79 a back

ROTJ 79 A Back

Release Date:

1984
Carded Availability:

  • Return Of The Jedi
Force fact:

    The 79 A Back is the late 1984 release that shows off the 2 new Ewok figures for the end of the year. Interestingly the new figures are #12 and #13 instead of #1 and #2. The bottom of the card again shows the same toys as the 77 A Back.
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(yourolddog.com)

77 b back

ROTJ 77 B Back


Release Date:
1984
Carded Availability:
  • Return Of The Jedi
Force fact:

    The 77 B is identical to the A but has the Anakin Skywalker figure offer sticker on the back.
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77 a back

ROTJ 77 A Back


Release Date:
1984
Carded Availability:
  • Return Of The Jedi
Force fact:

    The 77 A Back is the 1984 release that shows off the 12 new figures for the early part of the year. In addition 4 new toys are introduced below including the Rancor Monster, Sy Snootles and the Rebo Band as well as the Ewok Mini Rigs Catapult Assault and Glider.
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65 d back

ROTJ 65 D – E Back


Release Date:
1984
Carded Availability:
  • Return Of The Jedi
Force fact:

    The 65 D Back is identical to the A & B Back as that is what they are but with the Anakin Skywalker sticker offer slapped over the bottom. These were most likely added to left over ROTJ inventory from 1983 and 1984 but would likely been released in 1984 mostly.
    Please note there is an additional figure of 65 E in the general hobby but that refers to a front only variation that has the Anakin Sticker offer on top of the previously printed Emperor offer. From the point of view of the backs there is no difference as you cannot see what is printed under the sticker on the back. However I add this information for the reason of completeness and education.
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65 c back

ROTJ 65 C Back

Release Date:

1983-4
Carded Availability:

  • Return Of The Jedi
  • Force fact:
      • The 65 C Back is identical to the B except we have a new figure offer with the Emperor. This figure was on the shelves in 1984 but was most likely released at the end of 1983, Christmas season, as well.

    Hence the 1983-4 release date below.

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65 b back

ROTJ 65 B Back


Release Date:
1983
Carded Availability:
  • Return Of The Jedi
Force fact:

    The 65 B Back is identical to the A except the Black Out is gone and the photos of the two Ewoks are present.
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65 a back

ROTJ 65 A Back

Release Date:
1983
Carded Availability:
  • Return Of The Jedi
Force fact:
    • The 65 Backs begin the run with new figures from the ROTJ movie. 17(!!) new figures are in this first run including a new twist brought by Kenner at Lucas’ behest, the Black Out picture. Due to Lucas’ concerns of secrecy the new movie toys were Blacked Out in the Kenner catalogs to the retailers. Kenner continued this with the 65 A Back where the two Ewoks, Logray and Chief Chirpa, are not visible, blacked out instead. This was the first and last time Kenner did this in the line. As before the layout is the same and the bottom shows 3 new toys, the C-3PO Case, Chewbacca Bandolier Strap Case and the Y-Wing Fighter.
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48 a1 back

ROTJ 48 A1 Back

Release Date:

1983
Carded Availability:

  • Return Of The Jedi
  • Force fact:
      The ROTJ line begins just as the ESB 48 Back line did, with a text line variation. The 48 A1 is just a variant of 48A with 3 instead of 2 lines of text at the top of the page. Not quite worthy of a new letter but worth noting all the same. This is the only time Kenner went with the 3 lines of text along the entire line.
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48 a back

ROTJ 48 A Back

Release Date:
1983
Carded Availability:
  • Return Of The Jedi
Force fact:

    The ROTJ line of figures continues with no new figures just the ESB 48 (much the same as the ESB 21 Back). The photo layout is the same and the only difference is now the figure offer is for Nien Nunb.
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12/32 back

SW ESB 12/32 Back


Release Date:
1980
Carded Availability:
  • Star Wars
  • The Empire Strikes Back
Force fact:

    Well I had to put this one somewhere so I decided on Star Wars given that is technically what the card is. This is a 12 Back in all ways except it was released in 1980 and with a sticker on the back of 32 ESB figures. My best guess is that this was left over inventory found in a Kenner warehouse and they being of the proper business “waste not want not” philosophy printed up another sticker, slapped it on the back and off they went. Given that these are rare figures in any vein the fact that the most “common” of these are the R2-D2, Chewbacca, Leia and Luke (and I do use the term common only in regards to the ESB 12/32 Back releases as none are common overall) I wonder if there was some leftover unsold Early Bird figures that got put to card late and then found. Anyway like any theory on such things we will probably never know. I remember a similar theory of mine given like circumstances I supposed the General Veers, R2-D2 Senscope and Luke Hoth were the more again “common” of the vacuformed Canadian ESB cards that they were left over inventory from the Sears Rebel Command Center as they were the same figures. Good theory until I was informed by a Canadian customer many years ago that they never got the Rebel Command Center in Canada. So as said, just a theory and words on a page.
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