Mailaway Offers

The next-to-last of the Kenner mailaway offers, and the first of the Power of the Force action figures, was Anakin Skywalker. The Anakin offer appeared in sticker form on ROJ 77b and 79b cardbacks. The offer was finally printed on the 79c card, the last of the Jedi line of figures.

The sticker on the front of the 77 and 79b cards (pictured at right) reads:

FREE! ANAKIN SKYWALKER ACTION FIGURE WITH PROOF-OF-PURCHASE SEALS FROM ANY 5 STAR WARS ACTION FIGURES (SEE DETAILS ON BACK)

The printed offer on the front of the 79c cards, below left, is the same as that of the earlier sticker, though the presentation is somewhat more pleasing to the eye.

The complete offer on the cardback, as shown at bottom, states:

FREE! ANAKIN SKYWALKER ACTION FIGURE FROM STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY 5 STAR WARS ACTION FIGURES

ANAKIN SKYWALKER. Swayed to the Dark Side of the Force. Saved by the love for his son LUKE SKYWALKER. New ANAKIN SKYWALKER -not available in any store at this time.

• Send 5 proofs-of purchase seals from any Star Wars action figure with your name, address, and zip code to:

RETURN OF THE JEDI Figure Offer
P.O. Box 648
Young America, MN 55399

• Offer expires May 30, 1985.
• Allow 10-12 weeks for processing.
• Offer void in states where prohibited, taxed or otherwise regulated.
• Offer good in U.S.A. only.

Ironically, though the first of the POTF figures as a result of the mailaway offer, Anakin would never be issued in the U.S. carded as a result of the abrupt halting of the line.

Prior to the release of the Power of the Force line, Kenner sent out stickers to retailers to apply to their stock detailing the last mailaway promotion, the collectors coins offer. As a result of this random application of the sticker, the offer can be found on many different ROJ cards, and a few have even turned up on ESB cards. Unlike previous Kenner mailaways, the coin offer sticker was only applied to the front of the backer card, and contained all the information necessary for placing an order.

The text on the sticker states:

image courtesy Paul Levesque

STAR WARS FREE COIN Buy this Action Figure. Send the PROOF-OF-PURCHASE seal, this sticker cut (not peeled) from card and dated cash register receipt, with your name, address and zip code to: STAR WARS COIN P.O. BOX 5161 KALAMAZOO, MI 49003-5161 Kenner will randomly select and send you one of 62 Coins. Offer void where prohibited. Offer expires January 31, 1986. Allow 10-12 weeks for shipment. Offer good in USA only.

The coins were delivered in small manilla envelopes instead of the small white mailer boxes that figures were commonly sent in. Of course, getting a complete set this way was nearly, if not completely, impossible. However, enterprising collectors called Kenner's customer service line and asked about acquiring sets. Eventually Kenner agreed to sell a complete set of 62 coins for $29, but only to those who bothered to either call or write requesting information on getting a full set. These sets were delivered in a brown padded envelope, measuring about 6"x8".

With the release of the POTF action figures, many of the coins were finally available on card, though not all.

POTF Paperwork
POTF Action Figures || POTF Coins

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