority of cards were ROTJ's I used to hate getting the odd ESB card cos it messed up the display! These days things would be different!
I reckon I've probably opened about 50 cases fresh full of ROTJ figures direct from the manufacturer, and hunted all over the North West in wholesalers to keep the stock up. I got a massive buzz when we'd run out of some figures and you'd find them in cases for some of the lads who came in. Klaatu was one of the hardest to find in those days - don't think we ever saw them.
The shop closed pre-POTF and all of the remaining stock went to a £1 store somewhere :mrgreen: . I used to think how much they'd be worth now, but at least they were ROTJ's and not rarer cards. The shelf talkers get me though - we had masses of them (the sales reps used to leave loads for free), and at least one of the vehicle stands - the mini-rig one I think. Gonna have to get me some shelf-talkers one day.
So if anyone needs to offload good quality (or graded) non-yellow ESB's and POTF's PM me please.
Chris