A piece of Star Wars history just set a new record at auction. The lightsaber wielded by Darth Vader in the original trilogy has sold for an incredible $3.6 million, making it the most valuable Star Wars collectible ever to hit the block.
The sale went down at Propstore’s massive Los Angeles auction, which wraps up Saturday. The final bid came in at $2.9 million, with an additional $700,000 buyer’s premium tacked on top. That staggering figure marks the highest price ever paid for a piece from the legendary franchise.
The lightsaber itself isn’t just any prop. It’s the iconic red weapon used by Vader in the lightsaber duels of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Both David Prowse, who physically portrayed Vader, and stunt double Bob Anderson were reported to have held it during filming.
This isn’t the first time rare Star Wars artifacts have surfaced at auction. Just last year, a forgotten script draft was discovered in Harrison Ford’s old London apartment and sold for $13,600. But nothing comes close to the cultural weight and value of Darth Vader’s weapon of choice.
Propstore’s auction wasn’t only about Star Wars. More than 400 items went up for grabs, including an Indiana Jones bullwhip belt that sold for $485,100, a Ressikan Flute and screen-matched box from Star Trek: The Next Generation that went for $403,000, a Platform 9 ¾ sign from Harry Potter, and even a helmet from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Propstore COO Brandon Alinger called the record-breaking sale a milestone for movie memorabilia, saying:
“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.
“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.”
This historic sale proves that nearly five decades later, Star Wars still has the power to captivate fans and command astronomical prices.
