Zuckuss Carded Sample on ESB 45-Back Card
Carded Samples can come in a variety of styles. The figures can be painted Hardcopies, Internal First Shots, First Shots, or production figures. The card backs can be Sample Cards, Proof Cards, or production cards. Finally, the bubbles can be hand cut or production quality and can be applied by hand with glue or double sided tape or applied by machine. These samples would mainly be used for presentation internally, as salesman samples, or for photographic purposes. In other words provenance is key when dealing with Carded Samples. With so much variety involved a collector must make sure their source is rock solid.

As you can see this is a Zuckuss carded sample. The figure is mounted onto a Zuckuss 45 back Arena Offer Sample Card. The figure itself is a First Shot. Most Zuckuss First Shots that have turned up have been much like this one in that the figure is a much darker gray plastic than the figure that finally made it off of the production line.

What makes this sample even cooler is the controversy that surrounds it. This figure is thought to have premiered on a 48 back card yet it, much like 4-LOM, had at least made it to the proofing and sample carding stage much earlier. Production quality 45 backs have not surfaced yet for either figure but these carded samples do give many hope.

Description by: John J. Alvarez
Photo: Sandy Rivers
From the collection of: Sandy Rivers
Country:United States
Film:Empire Strikes Back
Licensee:Kenner
Year:1980
Category:Prototypes / Action Figure Related


  


Checklist by Duncan Jenkins, Gus Lopez, and the Star Wars collecting community
Software by Chris Nichols

All information © 2014 Star Wars Collectors Archive