$3.1 Million Paid for X-wing Model from ‘Star Wars’ at Auction

A miniature X-wing starfighter used in the 1977 movie “Star Wars” sold over the weekend for $3.1 million by Heritage Auctions. After being priced at $400,000, a bidding war between two collectors drove up the model’s cost, making it the most valuable prop from “Star Wars,” according to Heritage Auctions.

The X-wing, which belonged to Oscar- and Emmy-nominated model maker Greg Jein, appeared in the film as Red Leader during the assault on the Death Star. The resin model features visual distinctions such as a cockpit pilot, scorch marks around the exhaust ports, and blast marks.

The Greg Jein auction as a whole brought in $13.6 million and attracted significant attendance. Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said, “The success of this auction — from the overall result to the number of participating bidders to the packed-out auction room full of Greg’s friends and fans — was a profound testament to my friend as both a visual-effects master and one of the great collectors.”