Collectible of the Day 239 - Royal Guard Bookmarks

[darthskellington]

Here are a pair of Royal Guard bookmarks made by Random House in 1983. There were a total of 16 numered bookmarks in the series. Each bookmark has a variation....they were available in either a matte finish or a glossy (almost laminated) finish. These bookmarks are great examples of original artwork created to promote the classic trilogy.

Bookmarks in the set include:
#01 Luke Skywalker
#02 Darth Vader
#03 Princess Leia (Boushh)
#04 R2-D2
#05 C-3PO
#06 Lando Calrissian
#07 Chewbacca
#08 Yoda the Jedi Master
#09 Obi-Wan Kenobi
#10 Han Solo
#11 Boba Fett
#12 Wicket the Ewok
#13 Emperor's Royal Guard
#14 Stormtrooper
#15 Jabba the Hutt
#16 Admiral Ackbar

You can see the matte and glossy finish in the pictures below.

 

[darthskellington]

It seems there has been an ongoing debate as to whether or not the variations are actually variations, or just varying "condition." Reportedly, the glossy coating is prone to flaking off depending storage conditions (heat and humidity, I imagine). It apparently peels off clean, leaving a matte finish.

If anyone out there has any experience with this or info to add, please join in.