1982 Kenner Star Wars ESB Hoth Wampa Cave Micro Collection Playset MIB, Sealed Bags, Revenge of the Jedi insert

I don't know how these things continue to fly under the radar. We have two of these sets, both minty with sealed bags, inserts, etc. And both with Holy Grail pre-release, error REVENGE OF THE JEDI PRE-RELEASE INSERT!!!!!!! So cool, most collectors think you have to spend many hundreds to thousands to get a crack at authentic Revenge of the Jedi merch -- not true, some of the Micros had them, like this one. But then again, they only made these for one year, so not a big supply, esp. condition sensitive. Also, interestingly, this particular set has a double image, looks like printing error flaw, making this a one-off. On top of all that, and rarity, the Micro Collections sets are way more compact and easy to collect than the full-size line. Great detail and great size for collecting and displaying. You could fit the entire Micro Collection run in a regular-size Tydirium box and have room for a half-scale Wicket for cushioning. Someday, like the battle for Galactic control itself, the tide will also turn on these great collectibles.

And here's the Star Wars Collector's Archive (theSWCA.com) discussion on the background for the one-year only limited run of Micro Collection sets after the release of Empire, and hence, why they are so rare:

"Kenner's Micro Collection line of toys was both revolutionary and short-lived. Whereas today, nearly every major toy line has a micro-scale division, in 1982, when the Micro Collection was introduced, it received a rather tepid response at retail, and was cancelled after only one year. The Micro Collection playsets were based on key action sequences from Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. Each set came with a varying number of posed metal figures, as well as a sort of plastic stage, which served as a miniature 'environment' in which kids could play out their favorite Star Wars moments.

"The figures' lack of posability is often cited as a key factor in the demise of the line; but this is a somewhat simplistic explanation for why the Micro Collection never really took off. By 1982, the ESB line was fast drawing to a close; more importantly, kids' interests were increasingly being drawn away from Star Wars towards competing action figure brands, such as Masters of the Universe and the 33/4" incarnation of G.I. Joe. It was simply a poor time to introduce such an extensive and unfamiliar product line. Had it been launched more conservatively, and amidst the rush of hype surrounding the 1983 release of Return of the Jedi, the Micro Collection might have fared much better. But as it turned out, the line was cancelled, and Star Wars collectors had to wait until 1994, the year that Galoob introduced their popular line of Star Wars Micro Machines, before they could again buy micro-scale toy products.

"In all, 70 die-cast metal figures were released, each coming as part of either a retail playset or the one mail-away premium attached to the line, the so-called 'Build Your Armies' figure set."

BTW we will also be listing the Build Your Armies set, minty and fresh.

May the Force be with you.