BROWN SNAKE Yoda Variant on U.S Kenner TESB 41B Card Back MOC

Does any Tantive XI forum member,s especially the YODA focus collectors, have one in your collection?

I came across this entry in the Kellerman Matrix (updated: V1.20 December 3, 2007) that said one exists on 3ESB-41B card back!  Up to this point I thought that Brown Snakes made their debut on the Offerless U.S. Kenner TESB 41D card backs, but gobsmacked to find out it was also released on the preceding TESB 41B card back!

Will appreciate it if you can post the Card Front and TESB 41B Card Back picture of your BROWN Snake Yoda in your response. Thanks!

It's important to understand the factory process and how figures are made. Three factories produced Yoda originally, they may not have all been operating the same, one of them may have started the brown snake first.

Take Luke Bespin for example, the 41 backs where where the change was made to the hair from blonde to brown, but not all factories produced all the cards:

ESB 41A - Only one factory produced the 41A card for Luke Bespin and that was the Smile factory, the figure had blonde hair only.
ESB 41B - Only one factory produced the 41A card for Luke Bespin and that was the Unitoy factory, the figure had blonde hair only.
ESB 41D - Now this card was produced in my opinion at only 2 factories, Smile and Unitoy, the Smile figure had now changed to the brown hair, Unitoy still had blonde hair.
It's possible that Kader also produced the 41D I have a couple of card back at Jay's house and I'm sure one has the 'K' on it, but I'll have to check. The Kader figures however can be found packed on Smile factory cards on the 41D and they are all blonde, so it's likely that the Smile factory packed Kader overstock for the U.S. market.
It's also relevant that both Kader and Unitoy ceased to produce any Luke Bespin stock for the U.S. Kenner market after the 41D.

My point here is that, one of the factories producing Yoda may have begun production of the brown snake before the others which would explain this.

In the case of Yoda:

ESB 32B - Definately produced at the Smile factory with the orange snake (It's possible that the 32B was only produced at Smile)
ESB 41A - Definately produced at the Unitoy factory with the orange snake (It's possible that the 41A was only produced at Unitoy)
ESB 41B - Definately produced at the Smile Factory with the orange snake,
ESB 41D - Definately produced at the Unitoy factory with both the orange and brown snake, definately produced at the Smile factory with the brown snake, definately produced at the Kader factory with the brown snake.

So the question is did any other factories produce the 41B and did they introduce the brown snake early?

It's also important to note that in order for an entry to be made in the Kellerman matrices a front back mirror picture is required, so if it's listed, then it probably does exist.

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Thank you for the leads you have posted on 27 January 2016.    

I have done some research last week in conjunction with my write up by checking the visuals of completed eBay Auctions of the U.S. Kenner TESB 41B carded Orange Snake Yoda and can confirm that 5 random examples that I have seen online have the "S" factory code printed on the card back, on the left of Greedo's panel. I have not seen any other factory codes such as "U" and "K" on the U.S. Kenner TESB 41B card back of Yoda.

From here we can safely say that Brown Snake Yoda would have been produced at :

Smile Industries Ltd.,
Silver Manufactory Holdings Co Ltd,
Unit B 7 F Reliance Mfy Bldg
24 Wong Chuk Hang Rd
Aberdeen
Hong Kong

and deduce that its characteristics i.e. shade of Green Skin tone, eye color, Shade of Brown Snake and Gimer Stick shape would be identical as the Brown Snake Yoda released on U.S. Kenner TESB 41D card back with the "S" Factory Code.

General Kahn wrote:My point here is that, one of the factories producing Yoda may have begun production of the brown snake before the others which would explain this.

In the case of Yoda:

ESB 32B - Definately produced at the Smile factory with the orange snake (It's possible that the 32B was only produced at Smile)
ESB 41A - Definately produced at the Unitoy factory with the orange snake (It's possible that the 41A was only produced at Unitoy)
ESB 41B - Definately produced at the Smile Factory with the orange snake,
ESB 41D - Definately produced at the Unitoy factory with both the orange and brown snake, definately produced at the Smile factory with the brown snake, definately produced at the Kader factory with the brown snake.

So the question is did any other factories produce the 41B and did they introduce the brown snake early?

It's also important to note that in order for an entry to be made in the Kellerman matrices a front back mirror picture is required, so if it's listed, then it probably does exist.