Dumpster Diving
The name given to the practice of raiding dumpsters to find prototype items that a toy company might have thrown away. It may sound kind of odd, but believe it or not, amazing collections of box flats, proof cards, artwork, even prototype figures, have been assembled in this very way. For most Star Wars collectors, the Kenner dumpsters in Cincinnati are the dumpster diving Mecca; but there are toy companies all over the country, as well as vendors who do work for them, all of which have dumpsters. These days, security is tight around toy company dumpsters (and Kenner's specially); but, given the considerable collecting history behind the activity of dumpster diving, some of us like to visit them purely as tourists.

See Also:
Star Wars Traveler: Cincinnati

Description: Ron Salvatore