Your old Star Wars toys could be worth thousands

Have you got any old Star Wars figures knocking about in the loft or tucked away, long forgotten, in a cupboard?

It may well be worth your while to dig them out – they could be worth a tidy sum.

The second trailer for the latest instalment of the global franchise was released this week, sending excitement among fans spiralling ahead of the December release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

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And, as every fan knows, original figures and memorabilia connected to the movies can command big money.

A super rare action figure of cult character Boba Fett, from The Empire Strikes Back, sold for £26,000 in July last year – a record for a Star Wars figure.

The 3.5 inch-tall, boxed figurine was part of a collection put together over 40 years by a French collector.

The auction also sold an unpainted prototype toy Fett for £18,000. It never made it into full production as there were fears its firing rocket was a choking-hazard.

Kathy Taylor, toy auctioneer at Vectis Auctions, which sold the Boba Fett figurine, said: “People have such an affection for Star Wars that the supply of vintage toys simply cannot meet the demand.”

And earlier this year, a rare Palitoy Jawa with vinyl cape sold for £21,000 during a Vectis auction to mark the 40th anniversary of the films.

According to Vectis, similar Jawas regularly attract up to £700 a time if sold loose, and considerable more if boxed. The scavenging Jawas of Tattooine were seen in A New Hope as they “captured” C-3PO and R2-D2.

Vectis says another very rare figure that could be worth thousands is that of Vlix, one of the characters from the animated Star Wars spin-off, Droids.

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A Vlix made by Brazilian manufacturer Glasslite, complete with certificate of authenticity, was sold in July 2016 for £12,000, although other ‘loose’ versions can fetch about £3,000.

The ever popular Yoda is almost guaranteed to make you some money. If you just happen to have a model of the Jedi master made by Meccano, in its original packaging – and in French – it could make you thousands.

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One of these sold last year for £9,600.

According to insurer LV=, one in 20 homes in the country will have a valuable Star Wars figure, character, game or merchandise stashed away somewhere.