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Week 15: Greedo
Greedo....it seems fitting that this is the 13th figure as the character was most unlucky in the film against Han Solo, and NO Greedo doesn’t shoot first!!! The first of the 4 cantina aliens (5 if you count the Blue Snag.) we got with the vintage line. Only FOUR cantina aliens...just think about it. When a lot of us were kids this seemed like plenty. It never occurred to me as a child that I was missing so many others. Now, we have dozens of Cantina Aliens and still not all of them. Greedo, like a couple of the other vintage Cantina aliens especially Walrusman just scream the 70's to me. Other than the basic shape of Greedo's head, he doesn’t look much like the character and man!...check out those boots!! However, despite the inaccuracies of the figure to the character this is one of the things that to me make the vintage line much more appealing as a collector. These were toys plain and simple. Not the “made for collecting” toys of today, but made to be played with by children, and the fact that so many have survived is truly amazing and speaks volumes about the quality and durability of these figures.
Anyway, on to the figure. Greedo is the first of the non-12 back figures and begins the 20/21 back figures. The second wave of new Star Wars figures offered on 20 back cards, and then a bit later on 21 back cards with the figure Boba Fett included in the line up of figures. Greedo was offered on cards through the ESB and ROTJ cards but did not make it to the POTF series. POTF proofs and prototype mock ups of this figure are known to exist and are very rare and VERY pricey. See pics below:
Here are the known card back releases according to Kellerman's book:
SW 20-Back B
SW 20-Back E w/Fett offer
SW 21-Back A
SW 21-Back C w/"secret figure" offer
ESB 21-Back G w/"secret figure" offer
ESB 31-Back A
ESB 32-Back B
ESB 41-Back A w/Survival Kit offer
ESB 41-Back E
ESB 45-Back A w/Display Arena offer
ESB 47-Back A w/4-LOM offer
ROTJ 48-Back D w/Nein Nunb offer
ROTJ 77-Back A
ROTJ 79-Back A
Just a note. In all my features thus far, I mention Kellerman’s book. This is probably the greatest vintage reference guide yet produced and a must have for any collector. I couldn’t imagine being a vintage moc or focus collector without this book:
I was also able to track down a few foreign moc pictures...not two many pictures from my usual sources. (moc pictures from www.12back.com
www.toysrgus.com , www.brianstoys.com ):
Italian Harbert Greedo:
Palitoy (UK) ROTJ Greedo:
French Meccano 20 back Greedo:
Sears Canadian 9-Pack box w/Greedo:
Creatures 3-Pack: Not a foreign card, but very interesting, very rare, and VERY pricey.
I am sure there are many others but Greedo doesn’t seem to be the most popular of characters.
Also regarding loose variations, I am pretty much clueless. I have only one Greedo figure and know of only one other variation:
My greedo is a basic Kenner with Hong Kong coo. The other variation I am aware of is the Tri-Logo variant with a smaller eyes, darker green body and boots with no country of origin:
As you can see from the picture I found searching though web shots, the variation (far right) is not all that obvious. If anyone knows of any other variants or have pictures of their vintage Greedo mocs (Kenner or foreign) please feel free to share them in our forums!!
Greedo Prices: Loose complete minty Greedos can be found quite easily for $10 or less. MOC prices vary and can run anywhere from $50 or less to greater than $300 depending on card back, condition, rarity, grade, etc.
I would like to take a moment to wish all of our staff, forum members, and readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I will be back with the TOTW feature again after the new year and look forward to another great year as a vintage Star Wars collector and member of a really great Star Wars collecting community. Thanks to everyone for reading and all the kind words, posts and emails I have received regarding the feature.
Thanks for reading!