Star Wars update for Collectors

In the image below is a figure released in Q3 of 2019, the Imperial Stormtrooper from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

It’s a figure that I wanted to use as a troop builder, and had planned to buy at least two squads of them ( sixteen figures in all).

Recently I couldn’t find it at retail, so I began searching for it online, and I have to admit that I  was both shocked and upset by what I found.

On average the figure was selling for roughly thirty dollars, which is more than double it’s original Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price ( MSRP).

I ended up buying three of them for sixty five dollars on Ebay; far short of my intended goal thus far.

I wanted to take a moment and share with everyone some details on this figure, as well as some of the factors that may have contributed to the small fortune that I’m preparing to invest into a group of Stormtroopers.

Though there have been many variations on this figure released over the years, this one has been considered the best sculpt yet, Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why it’s value on the secondary market has more than doubled in less than a year.

Generally speaking, you don’t see too many figures that jump in value in such a short period of time, without them being considered rare.

Moreover, the Vintage Collection consists of super articulated figures, with many being re- released with Hasbro’s proprietary Photo Real technology for collectors.

Still, it’s hard to grasp a Stormtrooper being catapulted to such demand; or is it? One of the things that you have to learn as a collector is that a figure is essentially worth what you are willing to pay for it.

It is still a toy, however toys in general can become extremely collectible, and Star Wars is certainly no exception.

When action figures for A New Hope were first revealed in 1977, they sold out before they were even produced, causing Kenner to issue early bird certificates for the following year.

Star Wars toy sales continued to exceed expectations through 1983, before beginning to decline after the release of Return of the Jedi.

The line was revived in 1995, where again, it continued to see demand among collectors. Though Hasbro had plans to cancel the line in the early 2000s, it didn’t happen, and the brand has been on store shelves ever since.

Beginning in 2015 sales began a sharp decline, and Hasbro has lost an estimated 500 million in revenue in Star Wars toys over the last five years.

The sequel films by Disney have raked in the cash, but have not been received well by fans. In addition, Hasbro has made changes to the Star Wars line, which has also affected what they produce and in what quantity.

Generally speaking the bulk of Hasbro’s toy sales for Star Wars comes from adult collectors, so it only makes sense to invest more into marketing to collectors than kids.

Until 2019 Star Wars always featured a basic assortment of figures that were 3.75 inches in height, and had a minimum amount of articulation (five POA in most cases), as well as playsets and vehicles to accompany them.

Last year that changed with the discontinuation of the 5 POA line, which most likely was done as a cost saving measure due in part to poor sales.

The focus then, was placed upon the highly successful Vintage Collection, an ongoing line of super articulated and highly detailed 3.75 action figures.

The line initially ran from 2010 until 2013, before being brought back in 2018. It is now Hasbro’s only 3.75 production line for the Star Wars brand.

The Vintage Collection also features vehicles and ships that are more accurately scaled, and highly detailed, with multiple features for collectors.

One of the aspects of this line has been to re-release certain figures, and the Imperial Stormtrooper is one of those.

Taking the Stormtroopers from Rogue One as a guide, the new Vintage Collection figure has been referred to by collector’s as the most detailed version of the trooper yet, and perhaps that is one reason for it’s increase in value.

Other factors may be due to poor distribution by retailers, particularly Wal-Mart, who is known for placing these figures on clearance within a couple of months of being released.

Another factor may be a limited production run, which would have contributed to greater demand on the collector’s market.

Also to be considered is future product being halted by the Coronavirus outbreak. Though Hasbro had already shifted some of it’s production to Vietnam in 2017, it is conceivable that they were still using production facilities in China, which have all been closed for the foreseeable future.

This means that all planned waves will be delayed, and this was made clear at New York Toy Fair this past weekend. Often future waves will feature at least one repack, and the Rogue One Stormtrooper is one of those.

The final aspect that drives cost on the secondary market is scalping, which unfortunately is an all too common occurrence.

There are people out there who are fans or otherwise, and who keep track of the values of these figures, and use that to take advantage of people like myself who couldn’t find the figure at retail, and are then forced to pay whatever they demand in order to get it.

Sadly, there are online toy retailers who do the same thing. Ultimately, it’s up to you as a collector to decide if you’re willing to pay what a buyer is asking, or to wait it out and see if the price drops within the next quarter.

Generally speaking if the item is out of production you can expect the value to continue to increase, and with it it’s cost on the secondary market.

This is when you have to learn to patiently search every site and every listing in order to get the best price for a particular item.

Though time consuming, It’s quite fun in it’s own right shopping for toys. Before I became disabled I used to drive hundreds of miles and spend an equal amount of money searching for action figures and vehicles for my collection.

I hope that this article has both entertained and informed you on some of the aspects of collecting Star Wars action figures, and why they sale for what they do.

Perhaps you aren’t a collector or fan, but perhaps now that you have gained some new insight into what drives those of us who are, you will have gained a new appreciation and understanding into toy collecting as both a hobby and a passion. Until next time, Good hunting, and May the Force be with you!