We can all agree that the biggest twist in the Star Wars franchise is Rey finding out she’s a Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker, right? Before you throw me into the trash compactor, please know I’m just kidding. Theatre audiences worldwide gasped when The Empire Strikes Back revealed that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father. The revelation came during a high stakes duel between the two, after Vader’s lightsaber cut off Luke’s hand. That iconic lightsaber prop recently went up for auction, and Heritage has revealed that bidding has now closed at a whopping $4,875,000. This makes it the most expensive Star Wars collectible to have ever been sold.
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While the final amount is staggering, it’s not really surprising. After all, it’s from the most iconic scene from the most iconic movie of the most iconic movie franchise of all time. You may think that the value of this prop may have fallen over the years, especially with fans getting tired of so much mediocre Star Wars content being released recently. However, this price is over a million dollars higher than the record $3,654,000 it fetched the last time it was sold. So, while we may be getting jaded with recent releases, the legacy of the Star Wars original trilogy is only getting stronger. At almost $5 million, there are very few people who could have possibly afforded this Holy Grail of collectibles, and you can bet that they will display it in the best way possible.
Darth Vader’s Iconic Lightsaber Prop Sells For Almost $5,000,000
It’s hard to think of any other movie prop, even from the Star Wars franchise that comes close to this one, in terms of value or significance. That being said, the lightsaber used by Luke in that very scene recently sold for $3,750,000, and that one even featured part of his cut off hand. That brings the collectors market value for this scene from The Empire Strikes Back to a staggering $8,529,000. A neat feature of this lightsaber hilt prop is that this that it was reinforced to allow for wooden blades to be attached for the fight scenes. While those wooden blades didn’t survive, the hilt features only a few signs of production damage. You can chalk that down to wear and tear over the years of Vader chopping down his enemies.
It’s hard to put into words just how significant this prop is to cinema history. Not only did it feature in the scene where Luke finally faced off against the boogeyman of his life, but his life was further turned upside down upon learning that Vader was his father. Add to that the fact that it also cut his hand off. While there have been movie props that have sold for significantly higher prices, I feel confident saying that none of them are as instantly recognizable as this legendary lightsaber hilt. It’s a once in a lifetime collectible that nobody will ever let go of. And if they ever do, you can bet it’s valuation will be even higher next time.
What, according to you, is the most iconic movie prop of all time? Let us know in the comments.
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