Propstore, one of the world’s leading entertainment memorabilia auction houses, is set to unveil an extraordinary selection of film-used Star Wars collectibles at its upcoming Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction in Los Angeles, taking place across three days from March 26th – 28th, 2025.  

Two standout lots are expected to generate major excitement: Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) Medal of Yavin from Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) and Chewbacca’s (Peter Mayhew) Bowcaster, featured in all three films from the Star Wars Original Trilogy.  

An incredibly significant Star Wars prop, Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) screen-matched Medal of Yavin from A New Hope (1977) is a symbol of the Rebel Alliance’s victory over the Empire. Presented by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) in the film’s iconic finale, this medal appears in one of cinema’s most memorable moments, set to John Williams’ The Throne Room march. 

Only two medals are believed to have been made for the film; this medal was seen worn by Hamill in the film itself, but was also worn by Harrison Ford in behind-the-scenes photos taken during rehearsals. The first and only medal to be offered for public sale, it originates from the collection of Gerard Bourke, who worked on the original Star Wars films. This rare hero prop is estimated between $300,000 and $600,000 and is expected to be one of the auction’s most sought-after lots. 

Another showstopper is Chewbacca’s Bowcaster, wielded by Peter Mayhew’s beloved Wookiee warrior in all three films of the original Star Wars trilogy – George Lucas’ A New Hope (1977), Irvin Kershner’s The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Richard Marquand’s Return of the Jedi (1983) – as well as in iconic publicity photos of the character. 

The Bowcaster was built around a real-world Horton crossbow, modified with custom components and detailed dressing to give it a futuristic yet battle-worn look. This particular prop is believed to be the only Bowcaster used throughout the trilogy, with no evidence of a backup version, making it one of the rarest Star Wars hero props in existence. The Bowcaster had some of its dressing components removed after filming but retains key original elements, including its unique shoulder stock extension, which was custom-fabricated for Peter Mayhew during the filming of Return of the Jedi (1983). The piece also photo-matches to production stills from each of the original trilogy films. It has been sympathetically restored to its Return of the Jedi (1983) configuration, with the missing dressing components faithfully recreated. With its unmistakable silhouette and deep connection to one of Star Wars’ most beloved characters, this photo-matched piece is expected to be a major highlight of the auction, with an estimated value of $250,000 to $500,000. 

Auction preview can be viewed at https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/449 

 Online proxy bids can be submitted from February 26th, 2025. 

Brandon Alinger, Propstore COO, commented on the upcoming event: “Propstore is thrilled to bring these incredible Star Wars props to auction and for fans to see them for the first time in many years.  Principal character pieces from the original trilogy are extremely rare and highly sought after. Each of these treasures holds a special place in cinematic history, and we are excited to see them find new homes where they will be appreciated and preserved for years to come.”