1977 Kenner Star Wars toys

Описание: Kenner's 1977 Star Wars toys (properly known as Kenner) were created after the unexpected, massive success of the film left the company with no time to
produce actual toys for the 1977 Christmas season.
To solve this, they created the "Early Bird Certificate Package," an empty box sold as an IOU for the first four action figures-Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2-which were mailed to children in early
1978.
The Licensing Grab: Following the film's release in May 1977, Kenner, a small Cincinnati-based company, was one of the few to show interest in the license. They signed the contract just a month before the movie's premiere, leaving them with an approximately 12-18 month production cycle to finish in just a few months.
• The Early Bird Package: With no physical products ready for the 1977 holidays, Kenner sold an "Early Bird Certificate Package" for about $10-$12, which contained a cardboard diorama, stickers, and a mail-in certificate.
• The First Figures: These mailed-in certificates were redeemed for the first four 3.75-inch action figures in early 1978. These were quickly followed by the rest of the original 12 characters.
• A New Era in Toys: The success of these figures changed the industry by proving that 3.75-inch figures, which allowed for cheaper production and smaller vehicles, were incredibly popular, leading to over 300 million figures sold between 1978 and
1985.