Documenting Reproduction and Original Vintage Star Wars Weapons & Accessories Since 2009 

Johnpaul Ragusa Presents..............  

In this section we will be showing the many repro parts that  appear on the market for boxed vehicles, play-sets, creatures and other items associated with the Star Wars action figure lines.

Contents: Action Figure Display Stand Backdrop, AT-AT Parts, Death Star Gun Turret Canopy, Dewback Reins, Die Cast Vehicles Parts, Early Bird Coupons, Endor Forest Ranger Laser Cannon, Imperial Troop Transporter Battery Cover, Inserts & Boxes, Power Droid Exhaust, Single Figure Display Stands, Speeder Bike Parts, Y-Wing parts, X-Wing Parts.

REPRO cardboard display backdrop

ORIGINAL cardboard display backdrop

This reproduction cardboard backdrop (top pic) appears to have much more vibrant colours than the original (bottom). This can be seen especially on the darker orange / yellow colours for the explosions on the picture. The original explosion colours are much paler.

TIG has not verified these in-hand as yet so this entry is for information purposes only. However, we've seen a number of these repros advertised online and all of them appear to have the more vibrant colours.

AT-AT Chin Guns Repro

Update 2016:

When comparing the ends of the curve sections, an original will have a seam. Known repros do not have this seam and are flat. 

Three originals on left compared to two repros on right.

Note: Original Chin Guns will sink when submerged in water. Be careful when making the float test as sometimes air bubbles can become trapped in the lateral sections and cause them to float. Once any air bubbles are clear this accessory should sink.

AT-AT Bulb Cover Repro

ORIGINAL Death Star Gun Turret Canopy

Note: due to age and the type of plastic used, this canopy has become yelllow. This is a normal process for this particular accessory.  

REPRO Death Star Gun Turret Canopy

The repro is clear and can sometimes be a smoky grey in colour. A moulding difference can be observed by comparing the 'dimples' around the dome on top: on the repro version these are less defined than those on the original.

A write up and photographs concerning the emergence of reproduction parts for the range of vintage Star Wars die cast vehicles can be found at this great website Vintage Star Wars Die Cast Toys in the 'reproductions' section.

ORIGINAL Dewback Reins V1

The V1 reins sink when placed in water and have a raised number '1' on the inside of the chinstrap. There are two EPMs (Ejector Pin Marks) present on the inside of both buckles. There is a Sprue Break Point beneath the right-hand side buckle, and what appears to be a Small Raised Bump on the harness collar.

ORIGINAL Dewback Reins V2

The V2 reins sink when placed in water and have a raised number '2' on the inside of the chinstrap. There are two EPMs present on the inside of both buckles. There is a Sprue Break Point beneath the right-hand side buckle, but unlike the V1 version there is no Small Raised Bump on the harness collar.

REPRO Dewback Reins

It is unknown yet if this repro floats or sinks.

Reproduction Coupon

This fake paperwork item first came to light in July 2015 when an eBay seller sold one as an original to a collector. The printed fake makes a good effort at copying an original though there are some tell-tale signs.

The best tell is the way that the black background ink has not penetrated into the enclosed spaces of individual letters such as A, B, D, O, P, etc. When holding a repro example at an angle or toward a light source, you can clearly see the mismatched black ink.

Other tells include slightly darker blue coloured POPs.

Compared to an original, the character names appearing on the photo of the Action Stand are slightly out of focus.

The crease on this Repro is actually printed rather than being a real crease.

At the same time as the above Repro was discovered, another example from a different eBay account was spotted. This one was advertised as 'reproduction' and stated that it had been scanned from an original.

TIG advises anyone in the market for these type of paperwork items to ask for detailed photos before purchasing.

REPRO Endor Forest Ranger Laser Cannon

Imperial Troop Transporter Battery Cover REPRO

Comparison photo of three original covers with a repro (bottom).

The repro weighs 4.2 grams - 0.5 grams less than an original which weighs 4.7g. (checked against a red cover, a faded red cover, and a grey cover).

The repro feels more flexible than an original and appears to have a more flat / matte colour.

Repro Inserts, Boxes & Paperwork for the 12 inch Action Figure Line & 3 3/4 inch vehicles & Play-sets

Update April 2015

TIG advises you to check your boxes, inserts and paperwork for repros! Repro maker Darren Orme continues to expand his fake boxes and inserts for the vintage Star Wars line. To date (April 2015) reproduction boxes and inserts have been made and sold for...

12 inch boxes & Inserts:

All including the 12 inch Basa Chewbacca & Vader.

Displays/Backdrops:

Early Bird Display backdrop & box; 12 Back Display Headers; Palitoy Cantina backdrop; SW & ESB Display Stand; Rebel Command Center; 12-back header; Boba Fett Offer header & bin; Collect all 21 header & bin; ESB prototype header & bin.

Vehicles & Play-sets:

Sandcrawler vehicle; Palitoy Deathstar; SW Sonic Controlled Land Speeder; SW Palitoy X-Wing; SW Palitoy Landspeeder; POTF Ewok Combat; POTF Hoth Rescue; POTF Endor Chase; POTF Tatooine Skiff.

Figure/Creature packs:

ESB 6-pack yellow & red boxes; ESB HothWampa/Wampa; ESB TaunTaun solid/open belly; ESB Canadian Dewback; SW Dewback/Dewback Collector Series.

Other:

ESB Yoda puppet; SW Palitoy Talking R2-D2.

Most of these products in-hand are quite obviously fake but not easy to detect in auction photos. If you are buying and are unsure ask the seller if the boxes/inserts are original and request close-up photos.

History

Discovered on eBay in April 2014, Darren Orme, eBay name: Replictor-boxes-and-inserts (pre Jan 2015 previously known as replicatorreproductionvintagestarwarsboxesandinserts) began selling reproduction boxes and inserts for the 12" and 3 3/4" action figure lines and vehicles. 

Below are some of the images used showing the earlier markings "R" used for the 12" line of boxes and inserts. The paperwork was unmarked at the time.

Reproduction Boxes

The same seller also listed repro boxes for the Boba Fett & IG-88 12 inch Action Figures, and a repro box for the POTF Tattooine Skiff vehicle.

The photo below shows digitized images on single sheets of lustre paper ready to be attached to card.

The seller, in dialogue with TIG, stated that all future paperwork items would be marked and improvements made to the marking on boxed items and 12" inserts. This means there should only be a small quantity of unmarked paper items and other items marked with the previous "R" symbol already sold. Future releases would (we were told) contain the marking: "Replicator Boxes".

Fake Cardboard Inserts For Boxed Items

As well fake boxes, Darren Orme also made repro cardboard inserts for EVERY vehicle, play-set, creature and mini-rig produced for the 3 3/4 inch action figure line, including the Glasslite style inserts for the X-Wing, Tie Interceptor and Tie Fighter.

TIG verified some of the new repro inserts in-hand. We can confirm that the ones we have seen so far are marked as repro with a stamped letter "R".

Please be aware that prior to the marking of his repro inserts the seller had already shifted onto the market 7 (seven) years worth of unmarked repro cardboard inserts. From the seller's own auction listing:

"CARDBOARD INSERTS THERE ARE ABOUT 7 YEARS WORTH OF THESE WITH NO MARKS BUT ARE EASILY IDENTIFIED IF YOU KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR ALL OF THEM WILL HAVE A SMALL FLICK MARK IN PENCIL ON ALL FOLD LINES BOTH END OF FOLD, ALSO IN THE FOLD LINES THERE WILL BE NO SMALL SLITS THAT ARE CUT INTO THE ORIGINAL INSERTS AND ALSO ALL ORIGINAL INSERTS HAD A NUMBER ON THEM MADE OF DOT MINE DO NOT HAVE THESE SLITS OR NUMBERS ON THEM"

Note: although most original inserts did carry a serial number, there have been a few examples without numbers noted by collectors. 

Power Droid REPRO rubber exhaust V1

Moulded and cast from an original.

Power Droid REPRO rubber exhaust V2

Discovered on eBay in November 2015. Made from rubber.

The original round clear display stands were found in the Palitoy and Toltoys Death Star Play-set, and the Darth Vader Star Destroyer Play-set. Below is a comparison picture of the ORIGINAL on the left versus a REPRO on the right. The only way it seems to tell these two apart is by the circle that goes around the foot peg of the repro version.

Some collectors believe that the original Palitoy stands are quite rare, and are willing to pay a premium. However, these same stands can also be found bundled onto accessory packs for the Palitoy Action Force line. The stands were also included in the Action Force Headquarters play-set (made from cardboard and similar to the Palitoy Death Star play-set).

Sharp-eyed collectors will also notice that some of the Action Force accessory packs also contain versions of the YPS Hothtrooper gun! 

Speeder Bike Flaps REPRO

Speeder Bike Handlebars REPRO

TaunTaun Reins REPRO

X-Wing Fighter Laser Cannon Original

X-Wing Fighter Laser Cannon Repro

These repros are just about impossible to tell from a real one. Their biggest giveaway is that they will sink when submerged under water. REAL ones will always float to the surface. These repros have number 7 on their undersides (REAL ones may also have this number as well as other numbers present).

X-Wing Fighter Cockpit Canopy Repro

These repros that come in both clear and dark versions are almost impossible to tell from the originals. REAL canopies weigh approx 5.5 grams compared to the FAKES which weigh approx 4.5 grams.

Y-Wing Bomb Original

Comes apart in two sections and features EPMs along with letters so far identified as an 'A' and a 'B'.

Y-Wing Bomb REPRO

Y-Wing Top Gun REPRO