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The iconic lightsaber used by Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) has broken records in a US auction held by Heritage Auctions.
The lightsaber, which was used in the climactic duel in Cloud City where Vader tells Luke Skywalker “I am your father,” was originally expected to sell for over $1 million. It ended up going for $4.875 million (approx. €4.4m) at the Ultimate Star Wars Auction.
The sale marks not only a world auction record for any Star Wars collectible, according to Heritage Auctions, but also a new auction record for a screen-used Star Wars prop.
Indeed, the final sum shoots past the $3.75m mark established in July and last year’s $3.6m auction sale.
Brian Chanes, the senior director of Hollywood and entertainment at Heritage Auctions, said the Darth Vader saber – which was one of 27 lightsaber props up for sale – was “like the Holy Grail” to a Star Wars collector.
Elsewhere, 2027 marks the 50th anniversary of the first Star Wars film, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977). To celebrate the milestone, the iconic sci-fi adventure has been dubbed into the Welsh language – Cymraeg – for the very first time.
Additional sources • AP