In an auction house far, far away…Couple’s lifetime collection of 250 Star Wars toys, themed bubblegum, trainers, and rollerskates sell for £84,000
- Collection of 250 Star Wars unopened Star Wars toys were sold in Ashford, Kent
- It was estimated to sell for £30,000, but went for more than double that
- Haul included unopened 1980s figures and a pair of Darth Vader rollerskates
A retired couple’s 30-year collection of Star Wars toys and memorabilia has sold for more than double what it was estimated to at auction.
The married couple from Surbiton have amassed 250 items from the sci-film’s product line since the 1980s, almost half of which were coveted Palitoy figures which, crucially, were still in their original cardboard packaging.
Among the haul of 3.75ins tall plastic figures of Anakin Skywalker and Chewbacca, there were also more unique pieces of merchandise, including a pair of Empire Strikes Back rollerskates and themed bubblegum.
The couple had an original unboxed figure of Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter, which sold for £580 at auction in Ashford, Kent
Darth Vader’s helmet, arguably one of the most recognisable elements of the Star Wars universe, sold for £130
This C-3PO outfit for children fetched £130 at auction. It was one of 250 items the married couple had amassed over more than 30 years of collecting Star Wars memorabilia
Chewbacca and R2-D2 figures were among the unboxed items that sold for auction. The Surbiton couple’s entire collection sold for around £84,000
Their collection also included Star Wars space craft and vehicles that hadn’t been played with.
Some of the lots were acquired on annual visits to a gaming convention in the US in the 1980s and ‘90s.
Now aged in their late 60s, the couple decided to have a clear out of the south London home and decided to cash in on their collection.
The online sale, which sparked an international bidding war, was held by C&T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent.
The marquee lot was a rare Anakin Skywalker figure that fetched £4,800.
A Chewbacca figure went for £3,960, while a power droid figure achieved £2,340.
A boxed Palitoy Boba Fett space ship sold for £750.
One of the most unusual items in the sale was a pack of Star Wars bubblegum the couple bought in America.
The unopened pack of sugarfree bubblegum which they paid 20 cents (16p) for sold for a staggering £200.
A pair of Darth Vader rollerskates sold for £60, the same price as a pair of toy Ewoks.
This Imperial Shuttle product, dating back to the 1980s, was in mint condition and sold for £980 in Ashford, Kent
Palitoy products are coveted by Star Wars collectors, while the unopened special collectors coin and Anakin Skywalker figure fetched £4,800
A toy of Luke Skywalker’s laser rifle sold for £620 on its own, as the haul of Star Wars products pulled in more than £80,000 at auction in Ashford
This pair of Darth Vader themed trainers from Clarks were kept by a Surbiton couple with a treasure trove of Star Wars gear. Now it has been sold at auction with more than 200 other items
Storm Troopers, Ewoks and other toys from Return of the Jedi were included in this rare, vintage boxed Star Wars toy
A Kenner Star Wars Boba Fett three-and-a-half inch figure was among the 250-item haul of Star Wars toys and products that went up for auction in Ashford, Kent
The auction achieved a hammer price of £70,000, with extra fees taking the overall figure raised to £84,000.
The final result left the couple ‘overwhelmed’ since they were told it would make £30,000.
Glen Chapman, specialist at C&T Auctions, said: ‘The collection was put together by a married couple who built it up from the early eighties until the late nineties.
‘They would collect items at specialist shows and pick up pieces during annual visits to America to go to gaming conventions.
‘It is impressive that they put together this collection before the rise of the internet.
‘There was a mixture of expensive figures and also obscure items like trainers and Star Wars bubblegum.
‘The estimate was £30,000 but this auction achieved over double that.
‘The couple were overwhelmed by the result.’
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