Once upon a time in a galaxy not too far away, a small plastic figurine attracted the interest of a special community of collectors. The name of the galaxy was Dallas, Texas; the date was 31 May 2024, and on that day, Heritage Auctions presented its 'Star Wars Signature® Auction', with more than 200 items from the legendary Star Wars universe going up for sale.
The auction featured many highlights, such as the lightsaber that Luke Skywalker loses during his fight with Darth Vader after the life-changing revelation in The Empire Strikes Back, including his hand ($62,500), and a preliminary script for George Lucas's first film, interestingly titled The Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Starkiller ($57,500).
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The top lot was a small plastic figure of the Star Wars character Boba Fett, known as the 'crown jewel of unproduced toys.'
Boba Fett, the bounty hunter fighting on the side of the Empire, made his first appearance in the Star Wars Holiday Special in 1978. He went on to appear in the second and third instalments of the original trilogy, as well as in other films, series, and video games within the iconic franchise.
The figure in question, notable for its backpack with a rocket that could be fired, was developed in 1979 by Kenner, a toy manufacturer based in Cincinnati, Ohio. However, the figure was not intended for sale but as a promotional gift for loyal customers. Customers simply had to prove that they had already purchased four other Star Wars action figures from Kenner to receive one of the figures free of charge. Once this was done, they could collect the figure from their letterbox six to eight weeks later. Once manufactured, the toy presented one major change: the promising mechanism of the original Rocket Firing Boba Fett was no longer there, and the projectile was instead firmly lodged in the backpack.
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The reason behind this was safety concerns regarding the projectile, which could be easily swallowed. Kenner's competitor, Mattel, had experienced incidents with small firing parts in their Battlestar Galactica series, including accidents that tragically resulted in the death of a child.
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It is uncertain how many examples of the Rocket Firing Boba Fett were originally produced. Approximately 70 are known today, with around 100 believed to have survived. They were rescued from destruction mainly by former Kenner employees and are now held by collectors. While 70 may seem like a substantial number, it's important to note that most of these prototypes were unpainted test models. Only five of the surviving examples are hand-painted, and just two of these are in production colours. It is worth noting that the example currently up for auction at Heritage Auctions is one of these two prototypes. Unlike the other, it also features distinct remnants of grey paint on the head and limbs, making it a truly unique piece.
Naturally, there was an intense bidding war when this unique and legendary Rocket Firing Boba Fett came up for auction. Ultimately, a collector secured the nearly 10 cm tall figure for $525,000 (£413,500). This marked the highest price ever paid for a vintage toy.
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The title of the most expensive vintage toy in auction history had previously been held by a Barbie doll adorned with a 1-carat diamond, which was auctioned for $302,000 in 2010.
"We knew this one had a chance to enter the record books, and it was thrilling to see it become the most valuable toy in the world," said Joe Maddalena, Executive Vice President of Heritage Auctions, about the now legendary Rocket Firing Boba Fett auction.
