Rare Star Wars poster sells for record price, collectibles market booming
Nearly 50 years after Star Wars first hit theaters, the franchise isn’t just a cinematic landmark, it’s one of the most powerful forces in the collectibles world. This week, that status was reaffirmed when Heritage Auctions sold Tom Jung’s original 1977 half-sheet key poster artwork for Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope for an astounding $3,875,000.
It’s a milestone result, but what makes it even more compelling is how seamlessly it fits into a rising pattern: Star Wars items aren’t just selling well—they’re setting records across multiple categories.
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The Artwork That Started It All
Jung’s painting isn’t just another piece of promotional material. It was the first widely published visual for Star Wars, introducing moviegoers to Luke, Leia and more. Debuting in nationwide newspaper ads from May 13–15, 1977 and appearing on the original theatrical program and enormous 24-sheet billboard, it effectively served as the first “poster” for a film the world had not yet discovered.
Its $3.875 million sale now stands as one of the most important transactions in original cinematic artwork and one of the crown jewels of Star Wars collecting.
The Disney Deal That Continues to Supercharge Collecting
Disney’s $4.05 billion acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012 reshaped the franchise’s cultural footprint almost overnight. New films, streaming series, and global merchandising revived interest across generations, and that surge in visibility helped push early trilogy artifacts and original artwork into blue-chip territory. For many collectors, the Disney era didn’t just expand the universe — it elevated the value of the pieces that started it.
A Wave of Major Star Wars Sales
The Jung painting may be the newest headline, but high-end Star Wars collectibles have been commanding extraordinary prices across categories. The momentum is not isolated — it’s a trend.
One of the clearest examples came earlier this year when a PSA 10 copy of the 1977 Topps Star Wars Luke Skywalker #1 card sold for $268,400. The card, featuring Mark Hamill as Luke in his earliest trading-card appearance, is notoriously difficult to find in gem-mint condition due to print quality and centering issues from the original production run. The result set a new benchmark for non-sports trading cards and reinforced how coveted first images from the franchise have become.
Prop memorabilia has been equally strong. Screen-used lightsabers, costume pieces, and production materials continue to push into six- and seven-figure territory whenever they surface, especially when linked to the original trilogy. Even concept art and storyboards, once niche collecting categories, have seen sharp appreciation as fans seek out tangible pieces of the creative process.
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Why Star Wars Keeps Breaking Records
Few franchises blend nostalgia, cultural reach, and multigenerational fandom like Star Wars. As collectors expand into new categories and investors enter the hobby, the pieces that shaped the franchise’s earliest identity have risen to the top.
The $3.875 million Jung artwork isn’t just a record, but a reflection of a maturing market where the most historically meaningful items are finally being valued like the artistic and cultural artifacts they are. If recent trends are any indication, the Force behind Star Wars collecting isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Lucas Mast is a writer based in California’s Bay Area, where he’s a season ticket holder for St. Mary’s basketball and a die-hard Stanford athletics fan. A lifelong collector of sneakers, sports cards, and pop culture, he also advises companies shaping the future of the hobby and sports. He’s driven by a curiosity about why people collect—and what those items reveal about the moments and memories that matter most.
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