Darth Vader’s lightsaber shatters Star Wars record at auction

A lightsaber used by Darth Vader in the original Star Wars films – A New Hope (1977); The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983) - has sold for a record-shattering $3.6million (approx. €3m). 

The winning bid for the iconic red lightsaber ($2.9m plus a $700,000 buyers premium paid to the auction house) at the Propstore auction in Los Angeles (which finishes tomorrow) makes this item the highest-valued product ever put on sale from the hit movie franchise.

The lightsaber beat a plastic Star Wars action figure of Boba Fett to the top spot. That ultra-rare figurine fetched $1.342 million (approx. €1.144m) last year – read more about it here.

Among more than 400 items on sale, Propstore also yesterday sold the Spider-Man suit worn by Tobey Maguire in the 2002 film for $289,800 (€247,200); the Platform 9 3/4 sign from the Harry Potter films for $138,600 (€118,260); the neuralyzer device used in Men In Black (1997) for $315,000 (€268,776); the shark tooth clapperboard, which was used to film Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, for $94,500 (€80,575).

Propstore COO Brandon Alinger said: “Today’s result marks a landmark moment not just for Propstore, but for the entire world of film collecting. To see a Star Wars lightsaber – the symbol of one of cinema’s greatest sagas – become the highest-valued piece of the franchise ever sold at auction is incredibly special."

He added: "It speaks to the enduring cultural power of Star Wars and the passion of fans and collectors who see these artifacts as touchstones of modern mythology.”