With so many auctions packed into one weekend, cllct broke its Monday recap into two parts.
We looked at the Goldin 100 (and its record-breaking sale of a Jordan Logoman card) in one part, and here we're leading off with a series of "Star Wars" auctions at Heritage.
As always, analysis of the final bids is provided by cllct's Will Stern and Darren Rovell.
"Star Wars" prototype rocket-firing Boba Fett AFA 60
Price: $525,000
As we covered Friday, this sale marks the new record for an action figure by a long shot, beating out the previous mark for a rocket-firing Boba Fett prototype set in June 2022 ($236,000) as well as the record for the most expensive toy ever sold ($302,500 for a Stefano Canturi Barbie).
Stern: Even though these are rare (about 100 total), the collectors who have the $100k-$200k to acquire one typically have no issues finding a private seller. So, this tells me the rarity of this obscure variant was even more coveted by collectors than previously thought, with some collectors clearly waiting years for it to surface.
Rovell: I love sealed toys since nostalgia hits so hard. It's nice to see such incredible upside.
"Star Wars" Boba Fett 21-back B AFA 95
Price: $84,375
In the complex speak of Kenner "Star Wars" toys, the “21-back” variant of Boba Fett is so named because it was the 21st toy photo released by Kenner (as seen on the back of the toy card) and the “B” variant refers to the fact the prototype Patrol Dewback and Droid Factory images present on the “A” variant have been replaced by production examples.
Stern: The AFA 95 grade is absurd. Simply not something you ever see in this market. It’s one of two examples at the grade. Add in the fact that it’s unpunched, meaning it was never displayed on a retail shelf, and the incredible rarity and condition truly stands out.
But the fact this was the second-highest sale of the auction, blowing the high-grade vinyl cape Jawa out of the water, is a shock. This tells me that in addition to extreme variant rarity, superb condition is highly valued in this market, more so than I had previously believed.
Rovell: I think this is what happens when card people get into toys. I'm just speculating here, but if you look at other markets when card people, who are very condition sensitive, get into the market, the price for better grades gets better money – even in markets that hadn't seen this before. We saw this exact thing happen in tickets.
"Star Wars" vinyl cape Jawa 12 back-A AFA 85
Price: $30,000
The vinyl cape variant is indicative of the early production of this Kenner figure. The cape material was soon changed to another material in later productions, making this the preferred variant for collectors. In March 2024, a like-graded copy sold for $36,603.60 at Hake’s.
Stern: A solid result, basically in-line with the last comp. Particularly given the fact we usually don’t see two of these high-grade examples sell publicly in such close succession, it’s a strong sign for the market.
Rovell: I do get worried when there's a bunch of variants, as I do with video games, that it keeps the average bear away from the market. Having to have a complex story in my opinion is exclusionary to the masses.
1977 Topps "Star Wars" C-3PO "Golden Rod" error PSA 10
Price: $25,000
We covered the story last week as well. This is one of just five PSA 10 copies in the PSA census and marks the first time since May 2020 that we’ve witnessed a public sale (it last fetched $4,999). This is by far a record for the card, in any grade.
Stern: Not to say I told you so, but I did. To quote myself from last week’s preview: “It is quite astounding considering the fame of the card and the value of its contemporaries in the set that we haven’t seen a sale of a PSA 10 in more than four years. I think this clears $20,000.”
Rovell: I just want one in any condition!
1982 "Star Wars: A New Hope" VHS CGC 9.2 A
Price: $23,750
This sealed VHS is believed to be just one of less than 10 factory-sealed examples from the first commercially available variant released in 1982. The record for any collectible VHS belongs to another early-release sealed "Star Wars" tape, which sold for $114,000 in October 2022.
Stern: For those out there still believing in the future of sealed VHS, good news: You should be able to scoop up whatever you want at a major discount. But if you were banking on the price chart heading in a positive direction, it’s going to be difficult to spin this as anything other than a death knell.
Rovell: One VHS lover was telling me over the weekend, "I didn't know it was there." I'm not buying it.
This market needs population reports now, and even if it got the population reports, there's a sense that the numbers would have been concerning. I bought two sets of original "Rocky" I, II and III, thinking there couldn't be more than 15 full sets out there. I've seen at least 50.
Snoop Dogg Wrestlemania-worn outfit
Price: $5,200
Snoop Dogg wore this limited edition velour suit at WrestleMania 39.
Stern: Snoop plus WrestleMania ... because why not? Would I buy this for $50? No. But there’s something for everyone.
Rovell: Great piece. Feel like this price is about right.
1972 Nike waffle racing "Moon Shoe"
Price: $306,000
One of a dozen Moon Shoes, the first running shoe designed by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman to include the waffle sole pattern, this is widely considered to be the holy grail of Nike memorabilia.
Canadian entrepreneur Miles Nadal bought the pair for a record-breaking $437,500 in 2019.
Stern: It’s difficult to make much sense of this sale without placing it in the broader context of the auction, which was held by RM Sotheby’s (the auction house’s automotive department) and seemingly came out of nowhere with little fanfare.
Nadal placed the Moon Shoes, in addition to tens of millions of dollars worth of items from his collection, including rare Ferraris, sneakers and more, up for auction to “clear space.” Nadal said he would donate proceeds to charity.
Rovell: Any time someone dumps all this stuff like Nadal, with no sense of timing, you are not going to get the best price. Nadal bought these shoes right as the moon landing was hitting 50 years old, and he owned them during the 50th anniversary of Nike.
There aren't many big milestones left, and this is a piece that is definitely not for everyone. All things considered, including the glut of the items and how these shoes were sold, I think this is a strong price.
Roger Federer 2011 French Open match-used racket
Price: $31,126.80
Photo-matched to Federer’s last career French Open final, which he lost to Rafael Nadal in thrilling fashion, this racket led the way at The Tennis Auction’s 2024 Legends Auction, which ended Sunday night.
Stern: Another racket from the final (including a photo-match letter but no graphic) sold in July 2021 at Christie’s as part of The Roger Federer Collection along with two other rackets, two pairs of sneakers and a bag from the tournament, collectively netting nearly $78,000.
This is a great result in the extremely immature market for tennis memorabilia, particularly photo-matched rackets.
Rovell: I love the idea of niche auction houses. If you haven't read Will's piece on what has been done in tennis and golf, go read it now. In a regular auction house, this racket does not sell for more than $15,000. However, because the racket was offered in a tennis-only house that spends time marketing and writing about it, and is building a tennis collectors base, it performed well.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectible market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.