The most coveted of Star Wars figures, a 1978 Star Wars Jawa figure by Palitoy, has been discovered in a loft in the UK.
The discovery was made following the owner’s unpacking of various film memorabilia that was stacked high in various rooms of his house. Having served as the Art Director for Marvel UK between 1974 and 1979, he received a whole range of gifts from PALITOY during the promotion of the Star Wars line in Marvel’s comics and still hasn’t gone through it all yet. He had previously unearthed a rare JAWA figure and seen its desirability (an identical JAWA figure sold at Excalibur auctions last year for £26,670 smashing its auction estimate of £10,000-£15,000) and therefore went on the hunt for another and was thrilled to find one!
On taking it to Excalibur Auctions, a renowned name in the world of Toys and Collectables auctions, further investigation was carried out to verify it and it was confirmed to indeed be one of the rarest carded Star Wars figures known to exist, with only 10-15 examples documented. To add to its rarity the figure exhibits the original vinyl cape, which was later substituted with a cloth cape not long into production. Star Wars fans will have the opportunity to bid for it in Excalibur Auctions Diecast & Vintage Toys and Model Railway Collectors Sale on January 27, 2024.
Jonathan Torode, Excalibur’s Auctioneer said: “We are thrilled to have been brought another of the rarest, most highly sought-after carded Star Wars figures (it’s on its original 12-back card (SW-12A). With the success of the last original JAWA figure, we had a lot of enquiries from people in various countries who had scoured trunks and garages looking to see if they had one, but never expected another to come from the same source, with him having done the same thing.
With such exceptional provenance and only about 10-15 examples documented we anticipate once again, huge interest worldwide. The figure carries an E grade on a VG/E card, representing its exceptional condition and its vinyl cape is the icing on the cake. The UK PALITOY carded variation is even rarer than the USA Kenner version. I feel utterly spoilt being able to handle another such rare part of Star Wars toy history.”
Bidding is expected from Star Wars fans around the globe. It carries a conservative estimate of £10,000-£15,000 but judging by the price paid for the last one, it is expected to far exceed this. The catalogue for this sale is published online now. For more information about the auction, including registration and bidding details, please visit the official Excalibur Auctions website at www.excaliburauctions.com
