15 Most Valuable Star Wars Action Figures (You Probably Never Owned)
Duane Beckett
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“A long time ago in a bedroom far, far away….” there was a mini-me playing with what would now surely be the most collectible Star Wars action figures ever.
That child grew up into a budding collector who spent the best part of a decade hunting down boxed 1970s Star Wars toys like The Mandalorian hunts down bounties.
Anyway… these flashbacks of playing with rare Star Wars figures always trigger the same famous last words, “If only I had kept them boxed!”
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Rare Star Wars Toys
Memory is a tricky little thing because there’s no way I owned a super-rare 1978 Luke Skywalker action figure with the double-extending lightsaber. Nor is it possible I owned an original Darth Vader action figure!
FACT: The truly rare Star Wars collectibles, the most expensive Star Wars toys, worth BIG money are few and far between.
And this is one thing many 40-plus-year-old men convince themselves of, that they once had one of the super rare Star Wars action figures (I still do this on a bi-weekly basis).
The truth is most likely, if you were a child in the late 70s and 80s who was fortunate enough to have Star Wars action figures, there’s no way you’d keep them boxed.
FACT #2: They’re just too cool!
Looking for Star Wars Toys Worth Money?
If you’re on the hunt, the most valuable vintage Star Wars figures remain boxed but finding them is the equivalent of:
- Playing roulette with authenticity.
- Paying ludicrous amounts (which is a problem – see #1).
- Waiting for a miracle (the equivalent of a barn find).
I’ve done all three and it’s why I stopped chasing rare 1970s Star Wars toys and switched to the 80s:
FACT #3: Between 2008 and 2015 I purchased two Boba Fett action figures (1979s):
- The first was a fake loose action figure that cost $25ish.
- The second, also a fake with arguably the most convincing boxing I had ever seen I should have known better as the price was $350.
A real 1979 Boba Fett in a good condition box is $1500-$3000 all day long. And that’s not even the super-rare version (keep swiping down to see).
TIP: For anyone who is considering collecting Star Wars toys – focus on action figures that have their accessories!
At this point, loose 70s and 80s Star Wars toys still range in value from $20 – $200 without boxes. And with boxes $100 – $3,000 (and it seems to still be going up).
As for 90s Star Wars toys, their values are far lower. With boxed figures easily attainable between $10-$20.
TIP: 1990s Star Wars toy’s value may rise in a decade… No one knows. I’ve already picked up some of the rarer figures hoping they become valuable in the distant future.
I even picked up some of The Last Jedi figures as that movie caused quite a stir and toys tanked – which may cause future rarity and interest.
My point is that now might be the time to look out for tomorrow’s collectibles.
The 15 Most Expensive Star Wars Action Figures
Here’s a tip for all future collectors – do your research!
FACT #4: Don’t rush to remove what might look like damaged packaging.
I picked up a mint condition blue Snaggletooth Star Wars action figure in 2011. It was in a Kenner baggie and it cost $100.
At the time of purchase, I had no idea that the baggie made it classified as boxed. If I had kept the baggie it would be worth $500 now. Fortunately, without the bag, it still remains worth $200ish.
To put the above into context, a Snaggletooth would be about #15 on this list.
15. Vintage blue Snaggletooth, $1,100
The original Stars Wars trilogy was such a huge hit with fans that even the characters that appeared in only one scene got an action figure. The most famous of these types of action figures was Snaggletooth, a Snivvian male who encounters Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan in Mos Eisley.
The unique part about this original Snaggletooth action figure is that he is wearing a blue jumpsuit instead of his normal red uniform, due to rushed production. If you can “Snaggle” one of these blue jumpsuit-wearing Snaggletooth’s you’ll be quite lucky as it values for a little over $1,000.
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14. 1980 Small Head Han Solo, $2,500
To coincide with The Empire Strikes Back release, a new Han Solo figurine was released, but there was a problem. The head on the Han Solo was too small for the body, and was quickly pulled from shelves. If you did manage to get your hands on the “Small Head” you’re super lucky as it has become a huge hit with fans and collectors, often selling for $2,500.
13. Spanish Language Star Wars Figures, $5,000
While factors like how old a toy is or whether it is in the original packaging or not can drastically fluctuate a price value for an action figure, another factor that is lesser known is the language printed on the packaging. Star Wars toys did get sold with other languages, and often these were only sold in small batches, making them incredibly valuable with collectors.
For instance, the Spanish-language action figures can sell up to $5,000 if they are in their original packaging from the 80s.
12. Gamorrean Guard with Collector’s Coin, $5,500
Though the Gamorrean Guard does not hold much value or love from collectors and fans, there is a very important reason as to why this action figure pulls thousands of dollars when sold — the commemorative coin. With the additional coin inside the packaging, the Gamorrean Guard becomes quite desirable as the coins can be collected in conjunction or independent from the action figures themselves.
11. Death Squad Commander, $6,500
It is no secret that some of the bad guys in Star Wars are based on certain historical figures. But, when Kenner released the Death Squad Commander, they realized that the name was quite dark for children and quite loaded. Subsequently, the Death Squad Commander turned into the Star Destroyer Commander and the original packaging became way more valuable.
Collectors would love to have the original Death Squad Commander in its packaging, and often these figures will sell for up to $6,500.
10. Anakin Skywalker, $7,500
Anakin is a unique character in the Stars Wars action figures world, because most of his incredible fight scenes or moments happen when he is covered in another outfit. Possibly due to this intricacy, not many Anakin Skywalker action figures were sold compared to other characters. This leads to a rarity that collectors prize, and bumps up the resale price to around $7,500.
9. Yak Face (Powers of the Force), $11,000
One of the last Star Wars action figures created by Kenner was Yak Face, and is perhaps one of the strangest figurine to be collected. The unique piece of Yak Face is that it was never released in the United States due to struggling sales, so the figure was only released in Europe and Canada.
Also known as Saelt-Marae and appearing in Return of the Jedi, Yak Face is not the most beloved character, but due to its limited run collectors in America are especially keen on finding a mint-condition Yak Face in its box.
8. Empire Strikes Back FX-7 Medical Droid, $12,000
Only appearing for twenty seconds in The Empire Strikes Back to help heal Luke Skywalker after Han Solo brought him back from Hoth, the FX-7 Medical Droid became one of the numerous Kenner Star Wars action figures to be created.
Due to their being two releases with differently designed backing cards, the value for this action figure can fluctuate drastically with some selling for $5 and others for up to $12,000.
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7. Double Telescoping Luke Skywalker, $25,000
When Luke Skywalker, one of the most produced action figures in the line, was shipped for its Early Bird kit, it has the unique double telescoping lightsaber that extended out of his arm. Since the construction was complicated and Kenner feared the pieces would get lost, they reduced the lightsaber to just one piece and increased the value of the double telescoping lightsaber. If you can manage to find a double telescoping lightsaber Luke Skywalker, you may have to pay up to $25,000 in order to get it.
6. Boxed Vinyl Cape Jawa, $28,000
The mythical boxed vinyl cape Jawa. One of the most valuable Star Wars collectibles (beware of fakes on this one).
This Star Wars action figures value is all about its cape. When the toy first hit the market it had a vinyl cape, however, Kenner thought it made it look too cheap and switched the cape out for a cloth version.
A boxed Jawa in a cloth cape is $200-$400. A mint-boxed Jawa with a vinyl cape was sold at auction for $30,000 roughly (£21,000 GBP).
5. Walrus Man-Bib Fortuna, $28,556
Since Star Wars has been such a great hit over the years, it makes sense that even minor characters would have a bigger fanbase now. This is especially true for the character Bib Fortuna, who was originally marketed as “Walrus Man” in early toy releases. But, this is great for collectors that look for toys that have limited runs, and only a few of the action figures make it to present-day still in their original packaging.
If you do have one though, you can get close to $30,000 for this lesser known figure!
4. Vlix, $45,430
Who is Vlix? As someone who doesn’t remember the Droids series, this character is unknown to me. However, as a collector, I’ve been aware of it for a while. So here’s what you need to know:
- Droids was an animated show in the 80s.
- It focused on R2-D2 and C3PO’s adventures.
- This character was part of a second-wave line-up of Droids’ toys.
- The toy was only ever released in Brazil.
- At this point, the line-up was canceled.
This combination makes Vlix one of the most collectible Star Wars toys going. And one of the most expensive – sold for $45,430 back in 2018.
3. Double Telescoping Darth Vader, $64,000
Two of the top-3 most expensive Star Wars figures have one thing in common. A double-extending telescopic lightsaber.
What’s most amazing about this 1977 Darth Vadar action figure is that it never made it to market. And that’s why it cost $64,900 at auction back in 2018.
2. Double Telescoping Obi-Wan, $76,000
This 1977 Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure has the same credentials as the above Darth Vadar. The only difference is that in 2018, a boxed Obi-Wan sold at auction for $76,700.
Clearly, the light side is stronger at auction!
1. Rocket Firing Boba Fett, $185,000
To this day I’m convinced I had a Boba Fett that fired rockets. And to this day I remain 100% wrong. How can I be certain? This rocket-firing bounty hunter never made it to market. It was scrapped.
The only versions of this toy that exist are prototypes spanning the different phases of production.
FACT: In 2019 this toy sold at auction for $185,850. Which is more than the value of my house.
Are my Star Wars figures worth anything?
The newer Star Wars action figures can be valuable if they are limited editions, exclusive releases, or feature popular characters. But, their value is not going to be as high as the vintage action figures from the 70s and 80s, as these figures were produced in smaller numbers and have unique quirks that increase their value.
Who has the largest collection of Star Wars memorabilia?
The largest collection of Star Wars memorabilia, which holds the Guinness World Record, is the Rancho Obi-Wan in Petaluma, California. The nonprofit museum was amassed by Steve Sansweet and covers over 9,000 square feet.
What was the first Star Wars figurine?
The very first Star Wars action figures were part of a mail-away Star Wars Early Bird Kit, which was released in 1978. They contained the figures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2.
In Conclusion
Suffice it to say, I don’t own any of these top-5 most sought-after Star Wars toys. Further still, I never have and never will at those prices. And as a massive Star Wars fan, that fact is a little heartbreaking.
However, if you love Star Wars and collectibles, now is an expensive time to start collecting the old figures, so consider looking at later toys, or even the Black Series or The Vintage Collection (recent figures with fantastic likenesses).