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 15 Years Ago...  |
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Darth Jaxx
Dark Lord Of Dipsomania™
USA
15527 Posts
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 Posted - 01/16/2010 : 4:11:12 PM
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... the POTF2 line of figs was born and the SW collecting world has never been the same. 
I was just reminiscing about 1995 when POTF2 was released and what a fun time it was for me. I didn't own a single SW piece of memorabilia at the time except for some old vhs tapes. All my old SW toys that I had as a child were long gone. And then, suddenly and unexpectedly, there were new SW figs and toys on the shelf at TRU!
Driving around on the weekends w/my friends and trying to make a complete carded and loose set was the highlight of my week. I never imagined how it would shape the next 15 years of my life. Other hobbies like comic books fell by the wayside in my pursuit of SW figs, toys and other memorabilia.
And, to this day, POTF2 still remains my favorite SW line even while comparing those steroid-loaded figs with today's slightly more accurate plastic representations.
Collecting has certainly changed since then... but I'll always remember those days as the best times of my collecting! 
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gorkoracing
Booty Hunter
2450 Posts
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Posted - 01/16/2010 : 4:26:40 PM
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| I completely agree the potf2 era was the best time I've had collecting. I just can't believe it's been that long... |
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bobablarcfett
AFA Star Wars
1231 Posts
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Posted - 01/16/2010 : 4:34:32 PM
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Jaxx are you Hammered again |
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Darth Jaxx
Dark Lord Of Dipsomania™
USA
15527 Posts
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Posted - 01/16/2010 : 4:36:19 PM
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Not yet!  |
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Sam Solo
The Abominable Wampa
USA
3513 Posts
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Posted - 01/16/2010 : 5:57:05 PM
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Unlike Jaxx, I had and still have all my star wars stuff from when I was a kid. During the early potf2 line I was married and had 3 year old son. One day my wife purchased my son a Tie Fighter Pilot figure from this line, and shortly there after we were purchasing all the figures. So this obsession is all her fault. I remember hunting all over for a Yoda, finally ordered one from (Kenner or Hasbro - who ever it was). Since 95 I believe I have purchased every new basic figure that came out, and alot other stuff. I do not want to even think about the green I have spent on this obsession.
But like Jaxx the re-energizing of the Star Wars brand has had a big impact on the past 15 years of my life.
All right, look, there's only one "Return," okay, and it ain't "of the King," it's "of the Jedi." - Randal Graves |
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Bionic Sith Lord
Forums Administrator
USA
9765 Posts
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Posted - 01/16/2010 : 8:29:05 PM
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The first I saw, or even heard of the line came when I was out of town in a Wal-Mart late at night sometime in 1995.
I spied the first Luke, lying on the bottom shelf in the action figure isle. I quickly grabbed it up, and had the first of many excitements at having scored something so similar to some of what I had enjoyed so much as a child.
While I hunted high, and low all over that toy department, I could find no trace of any of the others, but I knew there had to be some more out there at another store. It sure was nice, having to only pay $3.97 for it.
I began my search for the rest the very next day, finding Han, and Chewie next, buying 3 of each, as well as 2 more Lukes. It didn't take long to get all of them, maybe a week except for Leia, who my Son found first.
I recall rumors going around at the time that Leia had been pulled, due to the "Monkey Face" being so bad, and 3PO was not exactly easy to get, unless you were happy with having just one.
I had many more hunts over the years since, and for a good while it was still somewhat fun. But I have grown tired of the line in the last couple of years. Don't get me wrong I still look at them every time I go to a toy isle, and they are some of the best looking sculpts to date with a great selection of characters.
It's gotten too expensive, with so many different figures, something the POTF2 line had just about right.
Guess I am lucky to have hung onto most of my vintage figures, and a
couple of other vintage SW items, there is no way the POTF2 line can top that, but it was pretty high up there.
Some of the best memories are of sharing the line with my Son while he was still growing up, gave me a valid excuse to buy so many that could be opened, and played with. Took me 6 hours to apply all the decals on the first Falcon that Christmas Eve in '95.
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Fettish
Deluxe Member
USA
540 Posts
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Posted - 01/16/2010 : 10:09:44 PM
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It was a friend of mine that got me interested when he came to my home with the 12" figures (Vader, Luke, etc.) I was immediately drawn back into Star Wars. Spent weeks combing the stores (I knew very little then of collecting)speaking with managers and stock crew trying to find out when they would be getting the Star Wars 12" line in. I don't remember being very interested in the 3.75" figures initially, but when I learned that Princess Leia was hard to find I started branching out into the regular figures as well. That same friend was a manager at Target and I'll not forget when he went into the stockroom and came back with a Leia for me. What memories I have of relentless searches (usually coming home empty handed), midnight opening fiasco's, the anticipation of finding new product, road trips, and convincing my wife that my collecting is a long term investment. LOL. Cheers to the POTF2 gang.
"He's no good to me dead." |
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TheAllience
4 Shall Be The Number And The Number Shall Be 4
2330 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 2:22:50 PM
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I was heavely into Marvel Heroes X-Men, Spiderman, Spawn, And was hitting stores up on a regular bassis when that fateful day happened. I was in TRU and over heard this kid about 15 showing his dad what he had found on a prior visit. The very first POTF figures on one peg hook not even marked lost in whatever was surrounding them at the time. I wasn't too impressed imediately so I only bought Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. After my brother saw them he whent out and got Han & Chewy. That's when I decided to get the rest. It by no means was 4sies then and I even opened all my long saber figures. Something I later regreted of course because these were being saved everywhere to pay for college educations on the Star Wars Bill. We all know how that panned out. But I still tried to collect one in one out. And never threw away any empty packaging, I still have every packaging from any figure I opened from 94' till present.
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shaved_ape
Deluxe Member
USA
835 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 2:33:04 PM
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I know what you mean. When I was 16 I actually had a job at Toys R Us back when you could work retail when you were 16. I was a cashier but collectors would come up with their wins and losses and tell me what to look for if I ever got to go into the back warehouse, which I didn't.
I came in on Friday mornings at 7:00 and stood outside like the rest of the star wars hounds.
The only thing I ever found that was really cool was in 1997 I had to restock the McFarlane isle, it was after we closed and got a late shipment, and I opened a box of Kiss Figures and low and behold I found a Paul Stanley Letterbase packaged upside down. I opened them about a month ago and it's still in ok condidtion I guess.
The best finds were the hole in the wall Wal-marts that you had to drive 2 hours into the rurals for. Great finds!!!
Interested specifically in Bounty Hunter Errors and all forms of Luke Jedi Knight (errors) |
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Bionic Sith Lord
Forums Administrator
USA
9765 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 3:56:58 PM
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Ah the first release of the KISS figures with the letter bases, I got all 4 of them. Bad thing is I threw the whole set into the storage base of my bar in the kitchen about a year ago, when I had a lady friend coming to visit.
In my haste I don't believe they went in there very well, and I shoved the cover down pretty hard to get it level. Think they are going to end up getting opened. |
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shaved_ape
Deluxe Member
USA
835 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 6:40:14 PM
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Yeah mine went into the shed behind our house. The only one worth trying to salvage is the upside down paul stanley
Interested specifically in Bounty Hunter Errors and all forms of Luke Jedi Knight (errors) |
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Darth Jaxx
Dark Lord Of Dipsomania™
USA
15527 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 6:44:57 PM
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A couple of pics that savrip posted about 3 years ago...
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Fettish
Deluxe Member
USA
540 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 8:23:53 PM
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OOH, I want to go back in time!!! Can you even imagine, knowing what you know today? The possibilities are endless. 
"He's no good to me dead." |
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Darth Jaxx
Dark Lord Of Dipsomania™
USA
15527 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 8:31:48 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Fettish
OOH, I want to go back in time!!! Can you even imagine, knowing what you know today? The possibilities are endless.
I get that. It's not about any kind of monetary investment... just having/finding some variations or errors. |
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Fettish
Deluxe Member
USA
540 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 8:33:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Darth Jaxx
quote:
Originally posted by Fettish
OOH, I want to go back in time!!! Can you even imagine, knowing what you know today? The possibilities are endless.
I get that. It's not about any kind of monetary investment... just having/finding some variations or errors.
Agreed. It's never been about monetary gain, but the thrill of the hunt!
"He's no good to me dead." |
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12p542
Exclusive Member
USA
1293 Posts
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Posted - 01/17/2010 : 9:57:51 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Fettish
Agreed. It's never been about monetary gain, but the thrill of the hunt!
Ditto!
Though for myself, a relative newcomer, getting into the variation/error thing by accident, after a buddy tried to get me to play the Decipher card game, has been quite a thrill. I'd have loved to behold those displays in savrip's pix. 
~._.~ (x_x) {'._.'}
Um ... regular coffee, sweet ... no sugar |
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15 Years Ago... |
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15 Years Ago...
