I held onto a Star Wars collection my mom bought for $40 – an expert said the 'double lightsaber' makes it worth $15,000 | T9BT0QJ | 2024-04-23 17:08:01
A LONG-TIME fan of the Star Wars universe has discovered their collection is worth much more than expected.
They brought in several rare toys released during the original film trilogy to be evaluated by experts with PBS' Antiques Roadshow.
The owner of the Star Wars set explained to appraiser Philip Weiss that he'd been 4 years old in 1977 when the first movie, A New Hope, was released.
Becoming a fast fan of the franchise, he gathered several collectibles as the series gained popularity.
With the help of his mother, the collector said he purchased three specific items evaluated by Philip during the episode.
The first was the Star Wars Early Bird Certificate Package, which included action figures of all the main characters from the original film series, a display stand, and stickers, among other items.
The collector said he had the package twice — but opened the first to play with — and got another for $40 to keep sealed and unopened.
It was a move praised by Philip, as it would add more value.
There was also a partially opened action figure early promotion package that included sealed and unopened Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 action figures.
It's unclear exactly how much the figures cost at the time, but it was most likely anywhere from $30-$40.
Lastly, the collector managed to get his hands on a rare Star Wars coin set from the original trilogy that was a limited release from Kenner Products after Return of the Jedi in 1983.
He explained that the coins were released individually as a way for Star Wars fans to get each over time to complete a set, but that didn't sit well with him as a 12-year-old.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> So, he decided to write the company to scold them for the decision and ask if there was a way he could purchase the entire collection.
A representative spoke with him on the phone, and the fan was ultimately able to purchase the entire silver coin set for $25.
The collector included the handwritten letter he wrote to Kenner Products and their typed response while presenting the items to Philip for evaluation.
Philip was impressed with the Star Wars fan's due diligence and preservation of the three items, all kept in mint condition.
WHAT'S IT WORTH?
The appraiser quickly explained that the silver coin collection was a rare sight to find altogether.
At auction, he estimated it would go for around $1,000 to $2,000 to the highest bidder.
For the unopened Star Wars Early Bird Certificate Package — it was much more valuable, as it was exceedingly rare in comparison to the coins.
"It's an extremely scare peace, especially in that condition," Philip stressed to the collector.
"Auction estimate on that, easily, would be $6,000 to $9,000."
ONE-OF-A-KIND
That still wasn't the most valuable piece, however.
Philip added that a specific "double lightsaber" feature with the Luke Skywalker action figure in the early promotion set added considerable money to the appraisal.
"That's extremely rare, and most people would never even notice it," the appraiser said.
"This particular set in this condition, which has never been removed…that at auction, being conservative, is around $10,000 to $15,000."
Philip urged the collector to insure the complete Star Wars collection for as much as $30,000.
For more related content, check out The U.S. Sun's coverage of old Star Wars VHS tapes valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The U.S. Sun also has the story on Leonardo DiCaprio's rare Star Wars toy collection.
More >> https://ift.tt/CT0sfek Source: MAG NEWS