MOVIE NEWS – Earlier this month, the original Luke Skywalker lightsaber used in A New Hope was being put up for auction, besides the complete, “film-used R2-D2” prop and Darth Vader’s helmet. The auction took place earlier this week in Calabasas, California, and while the Luke Skywalker lightsaber was expected to be one of the big-ticket items, the R2-D2 unite the talk of the auction, selling for a massive $2.76 million. While the buyer’s identity was not revealed, it was indeed the most expensive item sold off.

According to the Daily Mail the other Star Wars items sold for a nice price as well. The original Luke Skywalker lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope was traded for $450,000, while the Darth Vader helmet sold for $96,000, both of which were far above expectations. The Profiles in Hollywood auction made known in their press release issued earlier this month that the lightsaber was expected to sell for between $150,000 and $250,000, while the Darth Vader helmet was expected to fetch between $40,000 and $60,000. There was no estimated price given for the R2-D2 unit, likely because, according to Stephanie Connell, a London-based movie memorabilia consultant, there had never been a complete film-used R2-D2 unit sold at an auction. Here’s what she had to say about this iconic R2-D2 prop.

“This is not just a normal movie prop. This is instantly recognizable, the creme de la creme of movie props. This is something you could put right next to a Picasso.”

The Luke Skywalker lightsaber actual price is nearly double the $240,000 that the last Luke Skywalker lightsaber was sold for at an auction. While the R2-D2, Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber, and Darth Vader helmet were the only Star Wars items at the auction, there were some other sci-fi items up for bidding. A collection of 23 ships used in Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers sold for a whopping $1.8 million, while a helmet worn by the late Bill Paxton on the set of Aliens fetched $51,000. There was even Rick Moranis’ Dark Helmet prop from Spaceballs at the auction, which sold for $39,000.

This same company, Profiles in History, will also hold a special auction this fall, for the personal items of late Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds. The auction will be held Saturday, September 23. Some of the Star Wars-related items up for bidding will be Carrie Fisher’s Life Size Princess Leia Statue In Original Vintage British Phone Booth, Carrie Fisher’s on-set personalized director’s chair from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Carrie Fisher’s life size C-3PO with electronic lighting elements, Carrie Fisher’s life sized bronze, limited edition Yoda statue by Lawrence A. Noble and Carrie Fisher’s vintage original 1978 Kenner Star Wars Princess Leia action figure, still in it’s original packaging.