A Missing 'A New Hope' X-Wing Auctions for Over $3 Million

The unforgettable X-Wing of Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope has found a new home after fetching a whopping $3.135 million at auction.


Credited by The Hollywood Reporter, this 20-inch model, as opposed to the ship in which Mark Hamill's iconic character Luke Skywalker traversed the cosmos, was used in creating the special effects for pinnacle scenes such as the unforgettable Death Star destruction. Once believed to be lost, the X-Wing resurfaced in the late Greg Jein's garage and sold by Heritage Auctions in Dallas.


Red Leader X-Wing Model - Image credit: Heritage Auctions


Joe Maddalena, Executive Vice President of Hollywood and entertainment memorabilia at Heritage Auctions, declared this sale as "the most expensive Star Wars screen-used prop sold at auction". He further emphasized tremendous worldwide response to the Greg Jein collection. The collection resultantly underlines the esteemed late visual effects artist and collector's accomplishments.


The X-Wing sold is one of a rare set of four used by Industrial Light and Magic for the production of the original Star Wars. This particular piece, recognized as the Red Leader "hero" model, features both articulating wings and lights. These ‘hero’ models were used for up-close shots and in the climactic battle scene.


A New Hope is ranked by IGN as the second-best Star Wars film, only surpassed by Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back. The original film made its mark in third place on IGN's list of the best sci-fi movies of all time.