Bounty of ‘Star Wars’ toys worth thousands almost given away

By Ed Chatterton

A collection of rare "Star Wars" toys which were nearly given away after the death of a lifelong fan have fetched more than £17,000 (more than $23,000) at auction.

John and June Scott almost donated the valuable hoard to charity for nothing following the loss of son Paul who passed away from a heart attack aged 52 last October.

It was only when they were watching the Antiques Roadshow and saw one of his toys featured on the BBC show that they were decided to get Paul's lifelong collection valued by auction experts.

The couple were left "gobsmacked" to discover their true worth and the prized possessions fetched a total of £17,600 (more than $23,000) at Hansons Auctioneers, in Etwall, Derbyshire, on Tuesday, May 5.

They included two ultra-rare "Star Wars" figures, which retailed for just $2.97 (£2.25) in 1985 but made a combined total of £3,350 (more than $4,500) at auction.

The plastic figures were produced by the US maker Kenner to accompany the short-lived, and widely panned, cartoon spinoff series Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO.

David Wilson-Turner, toys expert at the auctioneers, said: "Ironically the Droids toy line by Kenner sold poorly because the cartoon wasn't popular.

"So many shops discounting their stock.

"But because the production was cut short is exactly why the toys are so valuable now."

The sale's top seller was a Droids Boba Fett figure, which fetched £2,100 (more than $2,500) — more than 10 times its low estimate of £200 (more than $250).

An even lesser-known character — a Droids A-Wing Pilot, achieved £1,250 (more than $1,500) — beating its guide price of £300-£400 (more than $400).

David added: "Late-era Droids figures — once overlooked at retail — are now among the most sought-after pieces in vintage Star Wars collecting.

"As part of a short-lived and underproduced line, surviving carded examples are increasingly difficult to source, driving sustained collector interest.

"It was a great sale and we were delighted to have been trusted with this great collection which had been valued at £2,500 (more than $13,000) by a dealer.

"It included some rare pieces which highlighted Paul's skill as a collector."

John and June said they were "delighted" with the result after previously being on the verge of giving the collection to a charity shop. The result echoes another recent find — a trove of Star Wars toys left in a dusty attic for 40 years sold for thousands at auction.

Yorkshire-born John, who lives in Elgin in Scotland, said: "I'm really pleased with the result.

"I didn't know anything about the Droids, or what they were, but they've gone to someone who will really appreciate them, so that's the main thing.

"We've done Paul and his collection proud."

Before the sale, he said: "Paul was nuts about Star Wars all his life and totally dedicated to his collection.

"I used to ask him why he was wasting his money on it. Well, I know now.

"We were flabbergasted when we discovered what it was worth. But it's not about the money, we just want to honor him and show him how proud we are.

"Paul bought boxes and boxes of things just hoping to get the one piece he was after. He acquired pieces from all over the world.

"We thought he was nuts, but it just goes to show how special he was."

A rare figure by Palitoy of C-3PO — which would have retailed for less than £2 (more than $2) — sold for £1,700 ($2,315) while a full-size Boba Fett Blaster fetched £1,350 ($1,840).

A rare vinyl caped Jawa — one of the desirable figures ever produced from the original Star Wars toy line — made £950 (more than $1,000) at the sale. Other notable Star Wars hauls have made headlines too — a private Star Wars collection recently fetched $3.55 million at auction.