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Cincinnati-made Boba Fett figurine could fetch $500,000 at auction

Posted at 2:26 PM, Oct 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-25 15:19:26-04

CINCINNATI — Fans of “Star Wars” have the chance to own a rare piece of memorabilia before the latest installment of the science fiction franchise hits theaters in December.

Hake’s Auctions is currently auctioning an original Kenner Toys' "J-Slot" rocket-firing Boba Fett prototype online. Hake’s is accepting bids for the three-and-four-quarter-inch tall plastic figurine until 9 p.m. Nov. 7.

The winning bidder of the figurine will also receive documentation verifying the toy’s history, according to the site.

Hardcore fans shouldn't get overly excited though. As of Friday afternoon, the price tag to own the pint-sized Boba Fett was already $133,126.88 after only 12 bids.

Hake’s estimates the figurine to sell for between $200,000-$500,000.

So, what makes this Boba Fett figurine so valuable? The simple answer is "Star Wars" popularity and rarity.

Only 24 to 26 examples of the original “J-Slot” version of the Boba Fett prototype made in the late 1970s are still known to exist.

The now defunct Kenner Toys, which was based in Cincinnati, originally made 80 to 100 prototypes of the figure for safety testing purposes.

Kenner ultimately decided the spring-loaded rocket on Boba Fett’s back was too much of a potential choking hazard for children.

The final toy version of Boba Fett, the famed bounty hunter who first appeared in a 1978 "Star Wars" Christmas television special, hit store shelves with his rocket molded to his back.