Darth Vader’s ‘I am your father’ lightsaber sells for record $4.87 million

A lightsaber wielded by Darth Vader before he delivered the famous line “I am your father” sold for over $4.87 million on Thursday at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, CNN reported. The prop was used by actor David Prowse and his stunt double, Olympic fencer Bob Anderson, in several fight scenes, most famously the Cloud City duel with Luke Skywalker in 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back,” where Vader severed his son’s hand before making the shock reveal. Three years later, in “Return of the Jedi,” the same prop featured in the pair’s confrontation in Emperor Palpatine’s throne room.

The $4.87 million price tag made it the most expensive item of “Star Wars” memorabilia ever to go under the hammer, surpassing the previous record held by Luke Skywalker’s Cloud City lightsaber, which fetched $3.75 million at Heritage Auctions in July. That sale included a special effect rig of an amputated hand created by makeup artist Stuart Freeborn using a mold from actor Mark Hamill.

Heritage Auctions described Vader’s weapon as the character’s “primary dueling lightsaber.” The auction catalog said it was unable to confirm whether the lightsaber was also used in the original movie, 1977’s “A New Hope,” while adding that it was “possible.” The catalog noted damage “consistent with usage as a working dueling prop,” including scratches, a crack, a missing portion of the upper shroud and a partially broken grip.

Heritage Auctions’ “Ultimate Star Wars” sale featured almost 200 props and artworks related to the franchise and spin-offs like “The Mandalorian.” Other top lots included a rifle used by Boba Fett, sold for $375,000, and a miniature model of a Snowspeeder used during filming and once owned by Carrie Fisher, sold for $200,000. The auction also featured 27 other lightsabers, including ones used by Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker. The highest lightsaber prices besides Vader’s were achieved by those used by Ray Park’s Darth Maul and Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker, both fetching $162,500.

Other screen-used “Star Wars” props to attract multi-million-dollar bids include a miniature Red Leader X-wing Starfighter, which sold for over $3.13 million in 2023, and a complete R2-D2 unit that fetched $2.75 million in 2017.