R2-D2 Unit Sells for Millions of Dollars at Auction

R2-D2 Unit Sells for Millions of Dollars at Auction The iconic prop may have appeared battered and rather low-tech in its own galaxy far far away, but last week it was reported that an R2-D2 droid used in several Star Wars movies had sold for millions of dollars at auction. Auction house Profiles in History, based in Calabasas, California, expected the R2 unit to fetch up to $2 million in last Wednesday’s sale. But it exceeded expectations on the day and sold for $2.76 million, the Guardian reported. The newspaper wrote that “the 43-inch (110cm) tall unit that was compiled from parts used throughout filming of the original trilogy”. It is understood that the droid was built by a British enthusiast from original parts that were salvaged after the original Star Wars films had been completed. It is not known who placed the winning bid. Other items, however, including Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber from the first two instalments and Darth Vader’s helmet from the first film A New Hope, did less well, selling for $450,000 and $96,000 respectively. In addition to Star Wars memorabilia, Bill Paxton’s helmet from Aliens sold for $51,000 while 23 spaceships from Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica sold for $1.8 million. But the Guardian added: “Not all the items that sold were out of this world. The lighted dancefloor from Saturday Night Fever sold for $1.2 million.” (Note: the images used in this article are for representational purposes and do not depict the prop in question.)