When the first Star Wars movie came out in 1977, it took the world by storm. Nobody had expected it to become the hit it did, including toy manufacturer Kenner, who were charged with making action figures and other merchandise for the film. Not having enough stock for Christmas sales that year, Kenner opted to sell an “Early Bird Certificate” that entitled buyers to receive a set of four action figures as soon as they were released.
Source：https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-original-action-figures/
