This post seeks to describe the different variations in the 1984 Panosh Place Voltron action figure line in terms of the packaging and contents of unopened figures. There is an excellent post already that describes the differences for all 12 characters in terms of the variations in the figure molds themselves. Check it out here:
Panosh Place Voltron mold variations by Needless Essentials
It has been found over time that there are two main variations for each character mold, a less detailed mold of the figure and a more detailed mold of the figure. They are referred to as the "bad mold" and "good mold" in this post respectively. There is an easy way to tell which one you have if they are loose - the less detailed figures have the company stamp on the bottom of their feet while the more detailed figures have the company stamp on the back of their legs (there are a few exceptions to this - see the Needless Essentials post). So, how do you tell what variation of card-back you have if you collect the unopened ones? That's what I hope to answer here.
(click on photos to zoom in/scroll)
As I found the most variations for Pidge (11 different cards!), let's start with him. There are the four Panosh Place card variations - two different card-backs for the more detailed figure, and two different card-backs for the less detailed one. One card-back shows Pidge with his eyes looking to the right, and on the other card-back, he is looking forward and the shape of his mouth has changed. The fifth card here has both the Panosh Place and Mattel logos on it. The sixth is the International Mattel card. The seventh just has the Mattel logo. The seventh card is the Canadian Grand Toys variation. Then, there is the Brazilian Glasslite brand card. Lastly, there are the two variations with different key-stickers in the Revirplas brand from Argentina.Many thanks to The Toy Box for providing several of the photos that appear throughout this post. They have an awesome blog, too - check it out here:
Allura has a lot of different cards as well with at least 9 different variations. There are at least 3 different Panosh Place cards - the original card type that comes with the good mold and then the newer card type with either of the two molds. Notice that the older card-back shows Allura without the oval-shaped badge on her chest. There is a card that has both the Panosh Place and Mattel logos on it. There is the card with just the Mattel logo. The International Mattel card has the Mattel logo but also lists Princess Allura's name in 3 languages. Besides those, there are the Canadian Grand Toys, Brazilian Glasslite, and Argentinian Revirplas cards.
Hunk also has at least 9 different variations. There are at least three Panosh Place cards - the original card graphics with the good mold figure and then the card with the newer graphics which can have either the good mold or bad mold figure. Notice that the older graphics show Hunk with his mouth open and no badge on his chest while on the newer card, he has the badge and his mouth is closed. Besides those, there is a card that has both the Panosh Place and Mattel logos and one that has just the Mattel logo. There are Canadian Grand Toys Hunk cards and Brazilian Glasslite cards. As with Pidge, Hunk has two Revirplas variations due to the different key-stickers.
For the next pilot, we will take a look at Lance. Lance can be found on at least 8 different cards. There are the 4 Panosh Place variations - the older card-back design with the more detailed or less detailed mold and then the newer card-back which can also come with either mold. As with some of the other pilots, the older card-back shows Lance without the badge on his chest. There is the card with both Panosh Place and Mattel logos on it. One variation has just the Mattel logo. Then, there are the Canadian Grand Toys and Argentinian Revirplas cards. Let me know if you can find photos of a Glasslite Lance - I'm pretty sure it existed at one time, I just can't find any photos of it.
For the fifth and last pilot, Keith, there are also at least 9 variations. Like before, there are the 4 Panosh Place cards representing the two different card-back styles and two different molds. I wasn't able to find a card with both Panosh Place and Mattel logos but I suspect it may have existed at one time. There is a card with just the Mattel logo. Besides those, there are the Canadian Grand Toys version, two versions in the Brazilian Glasslite brand, and the Revirplas version.
Next, we have King Zarkon. There are at least 7 different types of King Zarkon cards - only the first two variations have the good mold. There are the 3 Panosh Place cards - the older card-back with the good mold figure and the newer card-back with either the good or bad mold. There is a card that has both the Panosh Place and Mattel logos on it. There is a card with just the Mattel logo. The International Mattel card has King Zarkon's name in three languages at the bottom. Besides those, there is the Canadian Grand Toys card.
Prince Lotor has at least eight variations. There are the 4 Panosh Place cards corresponding to the older or newer card-back design coming with either the good mold or bad mold figure. There is a card with just the Mattel logo. Lotor has an International Mattel card that shows his name in two languages at the bottom. There is also a card that has English and French in the Grand Toys type of style but has a Mattel logo instead. This means that there was probably an older, normal Grand Toys card, too, but I couldn't find any photos of it. Besides those, there is also an Argentinian Revirplas version of Lotor.
There are at least six different variations of Haggar the Witch. There are the typical 4 Panosh Place variations - two with the older card-back design and good mold and two with the newer card-back design and bad mold. For some reason, the cat is on different sides of Haggar on the older cards compared to the newer ones. Besides the 4 Panosh Place cards, there is a card with just the Mattel logo and a Canadian Grand Toys brand card.
Next, there is the Skull Scavenger action figure. There are at least 8 different Skull Scavenger cards. There are the usual 4 Panosh Place variations for the two different card-backs and two different molds. There is a card that just has the Mattel logo. There is a Grand Toys card as well as a Mattel brand Grand Toys style card with French print. Notice these two card-backs are the same except for the logos - they both have Defender of the Universe written in French in the background. Lastly, there is the Revirplas card from Argentina.
Doom Commander has at least 7 different variations. There are the typical 4 Panosh Place card variations - two for the good and bad molds and two for the different card-back designs. Then, there is the card with just the Mattel logo. Besides those, there are the Canadian Grand Toys and Argentinian Revirplas cards.
Next is Robeast Mutilor for which there seem to be at least 8 variations. There are the 4 Panosh Place variations that most of the figures have with two cards for the good and bad molds and two cards for the older and newer card-back designs. Mutilor has a card with just the Mattel logo. There is a Grand Toys variation as well as a Mattel style Grand Toys card. Besides those, there is the International Mattel card that shows Mutilor's name in two languages at the bottom.
Finally, we have Robeast Scorpious for which there are at least 8 variations as well. Again, there are the 4 Panosh variations with different card-backs and molds. There is the card with just the Mattel logo. Robeast Scorpious also has a Grand Toys card and a Mattel Grand Toys style card. Besides those, Robeast Scorpius (sic) can also be found in the Revirplas brand.
