World’s Most Valuable Vintage Toy Was Never Mass-Produced Out Of Safety Concerns

Image via Heritage Auctions / HA.com, background generated on AI

Few items shine as brightly in the galaxy of collectibles as those from the Star Wars universe. Among the countless characters, vehicles, and worlds immortalized in plastic, one figure stands out from the rest—Boba Fett—despite his limited screen time in the original trilogy. Admittedly, the latest pop-culture icon to have fans buzzing isn’t just a regular action figure but an elusive “rocket-firing” Boba Fett that has become the stuff of legends.

Produced by Kenner in the late 1970s, this particular figure was never released to the public due to safety concerns. Its rocket-firing feature was deemed a choking hazard, leading to its cancellation.

Image via Heritage Auctions / HA.com

However, a few prototypes survived, rescued from a box of discarded toys at Kenner. These rare figures have since become the holy grail for Star Wars collectors.

Recently, one such model came up for auction under Heritage Auctions and obliterated previous records. The 3¾-inch-tall Boba Fett fetched an astounding US$525,000, more than doubling the previous record for the most expensive Star Wars action figure sold at auction. This title was previously held by another rocket-firing Boba Fett, which sold for US$236,000 in June 2022.

The sale also saw this tiny Mandalorian best a Barbie to become the most valuable vintage toy ever sold at auction. The previous record, set in 2010, was held by a one-carat diamond-wearing Barbie that sold for US$302,000.

The event featured one of only two surviving hand-painted prototypes of the never-released figure. The bidding was intense, but ultimately, one lucky collector secured this coveted piece of Star Wars history.

[via Gizmodo and Bleeding Cool, images via various sources]