Star Wars and Star Trek Memorabilia

No other enternainment concept has ever been more intriguing than the exploration of outer space. Right now, space toys seem to be intriguingly collectible!

Since the block-buster hit movie "Star Wars" of the late seventys, the retail market has been under relentless attack by (mostly) toy manufacturers capitalizing on its popularity and that of its sequels, "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) and the "Return of the Jedi" (1983). A large percentage of the toys were action models, made by the kenner Company. Kenner Toys made before 1980 carry the logo of 20th Centry Fox Studios. After that, George Lucas, the movies' creator, regained control of the merchandise rights, and his own logo replaced fox's. Most of the 12" Collectible action figures from the seventies go for $60.00 to $150.00 Han Solo (mint in Box) books at $225.00. Costumes by Ben Cooper from the eighties are worth $15.00 to $25.00, and some of the games run from $15.00 to $60.00.

The Star Trek concept was the brainchild of Gene Roddenberry, and though the original TV show was relatively short-lived, the series of the movies that followed were all mega-films: Star Trek: The Motion Picture; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; Star Trek V: The Final Frontier; and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Today there are legions of Star Trek fans. They've organized clubs and hold national conventions each year. They're from all age groups, since the Star Trek concept spans the years from the mid-60s to the late 1980s. Trekkies can find just about any sort of merchandise you can imagine - books, records, Collectible action figures, collectible toys, games, party goods, glassware, playsets and much, much more - sporting images of Mr. Spock, Captain Kirk, Scottie, or any of the other regular crew members and resident aliens!

Watch for these at garage sales and flea markets. Remember to preserve the original box, if your lucky enough to get one. They often enhance the value of an item by at least 50%. Here are examples of just a few things you may find and the approximate retail values they're bringing on the secondary market:

Board game by Hasbro, 1970s, $35.00.

Fase Mask, Mr. Spock, $40.00.

Liquor decanter, Mr. Spock figural, Grenadier, 1979, $75.00.

Frisbee, Remco, 1967, $30.00.