The “holy grail” of collectible toys, a 1979 rocket-firing Boba Fett prototype graded AFA 85+, set a world record for any toy at public auction after it sold for $1.34 million at Goldin Auctions on Saturday night.
The previous record of $525,000 was set by another rocket-firing Fett in May.
Collectors and speculative investors have long considered this toy to be the crème de la crème of "Star Wars" action figures, in large part due to its rarity and legendary backstory.
Only 100 were ever produced, with even fewer believed to exist today. This extreme scarcity is a result of a recall of Mattel's "Battlestar Galactica" toys, which featured a rocket-firing mechanism similar to Boba Fett's. The recall, which was issued in response to reports of children choking on the rocket and at least one confirmed death, led to Kenner’s shutdown of the toy’s development and destruction of prototypes before any were released to the public.
The few figures which have found their ways into public hands, often through Kenner employees sneaking them out, became the stuff of legend.
As values for these toys climbed and reached unprecedented heights, a Mandela Effect emerged — coined "Rocket Fett Syndrome" — which described the phenomenon of large numbers of people believing they currently or formerly owned one.
The details which differentiate each of the surviving rocket-firing Fetts from one another, and establishes a loose hierarchy of value, is quite detailed, beginning with the difference between L-slot and J-slot variants. It’s believed around 70-80 examples of the former exist, identified by its lack of any mechanism preventing the rocket from accidentally firing. J-slot variants, an updated version meant to prevent accidental rocket-firing, are found in even fewer numbers, likely less than 25.
Additional distinctions are found between painted and unpainted examples and “Mailer” versions, such as the record-holder sold at Goldin, which was actually placed in a mailing box and kept by a Kenner engineer and later opened by his son. The lot includes the original box that would have been used to mail the toy in 1979 along with two business cards from the Kenner employee.
No mailer J-slots have ever sold previously, with only two others known to exist.
Prior to this year, a rocket-firing Fett had never sold for more than $236,000. The record sale earlier this year marked the first time any toy sold publicly for more than $500,000, as the prior record was held by a Barbie designed by Stefano Canturi which sold for $302,500 in 2010.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.