Mark Hamill's original screen-used Luke Skywalker lightsaber has sold at auction for $3.75 million, far exceeding pre-sale estimates and setting a new world record for a screen-used Star Wars prop. The prop is famous for the pivotal duel with Darth Vader in 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back," in which Vader severs Luke's hand and reveals himself as his father, making it one of the franchise's most significant surviving artefacts.

Heritage Auctions confirmed the sale on Wednesday, noting the item had originally been listed with an estimate of $1 million to $2 million before demand pushed the final price far higher. It surpasses the previous screen-used prop record of $3.135 million, paid for a Star Wars X-wing model in October 2023, though it remains below the $3.875 million paid for an original "A New Hope" poster painting. The lightsaber, built from a modified Graflex flash unit, was sold alongside the original severed-hand effects rig created by makeup artist Stuart Freeborn, with Heritage executive Joe Maddalena calling it "a genuine piece of modern mythology." The sale formed part of Heritage's Hollywood & Entertainment Signature Auction, which runs until 17 July and includes other memorabilia such as Wizard of Oz hats and Rocky III boots.