A rare collection of Star Wars memorabilia sold for a whopping $505,202 at an auction held at Sotheby's New York last week.
Canadian 7 Figurines Multipack - $32,500 —
Sold almost exclusively through Sears Canada in 1980, this extremely rare set of figurines including Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo was the top-selling lot at the auction. Estimated to sell for between $8,000-12,000, in the end the set went for a handsome $32,500.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
Power of the Force coin sets - $27,500 —
These two complete sets of 62 coins were only available by special request from Kenner. Even though they were the second lot overall in terms of value, they fell short of the expected sale price of $35,000.
sotheby's
Luke Skywalker with double lightsaber - $25,000 —
Before the auction this doll was figured to be the most valuable lot. Consultant James Gallo, who spent a week and a half sifting through NIGO's collection, valued the item at between $12,000-18,000. The rare figurine has a double-telescoping lightsaber, and was removed from production swiftly due to the lightsaber's propesity for snapping.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
Hungarian Boba Fett Action Figure - $15,000 —
This 6 by 9 inches rarity is in great condition and features the Hungarian title for Return of the Jedi: "Jedi Visszatér." It sold for three times as much as it was expected to.
sothebys
Stormtrooper helmet - $8,125 —
This Master Replicas Limited Edition Stromtrooper helmet was expected to fetch about 500 dollars, but went instead for a whopping $8,125.
Yak Face - $7,250 —
Blink and you'll miss him, but Yak Face featured aboard Jabba's barge in "Return of the Jedi." Lucas' vast cinematic universe allowed for an abundance of merchandising opportunities, and today niche characters such as Yak Face are hot property. Estimated to sell between $4,000-6,000, it went for $7,250.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
Hans Solo Action Figures, 1978 - $4,750 —
Measuring 6 by 9 inches each, these Han Solo action figurines from 1978 went for close the expected sale price of $5,000.
sothebys
Revenge of the Jedi Darth Vader Proof Card - $4,000 —
No, your eyes don't deceive you. "Return of the Jedi" originally started life as Revenge of the Jedi -- a title that lasted so far down the line that even some of the initial merch was already being manufactured. In the end Lucas decided revenge wasn't befitting a Jedi, and the only legacy we have of the film's more sinister title are backing cards such as this. This went for exactly Gallo's top-end estimate: $4,000.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
Empire Strikes Back 15th anniversary poster - $3,750 —
Boba Fett has always been a fan favorite, and he was among the most popular -- and populous -- characters featured in NIGO's latest sell-off. One of the most surprising results of the sale, this 15th anniversary poster -- estimated to fetch between $300-500 -- went for over ten times more than expected.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
Power of the Force Anakin Skywalker - $3,000 —
A very limited release, this figurine went for 50% more than predicted. Context would explain why: old Anakin, dressed in his Jedi robes, was expunged by Lucas in the Blu Ray editions of "Return of the Jedi," replaced by the younger and much-maligned Hayden Christensen from the prequels, much to the chagrin of fans. The implication therefore was the Anakin no longer died as a Jedi, completely altering the redemptive narrative Lucas had spent three films setting up.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
Canadian Empire Strikes Back Boba Fett - $2,250 —
As previously mentioned, the Mandalorian clone and bounty hunter was a popular item on sale, and this figurine, from Canada, went for over $2,000.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
Takara C-3POs - $2,000 —
Made for the Japanese market, these Takara C-3PO figures from 1978 some with the full phonetic spelling on the backing card. In a field in which defects are welcomed for their rarity, the off-color C-3PO on the left probably increased this lot's value.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
'Attack of the Clones' Mace Windu replica lightsaber - $2,250 —
Replica lightsabers are a lucrative business -- especially if they're signed, such as this one. Master Windu's from Episode II had a distinctive purple blade, made at the request of actor Samuel L. Jackson so he would stand out in fight scenes. Many merchandisers had already jumped the dun however: in early figurines from "The Phantom Menace" Windu is accompanied by a blue blade.
Power of the Force Boba Fett prototype - $1,875 —
We told you Boba was popular, didn't we? This 1995 prototype from the Power of the Force range shows him in all his nude glory, selling for well over its $400-600 estimate.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
'Return of the Jedi' Luke Skywalker replica lightsaber - $1,625 —
This replica of Luke's lightsaber from "Return of the Jedi" nevertheless went for big bucks. In the "Star Wars" canon the blade was constructed on Tatooine in a scene much mythologized by fans. Director Lucas and actor Mark Hamill long-denied that they'd ever shot such a scene, but in 2010 finally revealed in to the public at Star Wars Celebration V. It features as a bonus in the Blu Ray boxset.
STAR WARS RETURN OF THE JEDI LUKE SKYWALKER LIGHTSABER, MASTER REPLICAS, 2002 With case and plaque, limited edition 2454/2500 11 inches in length
ESTIMATE 800 — 1,200 USD
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
'Return of the Jedi' thermal detonator replica - $1,603 —
Princess Leia doesn't mess about, and when she took out a thermal detonator in Jabba's layer you knew she meant business. This replica, signed by Fischer, went for well above its prediction.
courtesy Sotheby's/NIGO®
'Star Wars: A New Hope' Han Solo balster replica - $1,500 —
This replica of Han's blaster is probably in far better condition that the original prop created by Roger Christian. The set decorator and prop designer crafted Solo's weapon from a Mauser, attaching various nozzles and scopes to the pistol. But on a shoestring budget, many of the props were only secured with superglue.