1995 Topps Empire Strikes Back Widevision trading cards look to create the theatrical experience of the epic sequel. Traditionally sized cards make that tough so Topps went tallboy. Like the Star Wars Widevision set that came out earlier in the year, the bigger cards allowed for the full widescreen images to appear in tact. More than that, there’s a lot going on that allows collectors to delve further into the movie and the making of it.
1995 Topps Empire Strikes Back Widevision Checklist Details
The base set checklist is a bulky 144 cards. At first glance, the fronts take a standard approach going through the main scenes of The Empire Strikes Back and recreating the story. From Hoth to Cloud City, romantic interludes to titanic revelations, it’s all here. With cards running 4 7/8″ by 3 3/4″, the extra space allows for the entire shot shown on the big screen to make its way onto the front. So even though there’s a lot of familiarity involved, there’s a freshness to it all as well.
The images are also extremely crisp and vibrant as it all came from a newly remastered print. Factor in the glossy stock and 1995 Topps Empire Strikes Back Widevision has a lot of premium elements going for it considering the era.
Backs have a couple of things going on. First, there are thoughtful recaps. Additional images include behind-the-scenes production thoughts, storyboards and other design art. Further commentary is included with these. No space is wasted and the overall content goes far beyond just retelling an already familiar story.
Finest Chromium Inserts
The 1995 Topps Empire Strikes Back Widevision checklist has just one insert set that’s found in packs. Ten Finest Chromium cards feature the product artwork of Ralph McQuarrie. Aside from being beautiful and iconic in their own right, these cards offer some early looks of characters and creatures that are barely recognizable when compared to what made it into the final film. Yoda in particular looks like a California Raisin crossed with Dobby the House Elf from Harry Potter.
Finest Chromium cards are 1:12 packs or roughly two per box.
Poster Toppers and Promo Cards
Every box of 1995 Topps Empire Strikes Back Widevision comes with one of six mini posters as a box topper. These showcase different posters used for the film, both in the United States and in other parts of the world. There’s even one for the radio drama.
Like all three of the original Widevision sets for the Original Trilogy, Empire Strikes Back has a fairly large roster of promo cards that helped advertise the set. These were distributed in a variety of magazines and at shows and conventions.
1995 Topps Empire Strikes Back is a popular set but not one that’s worth a significant amount today. Boxes and sets can still be found fairly easy. While not clearance-level cheap, they’re still overall quite affordable.
1995 Topps Empire Strikes Back Widevision Checklist
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Set size: 144 cards
Cards per pack: 9
Packs per box: 24
Shop for 1995 Topps Empire Strikes Back Widevision boxes on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
144 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Title Card
2 Ext. Hoth – Meteorite Crater – Snow Plain
3 Ext. Plain of Hoth
4 Ext. Plain of Hoth
5 Ext. Plain of Hoth
6 Int. Hoth – Rebel Base – Main Hangar Deck
7 Int. Ice Gorge
8 Ext. Hoth – Snowdrift
9 Ext. Hoth – Snowdrift
10 Int. Rebel Base – Medical Center
11 Int. Rebel Base – Medical Center – Recovery Room
12 Ext. Hoth – Snow Plain
13 Ext. Space – Imperial Fleet
14 Int. Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer – Bridge
15 Ext. Space – Imperial Fleet
16 Int. Vader’s Star Destroyer – Vader’s Chamber Meditation Pod
17 Int. Rebel Base – Main Hangar Deck
18 Ext. Rebel Base Ice Cave – Ion Cannon
19 Ext. Space – Hoth – Rebel Transport
20 Ext. Hoth – Ice Plain – Snow Trench
21 Int. Luke’s Snowspeeder, Rogue Leader – Cockpit
22 Ext. Hoth – Ice Plain – Battlefield
23 Int. Luke’s Snowspeeder, Rogue Leader – Cockpit
24 Ext. Hoth – Ice Plain – Battlefield
25 Int. Imperial Walker – Cockpit
26 Int. Imperial Walker – Cockpit
27 Ext. Hoth – Ice Plain – Battlefield
28 Int. Imperial Walker – Cockpit
29 Ext. Hoth – Battlefield
30 Ext. Hoth – Battlefield
31 Ext. Hoth – Snow Trench
32 Ext. Hoth – Battlefield
33 Int. Luke’s Snowspeeder, Rogue Leader – Cockpit
34 Ext. Hoth – Battlefield
35 Ext. Hoth – Battlefield – Ice Plain
36 Ext. Hoth – Battlefield – Ice Plain
37 Ext. Hoth – Battlefield – Ice Plain
38 Ext. Hoth – Battlefield
39 Int. Imperial Walker – Cockpit
40 Int. Rebel Base – Main Hangar
41 Ext. Space – Star Destroyers – Starfighters
42 Ext. Asteroid Belt – Millennium Falcon
43 Int. Millennium Falcon – Cockpit
44 Ext. Asteroid Belt – TIE Fighters
45 Ext. Asteroid Belt – Millennium Falcon
46 Ext. Asteroid Belt – TIE Fighters
47 Int. Millennium Falcon – Cockpit
48 Ext. Giant Asteroid Crater – Millennium Falcon
49 Ext. Giant Asteroid – Millennium Falcon
50 Int. Giant Asteroid Cave
51 Ext. Dagobah
52 Ext. Dagobah
53 Int. Vader’s Star Destroyer – Vader’s Meditation Pod
54 Ext. Dagobah – Bog Clearing
55 Ext. Dagobah – Bog Clearing
56 Int. Millennium Falcon – Main Hold Area
57 Int. Vader’s Star Destroyer – Bridge
58 Int. Vader’s Star Destroyer – Vader’s Chamber
59 Int. Vader’s Star Destroyer – Vader’s Chamber
60 Ext. Dagobah – Yoda’s House
61 Int. Dagobah – Yoda’s House
62 Ext. Giant Asteroid Crater – TIE Fighters
63 Int. Asteroid Cave – Millennium Falcon Cockpit
64 Int. Millennium Falcon – Space Slug Mouth
65 Int. Space Slug Mouth
66 Ext. Cave Entrance – Giant Asteroid
67 Ext. Dagobah
68 Ext. Dagobah
69 Int. Dagobah – Tree Cave
70 Int. Dagobah – Tree Cave
71 Int. Vader’s Star Destroyer – Bridge
72 Int. Vader’s Star Destroyer – Bridge
73 Ext. Star Destroyer – Asteroid Field
74 Ext. Millennium Falcon – Avenger – Asteroid Field
75 Ext. Space – Millennium Falcon – Asteroid Field
76 Ext. Millennium Falcon – Avenger – Asteroid Field
77 Ext. Dagobah – Bog
78 Ext. Dagobah – Bog
79 Ext. Dagobah – Bog
80 Ext. Star Destroyer Avenger – Millennium Falcon
81 Int. Slave I
82 Ext. Dagobah – Bog – Clearing
83 Int. Millennium Falcon Cockpit
84 Ext. Bespin – Millennium Falcon – Cloud Cars
85 Ext. Bespin’s Cloud City – Millennium Falcon – Cloud Cars
86 Ext. Bespin’s Cloud City – Landing Platform – Millennium Falcon
87 Ext. Bespin’s Cloud City – Landing Platform – Millennium Falcon
88 Ext. Cloud City – Landing Platform
89 Ext. Cloud City – Landing Platform – Door of Millennium Falcon
90 Ext. Bespin’s Cloud City – Landing Platform – Millennium Falcon
91 Ext. Dagobah – Bog
92 Ext. Dagobah – Bog
93 Ext. Cloud City – Living Quarters
94 Int. Cloud City – Dining Room
95 Int. Cloud City – Dining Room
96 Int. Cloud City – Dining Room
97 Int. Cloud City – Large Cell
98 Int. Cloud City – Prison Entry Area
99 Int. Cloud City – Holding Chamber
100 Int. Cloud City – Holding Area
101 Ext. Cloud City – Luke’s X-Wing
102 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
103 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
104 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
105 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
106 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
107 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
108 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
109 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
110 Int. Cloud City – Corridor
111 Ext. Cloud City – East Landing Platform – Slave I
112 Ext. Cloud City – East Landing Platform – Slave I
113 Ext. Cloud City – East Landing Platform
114 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
115 Int. Cloud City – Carbon-Freezing Chamber
116 Int. Cloud City – Tunnel and Reactor Control Room
117 Int. Cloud City – Tunnel and Reactor Control Room
118 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
119 Int. Cloud City – Corridor
120 Ext. Cloud City – Landing Platform – Millennium Falcon
121 Ext. Cloud City – Landing Platform – Millennium Falcon
122 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
123 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
124 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
125 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
126 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
127 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
128 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
129 Int. Cloud City – Gantry – Reactor Shaft
130 Ext. Bottom of Cloud City – Weather Vane
131 Ext. Bespin – Millennium Falcon
132 Ext. Millennium Falcon – Bottom of Cloud City
133 Ext. Space – Millennium Falcon – TIE Fighters
134 Int. Millennium Falcon – Hold
135 Int. Millennium Falcon – Hold – Pit
136 Int. Millennium Falcon – Sleeping Quarters
137 Int. Millennium Falcon – Cockpit
138 Int. Vader’s Star Destroyer – Bridge
139 Int. Rebel Star Cruiser – Medical Center
140 Int. Rebel Star Cruiser – Medical Center
141 Ext. Galaxy – Space – Millennium Falcon
142 Int. Rebel Star Cruiser – Medical Center
143 Int. Rebel Star Cruiser – Medical Center
144 Ext. Space – Rebel Star Cruiser – Rebel Ships
Finest Chromium Checklist
10 cards.
1:12 packs.
C-1 Imperial Probe Droid
C-2 Luke on Tauntaun
C-3 Luke Running from AT-AT Walkers
C-4 Rebel Snowspeeders
C-5 Yoda and Luke
C-6 Millennium Falcon Racing from Space Slug
C-7 Cloud City
C-8 Luke and Darth Vader
C-9 Luke Dangling on Weather Vane
C-10 Luke Being Operated On with Leia, C-3PO and R2-D2 Nearby
Mini Posters Checklist
6 cards.
1 per box.
1 Advance One-Sheet Poster
2 Domestic One-Sheet Poster
3 Style B Domestic One-Sheet Poster
4 Australian One-Sheet Poster
5 German One-Sheet Poster
6 Radio Show Poster
Promo Cards Checklist
0 Darth Vader in Meditation Chamber – Star Wars Galaxy magazine
P1 Darth Vader and Han Solo – conventions
P2 AT-AT Walkers – Non-Sport Update magazine
P3 Luke, R2-D2 and Yoda – Cards Illustrated magazine
P4 Luke Dangling – Combo magazine
P5 Slave I – conventions
P6 C-3PO, R2-D2, Luke, Leia – Wizard magazine
3-Card Panel
Darth Vader and Han Solo / AT-AT Walkers / Luke, R2-D2 and Yoda – Previews magazine
