Hake’s brings more rare Star Wars, vintage video games to auction, Nov. 15-16

Encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75in Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoted earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM. Extremely rare and only the third carded specimen of its type ever to be offered by Hake’s. Estimate $100,000-$200,000. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions
Encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75in Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoted earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM. Extremely rare and only the third carded specimen of its type ever to be offered by Hake’s. Estimate $100,000-$200,000. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions
Encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75in Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoted earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM. Extremely rare and only the third carded specimen of its type ever to be offered by Hake’s. Estimate $100,000-$200,000. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions

YORK, Pa. – The quest for early Star Wars collectibles has reached a fevered pitch, but the auction market tells us the journey is just beginning. Interest in Star Wars items is stronger than ever, especially for prototypes and samples, rare variations, and toys produced in low numbers or no numbers at all. To some, it may seem that Hake’s – the auction house holding numerous world records for Star Wars material – has already sold the ultimate rarities from that wildly popular category. But exciting surprises continue to emerge, some from unexpected sources, and those fresh consignments and new discoveries will be front and center at Hake’s November 15-16 pop culture auction. View the fully illustrated catalog on LiveAuctioneers.

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Hake’s Nov. 15-16 auction answers demand for Star Wars collectibles, vintage video games

Left: ‘Journey Into Mystery’ #83, August 1962, features origin and first appearance of Marvel’s God of Thunder, The Mighty Thor. CGC 5.5 Fine. Estimate $10,000-$20,000; Right: Marvel ‘Tales Of Suspense’ #39, March 1963, features origin and first appearance of Iron Man. CGC 4.5 VG+. Estimate $10,000-$20,000

YORK, Pa. – The quest for early Star Wars collectibles has reached a fevered pitch, but the auction market tells us the journey is just beginning. Interest in Star Wars items is stronger than ever, especially for prototypes and samples, rare variations, and toys produced in low numbers or no numbers at all. To some, it may seem that Hake’s – the auction house holding numerous world records for Star Wars material – has already sold the ultimate rarities from that wildly popular category. But exciting surprises continue to emerge, some from unexpected sources, and those fresh consignments and new discoveries will be front and center at Hake’s November 15-16 pop culture auction.

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Market-watchers pounced on rare comic art & action figures at Hake’s $2.7M auction

One of six lots of Al Williamson (1931-2020) original, unpublished concept art that preceded the ‘Star Wars’ daily newspaper comic strip (which was ultimately written and drawn by Russ Manning and ran from 1979-1984). Of 12 proposal strips created by Williamson, the first six were gifted to George Lucas; the other six were given to Star Wars marketing genius Charles Lippincott, whose widow has consigned them to Hake’s. Sold for $46,730

YORK, Pa. – Original comic strip art continues to solidify its position alongside fine art in the collector marketplace, with the latest proof coming on day two of Hake’s July 26-27 auction of pop culture rarities. Amongst the highlights of the $2.7 million sale was a selection of six consecutive lots of original concept art created in the late 1970s for a proposed Star Wars daily newspaper comic strip. Drawn by legendary comic strip artist Al Williamson (1931-2020) as part of a series of twelve strips, the artworks never saw publication.

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Morphy’s Aug. 9-10 toy auction a bonanza of rare robots, space toys, banks, high-grade comics

Extremely rare S.Y. (Japan) battery-operated Electroman Robot. Bump-and-go action. Fresh to the market from a European collection. Estimate $50,000-$100,000

DENVER, Pa. – Many a great toy and bank collection is highlighted by rarities acquired from Morphy’s, which still holds the world record for the highest-grossing one-day toy auction of all time. Many would recall the record-setting event: Morphy’s 2007 sale of the legendary Stephen and Marilyn Steckbeck bank collection, which drew national TV crews to the Pennsylvania gallery and knocked down an astonishing $7.7 million.

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Stephenson’s April 22 auction a showcase for superheroes, pop culture icons

Group-lot of six Silver Age ‘Fantastic Four’ comic books published in 1966, ’67 and ‘68, est. $300-$500

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. – On Friday, April 22nd, superheroes and comic-character favorites will converge on Stephenson’s auction gallery in suburban Philadelphia for an exciting 302-lot sale of collectibles, memorabilia, comic books and posters. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Hake’s pop culture auction hits $3.2M; Star Wars prototype figure tops $204K

Kenner 1979 Star Wars Boba Fett rocket-firing prototype action figure, J-slot, version 2, bears copyright stamps, AFA-graded 50 VG. Archivally encapsulated with Collectible Investment Brokerage (CIB) COA. Sold for $204,435, a world auction record for any Star Wars action figure

YORK, Pa. – Record-setting prices just kept on coming at Hake’s $3.2 million online auction of pop culture rarities and didn’t stop until the last-minute clash of the titans that determined ownership of the sale’s top lot: a Star Wars Boba Fett “J-slot” rocket-firing prototype action figure. Conceived by Kenner in 1979, the J-slot Boba Fett Version 2 was designed with a J-shape triggering mechanism on its back for firing off rockets, but the toy never made it to the production stage due to safety concerns. On that basis alone, the pre-production archetypes became immediate rarities, but more than four decades of Star Wars mania have catapulted the J-slot prototype to an extraterrestrial level of desirability. The coveted example offered by Hake’s ignited a bidding war that ended at a sky-high $204,435 – a new auction record for any Star Wars action figure.

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Hake’s to auction incomparable pop culture memorabilia, March 15-16

James M Cox/Franklin D Roosevelt jugate button, 1.25in size, one of only six known in 1.25-inch size and one of only three known in this design; the first of its type to reach the marketplace in 40 years. Considered the ultimate political button, on par with a Honus Wagner T206 baseball card or ‘Action Comics’ #1. Estimate $100,000-$200,000

YORK, Pa. – Pop culture fans reacted with stunned disbelief, then excitement, last November when Hake’s sold a Captain American “hero-prop” shield used by Chris Evans in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. The pristine star-emblazoned shield commanded $259,540, the highest price ever paid at auction for a Marvel movie prop and the top price recorded in any sale of Hake’s record-setting $10 million year. However, America’s oldest collectibles auction house is not one to rest on its laurels, as the jaw-dropping lineup just announced for their March 15-16 auction clearly shows.

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PBA presents pre-Code Horror, Golden & Silver Age comic books Feb. 3

Seven Seas No. 4, est. $10,000-$20,000
Seven Seas No. 4, est. $10,000-$20,000
Seven Seas No. 4, est. $10,000-$20,000

BERKELEY, Calif. – PBA Galleries will host an auction titled Comic Books: Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age, Silver Age and Undergrounds on February 3. It will be PBA’s fourth comic book sale, and as with the three previous outings, this sale’s focus is on pre-Code horror, crime, and related genres. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Hake’s auctions Capt. America shield for $259,540, closes 2021 at $10M+

Captain America ‘hero-prop’ shield created by Marvel Studios senior prop master Russell Bobbitt and used by Chris Evans for close-up shots in the 2019 film ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Near-pristine condition. Sold for $259,540, the highest price ever paid at auction for a Marvel movie prop

YORK, Pa. – A Captain America “hero-prop” shield screen-used by Chris Evans in Marvel Studios 2019 blockbuster Avengers: Endgame sold for a heart-stopping $259,540 at Hake’s Auctions on November 3. The marquee item in a Nov. 2-3 online auction of premier entertainment and historical memorabilia, the star-emblazoned shield opened at $20,000 and attracted 17 bids before selling to its new owner, Wilmot “Wil” Creasy. A commercial analyst with Creasy Group, a Western Australia business focused on mining and metals exploration and investment, Creasy now adds iconic aluminum to his burgeoning pop-culture portfolio, which reportedly also includes extremely rare Pokémon cards [Instagram: Pokewizard96].

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