Cardbacks
Most people pay little attention to the card a figure is packaged on, but for some this can be a separate subset of collecting all together, Some have fond memories of looking at the various offerings being marketed at a given time, other viewed it as a hunt for the newest mail-in redemption offer. We can start by offering a few tidbits of information on this subset of collecting or as a simple reference guide. I will refer to US Kenner releases in this article.
What do people mean when they say a 12 or 65 back? Simply this is the number of figures depicted on the reverse of the figure backing card. The original release of Star Wars figures started with the SW12 back card. When referring to a SW, ESB, ROTJ or POTF we are referring to the header of the card or the logo. When you hear a 12A, 12B, this will refer to the version of the card, it will still depict the stated number of figures but will have a differentiating feature, in many cases this is a redemption offer in addition to a different subset of other Kenner SW items being marketed or even a version of the same offer with sticker extending a promotional offer, or a sticker vs a printed offer.
The original release of SW cards were 12 back designs, also released on the SW header were 20, 21 and 32 back cards. Many collectors focus on the first offerings being the 12 backs and prefer to have those as the benchmark of the original figure offerings, however the 32 back is in many cases more rare of a find being that this was a very late produced item, being sent out to retail after the 20 and 21 back cards, more so as you will learn the ESB cards started with a 31 back.
The following descriptions were taken from an article written by Tony Mason on theswca.com.
Front Number
of card figs.
reads shown Description
========= ====== ===========
Star Wars 12-A: Drawings of Sand Person, C-3P0, Death Squad Commander,
Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia, Luke, R2-D2, Darth Vader,
Stormtrooper, Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi, Jawa. Drawings
of Tie fighter, X-Wing, Landspeeder. Picture of
collectors stand w/10 figures on bottom of card.
Paragraph on bottom right reading "Collector's Action
Stand FREE with proofs of purchase from 12 STAR WARS
Action Figures"
Star Wars 12-B: Same as 12-A with 'FREE' paragraph above removed (!)
Star Wars 20-A: Pictures 4x2 grid of 8 new figures on top:
Luke X-Wing, Walrus Man, Snaggletooth, Power Droid,
Hammerhead, R5-D4, Death Star Droid, Greedo.
Smaller pictures of 12 original figures below.
Bottom shows SW Figure Case, Droid Factory, Creature
Cantina, Patrol Dewback, Land of the Jawas playset.
Star Wars 20-B: Top 1/2 has picture of firing rocket Boba-Fett.
Smaller pictures below of Creature Cantina, Land of
the Jawa's playset. Pictures of 8 new figures on lower
left in 3x3 grid and 12 old figures on lower right in
a 4x3 grid.
Star Wars 20-C: Same as 20-B with big black sticker over picture of
Boba Fett firing the rocket!
Star Wars 20-D: Same as 20-B with the following text now in place
of the rocket picture: "BOBA FETT...A fearsome
interplanetary bounty hunter. A threat to the Rebel
Alliance, especially Han Solo! A new character in
Star Wars sequel.
Star Wars 20-E: Same as 20-D with small circular sticker on lower left
corner of middle text: "Offer Extended Until 03/31/80."
Star Wars 20-F: Same as 20-D with small rectangular sticker on lower left
corner of middle text: "OFFER EXTENDED UNTIL 12/31/80.
PLEASE ALLOW 6-8 WEEKS FOR SHIPMENT."
Star Wars 20-G: Same as 20-D with BIG sticker over top 1/2 of card reading:
"GET A FREE SECRET STAR WARS ACTION FIGURE WITH PURCHASE
OF ANY 4 STAR WARS ACTION FIGURES" etc, etc.
Star Wars 21-A: Bottom 1/2 same as 20-A. 9 'new' figures now in large
3x3 grid on left, 12 old figures in smaller 3x4 grid on
right. Boba Fett in middle of large grid.
TESB 21-B: Top same as 21-A. Bottom has same toys as 21-A,
re-arranged w/display case now on bottom. Note on
Droid Factory now reads "JAWA Figure not included".
TESB 21-C: 21 Figures on top, two grids (same size) 3x3 on left,
4x3 on right. Bottom 1/2 of card reads "GET A FREE
SECRET STAR WARS ACTION FIGURE WITH THE PURCHASE OF
ANY 4 STAR WARS ACTION FIGURES" etc, etc. Reads the same
as large sticker on 20-G.
TESB 31-A: 10 New figures added in 2x5 grid on left:
Lando, Bespin Guard (white), Luke Bespin, Rebel Hoth Soldier,
Snowtrooper, FX-7, Leia Bespin, Han Solo Hoth, Bossk,
IG-88. 21 figures on right in 5x4 grid with Hammerhead
on very bottom left. Note that 'Death Squad Commander'
is now referred to as 'Star Destroyer Commander'.
Toys pictured on bottom - Snowspeeder, Millenium Falcon,
Imperial Troop Transporter (voice version).
TESB 31-B: Same as 31-A, except for toys on bottom: Hoth ice
planet Action Playset, Star Destroyer Playset, Darth
Vader collector's Case.
TESB 32-A: Same as 31-A, with Yoda added on top left of card.
Troop Transport is replaced with Imperial Attack Base.
TESB 32-B: Same as 31-B, with Yoda added on top left of card.
TESB 41-A: Figures in 10x4 grid on top, with poor R2-D2 all alone
on the bottom left. New figures on top row - Dengar,
Imperial Commander, Rebel Commander, AT-AT Driver,
Ugnaught, Leia Hoth outfit, Lobot, Han Solo Bespin,
2-1B. Bottom 1/3 pictures the following toys:
Snowspeeder, Tauntaun, Turret-Probot playset,
3-mini rigs (I don't know these by name. help?)
TESB 41-B: Figures same as 41-A except R2-D2 is up on the top right
corner of the card. Bottom half reads "FREE A Star Wars tm
Action Figure Survival Kit" etc, etc. Pictures the contents
of the kit which include 5 guns, 3 masks, 2 backpacks, jedi
training harness, grappling hook
TESB 41-C: Figures shown all standing together loose, numbered 1-41.
Bottom 1/3 of card is the same as 41-A.
TESB 41-D: Figures same as 41-C, bottom has lots of toys pictured -
Dagobah Playset, Darth Case, X-Wing, TIE Fighter, Twin
Pod Cloud Car, Millenium Falcon, Slave I.
TESB 45: Figures numbered and standing loose together. New figures -
Cloud Car Pilot, Bespin Guard (black), AT-AT commander,
Luke Hoth, all on bottom left of figures. C-3P0 is now
pictured with the net and removable limbs, R2 with the
sensorscope. Bottom reads "SPECIAL OFFER Star Wars tm
Action Figure DISPLAY ARENA" etc etc. displaying the
4-part 'L-shape' display.
TESB 47: Figures numbered and standing loose together. New figures -
TIE Pilot, Zuckuss. Bottom 1/3 of card reads "SPECIAL OFFER
FREE 4-LOM ACTION FIGURE WITH PURCHASE" etc etc.
TESB 48-A: Figures numbered and standing loose. 4-LOM added to bottom
row, 3rd figure. Bottom shows toys - Scout Walker, Wampa
Open Belly Tauntaun (on his side - dead!!), Rebel Transport,
Vehicle Maintenance, Tri-Pod cannon, Radar Laser cannon,
CAP-2 Captivator and INT-4 Interceptor.
TESB 48-B: Figures same as 48-A, bottom covered by big sticker
which reads 'SPECIAL OFFER! FREE ADMIRAL ACKBAR tm
FIGURE FROM STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE JEDI" etc, etc.
ROTJ 48-C: Same as 48-B, sticker is now a real part of the card.
(i.e., they printed what was on the sticker on the card).
ROTJ 48-D: Top 1/2 same as 48-A, bottom reads "SPECIAL OFFER!
FREE NIEN NUNB FIGURE FROM STAR WARS tm RETURN OF THE
JEDI" etc, etc.
ROTJ 65-A: Lots of new figures added, numbered and standing loose.
Bottom 1/3 of card has these toys: Chewbacca Bandolier
Strap, Y-Wing Fighter, C-3PO collectors case.
ROTJ 65-B: Same figures as 65-A, bottom reads "FREE THE EMPORER
ACTION FIGURE FROM STAR WARS RETURN OF THE JEDI" etc.
ROTJ 65-C: Same figures as 65-A, bottom reads "FREE ANAKIN SKYWALKER
ACTION FIGURE FROM STAR WARS RETURN OF THE JEDI" etc.
ROTJ 77-A: New figures added, numbered and standing loose.
Bottom 1/3 of card has these toys: Sy Snootles Band,
Ewok Combat Glider, Ewok Assualt Catapult, Rancor
ROTJ 77-B: Figures same as 77-A, bottom has free Anakin offer as
on 65-C.
ROTJ 79-A: Paploo & Lumat added to middle of bottom row, figures
& toys otherwise same as 77-A.
ROTJ 79-B: Figures same as 79-A, bottom has free Anakin offer as
on 65-C.
POTF 92: Lots of new figures added on bottom row. Bottom
has Star Wars Coins offer. There's never been anything
like it. :-)
EWOKS: 6 Ewok figures pictured. Bottom has pictures of
Ewok Battle Wagon, Ewok Village, Ewok Combat Glider,
Ewok Assault Catapult.
DROIDS: 12 Droids figures pictured. Bottom has pictures of
ATL-Interceptor, Side Gunner, Battery Operated Lightsaber
