Star Wars Memorabilia Auction Generates Over £177,000, Surpassing Estimates

An extensive Star Wars auction has generated more than £177,000. The 10-hour event, dubbed “Star Wars Extravaganza” and conducted by Vectis Auctions in Stockton-on-Tees, saw over 600 items offered for sale. The memorabilia included figurines and life-size helmets, with one individual selling his entire collection to finance his upcoming wedding. Joanne McDonald, from the auction house, characterized it as “a brilliant day” for “vintage toy markets.” Pre-sale projections for Tuesday’s collection had estimated earnings between £94,000 and £120,000. A rare vinyl-caped Jawa figurine garnered the highest bid, selling for £9,180 after fees. More than 1,000 prospective buyers participated in the bidding process, and approximately 10,000 people watched the online sale simultaneously, according to the auction house. Ms McDonald, Vectis’ catalogue department manager, described it as “a brilliant auction day due to the amount of international interest in the Star Wars collections.” She further stated: “We knew it would be a busy sale but we didn’t expect it to be that good, it was beyond our expectations.” Vectis reported that it operated three distinct terminals concurrently: one for buyers in the UK, another for those in the US and Canada, and a third for participants from the rest of the world. A Meccano Luke Skywalker model, which had been estimated to fetch £2,000, ultimately sold for £7,595. Other notable sales included a Meccano Boba Fett, which achieved £8,330. Ms McDonald added: “There was a mixture of model items, and a lot of the items will be going abroad to international buyers, particularly to Americans. What we saw is a really positive sign for the future of Star Wars collectables and younger collectors.”