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AssetID: 40998184

Headline: House Clearance Star Wars Toys Part of £250,000 Auction Sale

Caption: PICTURE SHOWS: 13 assorted boxed Star Wars sets went for £4600. .... STORY COPY: Vintage Star Wars toys left to a neighbour in bin bags have helped make £250,000 at auction. Chris Aston, from Astons Auctioneers in Dudley, UK, says they couldn’t believe the find when they were asked to evaluate the collectables. An elderly collector in Stourbridge had willed the items to his neighbour following his death. However, the toys included rare figures including a Jawa and a Star Destroyer Commander thought to be among the rarest in the world. The latter was part of a five figure vintage Star Wars lot, on Empire Strikes Back cards, which sold for £25,000. The lot featured still sealed figures including an Imperial Commander, an AT-AT Driver, Yoda (with orange snake) and IG-88 (Bounty Hunter), along with the Star Destroyer Commander, of which Chris Aston said: “It is incredibly rare on ESB 30-back card - we can't find any record of another existing on this card." The Palitoy Star Wars Jawa figure, with rare Vinyl Cape, was part of a lot sold for £22,000. Chris says it is “one of the rarest carded Star Wars figures in existence on this card variation - less than 10 known in the world. Our most exciting toy find in 15 years trading as Toy Auctioneers.” Astons described the item as such: “Card is slightly curved but could easily be flattened by somebody with the correct knowledge. Colours of the card are fantastic, and the bubble has not suffered any yellowing - probably because this item appears to have been sitting in a bin bag with other figures since it's purchase in the 1970's.” Other highlights included a £3300 lot featuring two vintage Palitoy Star Wars figures still sealed on unpunched ESB The Empire Strikes Back backing cards: Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi and Luke Skywalker. Also, 13 assorted boxed Star Wars sets went for £4600. Alas, there is a bitter end to this saga. Chris explains: “Our best sale ever in 15 years and also our last ever auction as we are now closing the business permanently having been badly affected by the lockdown earlier in the year.”

Keywords: interesting,weird,viral,strange,quirky,science,sci-fi,space,odd,oddity,offbeat,auction,memorabilia,collectable

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