The epic lightsaber duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader at the end of the 1980 Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back is the key scene of the original Star Wars trilogy, as it contains a revelation that probably no one expected.
The Star Wars series created by George Lucas has a huge fan base, and related collectibles are highly sought after on the auction market. Props from the aforementioned scene are at the top of many Star Wars enthusiasts' wish lists.
See also: The 6 Most Expensive Film Costumes Sold At Auction
This was vividly illustrated in September 2025 at a Propstore auction in Los Angeles. One of the highlights was the very lightsaber with which Darth Vader fought his duel against Luke Skywalker. As it was the only Darth Vader lightsaber demonstrably used in the film, interest in the auction item was correspondingly high. The final hammer price was $3.65 million – the highest price ever paid for a Star Wars prop up to that point.
However, this result was surpassed just a few days ago in Dallas at Heritage Auctions' Hollywood & Entertainment Signature® Auction. Up for bids was Luke Skywalker's lightsaber, the counterpart to Darth Vader's weapon from the famous scene. The lot also included the special effects device for the hand that is severed during the fight. The unique prop set a new auction record, selling for $3.75 million to a collector.
Other highlights of the auction included the black hat worn by Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz ($550,000), one of the coveted golden tickets from the 1971 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ($137,500), and a top hat worn by Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka ($350,000).
See also: Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers Set New Auction Record for Movie Memorabilia
In addition, many other props from major films sold for impressive amounts, such as a yellow uniform shirt worn by William Shatner in his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the second season of the original Star Trek series ($325,000), two hoverboards from Back to the Future Part II ($125,000 and $87,500 respectively), the Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum that Clint Eastwood held in Dirty Harry Returns in 1983 ($206,250), the lyric manuscript written by John Lennon for the Beatles song If I Fell from 1964 ($656,250), and two Persian rugs from the cult film The Big Lebowski from 1998 ($350,000 and $375,000 respectively).
See also: The Only Painting by the Beatles Sells for $1.7 Million
"This auction showed the passion collectors have for the most iconic items in entertainment history," said Joe Maddalena, Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions, in a press release. "These artifacts allow fans to hold a piece of our shared modern mythology, whether it’s the weapon that symbolizes the hero of an iconic franchise, the paper on which a generation-defining musician poured their genius into a beloved song or promotional material for a landmark cinematic achievement. It is rare for items like these to become available to collectors, and bidders clearly recognized this auction presented an incredible opportunity."
From 2017 to 2022, the $450,000 achieved by Luke Skywalker's Hero lightsaber was the auction record for a Star Wars prop. Then, Han Solo's original blaster sold for $1.06 million. This record was more than doubled in 2023 when an ILM X-Wing model ("Red Leader") found a new owner for $3.14 million. The aforementioned auctions of Darth Vader's and Luke Skywalker's lightsabers followed in 2025 and 2026, fetching $3.65 million and $3.75 million respectively. These record results could certainly be broken in the future by absolute top-of-the-line Star Wars collectibles, such as as an original ILM model of the Millennium Falcon, a Darth Vader costume worn on screen, or a complete R2-D2 from the original trilogy.
Auctions featuring entertainment memorabilia have been booming for several years, with a particular focus on original items used in film, television, or on stage. These auctions regularly achieve record prices, driven by an increasingly younger group of bidders. Pop culture is competing with classical art, and many auction houses are expanding their corresponding departments accordingly. Currently leading the field is Dallas-based Heritage Auctions, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and achieved a total of $14.1 million with its recent Hollywood & Entertainment Signature® Auction.
Discover more news from the auction market on Barnebys Magazine!
