Fans might want to start counting their pennies, because an extremely valuable Star Wars-related item could soon be yours. If you would like to own an actual piece of Star Wars history, you are in luck! It has been announced that a miniature model of the X-Wing belonging to Luke Skywalker, which was shown onscreen throughout Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, is currently on sale. Fans no doubt will be scrambling to get hold of it (thanks to Tarmac Life for the heads-up).
Since this miniature model was actually shown onscreen in arguably one of the most popular films of all time, it comes as no surprise to learn that it is now a highly sought-after item. Any self-respecting Star Wars enthusiast will certainly want to display this item in their home, which means the race to purchase it will most likely be fierce.
The highly valuable item is being auctioned by Heritage Auctions, a company that has sold numerous other Star Wars collectibles in the past. But as you can probably imagine, it certainly will not be cheap, so you might not want to get your hopes up just yet. The starting bid for the X-Wing miniature is currently listed as $175,000. Therefore, you will need to have a hefty amount of cash lying around in order to participate in the auction, but the prize will certainly be worth it.
The model of the Red Five X-wing starfighter was constructed by Industrial Light and Magic, and it even includes R2-D2’s domed head sticking out of the Astromech socket. And the item is also in very good condition despite being over forty years old, so wealthy fans will definitely want to add it to their collections. And you will not need to worry about finding a stand to display it, as it has already been professionally mounted on a stunning display stand. The stand simply depicts the logo of The Empire Strikes Back against a plain black background, so as not to distract from the miniature itself.
In The Empire Strikes Back, the model was used for various multi-element, motion-controlled shots, as described by Oscar-winning visual effects artist Brian Johnson on the model’s listing page on Heritage Auctions’ website. Hohnson also confirmed that the model being auctioned is indeed genuine, saying:
"This is to authenticate and confirm that your X-wing model is one used by Industrial Light and Magic on 'The Empire Strikes Back'
Therefore, you will no doubt be getting your money’s worth if you are lucky enough to be able to afford this invaluable item. So, if you have recently won the lottery and you are unsure how to spend your winnings, look no further than Heritage Auctions’ website in order to add Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing from The Empire Strikes Back to your collection.