This Original Trilogy Anakin Skywalker Action Figure Is Exceptionally Rare For One Surprising Reason and It’s Currently Up for Auction
Star Wars fans will know that it took three people to bring Darth Vader to life in the original trilogy. While James Earl Jones most famously voiced the Sith Lord, the man in the suit was David Prowse. As for the face of Vader and the Force ghost in Return of the Jedi, George Lucas roped in veteran actor Sebastian Shaw. I wouldn’t blame younger fans for not knowing who he was, especially since he was eventually replaced by Hayden Christensen’s Force ghost in later rereleases of the movie.
While it was nice seeing the younger Anakin come back to the light, many felt that it was a bit unfair to Shaw. It could be argued that he stopped being Anakin in Revenge of the Sith, and this alteration showed him rediscovering the man he once was, albeit in ghost form. Whatever the case may be, Shaw was the original face of Anakin, before we fell in love with his antics in the prequel trilogy and the Clone Wars animated series. So, it makes sense that his action figure is so coveted.
Sebastian Shaw’s Anakin Skywalker Kenner Action Figure Is Going For Over $13,000 At An Auction
A listing on Hake’s Auctions for a 1985 Kenner Power of the Force Anakin Skywalker action figure currently sits at $13,034. As you’d imagine, this version of Anakin wasn’t too popular at the time, as he was only in two scenes in the entire original trilogy. This means that the figure is pretty rare, even by vintage action figure standards. To add to that, it comes with a special commemorative aluminum collector’s coin, further boosting its value. However, there are still a couple of other things that make it highly coveted.
Firstly, it’s in great condition, with an AFA grading of 85. The population report reveals that there are only 15 such figures in that condition, with only one getting a higher rating. And, lastly, the action figure’s card is unpunched, which is exceedingly hard to find, even amongst the rarest of vintage figures. Usually, these tabs are punched so that they can be hung on shelves, but the fact that it isn’t adds quite a bit more to its value. It’s one of the highest bids I’ve seen on Kenner Star Wars action figures.
These vintage Kenner figures, while highly coveted, don’t always demand such a high price. But it seems this Anakin Skywalker figure ticks almost every box on the collectors’ market list, making it a must-have for fans. If you ask me, the fact that the figure looks a bit like William Shatner’s Captain Kirk from Star Trek makes it even more valuable, creating one of the biggest sci-fi crossovers of all time.
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