1997 :: Confection Concepts Postacards (ESB)
Although the 'A New Hope' companion set contained 50 cards, this set of 'The Empire Strikes Back' "postacards", from Confection Concepts International Ltd., numbers only 45. Curiously, they are also of a different physical size: the ESB series are larger at 89 x 64mm compared to the 90 x 60mm dimensions of their ANH cousins, making them barely recognisable as being from the same manufacturer.
As with their predecessors, these trading cards came packaged with confectionery, one postacard per chocolate bar. Some lucky purchasers would have found more than just a trading card inside, however: randomly inserted amongst the standard cards were "Special Redemption Cards", offering, with the following ratios of finding such an instant prize, limited edition uncut sheets (1:2500), Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition videos (1:5000), complete set of 45 postacardz (1:500), or Star Wars action figurines from Kenner (1:250).
The chocolate bar wrapper (images: wrapper front, wrapper back) was largely monochrome, blue on white (but with a few text or text-background elements in red). This made it a little more bland than the first series wrapper, but, particularly these days, still quite collectible in its own right. A completed set of 45 cards could be assembled to reveal a movie posted image on the card backs (a full colour SW:ESB poster - the excellent Drew Struzan version). And, just to keep everything tidy and safe, an exclusive 45-pocket wall hangar was available by sending 5 empty wrappers, plus a $10 money order along to the manufacturers.
These collectibles came out shortly after the 'A New Hope' series, so were still riding the hype of the Special Edition movie releases. Cards with images from the ESB Special Edition were denoted with a different, gold-coloured logo, image border, and caption text. We saw 18 out of 50 such cards in the SW series, but a strangely low grand total of 3 out of 45 in the ESB set.
The chocolate bar wrapper described this 'Empire Strikes Back' set as being one of three sets, depicting scenes from each of the Original Trilogy movies respectively. Alas, those holding out to achieve a hat-trick of complete sets would have been disappointed, as the Return of the Jedi set never eventuated. Sometime after the release of the Empire set, Confection Concepts seemed to fade quietly out of business.
The following image is of a very rare and desirable item (sourced thanks to Sean F) - an uncut sheet of a full set of cards. It is numbered 299 of 300, and the flipside displays the Drew Struzan ESB poster in its uncut splendour. Second from the left is an unused packing box that, when opened and folded, forms a point-of-sale display with a backdrop comprised of the Vader and Yoda cut-outs. Each carton of this type contained 48 x 40g chocolate bars. Following that, we have scans of the front and side (both sides were the same), respectively, carefully captured from that same unused box.
If you have any of these cards (or the chocolate bar wrappers/boxes) for sale, please contact me at [email protected].
Related article: Confection Concepts Postacards (ANH).
Matt G
(with thanks to TK-102)
