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Rare 'Star Wars' memorabilia snatches $500,000 at auction

Six Star Wars "21 Back" action figures, 1979
Source: Sotheby's

Those old action figures collecting dust in your attic could be worth a fortune, if you kept them in the package.

Sotheby's auction house teamed up with Nigo, a Japanese designer, music producer and entrepreneur, to stage its first auction dedicated exclusively to "Star Wars."

The auction, which took place Dec. 11, consisted of more than 600 original action figures, coins, collectibles and toys — all from Nigo's private collection — and garnered more than $500,000.

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The higher-end items in Nigo's collection were either rare or still in the original packaging, making them desirable collectors' items.

Among the items were two sets of "Star Wars" coins which were estimated to sell for between $25,000 and $35,000. They sold for $27,500.

A rare Luke Skywalker figure — one of only 20 confirmed — was expected to sell for $12,000 to $18,000. It sold for $25,000.

The highest-selling lot, a seven-figure multi-pack sold exclusively in Canada in 1980, garnered $32,500 at the auction.

On the lower end of the spectrum were plush toys — some in the original packaging, some not — and a worn "Return of the Jedi" lunch box. The plush toys sold for between $250 and $5,000 while the lunch box was purchased for $625.

"As a designer, I have always been inspired by 'Star Wars,'" Nigo said in a statement. "I am honored to be launching this sale and hope that it will bring excitement to 'Star Wars' fans around the world."