An iconic piece of Star Wars memorabilia smashed predictions and sold for a record-setting sum.
Heritage Auctions confirmed late Wednesday afternoon that Mark Hamill’s original screen-used Luke Skywalker lightsaber sold for $3.75 million. It’s the one he wielded during a climactic face-off with Darth Vader in 1980’s Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back until the Sith Lord cut off his hand and delivered the infamous “I am your father” line.
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions
Per multiple reports, it was originally offered for $1 million and expected to fetch in that range up to $2 million. The $3.75 million sum set a new world auction record for a screen-used Star Wars prop, per Dallas-based Heritage. The previous record was held by an original 20-inch model of an X-wing starfighter used in the space battle in 1977’s Star Wars, a piece that sold for $3.135 million in October 2023. Both figures are trumped by the record holder in the artwork category as Tom Jung’s original half-sheet key poster painting for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope sold for $3.875 million.
“This is one of the most important surviving Star Wars artifacts in existence,” explained Heritage executive vp Joe Maddalena. “It comes from the emotional climax of The Empire Strikes Back — the scene that forever changed the saga and produced one of the most unforgettable moments in movie history. Collectors understood that they were bidding on much more than a prop. They were competing for a genuine piece of modern mythology.”
The lightsaber was originally constructed from a modified Graflex flash unit and accompanied by the original severed-hand effects rig created by makeup artist Stuart Freeborn, who also helped create Yoda and many of the franchise’s makeup effects. Per Heritage, the lightsaber descended directly from Freeborn, who passed away in London on Feb. 5, 2013.
Wednesday’s sale was part of Heritage’s Hollywood & Entertainment Signature Auction, which continues through July 17. Other pieces of movie memorabilia also up for sale during this period have been hats from The Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Back to the Future II hoverboards The Big Lebowski rugs and a pair of boots worn by Sylvester Stallone in Rocky III.