1997 Merlin Star Wars Special Edition trading cards delve into the original trilogy with a simple structure. That said, it’s also one of the first releases to dig into George Lucas’ tinkering and bringing the revamped moments to collectors.
1997 Merlin Star Wars Special Edition Checklist Details
The 125-card base set covers all three films: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Each movie is retold over 35 cards with an emphasis on new and “upgraded” sequences. The last 20 cards are subsets dedicated to key characters and standout vehicles.
The design is as basic as the product’s structure. Fronts have full-bleed images with only the Trilogy SE logo added in one of the corners. Backs are more complex with a smaller second photo and multiple design elements. Write-ups add some depth.
1997 Merlin Star Wars Special Edition packs don’t have any inserts. Two oversized cards were given out as case toppers.
Although originally intended for European distribution, a significant amount of product made its way over to North America. This has helped keep supply relatively high and prices reasonable.
1997 Merlin Star Wars Special Edition Checklist
Click on the links to shop for cards on eBay or to check current market values.
Set size: 125 cards
Cards per pack: 5
Packs per box: 50
Shop for 1997 Merlin Star Wars Special Edition boxes on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
120 cards.
Buy on eBay:
Star Wars
1 Imperial Star Destroyer
2 R2-D2 and C-3PO
3 Rebel Forces
4 Darth Vader
5 C-3PO
6 Sandcrawler
7 Stormtrooper on Dewback
8 Luke Skywalker and Owen Lars
9 Luke, C-3PO and R2-D2
10 Tusken Raider
11 Luke Skywalker With Lightsaber
12 Death Star and Star Destroyer
13 Landspeeder in Mos Eisley
14 Luke, Ben & C-3PO With Stormtroopers
15 Han Solo and Chewbacca
16 Han Solo With Jabba the Hutt
17 The Millennium Falcon
18 Princess Leia With Grand Moff Tarkin
19 Millennium Falcon Interior
20 Death Star Docking Bay
21 Luke, Han and C-3PO
22 Han Solo and Princess Leia
23 Ben Kenobi
24 Millennium Falcon
25 Millennium Falcon Approaching Yavin
26 Han Solo With Luke Skywalker
27 X-Wing Fighters
28 X-Wing Fighter With TIE Fighter
29 Y-Wing Fighter and TIE Fighter
30 Darth Vader/tie Fighter Interior
31 Princess Leia and C-3PO
32 Luke Skywalker/X-Wing Interior
33 Death Star Exhaust Port
34 Luke, Leia and Han
35 Han Solo Winking
The Empire Strikes Back
36 Imperial Probot
37 Han Solo With Rebel Commander
38 Luke Skywalker in Wampa Lair
39 Han Solo Waving to Snowspeeder
40 Han Solo Firing at Imperial Probe Droid
41 Darth Vader With General Veers
42 Luke Skywalker
43 Snowspeeder/AT-AT Legs
44 Millennium Falcon Leaving Rebel Base
45 Falcon Entering Asteroid Field
46 Exploding TIE Fighter
47 Yoda
48 Luke and Yoda
49 Millennium Falcon & Star Destroyer
50 Falcon on Back of Star Destroyer
51 Millennium Falcon Cockpit Interior
52 Rebels Arriving in Bespin
53 Darth Vader Tortures Han Solo
54 Luke’s X-Wing Approaching Cloud City
55 Han Solo/Carbon Freezing Chamber
56 Luke and Darth Vader Duel
57 Slave I Leaving Cloud City
58 Darth Vader
59 Luke Skywalker
60 Luke Skywalker/Reactor Shaft
61 Luke and Vader Dueling/Reactor Shaft
62 Darth Vader Reaching Out to Luke
63 Luke Skywalker
64 Millennium Falcon and Cloud City
65 R2-D2 Repairing C-3PO
66 Luke Skywalker
67 Leia/millennium Falcon’s Cockpit
68 Luke Skywalker’s Bionic Hand
69 R2-D2 With C-3PO
70 Luke, Leia, R2-D2 and C-3PO
Return of the Jedi
71 Shuttle Leaving Star Destroyer
72 Darth Vader and Grand Moff Jerjerod
73 Jabba’s Palace
74 Jabba the Hutt
75 Boushh the Bounty Hunter
76 Han Solo Escaping the Carbonite
77 Luke With Bib Fortuna
78 Luke Skywalker in Rancor’s Grip
79 Luke, Han and Chewbacca
80 Luke Skywalker
81 Boba Fett
82 Han Solo Reaches for Lando
83 C-3PO and Salacious Crumb
84 Luke and Leia on Jabba’s Sail Barge
85 The Emperor Palpatine
86 Yoda Instructing Luke
87 Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar
88 Shuttle Tydirium
89 Luke and Leia on Speeder Bike
90 Luke Tackles a Scout Trooper
91 Luke, Han and Chewie Surrounded
92 Luke and Leia at the Ewok Village
93 The Rebel Fleet
94 Vader and Luke Before the Emperor
95 Ackbar Watching the Rebel Fleet
96 Battle Above the Death Star
97 Han Plants Explosive Charges
98 The Death Star Fires on the Rebels
99 Lightsaber’s Clash
100 Darth Vader Is Defeated
101 The Emperor/throne Room
102 Millennium Falcon/int. Death Star
103 Anakin Skywalker
104 The Death Star Explodes
105 Anakin, Ben and Yoda
Character Profiles
106 Luke Skywalker
107 Han Solo
108 Leia Organa
109 Obi-wan Kenobi
110 Chewbacca
111 C-3PO
112 R2-D2
113 Darth Vader
114 Yoda
115 Boba Fett
Vehicle Profiles
116 X-Wing Fighter
117 Death Star
118 Sandcrawler
119 Millennium Falcon
120 TIE Fighter
121 Imperial Shuttle
122 AT-AT
123 Star Destroyer
124 Vader’s TIE Fighter
125 Checklist
Case Toppers Checklist
2 cards.
1 per case.
Oversized cards measure 3 1/4″ x 5 1/4″.
P/1 Leia Is Discovered by Jabba the Hutt
P/2 X-Wings Attack the Death Star
Promo Cards Checklist
Oversized cards measure 3 1/4″ x 5 1/4″.
P/3 The Search for Han Solo Begins
