Darth Vader’s Lightsaber Is No Longer the Most Costly ‘Star Wars’ Merchandise Offered at Public sale

The 12 months nearly ended with Darth Vader’s lightsaber sitting excessive atop the pile of “most precious Star Wars memorabilia ever offered at public sale.” However 2025 isn’t over but, and a brand new grasp has emerged: Tom Jung‘s beautiful, iconic unique half-sheet art work for the 1977 film. Whereas the lightsaber pulled in $3.654 million a couple of months in the past, the portray—offered by the household of Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz—began the bidding at $1 million and ended up fetching $3.875 million.

Right here’s the total, uncropped unique art work:

Right here’s an commercial displaying the art work in use:

The third Star Wars artifact on this three million dollar-plus membership? The “Crimson Chief” X-Wing filming miniature (offered in 2023 for $3.125 million).

As a Heritage Auctions press launch explains, Jung’s work has significance past its aesthetic magnificence as a result of it’s “the portray that launched the world to Star Wars.”

How’s that? Nicely, “This extraordinary portray is the primary broadly revealed picture to ever promote Star Wars—the visible spark that ignited a world phenomenon. First showing in nationwide newspaper adverts on Could 13, 1977, practically two weeks earlier than the movie’s launch, the dynamic composition launched audiences to ‘a galaxy far, distant.’ It shortly turned the definitive visible id of Star Wars, later gracing the movie’s official program cowl, huge 24-sheet billboards, and numerous journal and newspaper adverts throughout its unique launch.”

And followers nonetheless comprehend it completely right this moment, with its vivid renderings of ships in flight, pilots standing in formation, a muscular Luke and sultry Leia (earlier than anybody knew they have been, y’know, twins), Obi-Wan Kenobi, a tiny Chewbacca, and extra, with Darth Vader’s big helmet looming over the whole lot.

One other document was additionally set by this Heritage Auctions sale, by the way in which: the best value for a chunk of film poster artwork. In July, Bob Peak’s unique Apocalypse Now art work offered for $687,500, which appears like a discount proper about now.

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