“These aren’t the droids you’re looking for,” says the brown-hooded old man in the opening video, to which the white-armored Imperial soldier figure actually responds, “These aren’t the droids we’re looking for.”
You can listen to and view information and footage in the introductory video report.
It is probably one of the most famous scenes from the cult film sci-fi saga Star Wars. In the opening installment of A New Hope from 1977, Ben Kenobi uses a Jedi mind trick to fool one of the Stormtroopers when he travels to the spaceport in Mos Eisley with Luke Skywalker and the robots C-3PO and R2-D2. And the helmet of this confused Imperial soldier may now break the auction record.
Star Wars has a habit of outdoing itself
London-based auction house Prop Store Auction estimates that the helmet of the Stormtrooper from the legendary scene “Move Along”, more precisely the Sandtrooper who served on the sand planet of Tatooine, could sell for between £250,000 and £500,000, which translates to over 15 million crowns. But the real price can be many times higher, if not a record.
Already last October, the most expensive film prop from the cult Star Wars series was sold – a miniature 55-centimeter long model of the X-wing fighter named Red Five. Luke Skywalker flew in it, and director George Lucas used it to film the destruction of the Death Star in the same 1977 installment, A New Hope.
“Ladies and gentlemen and anyone else watching the Greg Jein Collection auction. You’re flying away with this item for $2.6 million,” the auctioneer knocks out the highest bid from the buyer, who wished to remain anonymous, in the opening video.
With auction markup and tax, the American Heritage Auctions auctioned it for $3.1 million, and the opening bid was $400,000.
Hundreds of items worth hundreds of millions
The Prop Store Auction in London runs from November 14th to 17th. But the Stormtrooper’s helmet isn’t the only item in it. The British house collected 1,800 film and television props with a total estimated value of ten million pounds, i.e. more than 300 million crowns.
From the Star Wars saga, the auction also includes Master Yoda’s famous staff from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi with an estimated price of 20,000 to 40,000 pounds, which is roughly 1.5 million crowns. However, fans of historical films could also find their way.
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 also returns to theaters on November 14, and this auction includes, among other things, the mask worn by Maximus Decimus Meridius with Russell Crowe’s face in the gladiatorial arena. Its price is estimated at up to 200,000 pounds.
Other items in the auction include, for example, costumes from the films Batman Returns, Mad Max, The Thing, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad or Pirates of the Caribbean and others.
Star Wars Auction: The Helmet That Could Break Records!
“These aren’t the droids you’re looking for,” says a brown-hooded old man who looks suspiciously like your great aunt on a bad hair day. And in response, the white-armored Imperial soldier—clearly as clueless as a sock in a washing machine—replies, “These aren’t the droids we’re looking for.” What a shocker… it’s like having a conversation with a self-aware toaster! Here we have one of the most famous scenes from the cult classic, Star Wars: A New Hope, released way back in 1977. We all love a good Jedi mind trick—after all, it’s how I keep my friends convinced I’m still in my twenties!
Now, hold onto your lightsabers, because this Stormtrooper’s helmet may soon break auction records faster than the Millennium Falcon making the Kessel Run. We’re talking serious money here, folks—£250,000 to £500,000—roughly translating to enough funds to buy a small planet in a galaxy far, far away… or at least a decent-sized house in London!
Star Wars has a habit of outdoing itself
The auction house, Prop Store Auction, headquartered in London, estimates that this Stormtrooper helmet, belonging to a Sandtrooper who clearly skipped helmet assembly class on Tatooine, is one hot collectible! But wait—this isn’t just any mundane hunk of plastic; this is a piece of cinematic history! Just last October, the most expensive film prop from the saga sold for a whopping $2.6 million. That was a miniature model of Luke Skywalker’s X-wing fighter, aka Red Five. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around how a toy plane can out-price most people’s mortgages!
“Ladies and gentlemen, and anyone else tuning in with a curious cat,” the auctioneer will kick off the bidding, “this item could be yours for just $2.6 million!” I mean, imagine that bidding war—a bunch of middle-aged fans reenacting Jedi duels just to get their hands on something the size of a basketball!
Hundreds of items worth hundreds of millions
The Prop Store Auction runs from November 14th to 17th, and if you think this is just about the helmet, think again! They’ve got 1,800 film and television props on sale with a collective value of ten million pounds. It’s like the nerd version of a garage sale, but instead of old board games, you might just walk away with Yoda’s staff. Yes, that’s right! Yoda’s staff, priced somewhere between a decent used car and a swanky holiday. Talk about a wise investment!
And while we’re at it, if you’re a fan of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, you might drool over Maximus’s helmet, estimated at £200,000. Just imagine having that on your wall—there’s nothing like having Russell Crowe’s crushing visage looking down at your guests while they try to downsize their dinner plans!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer awesomeness of Star Wars memorabilia, don’t worry—items from films like Batman Returns, Mad Max, The Thing, and Pirates of the Caribbean are up for grabs too. Honestly, it’s like a film nerd’s treasure trove! Is it too late to take up competitive bidding as a sport?
So, if you’ve got deep pockets and a love for the cinematic arts, mark your calendars, power up those credit cards, and may the bids be ever in your favor. Just remember: Don’t let your friends ignite an issue about who really shot first!
