Before You Sell Old Action Figures, Check These 8 Names

If your old Star Wars toys are rattling around in a footlocker, they may be worth more than the whole shelf of your grown kids’ collectibles. The key word is “carded.” A figure still sealed on its original cardboard backing is a very different thing from one that spent years in a sandbox.

Mental Floss, in a June 2025 list of the most valuable vintage Star Wars action figures, names the Kenner figures collectors chase hardest. Here are eight of them, with the prices that article reports.

Remember, these are sale prices and ranges reported by one outlet, not promises. A price tells you what someone paid for one specific figure on one specific day, and your own toy may bring more or less depending on its shape.

Still, the numbers are enough to make anyone stop and look. Grab a flashlight, open that old footlocker, and read on.

Darth Vader 12-Back Double Telescoping Sold For $130,095

Mental Floss says this figure sold at auction for $130,095 in 2025. It came out in 1978 on a card showing 12 other Star Wars characters, and only a handful were produced.

The lightsaber on this Vader telescopes twice. Kenner soon dropped that feature to cut manufacturing costs, which is why this version is scarce.

Jawa With The Vinyl Cape Hit $30,000 At Heritage

That little hooded Jawa looks harmless. Mental Floss reports a carded, high-grade version sold for $30,000 at Heritage Auctions in 2024.

Kenner first released it in 1978 with a vinyl cape, and later runs switched to cloth. The vinyl version is described as extremely rare, which makes it one of the priciest Kenner collectibles.

Yak Face Averages $6,745 On The Card

This 1985 figure came late in the line, and its rarity shows. Mental Floss cites Action Figure 411 for an average of $6,745 for a carded Yak Face.

Even a loose one, with no card at all, sold for $1,000 on eBay in 2025. That is a lot of money for a toy that was likely lost under a couch.

Unpunched Luke Skywalker Brought $5,000

This is a clever detail for collectors to check. Mental Floss says a highly graded 12-back Luke Skywalker with an unpunched card sold for $5,000 on eBay in 2025.

The figure was released in 1978. “Unpunched” refers to the card’s hang hole, so look at how the cardboard was cut before you decide it is just another Luke.

Carded Boba Fett Sold For $4,551

Everyone’s favorite bounty hunter came out in 1979. Mental Floss lists a carded Boba Fett at $4,551 on eBay in 2025.

Boba Fett also has a record on the books. Reports in June 2024 said a rocket-firing prototype Boba Fett figure sold for $525,000 at Heritage Auctions, billed as the most valuable vintage toy in the world, and that is a one-of-a-kind piece, not something you will find in a toy box.

Chewbacca Is Listed At Up To $3,000

The big Wookiee is another 1978 figure. Mental Floss gives a price of up to $3,000, with an average of $1,100 for a carded one in good condition.

Condition makes the whole difference here. A loose, high-grade Chewbacca recently sold for just $325.

Luke Skywalker In A Battle Poncho Reaches $2,970

This 1985 Luke wears a poncho for a snowy battle scene. Mental Floss lists prices of up to $2,970.

Recent eBay sales were $600 for a carded one and $270 for a loose one. Notice how the card alone is worth more than double.

The Empire Strikes Back Red Six-Pack Sells For $2,010

In 1981, Kenner sold multi-figure boxed sets tied to the sequel. Mental Floss reports $2,010 for the red-background box, with a yellow-background box going for about $700.

The color of the box matters, so check it before you guess at a price.

The same Mental Floss list reaches well beyond those eight. It reports $2,000 for a carded Emperor’s Royal Guard on eBay in 2025, $1,700 for a 12-back Princess Leia Organa, and $1,500 for a Yoda with a clear bubble.

Look closely at the pattern. In nearly every case the carded figure beats the loose one by a wide margin, and the Leia listing shows it plainly: $45 loose against $1,700 on the card.

So how do you check your own toys? Start by seeing whether the figure is still on its original card or in its box. Then compare it with sold listings, not asking prices, because the amounts above are sale prices and ranges from one article.

Most of the money here is in the packaging and the condition. Look for original cards with all the corners intact, clear bubbles without cracks, and figures that still have every tiny accessory. Do not peel, clean or reseal anything, and keep the cards flat and out of the sun until someone knowledgeable has looked at them.

If you think you have a major piece, take it to a reputable auction house before you list it online. A careful look now is worth far more than a hurried sale, and it may save you from selling a $1,000 figure at a yard sale for five dollars.

Vinyl and Velvet