London-based memorabilia company Prop Store is auctioning off more than 700 original toys and collectibles from Thursday, Feb. 28 to Friday, Mar. 1 starting at 11 a.m. PST/2 p.m. EST.
Bidders with the highest estimate between $25,000 and $30,000 can expand their collections in several universes, including Spider Man, G.I. Joe, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Transformers, Lord of the Rings, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The auction includes unreleased prototypes, limited-run toys, and foreign variations, many of which are at auction for the first time.
Prop Store even threw in rare Star Wars toys and memorabilia from Howard Kazanjian, the former VP of production for Lucasfilm and producer of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, for diehard fans of the franchise. The collection includes unopened collectibles manufactured 40 years ago.
“During my time at Lucasfilm, I was given samples of many of the consumer products that were created or advance copies to approve. I always enjoyed the creativity the toy manufacturers exercised in translating something from the movies into a physical toy. I have decided the time is right to let some pieces go, and am happy to share them with fans,” Kazanjian says in a statement.
The headliner is an unopened Star Wars “Early Bird” Kit from Kenner. The toy company couldn’t release the infamous toys in time for Christmas after the original film opened. Instead, Kenner sold an “empty envelope” promising it would ship the toys out the following spring because that’s the right way to make fans merry during Christmastime.
The unopened set, valued between $8,000 and $10,000, includes a Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) action figure with a special lightsaber that extended twice from the figure’s arm. Kenner dropped this feature from the toy because it was too expensive to produce.
Prop Store will hold the live auction at its facility in Valencia, California.
However, collectors and fans who can’t attend in person can send in their bids via phone or online at the company’s website anywhere around the world. Register A.S.A.P. to get your hands on some cool collectors’ items.
Some notable items for sale include:
- A graded French Boba Fett Action Figure produced by Meccano (1980), valued between $25,000 and $30,000;
- A wax sculpture for the Mola Ram action figure produced by LJN (Indiana Jones, 1984), valued between $18,000 and $20,000;
- A limited, first-release Jawa action figure with Vinyl Cape (Star Wars, 1978) produced by Kenner, valued between $12,000 and $16,000;
- A Canadian Chewbacca hand puppet produced by Regal Toys (Star Wars, 1978), valued between $3,000 and $5,000;
- An unproduced Romulan prototype action figure (Star Trek: TNG) produced by Galoob, valued between $1,200 and $1,800;
- An unproduced metal Mutant Rocksteady prototype (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1994) produced by Playmates Toys, valued between $3,000 and $5,000;
- A Mexican Cobra Soldier action figure (G.I. Joe, 1982) produced by Kenner, valued between $1,200 and $1,800;
- A graded Yak Face action figure (Star Wars, 1978) produced by Kenner, valued between $8,000 and $10,000;
- Hand-drawn Hot Wheels “Spider-Man’s Web of Terror” packaging prototypes produced by Mattel (1978), valued between $3,000 and $5,000; and
- A Rambo: First Blood (1982) original hand-painted defender assault vehicle box art and art proofs produced by Coleco (1985), valued between $6,000 and $7,000.
Photo: Prop Store
