Why are some Star Wars in blue boxes, and some in black?

[Violet]

Sorry if it's a newbie question.

I just got a Princess Leia #4 in the white gown, and she's in a blue box. (Found on the store shelf at a Gamestop.) I was just looking on the Hot Topic site, and it seems like some of the Star Wars are in blue boxes and some in black. They have a Han Solo #3 in a black box. Luke Skywalker #11 is also in a black box. C-3PO #13 is in a blue box (this one seems to be an exclusive of some sort, though). Boba Fett #8 is in a blue box, and Jawa #20 is in black. I'm super confused!!!


By the way, Hot Topic now has the Rocky Horror Picture Show Pops on their web site. Yay! I just ordered three.

[Sir Real]

Blue boxes are the original releases. Black boxes are the newer, recent re-releases, also called "unvaulted". The figures themselves should be identical.

[Jedipop]

Blue boxes are the original releases. Black boxes are the newer, recent re-releases, also called "unvaulted". The figures themselves should be identical.

I was confused as well as I just recently stated collecting but then google told me.

[Violet]

Thanks. So since I found a blue box Leia at my Gamestop today, it means I lucked out and got an original release? Sweet.

Oh, and by the way, it occurred to me after I wrote the above that perhaps the pictures on the Hot Topic site might not be showing their correct color boxes, if the site used an old promotional picture.

[wonderful217]

Well not all of the original were vaulted. I believe there are only 9 that come in the black vault boxes, and then the new Force Awakens have their own black boxes. The Vault pops are Greedo, Han, Clone Trooper, Gammorean Gaurd, Jawa, Tusken Raider, Obi Wan, Slave Leia, and Jedi Luke.

[Violet]

I want Obi Wan so badly.

[Sir Real]

Yes, blue boxes are the original ones. But that doesn't mean they're necessarily rare. As has been said, only a few have been retired, vaulted, then unvaulted. So many other Star wars pops (except for the TFA ones) only come in blue boxes, and if they're not retired, then the blue box isn't valuable or rare at all.

And you're correct, photos on websites from which you order pops could show a blue box but if it's a recently unvaulted pop, you are likely to receive the black box.

[wonderful217]

I want Obi Wan so badly.

The vault edition should be hitting stores in the next month or 2 for Obi Wan.

[Violet]

You're all awesome. Just wanted you to know that.

Well, so my Princess Leia isn't a retired edition. Oh well. I didn't get her for her value, anyway. I'm trying to only collect Pops that mean something to me, and Leia was a heroine to me when I was a little girl, as was Wonder Woman (though I don't have a WW Pop yet). That may sound silly, but I'm talking about when I was seven. LOL.

[Silent Snootch]

I have a question in regards to this topic as I'm starting to understand the box color a little. If #04 Leia was not vaulted, what would cause he to be in a black box? I recently purchased one (because my wife and I married as Leia and Han), and it is in a black box with a misprint on the back. I am trying to find a matching #03 Han, but the blue box is atrociously priced, and the black box has Yellow letters instead of the solid white like Leia. I will definitely end up with the black box Solo, but I'm curious if I should grab a blue box of both instead (I can get a set fairly inexpensively if that's the case).

[Funko Boss 1973]

I have a black box princess leia #4 which has an error on the back showing the #5 stormtrooper as #7 greedo. Funko pulled it once they realizedit had an error on the box. The other black box pop that's fairly rare is unmasked vader.

[kajoshb2k]

I believe a friend of mine came across a black box Princess Leia at FYE the other day. It was #4 Leia but was the black and red box like the more recent SW releases. And I may be mistaken the non-slave Leia does not have a vault edition at this point.

[Mizarkie]

Its always confused me. But new box is black and older boxes are blue if im not mistaken.