MAY the Fourth of May is here and as fans commemorate the Star Wars franchise, they are in for a big surprise.
Today marks all things Star Wars thanks to the date 4e May, that sounds like the famous slogan, and what better way to celebrate than by receiving a huge prize.
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Some fans might be sitting on a pile of cash if they have the ultra-rare one Star Wars toys gathering dust on the shelves.
A plastic Jawa, produced by Palitoy in 1978, could now sell for an astronomical £30,000.
The 2.23 inch figure was first purchased at Hamley's in London for a paltry £1.25 and is one of only 10-15 left in existence worldwide.
It has been preserved in its original packaging for the past 46 years, with even the price tag sticker still intact.
The packaging was perforated so that the figure could be hung on a shelf in the store.
The assorted toys were released shortly after the first Star Wars moviestarring Harrison Ford And Carrie Visserbecame famous.
The last owner, a British private collector, acquired the rare relic five years ago and transferred it to C&T Auctions in Ashford, Kent.
The figure features the sought-after vinyl cape, which was quickly swapped for a cloth one because it was cheaper to produce.
As a result, vinyl-capped figurines have become increasingly valuable over the past 40 years.
This particular example is expected to spark a bidding war at the May 8 auction.
Glen Chapman, toy specialist at C&T Auctions, said: “The vinyl cape version of the Jawa was the first example of this figure, short-lived and replaced by the cloth cape version.
“This is just one of the few examples known to be on the back of the Palitoy card.
“It is a graduated example that appeals to collectors looking for the best they can buy.
“In Britain, the Jawa is the rarest Star Wars figure and probably the utopia of the market here.”
The same statue sold for an eye-watering £21,000 earlier this year another went under the hammer for a whopping £26,670.
Appearing in Star Wars since the first film, Jawas are 3-foot-tall humanoids who hide their faces and comb the deserts of Tattoine for discarded scrap metal.
The world record price for a piece of Star Wars memorabilia is a Boba Fett figure which fetched £188,000 in Pennsylvania in June 2022.
How do you find out if your toys are valuable?
Do you still have your childhood toy collection in a box in the attic? It could be worth a small fortune.
BBC Bargain Hunt expert Tim Weeks is a toy specialist at Wessex Auction Rooms.
He says, that TV and movie related toys are always the most sought after.
Star Wars, Batman, Transformers, James Bond, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony and Thundercats are some of the big names.
Crucially, they don't even have to be in perfect condition.
“I have regularly sold these figures for hundreds and sometimes thousands if they were on the original back, but even a collection of figures without a box can fetch a lot of money,” says Tim.
Most toys from the 70's, 80's and 90's won't be in new condition and there is still a fantastic market of buyers who want them.
However, if you want to think ahead and invest in a toy to sell in the future, it is definitely worth keeping it in perfect condition.
While all forms of fitness are marketable, you need to give yourself the best possible chance to maximize returns by keeping your investments as good as possible.
Also consider how the toys are displayed when deciding what to buy.
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